I don’t even know what all of me looks like.
I haven’t given my all to anything in a really long time.
“Just a brief rundown. You’ve come here to ask for a foursome.” I look each of them in the eye. “In broad daylight. Stone cold sober.”
They trade glances and nod.
“Why me? Is it just because I’m…I seemed willing—”
“Why you?” Gabe growls, his brows pinching together. “Why you?”
Tobias nudges Banks with his elbow. “She’s asking, why her.”
There’s a tic in Banks’s right eye. “First of all, you are fucking beautiful, Elise, just in case you haven’t been told so a thousand times in your life. Second…” He stops to shake his head, his wingtips carrying him a step in my direction, making me very aware that I’m against the door. “The second reason is not very easy to put into words. Except to say, as soon as you stepped onto the tram, you had all of us by the throat. And overnight that hold only got stronger.”
“It’s like it was supposed to happen,” Gabe adds, almost to himself. “The four of us being on the same car. The electrical shortage.” His eyes lift to mine, then travel down over the curve of my neck, his chest beginning to rise and fall at a quickened pace. “All of it.”
“We realize that sounds quite insane,” Tobias says, serious for once. “I half expected them not to show up today. I thought perhaps my imagination was making everything that happened sharper. Stronger. But now that you’re standing back in front of me, I know I was wrong. I didn’t imagine any of it. We didn’t.”
I’m still waiting for the punch line.
Or my alarm clock to go off.
Beneath my apron, I pinch my thigh just to be sure I’m truly awake. Even though I already know the answer. I’m bright eyed and bushy tailed—and I could never dream these three men up in such specific detail. Could never imagine three presences so…tremendous.
There is no way I’m considering this. Obviously. Because it’s straight up kooky. Just like everyone and everything in my life, they will expect more from me than I know how to give.
“Do you guys need me to walk you out? Or can you find the exit yourselves?”
A lip twitch from Banks.
Gabe seems powerless to do anything but gravitate closer to me.
“You’re not even going to consider it?” Tobias asks, with his signature smile that doesn’t show in his eyes. “That’s all?”
“That’s all,” I confirm. “Honestly, men are nothing but irritating. Once or twice, I thought I found a decent one and officially started dating him. Sure, it starts out great. Then suddenly I’m required to check in all the time. Let him know where I’m going, when I’ll be home. I have to be available for daily phone calls. About nothing. Why do women subject themselves to this?” I gesture at the row of incredibly good-looking men, wondering in the back of my mind if I have a screw loose to turn down their offer to worship me. “Showing up at my office like this doesn’t really give me casual vibes. It feels like a trap. I’m not getting sucked in by the promise of orgasms. Then suddenly I’m picking up three pairs of dirty socks on my floor. Uh-uh. Nope.”
“Elise, I’ll eat your pussy like it’s the last slice of chocolate fucking cake,” Tobias deadpans. “You know how I do it, love.”
“I should punch you in the face for talking to me like that,” I manage, using all of my control to hide the fact that my legs have turned into gelatin molds. Chocolate. Cake?
“Why don’t you?” Tobias winks at me. “Is it because I’m too pretty?”
“Once again, I am asking that you please shut up,” Banks bites off.
Tobias holds up his hands in surrender.
“If you said yes…” Gabe begins, slowly unzipping his hoodie, taking it off and laying it on the kitchen counter that runs along the wall to his left. Beneath it, he’s wearing a white T-shirt that is so thin and ancient, I can see right through it. To the maze of tattoos on his beefy chest. The colorful patterns of ink run all the way up the right side of his neck. They take up every inch of space on his thick arms. I start to question why he’s taking off his hoodie when he is moments from leaving the building, but…it becomes very obvious why.
Everything south of my belly button is melting like hot wax.
I can’t help but envision that powerful body on top of me. Behind me.