The Promotion_A Reverse Harem Romance

by Mika Lane

  I reached for Brade’s shirt as another pair of hands moved to my front, pinching my nipples and tugging on my burning tips. I whimpered and tried to wriggle away but was held in place.

  By four men.

  And I didn’t mind. At all.

  Good lord. Was this really happening? The last two nights, I’d been with two guys each, and now, I was with four? What was I turning into?

  Whatever it was, I loved it.

  Just like I loved my guys.

  Ohmygod. Love?

  “Is there such a thing as a sultan-ess? Being worshipped by her eager harem?” Anson murmured from somewhere behind me.

  It seemed so.

  My panties joined the rest of my clothing on the floor, where someone helped me step out of them. I was bent forward until my breasts hung in Brade’s face, when behind me, a tongue lapped my slit from one end to the other now that I was folded at a ninety-degree angle.

  One finger, and then another, entered my pussy and the sensation nearly drove me over my edge right then and there. I took deep breaths to maintain some modicum of control, digging my fingers in Brade’s shoulders to remain upright. He tipped his head back to meet my lips, and I moaned into him as the fingers inside me began pistoning, allowing my juices to run down my inner thighs.

  Fuck, these guys were incredible.

  Brade pulled back, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the stereo. “Can one of you guys get me a condom from that drawer?” He pointed somewhere in the room, and I whimpered in expectation of what was to come.

  I heard someone rustling about. When the condom had been produced, I watched Brade roll it over his brutally hard cock. He pulled me toward him on the sofa, placing one of my knees on either side of his hips. The action spread my legs, leaving me nice and open for him. I reached to run his hard-on through my slick moisture, rubbing him back and forth between my pussy lips, already swollen with anticipation. I could barely breathe, which was fine because all time stopped, anyway. I was completely in the moment, neither thinking back nor ahead. The perfect balance.

  And while I was hyperaware that I was about to fuck Brade, it was really as though I were making love to each guy in the room.

  Love.

  Yup. Love. I loved these guys, each in a different way.

  Shit, was I in for a heap of trouble.

  Brade’s wide crown pushed against me, and I sank onto him, taking the first inch or so he offered.

  “Go slow, baby,” he said. “I don’t want you sore. The other guys might get mad at me for spoiling their night.”

  Light laughter erupted behind me. It might have been funny, but it was goddamn true. I had to pace myself. We all did.

  Brade lifted me slightly and lowered me back down, gradually sinking deeply inside me. He stretched his arms along the back of the sofa, gripping cushions until his knuckles were white, his gaze locked on mine. My hands clenched his shoulders for leverage as I began a slow bucking rhythm.

  “Hey, baby.”

  Cato appeared on my left and placed one foot up on the sofa next to me while Brade thrust his hips to meet my bouncing. I reached for Cato’s fly, fumbling through his undershorts and trousers until I freed his thick penis. I traced its length with my tongue from the drop of glistening precum on its tip, down to the root where I brushed my fingers around his balls. He sucked in his breath at my contact.

  “Taste me,” he murmured.

  I ground on Brade’s cock while I ran my lips over the head of Cato’s erection. I glanced up at him, and he looked back at me, I would swear with love in his eyes. I took him deeper in my mouth until I nearly gagged. With two cocks pummeling me, I was a whimpering mess, and with my eyes closed, there was nothing but sensation. Four other hands wandered over my body, one reaching for my clit. As both my mouth and pussy were being fucked with a visceral hunger, my clit was rubbed in hard, quick circles. Like a grand finale, Cato, Brade, and I came within moments of each other, the groans in the room drowning out the music. I rode a beautiful wave of one orgasm after the other, savoring my handsome, sexy guys. With my eyes shut tight, I imagined ways to make them feel just as wonderful. I’d do anything I could for them.

  I came to, tucked under a down comforter. For a quick moment, I wasn’t sure where I was, but the moonlight coming in the bedroom windows told me I wasn’t at home. I looked around, my heart startled into a panicky rush.

  Oh. It was Brade’s house. Okay.

  But where was he? Where were the other guys? My guys?

  I crawled out of the empty bed to visit the bathroom, and I found the same robe I’d seen the last time I was there. I pulled the plush terry cloth around me and stepped into the hallway, where I could make out soft voices talking about sports, scotch, and a variety of other guy things. I headed for the game room, where I’d last seen everyone.

  Standing in the room’s doorway, no one noticed me right off. Damn, they were a good-looking lot.

  “Hey, guys.”

  Four heads snapped in my direction. Four very handsome heads, that was.

  “Hey, look who it is.”

  “Sleeping beauty.”

  “Baby’s out of bed.”

  There were a few other comments, but my head was too fuzzy to track them. I padded over to the sofa, took a seat, and snuggled up to Von. He pulled me to him, planting a kiss on my forehead.

  “What’s going on? Why was I in bed?” I mumbled, pulling the robe up around my chilly neck.

  “I think we wore you out,” Anson said with a smile.

  “No way.” I looked around at each of them.

  I was full of stamina. What the hell were they talking about?

