I liked hearing her giggle at the other end of the call.
"If you are going to be spilling food over your boobs, then I suggest topless. You know skin is easy to clean. Oh, and I'll bring my camera." I imagined myself licking it off and knew full well she'd deliberately put that image in my head. She was a game player, first class. My kind of a woman.
"If I was topless I might get cold."
"You can be sure I'll warm you up. Especially when I'm sucking spaghetti off your nipples."
"Ah. So it's Italian."
"No. We are not eating Italian; I just lived the image in my head. I might suggest it to my brothers. It would make a great black and white photo, or if you'd like to go into movies, we could script a short film around that one idea."
"I swear you're so crazy I'm tempted to wear pajamas and slippers."
"Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. I promise you won't feel out of place no matter what you wear."
"Geez, thanks for no help at all."
"Bring a change of clothes, then you've got it covered if you spill your food or if you chose to spend the night with me."
"Oh."
"I just thought I'd throw that out there. No pressure. I won't attempt to cover you in spaghetti, not unless you ask me to."
And just over an hour later I arrived at her door. She was ready to go. She didn't seem to be carrying an overnight kit, shame, but I know women's clothes and things can fold up really small.
I picked her up to take to dinner and drove directly back to my apartment. Even then she didn't guess.
"The restaurant is local to where you live?"
"Very much so." I guided her into my building.
"This is the surprise?"
I had feared that if I told her, she might not come. But after talking to my brothers, I knew we needed a private place to talk.
In the elevator, she stood with her hands on her hips and a twisted smile on her lips.
"I wanted to take you to the best place I know."
"Your home, really?"
"Don't you doubt it. I'm a wonderful cook, you'll see."
I entered the apartment first so that I could turn and see her face.
She turned around and around taking it all in. "You left all of these candles burning? Aren't you worried about the fire hazard?"
"I believe there's a sprinkler system."
Her eyes settled on the trail of pink rose petals leading from the door to the kitchen, and to her seat. She smiled and followed the path to the dining table. It was dressed in white linen and held an array of cutlery, and more rose petals. To one side a bottle of champagne sat in a cooler.
"A piano."
"Chopin," I replied.
"How did you do all this?"
"I had help. I didn't leave it with music playing or a loop and fifty candles burning. My brother conspired. And while we were on our way up, they went down a flight of stairs. Anyway, sit down. We've many courses to get through. I hope you are hungry."
I opened the fridge and brought out a ready prepared platter of mixed crostini. I'd thrown a few blueberries and basil leaves in among the food to add to the colorful display. "I lied about it not being Italian, although bits of bread with food on top is universal with a different name in every language. But I was thinking crostini when I prepared these."
"I suddenly feel ravenous. I think I'm always ready to eat food when it looks as good as this." She carefully picked up a piece of traditional bruschetta and daintily bit into it. A few crumbs stuck to her bottom lip. I tried not to stare, she licked them up, and I felt my tongue swiping around my lips too.
"Mmm," she hummed her pleasure and eyed the rest of the plate.
"Have some more."
She chose one with a ricotta and pesto topping while I stood up. "I'm just going to make sure I've got each dish in order." I also sorted out drinks. Water to accompany the champagne. It was all very well celebrating her new career as a shop worker, but she didn't want to be drunk when we discussed us.
"Decker, this is all so sweet and lovely." She picked up a rose petal and waved it about. "And romantic. But I can't sit here all night and not mention your brothers."
"I have mentioned them. They helped me get this all ready. I had limited time when I got home from college. I hope vegetarian food is acceptable to you?"
KAREN
"Vegetarian? I didn't think you'd be vegetarian." These guys looked like they ate raw meat after killing the animal with their bare hands. However, I already knew they were full of contradictions as artists and students who lived in a luxury pad.
"I'm not, not strictly. However, most of what I eat is. Mostly vegan in fact. I just like the taste and feeling healthy."
That didn't surprise me. The guys were all so fit. Going to the gym and eating well must have been a daily thing for them.
"Is it difficult?"
"The diet? Not at all. I like to cook and try new things. And it is even better when I've someone to cook for."
"Do you cook for your brothers?"
"I do, often, but they take me for granted." I pouted. "I don't often entertain like this for someone special."
The romantic setting took me by surprise. He'd transformed the apartment, and it was barely recognizable. Any other time I would have been thrilled by the fact that a man had gone to such lengths. However, it brought a lump to my throat.
I dreaded saying anything.
A man had put in much effort to create a romantic setting to celebrate with me, and only a few hours ago I'd been in bed with two other men. How could I be such a bitch?
If he didn't know already, I had no idea how he'd react.
One way or another he'd find out eventually so it would be best dealt with early on. "Did Cedric and Simon tell you I slept with them today?"
"They did." He smiled and winked. "Not details, of course. They're not like that. As I said, I've seen none of the photos. Except, when I said it the first time, it was true, but now it isn't."
