Since today was another ridiculously busy day hopping from one artist’s studio to another with my partners in crime, Katrina and Piper, I didn’t really have the opportunity to actually contact them. The only break I had all day was lunch, which involved sitting across from my two colleagues at a restaurant and quickly wolfing down our meal before we had to rush to our next appointment. Since the day came and went, I promised myself that I’d text them the second I got home—without fail. Imagine my surprise when I found out they were downstairs waiting for me.
Not only did they show up unexpectedly, but they also had to look irresistible in their casual clothes. So far I’ve only seen them in sophisticated tailored suits. They rock both looks. Xander is wearing a blue shirt, crisp white chinos and a pair of killer taupe suede shoes that look like they come straight off of New Bond Street. Ethan is sporting a more understated look. He’s wearing a fitted black shirt, faded black jeans that sculpt his firm thighs and a pair of black leather brogues. They’re slightly scuffed, which suggests they might be one of his favorite pairs of shoes. If that weren’t enough to make a girl lose her head, they were bearing incredible gifts. For me. Insane.
It’s not the first time that a guy has brought me flowers—it has happened on rare occasions—but everything I’ve received so far in my life pales in comparison to Ethan and Xander’s magnificent bouquet. Don’t get me started on the box of French desserts. I’ve bought baked goods at a few French pastry shops in Austin, but it was only when Maggie took me to Ladurée in New York that I discovered what French pastries should really taste like. I have a feeling these will leave me in the same delightful sugary daze. I’ll have to beg Jackie to put a lock and chain on the fridge in order to prevent me from inhaling them all in one go.
After giving them a speedy tour of Jackie’s small apartment, serving them a refreshing drink and putting all the food away, I run to my room to change into something more feminine. Ten minutes on the dot and I’m ready. I’m so proud of myself. It usually takes me a lot longer, so I consider I pulled off a miracle. I guess you could say that I had a few good reasons to rush. I make my way back to the living room to join the two guys who are quickly becoming an addiction. They both get up when I step out of my bedroom. They just stare at me almost as if I’m an apparition. Is that a good thing or not?
“Delilah,” Ethan murmurs. My name comes out like a whisper.
“Holy shit,” Xander says.
“Uh-oh. Did I go overboard in my fashion selection?”
“Not at all. You’re worth waiting for, sweetheart.” Xander eats me up with his eyes.
“Well, thank you,” I coo.
Of course, I hope I look good, but their expression confirms it. It’s priceless. Ethan is far more contained, but Xander’s reaction when he takes me in makes me beam with pride. I went for a dress I bought in New York. It’s a maxi dress, but I’m too short to wear it the way it was designed, so I had it chopped off right below the knees. I remember hesitating between two designs—the royal blue with fiery-colored flowers printed on the lower part of the dress and the red version with bright yellow flowers. I’m so glad I went for the blue one. It’s very flattering for a big girl with as many curves as I have.
“No, seriously, you should have warned us. I’m liable to have a heart attack at the tender age of twenty-eight just from ogling you.” Ethan’s eyes brush the length of my body, sending a flurry of chills down my spine.
“Your compliments are going to make me blush,” I confess, bringing the back of my hand to my face to cool off my burning cheeks. But even more than that, the warmth causes my chest to palpitate. Ethan’s admiration makes up for all those men who have ever ignored me or made me feel unattractive because I carry a little more extra weight than a stick figure.
“Whoa,” Ethan exclaims, dropping his eyes to my feet. “Jesus Christ, if the dress doesn’t do it, those orange high heels will be the death of me.”
These strappy sandals with a gold zipper at the back add a touch of edginess to the dress.
“The vibrant shade is so seductive against your pale skin. I’m not a fashion expert, but I think the color compliments the oversized flowers printed on your skirt smashingly,” Xander says. “And by the way, I love that you let your mane flow freely over your shoulder like that. Very. Sexy.” Since I’m still in the honeymoon stage with my new hairdo, it was the only way to go.
