STRIPTEASED: A Standalone Reverse Harem Romance (Roommates Book 1)

“Did you enjoy the party?” I asked Knox as he moved around his room, getting ready for bed. The others had insisted that I stay with him tonight, even though I had a few nights ago.

“Best birthday ever.”

“Really?” I was perched on the edge of his huge bed, already wearing the big t-shirt I liked to sleep in.

He nodded, unbuttoning his shirt. “Didn’t get to celebrate much in foster homes. Maybe a special dinner if they remembered.” He pulled off his shirt to reveal the huge muscles barely contained by his white undershirt. He looked hot, but more than that, he looked steady. Solid as a rock. As if his past experiences had made him unflappable. When I was with Knox, I felt a stability I’d never felt before. He always made me feel safe even if I hadn’t been aware of feeling unsafe.

“I hope you liked the food.” Suddenly, our choice to go with hors d’oeuvres and appetizers seemed like a bad idea. He was such a big man—had he eaten his fill?

“It was delicious.” He stood facing me as he undid his pants and pulled them off without a trace of self-consciousness. When he was just in his underwear, he sat down next to me and took one of my hands in both of his. It was a gesture that warmed my heart. “Thank you for doing that for me.”

“It was all of us.” For some reason, I loved having my hand in his. His were just so big that they engulfed mine. It made me feel the same way I did when I snuggled up in a huge quilt.

“It was your idea.” His blue eyes were steady on mine.

“Yes, but everyone got on board. Tonio made the arrangements with the restaurant, Denver invited the people from the club, and Austin made the cake.”

For the first time since we’d surprised him at the restaurant, Knox looked astonished. “Wait, what was that last part?”

“The cake was made by Austin.”

Knox shook his head and feigned disbelief. “The cake was made in Boston?”

I giggled. “I know it sounds hard to believe, but the restaurant doesn’t do full cakes, just dessert trays, and Austin was insistent that you have a real cake.”

The big man next to me chuckled softly. “It’s just so hard to believe.”

“I know.” Denver had confided to me that when they were kids, he and Austin had always shared cake for their birthday celebration, which bothered Austin. So I guess he’d decided that it was important for Knox to have a real cake. “He had help, though.”

“From who?”

“From everyone who didn’t want the house to burn down. We gave him pointers.”

“You bake?” Knox asked.

“I bake more than Austin, but that’s not saying much.”

“Unbelievable,” Knox said, shaking his head again. “It was pretty good, too.”

“A bit lopsided, but yeah, that chocolate icing was delicious.”

“Better than those delicate little one-bite things Romano’s served.”

“Definitely.” I was pleased that Austin, of all people, had known what Knox would prefer. Hopefully, that helped Knox see that he wasn’t the outsider of the group.

We finished getting ready, and when we climbed into bed, I wasted no time curling up next to him. His arm went around me automatically while I pressed my cheek against his bare chest.

For a while we lay in companionable silence, neither of us particularly sleepy. Finally, I spoke up, my voice quiet in the dark room. “Can I ask you a favor?”

Knox gave a quick laugh. “A real one this time?”

I grinned. “You have to admit, it got you to the restaurant.”

“Honestly, I never suspected a thing. I didn’t know you were that good of an actor.” His chest rumbled when he spoke, and I slid my fingers back and forth along his impressive abs. “I should’ve known you were too smart to meet up with your asshole ex.”

“I’m never going to see him again,” I said firmly. “Unless I encounter him on the street someday. If that happens, I hope I’m standing next to you.”

Knox was silent for a moment, but I sensed my response pleased him. “Or all of us,” he said softly.

“That would really send him reeling.” I could just picture it—Clint gaping as I stood in the center of four hot-as-sin men.

“What was the favor?” Knox asked, breaking through the revenge fantasy playing out in my mind.

“Oh. Well, I talked with Ronnie about my story.”

“What’d she have to say?”

Briefly, I filled him in. “She really thinks I can publish sooner rather than later.” That fact still blew my mind, but I was determined to work my ass off if there was even a chance of that happening. “She says the biggest hurdle is the cover.”

“What’s the problem with it? The stock photo sites I submit my photos to have a million shots of half-nude dudes.”

