Trading with the Boys: A Reverse Harem Romance

by Krista Wolf

  SERENA

  “OH SHIT!”

  I flung back the covers and jumped from bed, realizing two things right away. First, I was totally naked. Second, I was utterly alone.

  The wedding!

  Jacob and Tate were gone, and the bed on either side of me had been cold. But it was the time on my phone that had me freaking out. For where I needed to be, I was running nearly an hour late!

  Fuck!

  I was in the shower in seconds, slathering body wash everywhere beneath the hot spray. Images of last night came floating in. Wonderful, amazing memories of the evening I’d just had, peeking their way through the panic of not being even close to on time.

  “What the fuck Serena?”

  It wasn’t like me, being late to anything much less something this important. Then again last night hadn’t been like me either… and I didn’t seem to have a problem with that.

  Damn!

  I helped the soapy water out with my hands, washing away last night’s craziness. Bringing myself back to a raspberry-scented good girl again, I hurriedly dried off and got dressed.

  You had a threesome last night!

  My heart raced from the exertion of getting ready, mixed with the heated memories of what I’d done. The guys had been fun, funny, overly sweet. They’d taken care of every aspect of me, from rubbing my feet to feeding me dinner to…

  … to screwing you to a handful of mind-numbing orgasms, and then leaving you to oversleep.

  I glanced at the clock and began moving even faster. Luckily I’d laid out my dress for today, so slipping into it took less than a minute. I applied minimal makeup. Slipped on my shoes and bolted into the kitchen…

  KA-BAM!

  I didn’t so much fall as I bounced backwards, sprawling right to the floor. The oversized man standing in my kitchen stared back at me in surprise and dismay.

  “Ohh… sorry!”

  Cole reached for me with one big hand, a sheepish expression of apology plastered across his face. In his free hand, he held a coffee mug.

  “W—What are you doing here?” I stammered as I got to my feet.

  “Crown moldings, I think.”

  Cole put a steadying hand on my shoulder. He looked at me again, grinning sheepishly.

  “I’m working without a crew today, so I figured I’d start early,” said Cole. “I didn’t want to wake you, so I let myself in and was gonna sneak my way down.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  “Then I started wondering if you had a coffee pot,” he said, turning a shade redder. “I grabbed a mug and began looking around… and now here we are.”

  My still-wet hair had flopped over in front of my eyes. I pulled it back with one hand and smiled.

  “What kind of a psycho doesn’t have a coffee pot?” I asked. “It’s right over there.”

  Cole grinned sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his sexy bald head. “If you want I can go out and get us—”

  “No, it’s totally cool,” I said, adding a sigh. “The collision’s my fault. I’m running really late for a gig, and—”

  “A gig?”

  Quickly I explained to him about my predicament, while going through and double-checking my equipment bag on the counter. Luckily, I’d packed everything needed before last night.

  “I should’ve been up over an hour ago,” I complained. “I wanted to get there early, set up a few shots. Make sure I had the light levels and equipment all calibrated.”

  “It’s still kinda early,” Cole shrugged. “Can’t you still do all those things?”

  “No, I just got a text,” I said. “Thank God too, because it woke me up. I’ll have to improvise now. I can’t even bring my tripods, because the limo is picking me up.”

  “Sounds like you need an assistant,” he chided.

  “Sure,” I laughed. “As if I could afford—”

  “Let me come then,” he said abruptly. “I’ll be your plus-one.”

  For a split second I almost laughed again. But when I looked up, he didn’t seem to be kidding.

  “Yeah, right.”

  “I’m serious,” said Cole. “I can do the moldings tomorrow. You need help right now? Let me help you out.”

  Glancing up at him, my heart softened. His look was genuine. He was being extremely sweet.

  “You can’t…” I stumbled, wishing he could. “Like I said, the limo’s coming in minutes. Besides,” I said, scanning him up and down, “you’re not exactly dressed for a wedding. No offense, but I can’t just…”

  “Text me the address,” said Cole. “I’ll head back to my place, get cleaned up, and meet you down there. Before I do all that, we’ll pack all your bigger equipment into my truck.”