"You've seen the pictures?"
My stomach somersaulted. I doubted the wisdom of posing for such images. I liked Decker. I really liked him. And I couldn't help worrying about how those images might ruin any chance of a relationship with him.
Would any man want a relationship with a woman who'd posed like that in front of other men?
Damn it. I'd messed up.
"No need to look so worried. I've seen some, but they were only portraits. I could clearly see your face but not anything else."
"Do I look worried? I shouldn't be. Lots of people will see the photographs eventually."
Decker walked towards me with two plates of food in his hand which he placed on the table. He looked at me intently. "I need to talk to you about photographs. I don't know how to bring this up. I don't want to spoil dinner but my brothers like you a lot and as you can see I really like you too. I don't risk burning the apartment down with fifty candles every time I have dinner at home."
I had no idea what he was about to say. Thinking about his brothers and this love triangle made me lose my appetite entirely. The appetizer had taken the edge off my hunger, and the sight of a new plate of food in front of me provoked a feeling of nausea.
"I don't understand. This looks like a romantic dinner. But I was with your brothers this afternoon, and you already knew it."
"If you'd have been with some other guy, I wouldn't have been happy about it. I'd be jealous. Not that I'm entitled to be jealous, it's not like we're dating or anything. We're just friends. I hope I can call you a friend."
I nodded.
"If it's not obvious, I'd like you to be more than a friend, and I'd like to call you my girlfriend."
He picked up his glass and had a swig of his drink.
I copied him., taking many gulps from my glass. The bubbles went up my nose, and the alcohol seemed to hit my head immediately. "And are you jealous when it's your brothers?"
"I don't consider my brothers as other men. It's hard to expla
in, but we've been so close all our lives that I know how they think. I understand their motives even though we are quite different guys. They both like you and genuinely care about you. If you want to go out with one of them and not me, I'd be disappointed, but I'd be pleased for my brother, and I'd at least know you were with a decent guy who'd treat you right. Does that make sense?"
"Yes. It does."
His mature attitude was surprisingly refreshing. He looked like a possessive alpha male. Yet, when it came to when it came to his brothers, he was like a caring mother.
"You guys truly love each other, don't you?" It wasn't just his words, but the tone of his voice and the smile on his face.
He cocked an eyebrow.
"Sorry, I guess that's a silly question. Of course, you do, you re triplets." I looked down at the plate of food. Finally, the sickness in my stomach had settled.
"I've talked about you with my brothers and if you'd like to date anyone of us or all three of us we're all cool with it. I know it might sound strange, but you know we're triplets and artists, so we are doubly unconventional."
His maturity and intense masculinity made it easy to forget that the man sat across the table from me was several years my junior.
"Aren't you concerned that I'm so much older than you?"
His brow furrowed as if he didn't understand the question. "No. Why should I be?"
I shrugged.
"Are you concerned that I'm younger than you? And if so why?"
"I don't think about it most of the time. It's only now you are talking about a relationship, and I'm thinking about all the reasons why it shouldn't work. I guess age makes no difference. It's not as if you three are teenagers. I've just never dated someone younger than me before."
"What about three someones at once?"
"Your brothers said the same thing to me this afternoon. I didn't know if they were serious."
"You've had time to consider it. What do you think?"
"I like the idea, of course." I could feel my face flushed with embarrassment. "My thoughts? It's too good to be true. Three gorgeous men who all want to go out with me and share me. Where's the catch? It seems there should be someone jumping out from behind a curtain telling me it was a hoax and the jokes on me for thinking three guys like you would want to do that."
He shook his head. "It's no joke." He placed his hand across the table reaching out and offering to take mine. "I don't know how to show you that we are sincere."
"Strange as it is, I believe you. And I don't know if I will always feel this way, but right now I don't want to choose between the three of you."
I looked for any sign of disappointment in his face that I wasn't choosing him, but if anything it seemed to glow as if he didn't want me to choose one of them at all."
"I'm pleased. My brothers will be pleased."
Decker hit his head forehead with the back of his hand and shut his eyes. "Oh my God. There's something I forgot to tell you. It might change everything for you."
CHAPTER TWELVE
DECKER
I wanted to wine and dine her. To seduce her. To make her feel like the most special woman in the world as I made love to her until she fell asleep in my arms. Those were the surprises I wanted to share.
But I had to tell her the other thing. I couldn't put it off.
"For a long time, our father has been seeing a woman called Penny. We've met her many times. She was dad's girlfriend but we thought of her as almost a part of the family, and now she is. Our dad has married Penny. We only found out today because they didn't invite us to the wedding. They got married in secret in Vegas."
The expression on her face fixed in position. Not one muscle moved.
"Penny is your mother. And now she's our step mom. We're your step brothers."
She looked shocked.
"It came as a big surprise to us too. I can't imagine what's going through your mind. We're all adults, and the fact that our parents are married shouldn't make any difference to us. We're all in our twenties and don't live with them anymore."
