by Moon, Mia
I met him at the door and he placed another kiss on my forehead.
“What are you doing this weekend? Can I call you if I get bored?” he asked pulling the door open.
I hesitated. If we were going to date again, he’d have to know about Ken. I wouldn’t keep hiding it. “Actually, I sort of have a date with Ken Sunday,” I said carefully. “So…”
“Ah.” He ran a hand through his hair. “If I know him… wear cute socks.”
“Hunh?”
He leaned over and scooped me up for a quick, smoldering kiss that left me standing on my tiptoes. As he released me he licked my lips. “You taste so fucking sweet. I can’t wait to taste more of you. I’ll text you, ‘kay?”
He turned and ambled down the stairs. I shut my door and placed my back to it, feeling like I'd melted into a little warm puddle of lust and confusion. I guess I was in the clear. You go, Violet, I thought. Two smokin’ hot guys and you get to date them both.
I cheered internally until I realized that eventually I’d have to choose.
And what was that comment about Ken and the cute socks? Stockings? Lingerie? Athletic socks? What did he mean? How crazy.
I laughed out loud and made a beeline for the whipped cream, squirting a dollop into my mouth right from the can.
7
Alex held a branch up and out of the way, letting me step through, though it required brushing against his broad chest. I moved past him slowly, aware of the way his brown eyes followed me. He was protective, even if there was nothing dangerous about this trail. At least not that I knew of.
“Is the trail supposed to be overgrown like this?” I asked. “We’ve been walking forever, and it seems to just get more closed off.”
Josh walked close behind me, his hand lightly on my arm to guide me through the brush. They'd been like this the entire way, helping me manage an adventure at a state park near Denver that was a little out of my comfort zone. But it was turning out awesome, I thought. Nature was all around us, and the fresh, spring smell of pine trees rejuvenated me.
I needed to get out more.
“Eh,” he said. “Actually, this isn’t one of the established trails. It’s one we’ve sort of made ourselves.”
I frowned. “Are you allowed to do that?”
"This entire area is open for camping, so we're not disturbing anything," Alex clarified. "We come out here all the time, just not usually with a pretty girl like you."
I’d only been hiking a few times in my life, but I already knew I loved it. Sadly, my legs weren’t having fun. My own fault, for living behind a desk.
Alex moved ahead, and I followed. The thought of breaking the law wasn’t exciting to me, but I trusted that they weren’t just placating me. There was a semi-visible path worn beneath us, even if the trees and bushes didn’t seem to want to let us travel it easily.
“You said this circles around, right?” I asked trying not to huff and puff.
“Yup. And we’re about to come to why we usually break away from the mail trail,” Alex said over his shoulder.
“And what’s that?”
Josh held my hand, helping me jump across a tiny trickle of water that looked like a creek for ants. “You should hear it.”
I stopped talking and tried to listen past our footsteps. After a minute I heard something, but I wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe falling water? I squinted and tried to see what was ahead of us.
My foot slipped on a patch of mud and Alex steadied me as I almost slid down the side. “Whoa,” I gasped. “Thanks.”
“You need some hiking boots,” Josh commented.
They turned to the right and went down a slope. I followed, sliding the entire way but managing to remain upright. “I thought cross-trainers could do everything,” I muttered. “The last thing I want in my life is another pair of shoes.”
Alex chuckled, but at that moment, I realized the sound of rushing water had become louder. I could see it now through the trees ahead of us—a waterfall. I walked past the guys, no longer needing to be guided.
I stopped at the edge of the small lake and gaped in awe. I had no idea there were waterfalls out here, much less ones where there weren’t dozens of people taking pictures. How could something this unbelievably gorgeous be so hidden?
* * *
Time seemed frozen as I stared, stunned at the natural beauty of the waterfall. It was something I'd only seen in movies or on television. Cautiously, I walked the bank and tried to peer as far down as I could to see where the water flowed from the lake, how it branched into the creeks we'd traveled beside.
“And this is where we break and rest,” Josh announced. He stopped behind me and I watched him sling his backpack to the ground.
“How is there no one else here?” I wondered aloud.
“It’s chilly,” Alex pointed out. “But also, there’s another fall further down that’s easier to get to.”
“We get our own private waterfall to sit next to.” I sucked in a deep breath. It even smelled fresher here. Like pine trees. Even though it was chilly, it was manageable. And the cool breeze felt good on my sweaty skin. “Awesome.”
Probably because of the beauty that surrounded us, my tired legs seemed almost refreshed. That didn’t stop me from collapsing on the blanket Josh spread on the ground, though. The sun warmed my face, and I looked around for the guys.
Alex squatted by the water, dipping his hand in. Josh sat next to me and drank from his water bottle.
Something about being away from the busy city and work made me feel free and giddy. “I really appreciate this. I needed to get away, and I didn’t even realize it.”
"Happy to help," Josh said with a grin.
I stared at the water churning white bubbles into the lake. We sat in silence for minutes, enjoying the peace. It was almost spiritual, the stillness of everything but the water. Alex came and sat on the edge of the blanket.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
The moment had made me too relaxed, and I said the first thing that came to my mind, a question I had been holding and saving for the perfect subtle moment. “Have you guys ever had a woman come between you?”