“What are you, a freaking stylist? I don’t have time to take into account what matches what. I’m too mesmerized by her cock-hardening shoes to notice. That’s when I’m not losing myself in the deep V of her dress that showcases the swell of her luscious breasts so beautifully.” Ethan grins from ear to ear.
“Don’t go there with me, bro.” Xander looks almost offended. Only the teasing smile on his face lets me know he’s taking this in stride. “I worship her tits as much as you do. I was trying to be a gentleman.”
The compliments come fast and furious. I don’t even have time to thank them for their flattering words.
Ethan shoots Xander a side glare. “Oh, so now you decide to be a gentleman after you stuck your tongue down her throat as a way of greeting her earlier? You couldn’t keep it to a simple kiss?”
“Sue me. She does that to me. She makes me want to ravish every fucking part of her sinfully curvy body.” There go my panties. “And because I’m doing my best to be good, I won’t say what’s on my mind.”
“Which is?” Ethan challenges him.
I’m having way too much fun watching them argue like that to interject.
“I hope to God she’s wearing sexy-as-fuck lingerie under that dress that hugs her so perfectly. I know we’re having a relaxing evening amongst friends, but that won’t prevent me from fantasizing.”
Did I think my panties were wet before? Because now, they’re positively drenched. I’m talking dripping down the insides of my thighs like a raging river falling off a cliff. As if that isn’t enough, my nipples are so freaking hard, they could cut glass. How can their words affect me so much?
“Well, finally we agree on something,” Ethan quips. Okay, wow.
Damn, do I ever love the way they play-fight.
It goes without saying that I paired the dress with matching lingerie. Not that I expect anything to happen tonight, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Hearing Xander’s comment, I’m grateful I did. Now that Ethan and Xander have brought out the sexy in me, I don’t want to hide her.
“So I guess it’s safe to say you like the dress?” I ask, my eyes shifting from one tall hunk to the other.
“Hell, yeah.” Xander is the first to answer.
Being wanted is a new feeling for me. I’m really not used to it, but I can say this—I love it. A lot.
“I like the woman wearing the dress.” Ethan takes a few steps towards me. “You could be wearing a burlap bag and I’m sure you’d be just as much of the seductress.” His words silence me. He leans in and gives me a long, languorous kiss. When he pulls away, it’s my turn to lean into him because I don’t want it to end. Darn. I feel a pair of hands caressing my shoulders and turn around to face Xander. Before I know it, his lips are on me. It’s a heated and passionate kiss. The fact that Ethan is pressing his rock-hard body against me only makes it that much more smolderingly hot. When Xander lets go of me, I’m lost in a dizzy haze of lust. God, at this rate, I’m going to have to pack a second pair of back-up panties.
“Are you ready to go, love?” Ethan asks.
“I’m eager to get this evening started.” Xander rubs his hands together. He has the mischievous look of a kid who is about to dig into his Halloween stash just before his parents catch him.
“Almost.” I laugh. They both look at me, perplexed. I lift my index finger at them and run back to my bedroom. “I’m just missing my handbag and my keys,” I offer as an explanation when I get back to the living room. “Now I am.” I beam.
“May I?” Ethan asks, tugging at my set of keys.
“Sure.�
� I’m not exactly sure what he has in mind, but I have a feeling I shouldn’t argue.
“Shall we?” He presses his fist against his hip, creating a triangle with his arm. I accept his invitation by sliding my arm into his. He guides me to the door and throws my keys over his shoulder. “Xander, get the door,” he commands.
To my surprise, Xander is quicker than I suspected. He launches forwards and catches the keys. “How come you get the girl and I’m stuck with the door?” he laments, straightening up.
“Give it a rest, mate,” Ethan quips. “She’s all ours for the rest of the evening.”
We all laugh.
