Too Many

by Alexa Riley

  My eyes search the crowd and I see Nellie off to the side. Luke isn’t anywhere near her and that goes a long way at soothing the jealous beast inside me. For now.

  “I just want to thank everyone for coming tonight and for celebrating our boys,” Dad says as he pulls Harlow into his side. “I’m so damn proud.”

  If I’m not mistaken, I see what look like tears form in his eyes as he comes over and hugs each of us. He’s sacrificed so much and worked so hard for us that this is almost like his day, too.

  “Thanks, Dad,” I say when he lets go of Elijah and hugs me next.

  “Thank you to everyone for coming,” I say, looking over at Nellie and we lock eyes. “We’ve got big plans in store and we can’t wait to finally begin the next chapter.”

  “To big plans,” Elijah echoes, and Nellie looks at him as he raises his glass.

  Everyone in the room raises their glasses and we all take a drink as the music gets louder. The crowd begins to move around and food is being served along with the alcohol. There’s a band set up out back with tables and a tent. Harlow really went all out when planning this because we know our dad wouldn’t have a clue on how to throw a party.

  “So what’s the next big plan?” Harlow asks as she leans in close. She looks over at Nellie who is unmoving in the corner before she turns back to face me. “Is it finally time?”

  “Time for what?” I play dumb, but something tells me that Harlow isn’t so clueless.

  “Be careful.” She leans forward and pats me on the chest. “You and Elijah are good men and I know you’ll do the right thing.”

  I don’t say a word as she smiles up at Elijah and walks out onto the back patio with Dad.

  “You think she knows?” Elijah whispers to me, and I shrug.

  “It doesn’t matter if she does. This is about us and Nellie.”

  The two of us look over and realize she’s gone from the spot she was at last. I scan the room quickly and see her making her way back over to Luke. This time the growl is coming from me as we push our way through the crowd.

  Chapter Three

  NELLIE

  I make my way back towards Luke because I need an escape from everyone else. This night is turning out harder than I thought it was going to be. It doesn't help that every woman here is looking at Elijah and Owen. They’re no longer boys by any definition. I’ve always seen them as men because of their work ethic and the way they behave. Now it just feels official.

  My heart aches for something I can’t have. Part of the problem is that maybe I could have one of them and try to start something. I harbor the same feelings for both of them, but even if one of them did want more, it would feel wrong. It’s so twisted because I would still be longing for his twin brother on some level. It’s better to not get tangled up in any of it, better for everyone involved. Not to mention, what if it doesn’t work out?

  I need space, but I know it’s something I can’t have. I already have plans to see them at their new place tomorrow. I won’t be able to avoid them then, but I can do it for the rest of the night. I might be able to sneak out without anyone noticing since this place is filled with so many friends and family. I’m sure neither of them will notice I’m gone.

  “You’re not coming over here to make your escape, are you?” Luke gives me a teasing smile. He’s been overly nice since we got here even with the twins being downright rude to him. For some reason he finds it funny.

  “I don’t think anyone will notice.”

  How long can I keep this up? Maybe I need a fresh start, but I’m not sure how to do that. Harlow and our moms would probably lose it if they knew I was thinking about moving. Not only that, but I’ve started to make a name for myself here.

  “I think the twins might notice.”

  I shake my head in disagreement. Something’s off with them tonight. I think I’ve fallen into a sister role because why else would they get so pissy about me bringing a date? Okay, not a date, but it could look like one from the outside. I wonder how long they’ve thought of me like that. I’ve never brought men around before, but mostly because my dating life sucks. Some of them were downright horror stories until I gave up completely and deleted that one app I tried. I work in a male-dominated field, but one too many bad apples has started to sour me. I found out early in my career that some people only hired me to try and get in my pants.

  I peek over my shoulder to see them talking to two girls, but in their defense it looks like they’re trying to get around them. They aren't hard to miss with their size, and not only are they built, both are well over six feet tall. They’re almost identical, but Elijah has tattoos that run up and down both of his arms and has the darkest eyes I’ve ever seen. Owen has dark eyes, too, but his are a dark green that complement his sandy brown hair.

  They must feel my eyes on them because they both look up at me with the same intense gaze. They move around the girls in front of them. The girls are left standing there looking confused with their mouths hanging open.

  They’re headed this way and I’m locked in their sights. I’m not sure if I should still be pissed at them or let it go. I mean, it sucks if they think of me as their sister, but it’s sweet they want to be protective. I won’t let myself think for one moment that maybe they were shouting because they were jealous. I’ve never seen my calm Owen worked up before, but I won’t allow myself the fantasy of it being over wanting me.

  “Do you want to get out of here?” I ask Luke, and he laughs.

  “I really enjoy being able to use my hands.” I can’t tell if he’s joking or not.

  “Well, Owen and Elijah can get over it. I’ve taken care of myself this long and I don’t need them hovering over me.” If we were together I might enjoy it more than I should, but they aren’t mine and never will be.

  “God, Nellie, you really have no idea, do you?” He shakes his head and I can tell he’s fighting a laugh. I don't get what’s so funny. If anything, he should be more irritated than me.

