“I’d like that.” I grin at him.
I don’t hide my interest as I watch him peel off his clothes and climb in behind me. His body is trim but toned after months on the island, and his naturally pale skin now has a touch of color. I lean back into him, and he wraps his arms around me from behind and nuzzles my neck, his breath warm on my already overheated skin.
His hands splay across my stomach, sending ripples through my belly.
“Do you want me to wash you?” he whispers in my ear.
I nod my head, my cheek glancing off his lips.
One hand reaches for a white rectangle on a ledge. When he rubs it between his palms, it foams. He sets it down then rubs his slick, bubbly hands up and down my arms. I lift them up so he can get underneath, wiggling at the ticklish sensation of his gentle fingers grazing over my skin.
He grabs the soap again and leans me forward a bit so he can rub my back. I roll my head and groan as he kneads my neck, his thumbs pressing into the stiff muscles.
One more rub on the bar of soap, then he slides his hands between my arms and body and gently cups my breasts, massaging them, eliciting a gasp. I jut my chest forward into his hands, wanting more friction, but he doesn’t linger there as long as I’d like. Instead, he lets his hands trail down my belly again.
My breath stops and my muscles clench as his fingers head toward my center. When he slips one hand between my legs, stroking me with his middle finger, my whole body convulses. I throw my head back against his chest, moaning, my eyes closed, as he strokes me again and again until I cry out.
When my body stops shuddering, I turn my head and reach up to pull his head down, trying to look at him. “Are we going to mate now, Liam?”
He sighs and closes his eyes. “I’d love to, but Jude and Gio are awake in the other room. I don’t think they’d appreciate that. We should probably wait till we’re alone again.”
I frown, confused. “But I thought everyone agreed to share.”
“We did, but you may have noticed we’re still kind of jealous of each other. And the others aren’t too happy that you and I have mated before, but they haven’t had a chance.”
“I just want everyone to be happy, Liam.” Jude’s words from last night come back to poke at my heart. Our relationship isn’t normal; guys aren’t usually willing to share.
Liam pulls me back against his chest and holds me close, his arms wrapped tight around me. “I know you do, Coral. You’re incredible. And you’re right. We need to figure this out.”
Liam washes my hair then helps me out of the tub, wrapping me in a soft, fluffy towel. I pad to the bedroom where Avery left my new clothes then slip on the blue dress, trying to adjust the sleeves and the tie around the waist the way he did. I don’t know what he’s doing today or if I’ll even see him, and my heart aches with missing him. I can’t stand even one day away from any of them.
I can hear Liam and Gio hollering at Jude about getting me drunk and Jude’s guilt-filled replies, and I hate the animosity between them. I love them so much, all I want is for them to get along so we can all be together.
When I’m dressed, I wander out to the living room where Jude, Gio, and Liam are sitting on the couch, talking about their plans for the day. They light up when they see me.
“Coral, I’m so sorry I let you drink too much. I never thought it would hit you like that. Will you please forgive me?” Jude’s face twists in sorrow, and my anger starts to melt.
“Do you feel sick, too?” I sit down beside him and stroke his cheek. He has dark circles under his eyes, and his lids droop.
He winces and rubs his face. “Yeah, actually, I do. I can usually handle my alcohol pretty well, but it’s been a long time since I had any. My body is in revolt.”
I frown and cuddle up to him. “Did Liam give you some aspirin?”
Jude chuckles, his chest vibrating under my head. “No, he was worried about you, but he was mad at me.”
“Liam.” I pout, looking up at him.
He rolls his eyes and heads for the bathroom, coming back with a couple aspirin and a glass of water. Jude gulps them down then flops back with a moan.
“How are you doing, Gio? You look better.” I stand up and go over to him, giving him a gentle kiss. I’m still afraid to touch his stomach for fear that I’ll hurt him, but I crave his touch. It’s strange to think of him as fragile when he’s always been so strong. He smiles back at me and pulls me closer, tucking me under his arm. I rest a hand on his chest.
“I feel really good today. Almost back to normal. And I get to see Bella today.” His smile gets even wider.
