by Lisa Bilbrey
Elle groaned.
“Oh, stop being such a drama queen.” Ivy laughed as she walked into the kitchen, coming back with three wine glasses. “It’s your dress, after all. And you’re my maid of honor, which means you’re supposed to be helping me.”
“I can’t tonight,” Elle stated, but before she could explain why, Sadie waltzed out of her bedroom, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her body.
Ivy smiled as she looked from Elle to Sadie and back. “You have plans.”
“We do,” Elle murmured, feeling her cheeks warm once again. “There are these guys and …”
“Oh.” Ivy nodded. “I thought maybe the two of you were going to stop pretending you aren’t lesbians.”
Elle rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Ivy was the only person in their families who knew about their relationship. She had caught them kissing on the night of their high school graduation. At first, Elle had been terrified that she’d be angry and tell their parents, but other than being hurt that Elle hadn’t confided in her, Ivy had supported her relationship with Sadie. She had even gone as far as to help them conceal their relationship from their parents, but Elle knew it frustrated Ivy that they denied their feelings for each other. As far as Ivy was concerned, Elle and Sadie were lesbians and should be proud.
“It’s complicated,” Elle murmured.
“We’re dating two men,” Sadie said, point blank.
Ivy raised an eyebrow in her direction. “Huh?”
Sadie laughed and picked up Ivy’s notebook, sat down on the sofa, placed it on her lap, and began looking through it while she spoke. “The four of us — me, Elle, Derek, and Callum — are seeing each other. Like a group relationship.”
“Again, I say huh?” Ivy sat on the sofa next to Sadie.
“I like this dress for her,” she murmured, pointing to a strapless dress that flowed from under the model’s breasts until it reached the floor. “It will look fabulous on her.”
“That’s the one I was leaning toward,” Ivy mused. “Now, don’t change the subject. Explain.”
Closing the notebook, Sadie turned to Ivy. “Elle and I met them last week at Club Venom and hit it off. The four of us are attracted to each other, so we’ve decided to start a group relationship rather than try to figure out who should be with whom.”
“Okay.” Ivy nodded and looked over at Elle. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Been busy.” Elle shrugged her shoulders. “We landed the Davis account.”
“Elle!” Ivy screamed, rushing around the coffee table and hugging her younger sister. “And why didn’t you tell me that?”
“Because you’ve been preoccupied with the wedding and Mom,” Elle explained.
Ivy tensed as she leaned back. “She told me that she tried to call you last Friday, but you didn’t answer. I suppose it was because you were with these guys?”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Elle grumbled. “Yes, but she doesn’t know about them yet, so don’t tell her.”
“I won’t. She kept going on and on about how you wouldn’t answer her calls. I told her that you’re a grown woman who doesn’t need to check in with her, but you know how Mom is.”
Elle nodded, not really wanting to delve into the many issues she had with her mother. “We need to finish getting ready.”
“Can I help?” Ivy asked, but before Elle could say reply, she added, “Nick won’t be home until late, and I don’t want to be there alone.”
“Sure. You can fix my hair.” Elle smiled and led her sister and Sadie into the bathroom.
For the next half hour, Ivy grilled them on Derek and Callum, demanding to know every detail about how they’d met. Sadie and Elle told her everything, including how the four of them were working together. While Elle saw the concern in her sister’s eyes, Ivy didn’t say anything about that little revelation. Perhaps it was because Ivy knew Elle already worried about what would happen when or if their relationship fell apart. Just the thought of not being with those two men had an ache filling her chest.
Ivy’s ongoing support of Elle’s relationship with Sadie, and now Derek and Callum, meant the world to her. Growing up with a sister who could do no wrong in their mother’s opinion hadn’t been easy on Elle, but Ivy never made her feel less than perfect just the way she was. She often stood up to her parents when it came to Elle, but their mother would ignore her. In Helina Reid’s eyes, Elle would always be her wayward daughter, and James Reid was just absentminded when it came to his daughters.