Xander locks the door before running to join us. I hook my right arm around his and once again I find myself smack in the middle of the two men who make me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
* * *
The drive from my place to theirs in the Moore Park Estate goes by so fast because Ethan and Xander keep me in stitches the whole way there. When the cab turns off a main road and crawls up a driveway lined with tall bushes and trees, I start paying more attention to what’s happening around me. Since I’m sitting between Ethan and Xander, I decide to lean forward with my right hand against the back of the driver’s seat and the other gripping the passenger’s seat. Enchanted, I take in the magnificent view unfolding in front of me. “Wow. You live here?” I marvel.
“This is where we call home, love,” Ethan answers.
“Both of you live here?” I ask, turning my head to the left.
Xander smiles wide. “We do, sweetheart. See over there?” He points in front of him and my gaze follows his finger. “There are two separate houses—one is mine and the other is Ethan’s. The land itself is in both our names. Since we’ve been neighbors since we were three years old, we figured why not continue the tradition?” That’s when I see two modern three-story houses built side by side. They’re not the type of McMansions I’ve seen in other affluent neighborhoods in London when I play tourist, but they are still very impressive.
“I love the contemporary edginess,” I say, leaning forward to take in every detail of the houses.
“There’s definitely an indisputable charm to owning an old traditional English home, but when Xander and I bought out the six houses that were nestled here, we unanimously agreed on going with a slicker look and tons of windows. We both love our places and it’s fun that we get to be so close to one another without sacrificing our privacy.”
“I can certainly see why.” I nod. “If I lived in something half as majestic, I’d never leave.” I turn to Ethan. He grins back at me before shooting Xander a telling side glance. Clearly there’s a silent conversation going on between the two of them I’m not privy to. Well, that’s not fair. “What did I say?”
“Nothing, sweetheart. It’s endearing that you like our homes and that’s before we’ve given you the grand tour.” Xander reaches out and caresses my cheek while Ethan is stroking my back.
“Something tells me I’m going to be even more impressed than I am now.” I smile shyly, still not sure what’s going on between the two of them.
“We used to travel a lot in our former profession. Although it’s not as frequent as it was before, we still hop on a plane a few times every month to meet with our clients. When we’re back in London, our home is our refuge,” Xander says.
“We had the houses built in such a way to allow both of us to have a little secluded oasis and still not be too far away from the bustling energy of the city center,” Ethan adds. I ready myself to ask him another question when the cab comes to a halt. “Now that we’re here, instead of us telling you all about it, we can show you. Come on, love, it’s time for you to get to know us better.” Ethan grabs the door handle. Before I have time to respond, he’s already dragging me up a set of cement stairs.
* * *
We start the grand tour with Xander’s house. I find out early on that my two hunks enlisted the help of a renowned designer to give a distinctive style to their homes. Although they had a lot of input, it’s obvious a connoisseur has selected every single piece of furniture.
Xander’s place is jaw-dropping. As a curator, nothing astounds me as much as the art adorning his walls. I’m not surprised when Xander confesses Ethan is the one responsible for his stunning collection. The massive canvases are painted with a flair that rivals those we sell at the gallery and the ones I used to admire every day when I was still working in New York.
I suffer from the cobbler’s child syndrome. I’m surrounded by magnificent art everyday, but I can’t afford any of it. Given my limited discretionary funds, the best I can do is to scrounge up money to buy a college student’s unique creation when universities or art schools hold their special annual exhibitions. It’s not Degas, Monet or Georgia O’Keeffe, but at least I have true originals on my walls—well, I guess in storage now.
Ethan’s house is as spectacular. There are obvious signs of their level of success everywhere I turn—sleek kitchens with kickass Italian appliances, modern and elegant furniture, exquisite warm woods, beautiful stones, pricey tiles and edgy electronics. Although Ethan and Xander’s houses are similar, I like that they have their own imprint that suits them perfectly. It goes without saying I’m a bit eager to discover their bedrooms. My curiosity is rewarded. They both have spacious bedrooms that are impeccably designed. Even though it’s early evening, the large windows allow for so much light to flood in. Honestly, their interior decorator did a stellar job. There’s no two ways about it, these two live well. Their homes make the tiny apartment I rent in New York—which I’m now subletting while I’m here—look like a lowly closet.