"Oh my. I think they plan to introduce us to each other soon."
"Yes." I nodded and tucked into my food. I figured this was a good time for a bit of silent eating while Karen digested the new information. And I was eager to get onto dessert.
KAREN
I wish I hadn't posed in the way I had for those pictures. It was hot at the time. I'd been living a hedonist dream. In many ways, it got better and better because this was the best day of my life. Three of the most gorgeous men in all the world wanted me. I wasn't going to let anything burst my bubble too soon.
But I wish I hadn't posed for those photos.
I feared the boys only wanted me for what they saw rather than who I was.
And worse, my mom would see them.
My mom and my step dad.
Their dad.
How embarrassing?
My fork scrapped across the plate, and I realized I'd eaten every scrap without noticing what it was, taking comfort in eating, as I always did. Whatever had been on my plate, it'd tasted delicious, but I could eat more.
"I hope you're still hungry. I know that was fairly light for a main, but I didn't want you to be too full to enjoy the dessert."
"What is it?"
He stood up and gathered our plates. "We have a choice." He took the plates to the kitchen sink. They were sure to have a dishwasher in this apartment, but he wasn't doing dishes. He just dumped them and turned to face me. "I recommend the vegan lemon cheesecake. I guess you could call it lemon cheeseless cake. Alternatively, I have homemade fruit crumble with oats and almond topping."
"How do I choose?"
"I recommended the one I didn't make myself."
"How is vegan cheesecake possible?"
"They work magic with soaked cashew nuts. That's why I didn't make it. I didn't have the time. Whereas the fruit crumble is a staple in this house. We make variations on it every week and eat it at any meal. But it's an option if you don't like lemon or have an allergy to cashews but not almonds."
The very thought of desserts, plural, was starting to make me feel better. It wasn't called comfort food for no reason. I think there should be a saying about the way to a woman's heart is via her stomach. As long as Decker kept feeding me like this, I was his and smitten.
"But you are saying I have to choose?"
"They don't go well together. I refuse to put them on the same plate. So yes, you have to choose which dessert first."
"I don't have any allergies. And I'm not allergic desserts. Bring on the cheeseless cheesecake."
While he organized the next course, I thought about our conversations.
When he put the food before me and sat down I was eager to taste it. It didn't taste like any cheesecake I'd had before, but it was good in its own way, nevertheless. With the sweet lemony food on my tongue, I preferred to focus on the man in front of me. "I feel like I've gotten to know you so well over the course of our many brief encounters. You like making arty documentaries and vegan food. You design your own tattoos, and you intend to have more. Your dad married my mom. Is there much else I don't know about you? Is there anything left for me to find out?"
"There's plenty you don't know. And I don't know you well enough either. I hope you'd like to change that." He glanced across the apartment in the direction of the bedrooms. "We could go somewhere more comfortable to get to know each other better between desserts."
"Do you mean take a break to build up more of an appetite?" I stared at him with my new, confident-temptress look. One that I'd only recently discovered and nurtured while posing for his brothers.
DECKER
Taking Karen to my bedroom wasn't like going back there with any other woman. I felt nervous. Would I be good enough for her? She oozed confidence and sex appeal. She wasn't like any other woman.
I can honestly say she rocked my world and for the first time in my life, I felt I'd met someone special who I'd like to have
a relationship with. Heaven save me from sounding like Simon. But I found myself understanding him, at last.
I led her through to my bedroom where she sat on the edge of my bed. I got down on my knees at her feet and moved my hands in between her thighs. Her legs moved wider apart in response to my touch. My heart beat a little faster. When I reached the fabric of her panties they felt hot and damp.
It was entirely a privilege to be allowed to worship at her feet like that. More than ever I wanted to make it good for her. And finding she was as turned on as me felt reassuring.
"You’re so beautiful, Karen."
She threw her head back and laughed heartily.
"What?"
"Now I know, you must say that to all your conquests. I'm not beautiful. I'm average."
The words stung. "I don't say things that aren't true. I mean it, Karen. I don't want you to think you're average. Haven't my brothers told you? You are far from average. That's why they wanted you as their model. You're amazing inside, and it shines through on the outside."
She flashed one of her smoldering sultry looks at me.
"If you don't believe my words let me show you. Now, do you want to take these panties off, or am I gonna have to rip them off you?"
She squealed and stood up, practically knocking me over. I had no complaints as the panties dropped away, falling down her legs. I was impressed by how she responded to instruction.
"That's better. You can keep your dress on for now. Lie back with your legs apart."
Though I was tempted to dive on top of her and I couldn't decide whether I wanted to taste her kisses or kiss her lower lips first. Instead, I thought I'd take my time and remove my clothes. They'd only get in the way later. And this way I could give her a little show.
Striptease required music. I had been listening to some Tom Jones recently, so I hit the play button and started to dance. I had no hat on and pretty soon no shirt either.
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