I giggled. “She says that most of those half-nude dudes have been used on covers many times over. She told me how big-name authors hire photographers and do their own photoshoots so their covers will be unique. I’m not even published yet, but I do know an excellent photographer.”

“And a couple of guys who aren’t strangers to being shirtless,” Knox said.

“Exactly. So will you help me out?”

“What do you think?” He kissed my temple and let his lips linger there.

“I think you’re pretty great,” I said, my voice lower and softer than before.

“You’re pretty damn amazing yourself,” he murmured. I was still cradled in his arms. His fingers slid gently up and down my side, his knuckles grazing my breast. “Would you let me show you exactly how amazing I think you are?”

I caught my breath, thinking through the implications of what he just said. I didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do, but I could think of several possibilities.

He kissed my temple again. “I appreciate what you did for me today… but mostly, I appreciate you.”

God, I wanted to nod and wrap my arms around him. But something held me back. “I want to, but you know, the other night with the twins, we sort of… did some things.”

Knox had clearly known something was up, because he’d made me feel better the next morning, but I wasn’t sure if he’d guessed how far we’d gone.

“It’s okay, I know.”

I half sat up, staring down at him in the dim light. “They told you about it?”

He stroked my hair until I settled back down, my head in the crook of his arm. “I heard you,” he said softly, “and it sounded like you really enjoyed yourself. I’d like to make you enjoy yourself, too.”

His words made my pulse quicken, but saying yes felt wrong—no matter how much I wanted to. All the good feelings from the party and the talk with Ronnie faded away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. If I hadn’t… done things with the twins, then I’d definitely say yes, but…” I couldn’t think how to finish. Misery washed over me.

“It’s okay,” he soothed. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Are you dating them? Or one of them?”

“No,” I said, then reconsidered. “At least I don’t think so. It just happened.”

“Are you sorry it did?”

“No,” I said instantly. “But I’m sorry I can’t be with you.”

“Why not?” His words were curious, not challenging.

“Because… because it would be wrong.”

“It doesn’t have to be, Emma. We all like you. We all want to be with you.”

I froze, thinking that through. “I like you all, too.”

“Do you like one of us more than the others?”

My first impulse was to say no, but then I took a moment to make sure it was true. The twins were so fun-loving. I felt alive when I was around them. Denver seemed to get me, and that was a wonderful experience after spending my whole life around people who didn’t. And Austin had taught me to stop censoring myself by worrying what other people thought. Tonio worked so hard studying for his classes, yet he still cooked for us almost every day. He had ambitions and he’d encouraged me to develop my own. He’d set this whole indie author thing in motion.

And then there was Knox. From nearly the first moment, he’d provided me with a sense of stability. That first day in the kitchen, when staying here had seemed like a preposterous idea, it had been his approval that helped me make the decision. A man his size scared a lot of people, but his quiet demeanor made me feel calm and centered. “I like all of you. A lot.”

“You don’t have to choose between us. We know how to share… if that’s what you want.”

Share. One of the twins had said something like that, too. “Have you guys… shared a woman before?”

“Yes,” he said simply. “But it wasn’t the same.”

Curiosity sparked inside of me. “Why not?”

He hesitated. “That was just about sex. This… we all know this is different. Being with you would mean more than that.”

“It would for me, too, but—”

“It goes against everything you’ve ever been taught,” Knox concluded.

“Yeah.”

“But so did sharing a house with four men, at first. And sleeping with them in their beds. You did those things—do you regret them?”

“Not at all.”

“So maybe you wouldn’t be sorry if you let me touch you. If you let me make you feel good.”

The honest truth was that I wanted to. So badly. I was almost at the point of ignoring the voice inside me that told me it was wrong, but there was still one thing making me hesitate.

“What about Tonio?”

“What about him?”

“Won’t he feel left out?”

Knox was silent for a moment. “He’ll understand. And maybe sometime soon you can spend some time with him—if you want to.”

“Are you sure he won’t feel hurt?”

“Yes. We talked about this a while back. When it became clear that we each had feelings for you.”

Wow. That was a lot to process, but just hearing him say that made me happier than I could say. “Why didn’t Austin and Denver tell me all this?”

“They’re strippers. They show, not tell.”

That made me giggle. But then I saw Tonio’s handsome face in my mind and I frowned.

Knox seemed to read my mind. “If you’d like, we can invite Tonio in here now.”