Once we’re done, we end up under the glass partition that links Ethan’s house to Xander’s. From the outside, it’s impossible to tell these two houses are joined in this way because of the abundance of plush greenery. I’m astounded by this unexpected design element.
“Thanks for the tour. Your homes are absolutely worthy of being featured in some of the top design magazines out there.” I cheer.
“We’re glad you enjoyed discovering our little abodes,” Ethan says.
Are you kidding me? I like how he minimizes things. These guys live in dream homes. I never imagined I’d be standing in such outstanding houses in my life.
“I’ve seen some pretty incredible gardens since moving to London, but yours takes the cake,” I say, shifting my eyes from left to right. I’m between Ethan and Xander. All three of us are standing side by side looking out at the perfectly manicured grounds. Wow. It’s incredible they get to wake up to this every day. Although there are tons of extremely wealthy people in New York, I’ve never had a chance to be invited to their places.
“Yeah, Megan, our gardener, is quite passionate and clearly, she’s very talented.”
I nod in agreement. “You guys must have breakfast here everyday to enjoy the sunrise.”
“We do,” Xander says.
“Unless we’re each working in our offices upstairs, we practically live in this glass room,” Ethan adds.
“I swear I’d never leave.” I turn around to face the room. “I’d lounge on those plush couches over there”—I point in front of me—“and I’d refuse to get up. Well, maybe just to move to that large wooden table over here to eat.” I flash them a cocky grin. “I can only imagine what this room looks like when the sun washes it with light in the morning.” I close my eyes for a beat, trying to imagine how beautiful it would be. “It must be breathtaking.”
“It truly is.” Xander smiles down at me. His eyes shift above my head. Something tells me he’s having another one of those telepathic conversations with Ethan. It only lasts a fraction of a second, but it’s long enough for me to notice. He returns his focus on me. “If you stay the night you can find out for yourself, sweetheart.”
Jesus. I wasn’t expecting that. The burning lust in his eyes makes me nervous.
Xander’s open invitation shocks me so much I take a step back and my butt h
its the glass behind me. His shameless forwardness silences me.
“God…” My voice sticks to my throat as I lower my eyes. My cheeks heat with a furious blush, and I raise my gaze to his amused one. When I look at Ethan, I see the same glee.
“Of course, Ethan and I each have two extra bedrooms. That’s four spare rooms. You’re welcome to use any of them… but I can’t guarantee we won’t sneak in in the middle of the night to sleep by your side,” Xander says, fighting a smile.
“Gosh.” I know I should reply with more than monosyllabic words, but my brain can’t come up with anything more intelligent given how much my clit is palpitating with desire.
“Those rosy cheeks are quite telling, love. Are you surprised or are you shocked by the fact that you’re actually considering my best friend’s invitation?” Ethan puts into words my colliding feelings.
“I’m not sure…” I hesitate to finish my thoughts. I’m afraid they’ll betray me too much.
“And if you were to accept, guess what would happen?” It’s Xander’s turn to take pleasure in torturing me with a mortifying question.
“What?” I whisper. I have no doubt he’s about to leave me tongue-tied.
“Ethan and I would do our best to make it inconceivable for you to ever want to leave.”
My heart is beating so fast I fear they can see the palpitations against my chest. “Holy shit.”
“I agree,” Ethan says. My eyes shift to him. “We’d be fools to allow a beautiful woman blessed by the gods with your sexy curves to escape once we have her exactly where we want her.” Ethan takes a step towards me and I try to take another back until I remember there’s nowhere for me to go.
“I didn’t pack an overnight bag or anything like that.” My brain cells kick back in. Finally, I’m back on track. Or so I think. It’s perhaps not the wittiest thing I’ve ever come up with, but it’s all I manage to muster up given the fact that it’s feeling more and more like a steam room in here with each passing second.
Deliciously British Page 27