  I looked back longingly at my camera equipment, then at my contractor. He was being serious.

  “Plus,” he added, “with me there you’ll have a ride home later.”

  A beam of light broke through the kitchen window, illuminating one of the pizza boxes from last night. On top of it was what looked like a letter, all folded up.

  My heart leapt into my throat as I made out the words ‘Sex Kitten’ written across it.

  “Serena?”

  I stepped between him and the table, then backed up until the letter brushed my fingers. Quickly and deftly I folded it into my palm.

  “You’d really do that?” I found myself asking. “You’d help me today?”

  “Sure,” Cole shrugged. “After all the work we’ve done this week, I kinda need a break from that basement anyway.”

  He forced a smile that Vin Diesel might make. One of those panty-melting grins I’d always loved.

  “Okay then,” I smiled. “You’d be saving my life.”

  “Good.”

  He scooped up my two big tripods, while pulling his keys from his pocket.

  “Now let’s load my truck up and get me out of here,” he winked over his shoulder. “So you can read that love letter in private.”

  Twenty-Three

  SERENA

  The day turned out to be bright and beautiful, the bride even more so. I spent the morning taking candid shots as she got dressed with her bridesmaids, following her through the entire routine from mimosas all the way to the altar.

  Between the church and the reception was my time to shine. The limo dropped us off at a beautiful mansion in front of a spectacular garden, at the exact point in the day when the lighting was perfect. Cole was there with all the rest of my equipment, unpacked and set up as best he could. It took me less than ten minutes to tweak everything. Another thirty to shoot the most amazing bridal photos I’d ever had the pleasure of taking, including romantic shots of the bride and groom walking through a field of purple flowers, holding hands on a bridge, and him dipping her for a breathtaking kiss in front of a palatial, castle-like background.

  During the limo ride I managed to sneak a peek at my ‘love letter’, which was a short but sweet little note from Tate and Jacob. Although rife with humor and dripping with innuendo, they described having an incredible night with me, both inside and outside the bedroom. They also promised a raincheck on dinner and a movie, and the thought of another night like last night set off a thousand new butterflies fluttering around in the pit of my stomach.

  And yet the day was won by Cole, who was absolutely amazing. He’d shown up in a suit so sharp it made me want to jump him immediately; a recurring urge I felt somewhat guilty for throughout the day. He followed the limo back to the reception and carried every last one of my cameras, switching them out and taking them back to his truck as I finished up with each stage of photography. By the time they cut the cake, we were pretty much spent. We’d had a few trips to the bar together, but as non-guests we were on empty stomachs.

  “Dance with me.”

  He breathed the words into my ear, plucking my primary Pentax from my tired hands and slinging it over his hip. Taking me by the wrist, he dragged me out onto the dance floor for a slow number. His strong arms were practically holding me up a
s we swayed to a song I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Whatever it was, it was old and beautiful.

  “We made a damn good team today.”

  Cole’s hand felt firm and comforting on the small of my back. The one holding my hand made mine seem tiny.

  “I have to be honest,” I said to him. “I didn’t expect you to be this good of an assistant.”

  He laughed, gruffly. “Does that mean I’m hired?”

  “Will you work for peanuts?”

  “M&M’s, maybe.”

  He pulled me closer, until we were chest to chest. Or rather, chest to face, because the big contractor was a good foot taller than me. He smelled wonderful; musky and earthy and strong.

  “I have four younger sisters,” he explained, “who grew up constantly handing me cameras. Between all their social networks and silly videos I must’ve taken ten thousand pictures of them.”

  The music changed, but the song remained slow. All around me I saw tired couples holding each other. It had been a long wedding. Even the bride and groom were sitting down.

  “Well I can’t thank you enough for doing this,” I said. “You saved my ass.”