  “He’s serious, sweetie,” Von said, ruffling my hair. “After our last session, you conked out on the sofa. We put you to bed.”

  “Huh.” I was still out of sorts. “Are you guys doing good here? I feel badly for deserting you.”

  “We’re having a great time,” Anson said. “Brade is a killer host, and we’re just hanging out.”

  He made it sound so easy.

  But easy just wasn’t possible. It was supposed to be hard. Shouldn’t they hate each other? At least a little? How would I choose?

  Could I choose?

  Chapter 25

  Anson

  Maizy looked cute as hell when she wandered out of bed and back to the game room where we guys were hanging out. I had to say, we were having a rocking time. They were cool dudes, and it was clear we all cared deeply for Maizy.

  I tried not to think about what it might be like when she chose one of us.

  But hey, maybe we guys would still be friends?

  Actually, probably not. Guys weren’t like that.

  But perhaps she’d choose more than one of us. Had she even considered that? When I’d shared a woman in the past, it worked out pretty well. That is, until it ended, of course.

  Maizy went to get herself a glass of water, and when she returned, she did not take a seat. Instead, she stood, facing all of us. She looked each of us in the eye for several seconds, saying nothing.

  Did she know how much we all cared for her?

  “Maiz, are you okay?” Cato finally asked.

  She nodded, clearing her throat. “I am. I just have something to say.”

  “Okay, let us have it,” Brade said.

  I was glad he pushed her to spill it. I’m not sure I had the balls to.

  She took a couple more gulps of water and wiped a drip off her chin with her sleeve. Any other woman, I would have thought was sloppy. But not Maizy. Everything about her captivated me. Smart, beautiful, funny…

  “I’m so happy you were all willing to meet. It’s been…just wonderful…and I’m thrilled you’ve hit it off the way you have. Braden, thank you again for hosting.”

  He raised his glass and nodded. “Happy to.”

  She turned to Cato, who ran his hand through his hair. “You, Cato, have been such a good friend to me, both at work, and away from work. Thank you.” He winke
d at her and blew a kiss.

  “Von. I love your passion for animals. Thank you for helping every creature you get your hands on live a better life.” He looked down at his drink for a moment, and then back at her.

  And last but not least, she turned to me. “Anson, thank you for listening to me complain about the trials and tribulations of working for Eva. You’ve definitely made it more bearable.”

  What the hell was she getting at?

  “Maizy, are you okay?” I asked.

  She looked down at her feet, and her face crumbled a bit.

  Jesus.

  “I…I um…haven’t been completely truthful about something.” She continued looking down. Whatever was going on, it was tearing her apart. She cleared her throat.

  “Well. Here we go,” she said. “Cato, you already know a bit about this, but the rest of you do not. My infamous boss, Eva, informed me a couple weeks ago that if I didn’t have boyfriend, fiancé, or husband by the time of my review at the end of this month, I would probably be passed over for a promotion.”

  We all looked around the room at each other.

  “They can’t do that,” Von said. “Can they?”

  “Not officially, of course. But she made it clear that when I had a man in my life, the firm would look more favorably on me. As if I’d be more respectable than I am right now, as a single woman.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Brade asked. “Christ, I thought the entertainment world was fucked.”

  Maizy nodded. “So I’d hoped to have a guy by the end of the month, in time for my annual review.”

  I wanted to crawl under a rock, knowing that my sister-in-law was behind this.

  Maizy continued. “I just want to say I’m really sorry. I didn’t think things would go this far. I never expected to like all four of you the way I do.” She sat down and put her head in her hands.

  I didn’t like seeing her suffer like that. Not at all.

  “Maybe I can speak to Eva,” I offered. “See if I can talk some sense into her.”

  Yeah, like she’d listen to me.

  Maizy looked at me. “No, no please, Anson. Please don’t do that. It would just make things worse.”

  “It’s your call, sweetheart.”

  “So what are you going to do?” Von asked.

  “I have to pick one of you.” She gasped as she held back a small sob.

  Here we go.

  “Of course,” she continued, “whoever I pick has to feel the same way about me. And who’s to say you will? I could end up alone and without my promotion. Actually, that’s the most likely scenario.”

  “What makes you say that?” Cato asked.

  She shrugged.

  “I don’t know. Just my luck, I suppose. Plus, I would think you’d all be disgusted with me at this point, knowing my true intentions.”

  We looked around at each other. While we might have been caught off guard by Maizy’s real plan, I hardly think anyone was disgusted with her.

  Although there was a new tension in the air.

  Cato crossed the room and took her in his arms, where she stumbled, beginning to sob.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said, over and over, without moving her face off Cato’s shoulder.

  So I walked up to them and rubbed her back.

  I was furious with my sister-in-law. What the hell did she think she was doing, telling an outstanding woman like Maizy that she was any less than anyone else?

  Eva would never be half the person Maizy was. That’s all there was to it.

  “Maizy, quit that fucking job,” I said. Hell, I made enough money for the two of us.

  Cato nodded. “Yeah, leave those pricks. I’m gonna leave the firm some day, hopefully sooner rather than later.”