“That’s great, Gio. I’m happy for you.”
“Yeah, her social worker is bringing her here in a few hours so we can visit and talk about custody.”
My eyes get wide. So far, none of the guys have wanted to introduce me to their family members. “You want me to meet her?”
“Why not? Liam will be here, too. We can just say you’re a friend of his.” He shrugs, and I struggle to hide a frown. I know it’s for the best right now — the truth is too impossible to admit, but it still stings a bit to hear him dismiss our relationship so easily.
“What are you doing today?” I ask Liam, feeling a little better after my bath, breakfast, and aspirin, and looking forward to spending more time with him.
“I’d like to go talk to some buyers about the gold. I think it’d be safer if I didn’t go alone.”
“I want to go. My bullshit meter is more sensitive than yours, I’m sure,” Gio says.
Liam frowns. “Are you sure you should be going out? You’re still recuperating.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m going stir crazy lying around all day.” Gio growls, his hand turning white as he clenches a pillow.
“Jude, do you want to come, too?” Liam asks.
“Yeah, as long as we get some food on the way. I’m starving. Why haven’t you gone grocery shopping yet? Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard is bare.” Jude waves his hands towards the kitchen.
Liam curls his lip. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been putting it off. I usually just order food, anyway. I’m too busy most of the time to cook.”
“Jude, you were going to teach me how to cook,” I pipe up, remembering his promise. So far, I’ve had several different kinds of human food, but I still have no idea how any of it is made or even where to get the ingredients. I know the guys will make sure I’m fed, but I need to know how to take care of myself, too, now that I’m living as a human.
He grins, pleased that I remembered. “Sure thing, Princess. Why don’t we all go? Avery should probably have a say in where we sell the gold, too. Then we can pick up some groceries on the way back, and I’ll make dinner for everybody. You can help me, Coral.”
I can’t help the giant smile that takes over my face at the thought of spending the day with all of them. I love spending time alone with each of them, but I miss being all together, and I can see those times getting farther apart as they each pursue their own dreams.
Jude smiles back at my eager grin. “I guess you like that idea. I think I’ll run home for a shower and a change of clothes. I’ll be back in a little bit.”
“I need a shower, too. Jude, do you think you could bring me some clothes? Liam’s skinny-ass, preppy, college boy clothes aren’t going to fit me, and I’d like to wear something other than these sweats.” Gio pinches the gray pants he’s been in since he left the hospital.
Jude chuckles, heading for the door. “Sure, dude. I’ll hook you up with something cool.”
“No offensive tee shirts!” Gio hollers after him. “I’ve got a social worker to impress.”
Liam calls Avery to tell him the plan, and my spirits soar when he agrees to join us. When he shows up a while later, he beams at the sight of me in my new dress.
Avery fingers the sleeves I’ve rolled up just like he had them then puts his hand on my waist and pulls me in for a kiss. “Did you have fun last night?”
His tone tel
ls me he hopes I did, even though he wishes he could’ve been with me. I decide to go with the truth.
“I had fun dancing, and I liked the music. But the women didn’t like me, and Jude got mad at Marcus, and I have a hangover today.”
Avery’s brow wrinkles, marring the perfection of his features. He tenses and looks around, presumably for Jude. “Jude got you drunk? What the hell?”
I put my arms around Avery’s neck, hoping to calm him down. “He didn’t mean to, but I really like piña coladas. They taste like coconut.”
Avery’s frown slips a bit, and he chuckles. “Yeah, I like those, too. Who’s Marcus?”
I get distracted as Gio comes out of the bathroom then, a towel wrapped around his waist, his broad chest glistening with moisture, highlighting his tattoos. I stare for a moment then turn back to Avery who’s frowning again.
“Marcus is Jude’s friend.”
“Was he mean to you?”
“No, he was nice. He wanted me to go out with him. I thought Jude was going to hit him, but he didn’t.”
Liam stops what he’s doing and looks up at us. Gio is glaring.