When Elle and Sadie announced that they were going to school in California, Ivy was the one who told them she was proud of them for following their dreams. She met Nick Fisher two years ago when she came to San Francisco for Elle and Sadie’s college graduation. While Elle didn’t believe in love at first sight, it was about as close as a description for what happened between Ivy and Nick.
Elle, Sadie, and Ivy had ditched their parents for a night out clubbing when Ivy spotted Nick across the dance floor. If she hadn’t been there to see it happen, Elle would have called the story bullshit, but there they were in mid-conversation when suddenly Ivy stood up and started walking toward the dance floor. Elle and Sadie watched as she met Nick in the middle and they started dancing. The two of them were inseparable for the rest of the evening.
That night, Ivy told Elle that she was moving to the city and that Nick was the man she would marry. Of course, Elle thought she was just infatuated with the man, but sure enough the next morning, Ivy told their parents that she was staying in San Francisco. Helina and James were angry, and it was the one time Elle could remember hearing her mother yell at her sister.
However, Ivy refused to go back to Texas. She found a job at a local hair salon and stayed with Elle and Sadie for two months before moving in with Nick. Six months later, on Christmas morning, he proposed to her in front of their entire family, and now they were a month away from their wedding.
Elle had just finished the last of her make-up and still needed to put her dress on when someone knocked on the door again.
“Oh, my God,” she fretted, rushing into her bedroom and grabbing the little red dress that hung on the back of her closest door. “They’re here, and I’m not ready.”
“Calm down,” Ivy ordered. “I’ll answer the door while you squeeze yourself into that dress.”
Elle paused and looked over at her sister. “Be nice to them, Ivy.”
“Like I would be anything less,” she scoffed, but when Elle glared, she was quick to add, “I promise to be nice to them!”
“Thank you.”
Elle released a deep breath as she walked into her closet and grabbed a pair of black heels. When she walked back into her bedroom, she could hear Sadie introducing them to Ivy. She paused for a moment to make sure her sister didn’t do or say something inappropriate, but she didn’t.
Ripping her robe off, Elle slipped into her dress. The tight, strapless dress hugged her curves and left very little to the imagination, which was why Sadie loved the dress on Elle. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she slipped her feet into the black pumps and released a heavy breath before standing up and joined everyone in the living room.
Just able to stifle her gasp, Elle couldn’t believe how gorgeous her dates looked. Sadie was wearing an ivory halter-style dress that tied behind her neck and had a plunging neckline, caressing the swell of her breasts. The skirt flared until it reached the middle of her thighs, showing her long, sexy legs. If she bent over, everyone would get a good look at her ass. Based on the pleased expression on Sadie’s face, Elle knew she’d already tested that theory out, too. Derek and Callum were both wearing black pants, but Derek had on a white dress shirt with thin blue strips that had been left untucked. The sleeves were rolled up to just below his elbows and the top three buttons had been left undone. Callum wore a black dress shirt, and just like Derek’s, his shirt had been left untucked. They were trying to seduce her, and at that moment, she’d gladly let
them have her.
“Wow,” Callum murmured, letting his eyes drift down Elle’s body before lifting them back to her face. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, unable to keep from blushing. She heard Ivy start laughing, but chose not to encourage her.
“Well, I guess I’ll go home.” Ivy walked over to Elle and hugged her. With her lips just outside of Elle’s ear, she said, “They seem nice, but if they hurt you, I will gut them.”
She couldn’t help but smile because she knew her sister would follow through with her threat. Ivy was insanely protective of Elle, having watched her being degraded for years at the hands of their mother, and made it clear that she wasn’t one to be messed with. “They won’t, but that’s good to know. I’ll call you soon, okay?”
“Okay.” Ivy released her and picked up her unopened bottle of wine and her wedding binder. She walked over to the door and looked back at Derek and Callum. “Respect my sister and Sadie or you’ll wish you were dead. Trust me; you do not want to get on my bad side, boys.”
Elle opened her mouth to speak, but Derek grinned and said, “They’re important to us.”