“Really?” The thought had a definite appeal. It had been so intoxicating to be in between the twins the other night. “I kind of feel like tonight is just between you and me. It’s your special day.”

“Because you made it special. Can I kiss you, Emma? A real kiss?”

“Yes.” My voice was barely more than a whisper, but he heard my answer.

To my surprise, he pulled me on top of him so that I was straddling his broad body. My hands were on his chest for balance as my breathing sped up. My knees were on either side of his hips, leaving me feeling open. Just my panties and his boxers separated my folds from his hot, hard body.

Knox stared up at me, and I could see his eyes gleaming even through the dark. He cupped my head, fisting my hair. “So soft,” he whispered. His hand was so large it was like wearing a warm helmet.

With a gentle pressure, he pulled me downward. That was all the encouragement I needed. I dipped my head and pressed my lips against his. Like every part of him, his mouth felt solid and unyielding—until his lips parted in an invitation to explore.

And that’s exactly what I did. Being on top made it easier for me to control the kiss, to take it at my own pace. Knox ran his hands up and down my back as I peppered his lips with small kisses, occasionally darting my tongue out.

Then he took over, tilting his head up to take my mouth while his hands moved lower. He cupped my ass and pressed me against him. I moaned, loving the way his huge hands felt as they roamed all over me.

Our kiss deepened until one long finger of his strayed down to my slit, the fabric of my panties already damp. I squealed and pressed myself against his finger, wanting to feel more. Knox obliged, pressing my panties into my folds. “That feels so good,” I murmured.

“Want to feel even better?” he whispered back.

“Yes.”

With a quick move, he reversed our positions, setting me on the bed and moving over me. The warmth from his body heated my flesh everywhere we touched, but he was careful not to put too much weight on me. He held himself up with one hand while the other plunged into my hair as we resumed our kiss.

He claimed my mouth with his own, wiping all thoughts from my mind. Then, with the hand that was still buried in my hair, he angled my head to get access to my throat. I moaned when his talented mouth moved there, nibbling and teasing.

My hips undulated under his, and I felt like a live wire, unable to settle down—because I wanted more. Much more.

Knox gave it to me. His hand left my hair and snaked its way under my sleep shirt. Then he palmed my breast, heat radiating from his touch. It felt incredible, like the way the water from a hot tub feels on your skin.

My nipples were already hard, but when his thumb and finger captured one, it felt as hard as a diamond. He grasped the edge of my shirt and lifted his head long enough to look down at me. I nodded in answer to his silent question.

Then my shirt was up over my head and discarded on the side of the bed. His mouth captured one hardened nipple while his hand moved to the other.

My moans could probably be heard throughout the house, but all I could think about was Knox, and how good it felt to be with him. At least until he’d thoroughly kissed each nipple and moved his head lower.

I froze, and he felt the tension in my body. He’d been kissing his way to my navel, but he stopped immediately and looked up.

“I, um…”

“Hasn’t anyone ever gone down on you?” he asked.

“Yes, but… I don’t really like it.”

“All right.” He sat up, one knee between my legs, and even though I was worried that I’d disappointed him, it still felt good pressed up against my core.

“What do you like?” His hands ran up and down my sides, cupping my breasts, then sliding down to my hips and back again. “Do you like to be touched there?”

“Yes.” Heat rushed to my face, but it was true.

“But just with fingers… not a mouth?”

“I guess,” I said, and Knox frowned like he was trying to figure something out. It dawned on me that my answer didn’t make much sense. What was the difference between a finger brushing across my sensitive clit and someone’s tongue? “My ex didn’t like to do that very much, and when he did, I always felt pressure to… to…”

“To perform?”

I let out the breath I’d been holding, relieved that he understood. “Yes.”

“You don’t ever have to perform or fake anything with me. If something doesn’t feel good, just tell me.”

I nodded. “He’d get impatient with me even though half the time, he wasn’t even licking where I needed him to…”

Knox chuckled. “So old Clint didn’t know how to find the clit? Why am I not surprised?”

I didn’t laugh. “I’d feel so much pressure to come that my body would clench up and that would make it even harder—I hated it.” Knox’s large hands were kneading the flesh of my hips, and it felt good even though I was still upset.