Avery’s face is so pinched, he looks like a different person. “This Marcus guy was flirting with you? Did you tell him you were there with Jude?”
“He asked if Jude was my boyfriend, and I said he was one of them. He wanted to share, but Jude told him no.”
All three of the guys groan. Liam puts his hand over his eyes, Gio smirks, and Avery winces. “Coral, you can’t tell people that.”
The guys share a worried look, and I drop my head. “I know. Jude told me it’s not normal.”
Avery puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face. “Coral, were you interested in this guy?”
“Jude said four is enough.”
Avery sighs and pulls me over to the couch, opposite where Liam is sitting. Gio moves closer, hovering behind us.
“Coral, Jude’s right. What we have between us isn’t normal, and I’m not sure how it’s going to work here in the real world. If you want to see some other guy and have a normal relationship instead, you have every right to do that. We understand. Maybe it’s for the best.”
His words send a rush of panic darting through me in every direction like a frightened school of fish. My head whips around to gauge the others’ reaction to his statement, but no one looks upset by his words. No one but me. I grab his arm, my fingers digging into his skin, my eyes bulging as tears bubble up.
“I don’t want a normal relationship with Marcus! I want you, and Liam, and Gio, and Jude. I don’t want anything to change. Please don’t leave me!”
Avery grabs me and pulls me to his chest, squeezing me, one hand rubbing my back and the other one buried in my hair. “Hey, it’s okay, Coral. It’s okay. We’re not leaving you. Were going to take care of you. We’re all here.”
I pull back and see Jude walking in the front door, freshly showered. My chest is heaving, my breath comes in short gasps, and my whole body quivers. “But you’re not going to stay. Everybody wants to get their own place, and we won’t be together anymore.”
The guys share another pained look.
Liam stretches out his hand to take mine. “It’ll be better this way, Coral. You’ll get to have some private time with each of us like you wanted. And we’ll still do things together sometimes, just like today.”
Avery’s head bobs enthusiastically. “Yeah, you should see the place I found last night. It’s amazing. Right downtown with a view of the water. Surrounded by all kinds of cool boutiques, restaurants, even an art gallery. There’s a high-end salon nearby that I might be able to get a chair at.”
He looks so excited, it’s hard to reconcile my feeling of dread, but it’s still there, gnawing at my gut.
I don’t have a chance to respond, though, before a buzzer rings.
Chapter 12
Liam jumps up and presses a button on the wall, and a staticky voice says, “Marjorie Wells, here to see Giovanni Romano.”
“Come on up,” Liam says, pressing another button.
“Crap, I need to get dressed. Stall her for a minute, will you?” Gio waves a hand at the door.
Jude tosses Gio a bag, and Gio heads down the hallway to the bathroom.
The doorbell rings, and Liam opens it, revealing an older woman with frizzy, graying, brown hair twirled up in a bun and a plain, brown dress that clings to her lumpy middle. Her face is creased with wrinkles and so pale that her features practically disappear.
Her eyes widen in surprise and confusion when she sees Liam. She peers around him into the apartment, her gaze drifting curiously from Jude to Avery and then to me. When she doesn’t see Gio, her first thought is that she is in the wrong place.
A tall, thin girl, halfway between a child and an adult, hunches beside her. Her long, dark hair hangs in soft curls around a face that reminds me of Gio, but like the women at the bar last night, the girl’s features are exaggerated — thick, dark eyebrows arched over black-rimmed eyes and bright, red lips. She’s wearing jeans and a tight, black shirt that dips low between her small breasts. She pushes them forward when she sees all the guys looking at her. I force myself to smile instead of frown.
“Hi, you must be Mrs. Wells and Bella. I’m Liam, Gio’s friend. He’ll be out in just a moment. Won’t you come in?” Liam holds out a hand, ushering them into the apartment.
The woman looks leery, but Gio comes out of the bathroom then, dressed in jeans and a plain, black tee shirt, looking better than he has in days. When the woman sees the resemblance between the girl and Gio her worried look softens.
“Bella!” Gio rushes towards the girl and scoops her up, trapping her thin arms under his massive ones.