  I can actually feel the twins closing in with each second and I don’t want to have a blow-up at their party. I’m already on the verge of tears at this point having listened to their dad talk about them. Today’s for celebrating and they should enjoy it because they worked their asses off to get here. Like with Harlow and me being raised by our moms together under the same roof, all of our achievements were theirs because our successes are important to them. Family is important and you don’t let anyone rock that.

  “I didn’t know you were coming,” Owen says to Luke as he comes up to my side. His arm brushes against mine and there’s an edge to his normally calm tone. I guess my chance of escaping is out for now.

  “You need a drink, baby girl?” Elijah wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his big body. They might not play sports anymore, but they’re still doing something. They were always big, but college took them to a whole new level. They’re solid all over and I have to fight not to turn my head and bury my face in Elijah’s chest. I miss the days when he’d wrap his arm around me and it was totally okay. Now my body lights up with a need I don’t understand. Why can’t I have this attraction to anyone else but these two?

  My mind screams for me to push the thoughts away, but the two of them always come to mind when I lie in bed at night touching myself. It’s the only way I can get off, and even then I know it isn't enough.

  “Nellie made me an offer I couldn't refuse,” Luke says, answering Owen. I can feel tension roll off the twins as Elijah’s arm wraps around me tighter.

  “I could use a drink.” I dip down a little to get out of Elijah’s hold and his arm falls from me as I dart between all of them.

  I don’t know what’s going on, but I know I won’t be in the middle of it. Elijah and Owen clearly aren't on board with me dating someone, and Luke is all about poking them. The man has balls, I’ll give him that.

  I head for the kitchen to get something to drink but don’t make it. Elijah snags me by the elbow and tugs me i
nto a bathroom. He kicks the door closed behind us and moves in close.

  “What are you doing?” I look up at him and I can’t read his face.

  He takes a step toward me and I take one back and then another until I’m up against the wall. He looks pissed, but there’s something else in his expression—something I can’t read. My heart starts to pound in my chest, but I’m not scared. My nipples tighten as my body starts to tingle and heat up.

  “This,” he says just before his mouth crashes down on mine.

  He steals my breath for a moment and I put my hands on his chest with the intention of pushing him away. But just as I try to find the strength, I melt against him and my fingers dig into his shirt. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and his kiss holds nothing back. He takes what he wants and the deep rumble that comes from him vibrates through my whole body.

  When he pulls back I’m breathless and in a daze, with the taste of cinnamon in my mouth. “Don’t try and leave with that man.” Elijah issues the warning and I want to tell him I’ll do anything I want, but Owen’s face comes to my mind and guilt hits me hard.

  “This is wrong.” I lick my lips, still tasting Elijah, but he doesn’t look regretful in the least.

  “This”—he motions between us—“will never be wrong. Get used to it, baby girl.” With that, he leaves and closes the bathroom door behind him.

  I stand there in shock because I can’t believe that just happened. It felt so good but wrong at the same time. Why do I feel like I just betrayed Owen?

  As if my mind conjures him, Owen steps inside the bathroom. The same way his brother did, he kicks the door shut. I stand up a little straighter, wondering if my lips are swollen from the kiss and if Owen will be able to tell. I’m still leaning up against the wall because without it I would fall over.

  “I want a taste, too,” Owen says as he moves in front of me. “You're going to give me one because I’ve waited long enough.”

  As Elijah did, Owen drops his mouth to mine, but his kiss is soft as his hands dig into my hair. He pulls me into him and he tastes like warm honey. His hard cock presses into me and I moan, wanting more than a kiss as I try and move against him.

  When he pulls back, he rests his forehead to mine and our breathing is ragged. Again, this somehow seems so wrong and yet so right. I kissed Elijah less than a minute ago and my heart wants to rip in half.

  “We’re going to let this settle in your mind, sweetheart.” He gives me another kiss, but this time it's only a brush of his lips against mine before he leaves.

  I stumble over to the sink and look at myself in the mirror. Yeah, I look like I just made out with two different men. I close my eyes and try to pull myself together. I can’t come between two brothers and there’s no way I can choose. I’ll have to savor these kisses as my one stolen moment with each of them.

  I take out my phone and request a car. I can’t go back out there and I need to get myself together. Tomorrow when I go to see them at their new place I’ll tell them it can never happen again. I square my shoulders when I see my car is almost here. I try to fix my hair so it doesn't look like someone had their hands in it. Or someones. I need to come out of this bathroom looking as normal as possible.

  I send Luke a quick text telling him I’m sorry I dipped out and I’ll meet with his mom soon to talk about her place.

  Luckily when I exit the bathroom nobody's around and I take a peek out to see the same two girls have cornered the twins again. Jealousy hits me, but I push it away. They aren't mine and I steal the chance to sneak out while I can.

  My heart gets heavier with each mile that puts distance between us. I hope I’ve done the right thing. It might not feel right, but this isn't about me. It’s about them. I’ll never want someone to come between Harlow and me, so maybe it’s best if I leave for a while.

  Chapter Four

  ELIJAH

  “You rushed it,” Owen mumbles under his breath when we make our way out back to check for Nellie.

  “We agreed that we’re done waiting.” I shrug and keep walking.