“Do you think you’d hate it if it were me down there? If you knew there was absolutely no need to pretend to feel something you didn’t and that we could stop at any time?”

My body wanted to—but my mind still resisted. It wasn’t an act that I associated with pleasure. Still… this was Knox, not Clint. “I can try.”

He smiled. “Good. Let’s get you relaxed first. If you can, keep an open mind. Or a blank one—try not to think about anything. Here, maybe this’ll help.” He reached for something on his nightstand and a few moments later, soft instrumental music filled the room. “Close your eyes and relax.”

I did, focusing on the calming music as Knox’s body covered mine. His kiss was sweet this time, his tongue tentative instead of domineering. I sighed against his lips, focusing only on each part of me he was touching. On the heat. On the pleasure. On the connection between us.

He worked his way down my neck, his hands already on my breasts. Each nipple was more than ready for the gentle sucking and the soft scrape of his teeth. When his hands cupped my ass, I lifted my hips up, and he worked my panties down my legs. Then his gentle kisses were south of my navel, and I tensed up.

“Relax,” he soothed. “There are no expectations tonight. I don’t need you to come for my sake. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

I followed his advice and relaxed my tense muscles. When his strong hands clasped my leg and lifted it, cool air brushed past my heated slit. For the first time, I began to anticipate what was coming.

Knox pressed my knee up to my chest and I grasped it, holding myself open. He hooked an arm under my other leg, tilting my pelvis upward.

Then I felt his breath, the warm air swirling around my most sensitive spot. It took effort, but I kept my muscles from tensing up. This was Knox doing this, not anyone else.

I trusted him.

He placed a gentle kiss on my heated skin and nudged my seam with his nose, making me gasp. And then there it was, the first soft lick with his broad tongue. After a moment, as if waiting to see if I wanted him to stop, he did it again.

His talented tongue worked its way along my slit, gliding smoothly through the moisture. Then the tip of one large finger teased my entrance. At the same time, he flicked his tongue directly over my clit.

My body bolted upwards, and he chuckled, the vibrations from his mouth teasing my sensitive skin even more.

“That felt genuine,” Knox observed, and he sucked my inner labia into his mouth, making me squeal. His finger continued to circle and probe as he kept exploring with his tongue. Then he backed off and let me catch my breath. “Ready, princess?”

I nodded, not even sure what he was asking, but very sure of my answer.

His hands went under me and suddenly my lower body was off the mattress, his strong hands angling me toward his mouth. My thighs rested on his shoulders and I fisted the sheet, trying to prepare myself for what was coming next.

Knox didn’t disappoint. His tongue dipped inside of me, as far as it could go, and I moaned, my hips undulating with anticipation. His finger took over as his tongue returned to my clit, insistently circling it, flicking across it, and making it swell.

“Oh God,” I moaned, clutching the sheets harder. The delicious pressure was building up inside me, and my legs tensed. “Don’t stop.”

His tongue moved faster, as if to show that he wouldn’t. My limbs trembled—it was amazing I didn’t buck myself right off of him because I was out of control. The sensations were building up and there was no way I could stop them—and I didn’t want to.

My breath came out in jagged gasps as Knox worked my clit expertly, and then it happened—my back arched and I screamed as my muscles locked and my body went rigid.

Knox held me steady, his finger pushing in and out of me while his tongue finished the job. He made wave after wave of pleasure flow through my body, and when I finally collapsed in exhaustion, he lowered me carefully back to the bed.

He grinned as I panted, trying to get enough air. My body felt loose and relaxed—and like it might be unable to move under its own power ever again.

Knox lay down next to me, his hand lightly stroking my stomach.

“That was…” I began, but then I ran out of breath.

“Does that mean you like oral now?”

“God, yes,” I said, and he laughed.

“Why do I feel so sleepy?”

“That means I did it right,” Knox said smugly. I opened my eyes to see the pride on his face. It was different than the sexy smirk the twins used in their act—and, well, Austin used outside of it. But I was really glad Knox understood how amazing he’d made me feel.

“You certainly did. I want to make you feel this good.” I reached for him.

“Next time,” he said, stilling my hand. “It’s time for sleep now, princess.”

I knew I should argue, but the blissful feeling was lulling me into a trance. “Next time,” I murmured before I felt myself drift away.