The sincerity in his words left Elle speechless.
“I hope so.” With one more look in Elle’s direction, Ivy opened the door and left.
Shifting her attention to Derek and Callum, Elle smiled. “Sorry about her. She’s a little protective.”
“A little?” Callum asked.
“Okay, a lot.” Elle laughed. “But she means well. She’s the only person Sadie and I have that understands us.”
“Well, her and Nick,” Sadie amended.
“Yes and Nick,” she agreed.
“Who’s Nick?” Derek asked, his tone sounding tight.
Sadie smirked. “Ivy’s fiancé. They’re getting married next month.”
Derek nodded. “Ah. I look like an ass, don’t I?”
“A handsome one.” Elle grabbed her handbag off the coffee table. “So, what’s the plan for tonight?”
“It’s a surprise,” Derek and Callum said together.
“So you’re not going to tell us anything?” Sadie asked, batting her lashes at them and Elle had to bite back her laughter. Her lover always used her feminine wiles to get anything.
“Nope.” Sliding his arm around her waist, Derek smirked. “Trust us.”
“We do,” Sadie murmured. “Right, Elle?”
The three of them looked over at her and she smiled and said, “Yes.”
“Good. Now, let’s go.” Callum held his hand out to Elle. “Coming?”
With a nod, Elle slipped her hand into his and allowed him to lead her out of the apartment after Derek and Sadie. The four of them took the backstairs and climbed into Derek’s SUV. Callum sat in the back with Elle, insisting that Sadie take the front with Derek. While they drove toward their destination, she could feel Callum watching her, but every time she looked at him, he’d smile and turn away.
Twenty minutes later, Derek pulled up in front of a large house that overlooked the San Francisco Bay. Elle brought her hand up to her chest as she took in the sight in front of her. A mixture of grey and black stones had been used on the exterior of the house, creating a feel of home and family. A cobblestone pathway led up a large stone porch and a set of double doors, which were thick and heavy, with cast-iron hinges and handle. Elle knew they were original to the house, and had to date back at least seventy years.
“Wow, this place is incredible,” she murmured.
“My grandfather built it for my grandmother as a wedding present,” Callum explained, unlocking the front door and ushering her inside. Derek and Sadie followed. “When they passed away, it was left to me.”
“I’m sorry,” Elle replied.
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago.” Callum led them into the living room, where once again she had to stifle her gasp. There were ten feet ceilings, accented by wooden beams that stretched across from wall to wall and, from what she could tell, natural hardwood floors throughout the house. It was a classic, old-school design, but Elle had always loved the look.
Callum tossed his keys on the coffee table and walked over to the bar, grabbing a bottle of wine from the mini-fridge and pouring them each a glass. He sauntered back over to them, holding his hands out so they could get their drinks.
“I want to propose a toast,” he said, smiling at each of them. “To the start of something new and amazing — for all of us.”
They echoed his sentiments before taking a sip of their wine. Derek and Callum instructed the women to sit on the sofa while they went to check on dinner. As they walked out of the room, Callum placed his arm around Derek’s waist, and Elle felt a flutter in her chest — one that made her happy.
“They’re fucking spectacular, aren’t they?” Sadie murmured.
“Yes,” Elle agreed, looking at her. “It’s getting easier.”
“Easier to what?” she asked.
“To believe they won’t hurt me,” she said, a tremor lacing her words. “I’m still scared, but they make me feel happy, Sadie.”
“They make me happy, too, Elle.” Sadie placing her hand on her knee. “It’s okay to be scared. Hell so am I.”
“You are?” she asked, and Sadie nodded. “What are you afraid of?”
Sadie brought her hand up to Elle’s cheek. “Of losing you again.”
“You never lost me in the first place,” she whispered, leaning in and pressing her lips against Sadie’s.
“Jesus Christ, we can never leave them alone.” At the sound of Derek’s husky voice, they pulled apart, smiling as they turned to the men standing in the entry way of the living room. “Seriously. If you wait until we leave the room to start kissing, we’ll never get to watch.”