  “Yes, but it was supposed to go slower.”

  “Owen, if we go any slower she’ll be married and knocked up before we have our chance. Is that what you want?” I stop and stare at him as I raise an eyebrow in challenge. When he doesn’t say anything, I keep on moving. “Where the hell is she?”

  Harlow and Dad are slow dancing together. I walk up to them and realize I might be interrupting a special moment, but this is important.

  “Have either of you seen Nellie?”

  Dad looks at me and shakes his head as Harlow reaches into her back pocket.

  “Oh, yeah, it looks like she texted me. She had a headache and went home.”

  “She left?” I stand there stunned and they look at me in amusement.

  “Was she supposed to do something? We’ve got everything covered tonight. We just wanted you boys to kick back and have a good time. Have you eaten yet?” Harlow is always asking us if we’ve eaten. It must be a mom thing.

  “We were going to ask her about some of the designs for our place,” Owen chimes in, and I see Harlow’s smile turn suspicious.

  “Oh really?”

  “I think we’re running low on shrimp,” I say, grabbing Owen’s arm, and Harlow turns distractedly to look at the buffet.

  “What was that about?” Owen whispers as I drag him around the house and to the front.

  “Harlow was on to us. I had to distract her.” I send a text to Nellie asking her where she is but it doesn't say it’s delivered. I call her next and it goes straight to voicemail. “Fuck.”

  “Look, I don’t want you to get pissed, but you know how to kiss, right?” Owen crosses his arms over his chest and waits for me to respond, but I just reach out and smack him on the head.

  “You were the last one to do it, so you probably messed it up.” He opens his mouth to argue with me, but I hold up my hand. “Focus.”

  “Fine.”

  “We’ve got two options. We can go after her right now and demand that she talks to us, or we can wait until tomorrow and she comes to our place.”

  “I hate the thought of her leaving here upset.” Owen echoes my thoughts. “But if we go after her now, it could just push her further away. We’ve waited this long. What’s one more day?”

  I nod as I contemplate what Nellie’s probably doing right now.

  “Elijah, I know you want to go after her, but we can’t just leave the party. Harlow and Dad went to a lot of trouble and they’ll kill us if we disappear.”

  I nod again and then I stop as a lightbulb goes off over my head. My smile grows bigger and our twin brain kicks in and Owen starts to shake his head.

  “No, absolutely not. It’s not happening.”

  “Come on, you have to.”

  “The last time I pretended to be both of us, we got suspended for three days.”

  “It’s not my fault Mrs. Palmer can’t take a joke.” I shrug. “Besides, her hair eventually grew back.”

  “What do you think you’re going to accomplish by running after her? You could push her away from us and then we’ve lost our chance at this.” He shakes his head and throws up his hands. “This isn’t just about you anymore. She’s ours, and she’s the one.”

  “You don’t think I know that?” My voice gets louder and I have to take a breath. “We’re in this together, Owen, and I’m going to do everything I can to make her ours. Don’t you trust me?”

  He presses his lips together in a firm line before he finally nods. “You know I do.”

  “Then let’s do this. You go inside and make sure they don’t know I’m missing. I’m going to smooth things over with Nellie and be back as soon as I can.”

  I’m already taking the keys to my truck out of my pocket as Owen nods.

  “Elijah,” he says as I start to walk away. “Don’t fuck this up.”

  “No pressure.” I take off in a jog to my truck then hop in. I see Owen go back inside as I pul
l out and drive towards Nellie’s place.

  I’ve only been there one other time and it looked like she had just moved in. There were still unpacked boxes in the corner, but she said she’d been there a couple of years. I know her well enough to be able to read between the lines. She’s living in limbo waiting for her life to begin.

  Owen and I felt that way the whole time we were in college. We never wanted to put down roots at school or even make friends. We knew the second we had those diplomas in our hands that we could finally go to Nellie and make her see that we were worthy of her. That we could provide the life she dreams of and that we can support the family we want to have with her.

  Nellie has big dreams and we want to make all of them come true. But we understand that being with both of us might be overwhelming. I didn’t understand what was wrong with me at first. What man wants to share his wife, let alone share her with his flesh and blood brother? But Owen is my other half, the part of me that’s calm, analytical, and measured. As stupid as it sounds, we complete the other and the two of us make a whole. I can’t imagine my life without him beside me every single day. We haven’t ever spent a day apart, so why would we start now?

  The day we met her we looked at one another and it was set in stone. She would be the one to make us a family and be our wife. We just have to convince her to love the both of us at once. Shouldn’t be too hard.

  I want to roll my eyes at myself when I think about how delusional we were. I knew it wouldn’t be so easy, but Owen kept telling me that it was meant to be.

  I touch my mouth and I’m reminded of what it felt like to have her lips on mine. Her body was soft and supple against me as my tongue touched her. I reach down and adjust my cock that’s becoming painfully trapped in my jeans.

  She wanted to push me away, I felt that at first. But in the blink of an eye she was the one pulling me closer and taking more. The little sounds she made as she opened up had my cock dripping in my boxer briefs. I was ready to fuck her right then and there, but I wanted my brother to have his taste.