  Cole’s hands slid a few inches lower. His smirk broadened as he peeked over my shoulder. “Does that mean I get a look at it, then?”

  On a whim I spun to face the opposite direction, holding his hands behind me. With my feet still keeping rhythm I bent at the waist, giving him a nice long look at what he wanted.

  Serena!

  Sure it was daring, but it was also fun. I shouldn’t have been surprised when his hands went to my hips. Cole pulled me in, spooning me from behind as his hands slid around and downward, his long fingers tickling the very tops of my thighs.

  Holy shit.

  There was a knot between his legs that should’ve settled against my ass. Because of our height difference, it ended up in the small of my back. It was no less full of heat and promise, though.

  “Now this is dancing,” he growled into my ear. His face slid through my hair, ending up alongside mine. His arms tightened like two steel cables, trapping me against him.

  My heart was suddenly pounding. My hands unconsciously settled over his, as my hips continued swaying to the music.

  “Maybe this blows the whole employer/employee relationship,” Cole whispered, “but I’m going to tell you a little secret. Wanna hear it?”

  I tried talking, but my mouth was so dry I couldn’t speak. All I could do was continue swaying to the music… and nod.

  “You’re sexy as all hell,” Cole murmured directly into my ear. “And I’ve wanted you since the moment I first saw you.”

  A shiver ran down the right side of my body, starting where his lips brushed my ear. Goosebumps followed, rippling upward along both arms.

  “I’ve been watching you all day,” he continued. “I can’t stop thinking about this…” he flexed his fingertips, which were spread out dangerously low against the tops of my thighs. “Or this…” he added, grinding into my ass.

  He spun me around, and suddenly we were face to face. His hands left my body and slid between us.

  “Or this,” he finished, gently cupping my cheeks in both hands.

  I was speechless. Dumbfounded. Mesmerized by the sound of his voice. His face floated forward, closing the distance between us until our foreheads actually touched.

  “I have no apologies for it,” he murmured. “It’s just the way it is. And all night long, I’ve wanted to do this…”

  His lips touched mine, and in that moment the dance floor melted away. Anything and everything else was gone, leaving only his heat, his longing. The fireworks of his jaw churning slowly as he held my face in his rough, workman’s hands.

  Ohhhhh…

  I felt myself go alive in his arms, as his tongue dragged its way slowly and sensually along mine. And then suddenly I was kissing him too. My lips parted and my head tilted and I whimpered softly into his mouth, while letting my hands slide past his hips to cradle the hard curve of his lower back… and daringly move lower, as the kiss went on.

  But what about—

  For a good ten seconds, I let my fingers roam. One hand clawed his ass, pulling him into me. The other slid upward to run my fingers through his hair, only there was no hair, and somehow that was one of the sexiest things about him.

  You can’t just—

  Eventually I pulled away, my conscious getting the better of me. I felt flushed with the guilt of conflicting thoughts. Thoughts that were battling with the nagging doubt as to whether or not I should feel guilt at all.

  “You have a boyfriend, don’t you?”

  The question came out softly, but with grave disappointment. Our foreheads were still together.

  “No,” I said quickly. “I mean… well—”

  “Sex kitten,” Cole smiled. “I saw the love note in your kitchen. At first I wasn’t sure, but—”

  “It wasn’t a love note,” I protested. “Just something funny… from a friend.”

  “Oh?”

  “A friend who, well…”

  “Ah,” he smiled. “That kind of friend.”

  I sighed in exasperation, lowering my eyes. “It’s complicated.”

  He took a half step backward, with one hand still touching my face. Tilting my gaze upward, to meet his, Cole smiled.

  “It’s okay,” he said softly. “I had to try. If you weren’t involved and I didn’t do anything, I’d have to kick my own ass.”

  I said nothing, only stared back at him. We were barely moving now, just standing in our corner of the dance floor. With his suit jacket off and his top three buttons open, he looked so much like a man.