“Is watching all you want to do?” Sadie asked, standing up and walking over to him. She placed her hand on his chest, let it slide down to the front of his pants, and gripped his noticeable bulge. “Seems like you want to do more than just watch.”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea what I want to do to you,” he groaned, just before he kissed her.
“Oy, not yet!” Callum laughed, pulling them apart. “Food first, sex second.”
“Assuming there is sex later.” Elle smirked as she stood up. The wounded expressions on Derek and Callum’s faces had her chortling. “Wow, you two are so cute when you’re bubble has been busted.”
“I didn’t mean to just assume that we’d be having sex,” Callum said, sounding flustered.
Elle walked over to him, placed her hand on his chest, and leaned up on her toes so that her lips were just outside of his ear. “Never said there wouldn’t be any, either,” Elle cooed, causing him take a deep breath. “But I’m starving. So no food, no sex.”
“Then we’d better eat,” he moaned, almost dragging her into the dining room with Derek and Sadie following.
Eight
“Elle, hurry your sexy ass up!” Callum hollered from the living room of her apartment, a humorous tone lacing his words.
Muttering under her breath about him being impatient, she tried to keep her balance on one foot while attempting to shove her other foot into her strappy heel. Once she had both shoes on, she gave herself one last look in the mirror, turning to check out how her ass looked in the skin-tight jeans she’d put on after work and adjusting her hot-pink tank top, before turning and walking out of her bedroom. Callum was standing in front of the bookshelf with a picture of her and Sadie at the beach in his hand. He looked over his shoulder at her, not bothering to hide the fact that he checked out her body before giving her an approving nod.
“You look hot, baby,” he groaned, placing the photo back on the shelf and turning to face her.
“So do you.” Elle smiled and slipped her hand into his. Callum looked amazing in a pair of designer jeans and a dark green button-up shirt. “Are you ready?”
“Just waiting on you, but looking at you now, I can honestly say the wait was well worth it.” He smir
ked as he palmed her ass with his free hand.
“I didn’t mean to make you wait,” she replied, softly. Elle had had a meeting across the city with the zoning board, while Callum was at the office, working on narrowing their list of contractors down from two dozen to a handful. By the time she got to her apartment, Callum was already waiting for her. “Traffic was a bitch today.”
“I’m just teasing.” Callum tilted her head up, looking her in the eye. “I’ll wait forever for you, Elle.”
Her cheeks heated from the intensity of his gaze. “That was smooth — very smooth.”
He laughed. “I try. Now, we have a party to attend.”
“If we must,” Elle murmured.
Callum kept his hold on her hand as they made their way out of her apartment and down to his car. Derek and Callum had convinced Sadie and Elle to go to a party some friends from college were hosting. The idea of being around a bunch of people she didn’t know had her feeling uneasy, but Callum, Derek, and Sadie had reassured her that it would be all right. While Sadie understood her reservations, having been the person who picked up the pieces after Leo tried to destroy her, Elle hadn’t shared that part of her past with Derek or Callum. Not because she didn’t trust them — because she did — but she hadn’t wanted their pity, either. Or for them to know how he’d humiliated her.
Ten minutes later, Callum pulled his car up in front of a brick, two story house. As they climbed out of the car, Elle noticed that each house on the block were carbon copies of each other, down to the curb appeal. Shaking her head at the designer’s lack of creativity, she slipped her hand into Callum’s and followed him up to the front door. He rang the bell and a moment later, the door was pulled open by a large, blond guy, who looked like he was a Marine. He shifted his blue eyes from Callum to Elle and smiled.
“Dude, it’s about time you got here!” The man grabbed Callum’s shoulders and pulled him in for a hug.
“Sorry, we’re late.” Callum stepped back next to Elle and smiled. “Thomas, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend Elle. Babe, this ape is Thomas Warner, who back in the day was one hell-of-a lineman for the Bruins.”