  She shook her head through her tears. “I can’t. I need my job. I pay for almost everything for myself and my sister.”

  I looked around the room. I had the feeling we were each thinking about various scenarios for helping our girl.

  I wondered how likely it was we were all thinking of the same one.

  “Maiz,” I said. “I think I can speak for the group by saying we all care about you. A lot.” I looked around to make sure I’d read the other guys as accurately as I’d hoped.

  I had.

  Cato released her so he could step back and face her. “I think what we’re trying to say is that we love you.”

  Chapter 26

  Maizy

  What the hell had I done?

  I’d gotten involved with four guys, knowing I’d have to choose one in the end, and in a short period of time, too.

  Now they loved me.

  And I loved them right back.

  Shit.

  I looked around. “You guys are the amazing ones. I…I’m not sure I deserve any of you. I need some time to think. I’m gonna head home for the night.”

  “You sure, babe?” Brade asked.

  I nodded. “I need to clear my head. Thank you for understanding. I…I love you guys, too.” There. I’d said it.

  I flew to the bedroom where someone had placed my neatly folded clothes, threw them on, and ran out the door to flag down a cab.

  I crawled under the covers as soon as I got home and stripped off my clothes. I even ignored my sister, who was doing naked yoga in the living room.

  I felt horrible for bailing on everyone, leaving them there at Brade’s house when they barely knew each other, but I’d been suddenly overwhelmed by the knowledge that I held the hearts of four awesome guys in my hands. It was a weighty honor, and one that I in no way deserved. I’d gone through nearly an entire box of tissues when I heard soft knocking at my bedroom door.

  “Maizy?” Sparkle asked.

  “Come in,” I croaked.

  She was wearing the robe I’d given her.

  She walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. “You gonna tell me what’s going on?”

  I sniffled hard and nodded.

  “I must look like shit,” I said, pushing my hair off my face and wiping mascara from under my eyes.

  “Yeah. Pretty much.”

  Why couldn’t she scale back on the honesty thing every now and then?

  “I can’t string these guys along,” I moaned. “It’s not right.”

  “Okay. Then which one do you want to be with? Who is your best match?”

  That was exactly the problem.

  “Anson is funny and snarky, and I love his red hair. Although it is a shame he’s related to evil Eva. Brade is sweet as can be and is looking for a life outside touring with his band. Cato has been my savior at work, and I now know he’s liked me all along. And you know Von, who saves every animal he can. What’s not to love about that?”

  “Oooh. You said love.”

  “I did. I do. I love them. I love each of them.” The tears welled up again. Shit, I was getting tired of being a crybaby.

  “Oh my,” Sparkle said.

  Oh my was right.

  I called in sick to work the next day. I’d never done that before, and I knew Eva would be furious, but for once, I didn’t care about pleasing her. I had some serious things to think through, and I needed a damn day off.

  I pulled on some yoga pants and sneakers and set out for a long walk.

  The city on a weekday was so different from what I was used to. The weekend vibe, when I was usually out and about, had a lot going for it, but I liked the feel of the city with everyone at work or school. I had the place to myself for a change. I liked it. And just as I sat down on a park bench, my cell rang. I jumped to answer it, like the idiot that I was.

  “Hi, Cato,” I said.

  “Hey. You didn’t come to work today,” he said.

  “Yeah. I needed some time. I have a lot on my mind. I’m sure Eva is losing her shit.”

  “I couldn’t tell you. I’m avoiding her like the plague. Look, can you meet me for coffee? Just for a few minutes?”

  “Um. Sure.”

  He gave me the address of a coffee shop sev
eral blocks from our office to minimize the risk of running into Eva, and I set off to meet him.

  I knew what was coming. He was going to tell me to take a hike. That he’d had enough of being jerked around, that I was a horrible friend and a worse co-worker. That I deserved every bit of crap I got from Eva and then some, because I was an awful person, actually even worse than her, truth be told.

  Ugh. Why had I agreed to meet him?

  But my anxiety slipped out the door the moment I saw him. He entered the coffee shop, a tall drink of water, bespectacled with an expensive, perfectly fitting suit. He turned heads as he moved like a strong, graceful athlete. What a catch. Why had it taken me so long to realize?

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said, bending to kiss my cheek. “Look at you, all casual in your sick day clothes.”

  I looked down at myself. “Yeah, my sick day clothes.”

  He sat back in his chair, head tilted, with a small smile, pretty chill for someone who was about to rip me a new asshole.

  I stirred a tiny spoon in my cappuccino so he couldn’t see how nervous I was and added one more sugar just for something to do.

  “How’s work for you today?” I asked, not sure what else to say. My head was still reeling from the night before.

  “Eh. You know, same as always.”

  He leaned forward on our small café table, taking hold of my hands.

  “So. After you left last night, the guys and I had a talk.”

  “Uh, okay. A talk about…what?”

  “Well, you know, the five of us.”

  Just what I’d been afraid of. A roiling sensation slammed through my stomach, and I took a deep breath to avoid vomiting all over the arms of his suit.