  “C’mon.”

  Cole took me by the hand and led me away, until we were standing near the tables again. He was so gorgeous I couldn’t stop looking at him! But I also couldn’t look for too long.

  Tate. Jacob.

  All at once I was exhausted. But it was a mental and emotional exhaustion now, to go with the physical.

  “Cole,” I began softly. “I—”

  The song changed again, this time to Last Dance. Every woman in the place rose at once, as Donna Summer’s unmistakable voice called everyone back to the dance floor one last time.

  “Go,” Cole grinned, nodding in the direction we’d just come. “Take a few more candids of the bride, dancing with her shoes off. Those are always good shots.”

  I nodded and smiled. “O—Okay.”

  “Say your goodbyes afterward, and meet me outside. I’ll bring the car around.”

  I bit my lip and nodded, not knowing what to say. I wanted to hug him. Thank him.

  Hell, I wanted to kiss him again too. But—

  “And Serena?”

  I half-turned, raising an eyebrow. “Yes?”

  Cole’s grin was broader than ever. “Trust me, it’s all good.”

  Twenty-Four

  SERENA

  The Uber pulled away as I popped open my mailbox and pulled out the latest stack of bills. As always, half of them were yellow. As if that little trick actually worked.

  “Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you…” I murmured, going through the electric, gas, and water bills beneath the muted streetlight. “You’re cool,” I smiled, setting aside a thank you card for attending a friend’s baby shower. Then back to the bills again: “Fuck you, fuck you…”

  I couldn’t remember which movie the line was from, but it definitely applied. Sometimes life didn’t just imitate art, it outright copied it.

  My legs were about ready to give out as I headed up the walkway and into the house. I’d nearly worked a double today. After being ready to sleep late as I did most Monday mornings, I’d been called in to help with an overhaul to the restaurant’s dining area that started at 6am. It paid overtime though, so I couldn’t keep away.

  Halfway to the door, I stopped. Tate’s truck was here, but so was Jacob’s.

  Oh.

  My stomach rolled. I’d expected one maybe, but not both. Al
l day long I’d been thinking about seeing them again, and worrying about whether it would be awkward. Part of me was excited. The other part nervous, with ‘first date’ jitters.

  I told myself I was being silly as I approached my front door. It was strange, having people in my house at different hours. Even weirder seeing it all lit up before I even got home.

  I entered to the sounds of life… and the rich smell of beef, onion and garlic. The guys were in the kitchen, laughing about something. Tate was even stirring a pot with one of my wooden spoons.

  “Hey! Welcome home!”

  They greeted me with hugs and smiles, and such enthusiasm I was left gaping in astonishment. Tate took my bag. Jacob pulled out a chair and ushered me into it.

  “You hungry?”

  “Umm… a little.”

  I’d barely answered and Tate was already pouring me a glass of wine. I looked down and my shoes were gone! My feet were so numb I’d barely felt Jacob’s hands on my ankles.

  “We made stew,” Tate said. “Actually, Jacob made stew while I worked on the GTO. So if it sucks, it’s all gonna be on him.”

  I watched as they carefully ladled three bowls and then slid in on either side of me. As the shock wore off, I picked up the spoon in front of me and began stirring. The steam rising up smelled amazing, all fragrant and rich with spices.

  “It’s sort of late,” I said. “I really didn’t think you guys would be here.”

  Tate’s mouth twisted to one side. “Should we go?”

  “No!” I laughed, a bit nervously. “Of course not.”

  “Good,” declared Jacob. “Because we have a movie to finish.”

  My eyes shifted left to right, even as that familiar warmth began spreading in the pit of my stomach. I thought about the letter they’d left me. I’d read it nonstop, probably a hundred times.

  But I’d also thought a lot about Cole.

  “Did they finish downstairs?” I asked hesitantly.

  “Cole’s crew is pretty much done,” Tate said. “He’s doing the rest of the finish work himself. He left about an hour ago.”