My tact was completely missing, but it was out there, and they’d both heard it.
“Often, but not as often as I’d like,” Alex teased.
Josh laughed, and I covered my face, hiding my red cheeks. Alex was good for twisting my words, and I’d stepped into that one.
“I’m sorry,” I groaned. “I’m an idiot.”
Alex scooted closer to me and patted my leg. “You asked.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“We know,” Josh said handing me a bottle of water. “And to answer, no. We’ve never had a relationship come between any of us.”
I took the water and sipped it, feeling some of the redness leave my face. “Really? You guys have been friends forever and nothing?”
“We don’t date much,” Alex admitted.
“But look at you. I mean… why not? You’re pretty much masters at flirting.”
Josh shrugged and leaned back, staring past me. “We don’t date often, and if we want something, we don’t need to flirt—”
“They just land in our laps,” Alex finished. “And usually squirm.”
My lips formed a small ‘oh.’ It made sense. I giggled.
“It’s not easy finding the right girl,” Josh said seriously. “It’s not a glamorous life to try to maneuver around our schedules.”
I nodded. After all, wasn’t that my potential issue with getting serious with Ken?
“Yeah,” Alex said slowly. “We’ve really just always wanted a girl like you.”
“Like me?”
“You fit in really well, and you aren’t trying to impress anyone. That’s not common at all—you get us guys together and we’re intimidating, we get it,” Josh added. “You’re just yourself.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. Foot in mouth awkward.”
“It’s cute
,” Alex said. “And honestly, it’s nice that you aren’t obsessed with the game.”
“Why wouldn’t you want that? I thought that would be the dream.” I capped the water I was holding and set it aside. “Someone that’s interested what you’re into.”
“Someone who likes to trip through the mud is great, but someone who just looks at us as players and only wants to talk stats or strategy—that gets old fast,” Josh said. “Puck bunnies hold no appeal.”
“Puck bunnies?” My brows knit together.
“Women who want to screw hockey players. Groupies.” Alex rolled his eyes.
I scowled, staring at the splashing water. “I’m the furthest thing from a puck bunny.”
“And that’s why we adore you,” said Josh.
Adore. No one had ever said that to me. This could be romantic, I mused. It was sweet of them to bring me out here, especially since they’d practically had to carry me half of the way.
Not that being lifted over muddy rocks by two hulking sexy men was a downfall in my book. I could get used to it. They both looked over me with more caring than I thought I’d warranted since we were almost strangers.
A jolt of awareness made my skin prickle. I sat up straight and glanced from Alex to Josh. “Wait… is this a date?”
Josh smirked, and Alex gave me a wide grin.
“And that’s the other thing,” Alex said. “You’re so open and innocent, you never even suspected a thing.”
My jaw fell. “Wh—” I took a breath. “What? Wait… and both of you? All of you?”
* * *
It felt like forever had passed, but it was probably just a few seconds. Leave it to me to be on a strange double-date and not realize it. Obtuse, slow, clueless—those were the words that came to mind.
“Are you upset?” Josh asked finally.
I shook my head. When I’d gotten dressed this morning, I’d considered it as a possibility that all four liked me, but dismissed the thought just as quickly.
After all, it was me, Violet. Geeky Violet. Shy Violet.
But now that it was out in the open, here next to this amazing waterfall that was something out of a postcard, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d found someone I could relate to and be myself around.
Now I had four amazing men that all wanted to spend time with me. Whose every little subtle action indicated a deep sense of caring. A willingness to commit. Kindness.
“I’m not upset… unless this is a game. It’s not… I mean, it’s not a competition?” I asked fearing the answer.
“No,” both Alex and Josh replied firmly.
“How?” I asked. Saying I was lost didn’t even begin to cover it. “You expect me to choose one of you? And hurt the rest?”
Alex frowned and studied the blanket we sat on. Josh placed a hand on my shoulder, massaging me.
“What if I told you that it just sort of happened?” he asked.
“It doesn’t feel like anything ‘just happened’ with how fast everything’s unfolded,” I replied.
"But it really did," Alex said sincerely. "I guess if we start way at the beginning…"
“A few years back, Alex and I were dating the same girl. Except it wasn’t our plan—she was deceiving us. We found out, and at the time we were pissed, but looking back, had she been honest about being into both of us, maybe it could’ve worked.”
I turned to meet Josh’s honest expression. “So that’s it?”
"No," Alex said with a half-laugh. "We hated each other for about a month because each of us wanted her more, or so we thought. Then Ken stepped in and said it wasn't a surprise we'd fall for the same girl, it was a surprise she could put up with both of us."
“And that’s the truth. One night, over beer and wings we just threw it out there. What if we found the one? The one woman who tolerated all our shit, who matched each of us. And why couldn’t it happen? We’re a team. We’re like brothers. We do everything together, so how would having four women and four relationships work?” Josh reasoned.
My eyes seemed to grow bigger than the boulders in the lake.