She grimaces and kicks her feet. “Put me down, you big lug.”
Gio frowns and sets her feet on the ground but doesn’t let go of her. He lifts a hand to her cheek, swiping his thumb under her eye. “What’s with all this?”
“It’s just makeup. It’s no big deal.”
“Your foster parents are okay with it? Aren’t you kind of young for that?”
She rolls her eyes at him. “I’m 15, not five.”
Gio winces. “That’s right. You had a birthday. I’m sorry I missed it, Bella. I wish I could’ve been there. Did you have a good one?”
“I went to the movies with my friends then had a sleepover, but the Wilsons wouldn’t let me invite any guys. It was kind of lame.”
Gio gulps and widens his eyes but doesn’t comment.
Bella sniffs and looks around again, sizing up the guys. She finds them attractive; I can’t blame her for that. “Who are all these people?”
“Oh sh—, uh sorry, where are my manners?” Gio chuckles nervously then sticks out his hand to the older woman.
“I’m Gio. Giovanni Romano. You must be Mrs. Wells.”
The woman shakes his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“This is my friend Liam. He’s letting me stay here while I recuperate. I had an appendectomy a few days ago. Liam was one of my crew members. And these are my other crew mates — Jude and Avery.” Gio points to each of them but pauses when he gets to me like he doesn’t know what to say.
“And this is Coral.”
Bella raises an eyebrow at me, obviously curious about who I am, but Gio doesn’t offer an explanation. His vagueness confuses me, too. What role am I supposed to play? The only thing I know for sure is that I can’t reveal the truth. The guys have already impressed upon me how socially unacceptable that is. But Gio didn’t call me his girlfriend, either. Does that mean I need to pretend there’s nothing between us, hide my relationship with all of them whenever she’s around?
“I’m glad to see you’re recovering. Your crew mates, you say? Like on a boat?” Mrs. Wells asks.
“Yeah, I’ve worked on a dive boat for the last several years, and recently I bought my own boat, hired some guys, and went out on my own.”
“Well, that’s certainly ambitious. I’d like t
o hear more about it. Can we sit down and talk for a few minutes?” Mrs. Wells points a hand towards the sofa.
“Sure, sure. Come on in.” Gio waits for Mrs. Wells to take a seat then sits down. Bella wanders over to the window to look out.
“Bella, can you come join us, please? This involves you, too.” Mrs. Wells gives a perky smile.
The other guys hover over the bar in the kitchen and murmur about what they want for dinner. Jude starts writing down what he needs to get at the store. I stand near them, but my attention is on Gio’s sister. She sits down on the other section of the sofa, a bored look on her face.
“Would you like some coffee, water, maybe a Coke?” Gio asks suddenly, jumping up again.
“I’m fine, thanks.” Mrs. Wells waves him off. Gio looks at Bella who shrugs, so he sits back down.
“I’ve already told Bella that you have expressed interest in gaining custody of her,” Mrs. Wells says.
Gio looks to Bella to gauge her reaction, but she purposely stares off in the other direction. Her thoughts are ambivalent; she’s not thrilled with her current living arrangement, but she’s not sure she wants to uproot her whole life to move in with a brother she barely knows anymore.
Mrs. Wells notices but doesn’t mention Bella’s response. “While it’s always our preference to place children with family members, there are things we must take into consideration. First and foremost, your ability to care for your sister. When you sought custody a few years ago, you weren’t in that position, but I take it you believe you are now? Your business is doing well? You have a home and an adequate source of income?”
Gio rubs the back of his neck and winces. “Well, sort of. We found the treasure we were looking for, but we got caught in a storm, and my boat sank. We were stranded on an island for three months before we were rescued, and just in time, too, because my appendix was about to burst.”
Mrs. Wells’ mouth falls open, and even Bella looks intrigued by the story.
“That’s why you haven’t heard from me in so long, Bella. I didn’t forget about you. I thought about you every day, worried about how you were doing.” Gio’s sincerity is etched across his face, and Bella’s features soften.
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