“We tried, not really hard, but we tried to date that way,” Alex said. “For one reason or another, dating didn’t work. Then we changed it up and tried to find someone for all of us.”
“Obviously it didn’t work.” I pointed out.
Josh's hand slipped from my shoulder to press on the blanket by my side so that he was leaning against me. "It didn't work out because most women don't want four boyfriends. Four lovers, sure. That's a fantasy, the other isn't as flashy."
“And you think I’m different?” My heart was pounding so hard that I wondered if it would burst. Could a twenty-something have a heart attack from shock and lust?
“Aren’t you?” Alex asked. “You’re not running away.”
I scoffed and gestured to the trees around us. “I don’t know the way.”
He placed his hand on my knee, and now that I knew that he wanted me beyond a normal playful friendship, it made me shiver.
“Ken is crazy about you. When you two got in touch, that’s the first he’s ever talked fondly of his past. He’s a quiet guy, but he talks about you all the time,” Alex said.
“He wanted you to be the one for us, and he was convinced of it. When your job brought you here, it was decided that we’d give it a try,” Josh said.
I arched my brow. “Sounds like you guys weren’t interested.”
“You sounded great, but nah. We didn’t have our hopes up. And personally, I don’t believe in fate,” Josh admitted. “Ken was convinced the stars had aligned for you to move here.”
“Fate isn’t real. Honestly, you moved here for Ken, didn’t you? At least a tiny bit?” Alex asked.
I pursed my lips, then expelled a loud sigh. “Sort of. I mean, the job was number one priority. And it’s a better situation here than back in California. But yeah, Ken was my freaking high school crush, of course I wanted a chance to be near him again.”
“When he said you were coming to practice, we agreed that if you were interested, and that we liked you, we’d ask you out. Try it. It wasn’t a conspiracy, we just wanted to see if you liked us.” The sides of Josh’s mouth quirked up. “Don’t you?”
“All of you? Nathan doesn’t even live with you guys, how could that even work?” I sputtered.
“He’s one step away from taking the basement room. It’s a big house,” Josh explained.
I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t know the answer, or rather I didn’t know if it was as simple as a yes or no. Standing, I tucked my hair back behind my ears. “I’m sorry. I just can’t… imagine how that would work. We should head back, I think.”
The men nodded and rose quietly. Josh dusted off the blanket, folded it, and put it back in his bag. The silence was painful, but I needed it. My mind was racing in all directions, to places I’d never even considered.
Like dating four men at once.
They helped me up the slope, and as I turned down the trail Alex took my hand.
“You can’t imagine it. Could you try?” he asked, placing his thumb on my chin and tilting my face up.
I nodded, and he pulled me into a kiss. Even if he was part of the complicated jumble in my brain, his lips against mine slowed everything down. I leaned into him and closed my eyes. As we kissed, I felt little bursts of light through my body, as if sparklers were igniting inside me.
A firm wall pressed against my back—Josh. He leaned down and his mouth grazed my neck, kissing me from shoulder to ear while his fingertips traced my thighs. Alex’s arms wrapped around my waist and drew me forward against his erection.
My body flashed hot, feeling a twinge of the taboo and an even greater urge to go further with both. I knew my cheeks were red, but I was more aware of how the rest of me was responding. Josh rubbed his cock against my ass and suddenly rational thought was a thing of the past.
“Is this so bad, baby girl?” Alex asked softly, teasing my lips with his breath.<
br />
Oh. My. God.
I opened my mouth and a desperate moan slipped free. I shut my eyes and turned my head, unable to form a proper response. I continued to kiss Alex while Josh softly bit my neck from behind. One man played with my hair while the other cupped my breasts.
Then they gently let me go. I was panting. “Are you teasing me?” I asked, incredulous.
Alex shrugged.
“Consider that a preview,” Josh said, grinning. “Let’s head back. We don’t want you to be late for your date with Ken.”
Alex went ahead and Josh’s careful hand on my back guided me forward, back to the main trail. My clit throbbed with each step.
What have I gotten myself into?
8
I stared out the window of Ken’s car, watching the buildings zoom by against the setting sun. He was talking for the both of us, mostly. I listened and pitched in enough conversation to make the time pass.
I still hadn’t recovered from the hike. On one hand, I was flattered. Beyond flattered. A flash of heat went through me when I thought of kissing Alex while Josh stood behind me, cupping my breasts. Or was it Alex who cupped my breasts?
I almost laughed out loud. This was so out of character for me.
I couldn’t get one thing out of my mind: why would they all want me?
Leaning my head against the cool glass, I worked out their point of view. If they’d told me at the beginning that they all wanted to date me together, I don’t know how I would’ve reacted. Given my history with shyness, I probably would have run screaming for the hills.
It’s not just four great guys to fuck, although I’m sure some puck bunnies out there would be into that. It’s four personalities to keep happy. Four schedules, four minds, four egos. To grow with. To put up with, as Alex said.
“We’re here,” Ken said, squeezing my leg and sending little sparks through my body.
I looked up. It was a large building I didn’t recognize. “Where are we?”
“You’ll see,” he promised, grabbing a duffel bag from the back seat.
