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

“Mmm,” I moaned, throwing an arm over my face to block the light seeping through my eyelids. “Nnn.”

It felt much too early to get up. My head throbbed, and my stomach felt full of sawdust. I fought the light, trying to settle back into my dreams, but it didn’t happen. Turning over, I opened one eye just long enough to take a quick peek at the clock on the nightstand.

Except the clock wasn’t there.

Neither was the nightstand.

What the hell? I rolled over, which took my attention away from the missing furniture. The small movement made my stomach ache, big time. Was I sick?

The pounding in my head seemed to confirm that. “Clint?”

Maybe his mother had something I could take. I patted the bed beside me, but he wasn’t there. Neither was the ceiling fan above the bed in his parents’ guestroom.

“Clint?”

And then it hit with a stronger force than the roiling in my stomach. Clint’s text. His sister shaking her head at me. The other women’s looks of sympathy.

The bastard broke up with me. I’d moved across the country with him, and he broke up with me.

By text!

Pain and hurt lurked under the fuzziness in my mind, but the rage that made my blood boil won out and gave me enough energy to sit up. It took a while for the room to stop spinning, but once it did, I realized that I had no idea where I was. Not one clue.

For a moment, I couldn’t feel anything except confusion. This wasn’t Clint’s parents’ house, that was for sure, but how was that possible? I hadn’t been inside a single home except theirs in over a week.

What the hell happened last night? I remembered the club. Those super-hot strippers. And a whole lot of drinks.

Oh.

The drinks must’ve been what happened. I normally wasn’t much of a drinker, but how often do you get unengaged at your own bachelorette party?

Gingerly, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, trying to concentrate. How had I gotten here last night? The last thing I could recall was the writhing bodies of those two sinfully hot men. What were their names? Houston and something? No, Boston and something.

Except that wasn’t right, either.

As I tried to get my brain into gear, I ran my hand absently down my bare thigh. Wait, why was it bare? I yelped as I looked down, seeing only my black lace bra and panties. Where the hell had my dress gone?

I scooted to the edge of the bed, scanning the room as I tried to muster the strength—and balance—to stand. It was a nice room, actually. Nicer than the guest bedroom at Clint’s parents’ house. The walls were a light gray and they were lined with bookshelves. There was a desk by the window.

Good, maybe I could figure out where I was. Carefully, I stood, making my way over to the window, walking like a ninety-year-old. It didn’t even occur to me to wonder whose room this was until I spotted my small purse on the desk and then noticed the framed photo next to it. It was of two tanned, smiling, good-looking men. They looked familiar, but it took me a moment to place them.

The strippers!

My heart thumped erratically as I tried to make sense of it all. The headache didn’t help. I must be at one of their homes, but why? Had I… had I gone home with one of them? Like… to sleep with? After all, I’d woken up without my dress on.

But no, I wouldn’t have done that. Even after all those drinks. The only man I’d ever slept with was my fiancé. Ex-fiancé, I meant. There’s no way I would’ve gone home with a stranger.

Besides, those guys were hot as hell. Like movie-star gorgeous. There was no way either one of them would’ve picked me from the crowd of screaming women last night. There had to be another explanation.

If only my brain would start working.

Cautiously, I moved to the door, listening intently. The last thing I wanted to do was to make noise and have someone burst in on me while I was practically naked. Pressing my ear to the door, I listened but didn’t hear anything. Maybe no one else was awake? I still had no idea what time it was, but I didn’t want to reach for my phone just yet. The last time I’d looked at my phone, it hadn’t exactly been good news.

Helplessly, I turned in a slow circle. I didn’t have the slightest clue what to do next, and my brain was in no hurry to kick in.

Then I spotted a pile of clothes on top of a shelf near the door. Gratefully, I picked them up. There was a white V-neck t-shirt and gray sweatpants. They were obviously men’s, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t stand to be in my underwear in a stranger’s house for one second longer, and there was still no sign of my dress. I shuddered… maybe it was in as bad of shape as I was.

A crisp, clean scent surrounded me as I pulled on the clothes. It smelled like pine or evergreen or something. Once the shirt was on, I grabbed the front and lifted it to my nose. It was a calming aroma, one that somehow made my jumpy stomach still.

It was better being dressed, but I still didn’t know what the hell to do. I drifted to the window, which had a view of a large tree and a small backyard. It didn’t provide any hint of where I was.

Even if I knew where I was, what would that help? I had nowhere to go. All my stuff was at Clint’s parents’ house. No way was I going back there—you couldn’t pay me enough. I’d moved out here to be with him and he dumped me. For his model-perfect high school girlfriend! I couldn’t bear to face him after that. He was the only man who’d ever said he loved me. Hell, he might have been the only person who’d ever said that to me. Certainly my grandmother who’d raised me didn’t say things like that.

As I absently paced the small room, the truth of my situation sank in. I had no job. No place to live. No reason to be in Riverside now that I wasn’t with him. Should I move back to Pennsylvania? Try to get my old job back? It wasn’t a welcome thought. Whatever happened, I wouldn’t live with my grandmother again. That place had never felt like home, and I hadn’t been back for any longer than an afternoon since I started college.

A sound from outside the door caught my attention. My heart pounded rapidly as I heard a footfall and then a soft knock. I tried to call out, but my throat was dry. I licked my lips and tried again. “Hello?”

The door swung inward and a handsome face appeared—one of the twin strippers from last night. Despite the picture on the desk, it was still hard to wrap my head around the fact that he was standing in front of me. He was just so damn good-looking, it didn’t seem possible that he could exist in real life. His brown hair was sticking up in a sexy way, and his jaw was lined with the smallest hint of stubble. I felt sure those tawny eyes were the color of finely aged whiskey even though I’d never touched a drop of the stuff in my life. Everything about him was perfection designed to make a woman melt.

“Good morning.”

The rich, rumbly voice was a boon to my ears, especially after all the loud chaos from the club. Also in contrast to last night was the fact that he was wearing clothes. Tan forearms emerged from a light blue t-shirt—one that bulged over his biceps. It was tight on him and made me recall every ab I’d drooled over last night. Black running shorts covered other parts I’d admired. “Um… hi.”

“I heard you moving around and figured you might have some questions.” His smile was made for charming and disarming, and he looked entirely too perfect to be standing a few feet in front of me. Maybe I was dreaming?

“Yeah,” I managed to say. So far, I was being one hell of a conversationalist.

“I imagine you might need this.” He stepped further into the room, revealing a glass of water and a little white bottle in his hands. He held them out and I approached gingerly, as if he might vanish if I got too close. I took the water and the container of aspirin—thank God. I mumbled my thanks, worked the bottle open, and took two pills with a long swig of water. It tasted so good on my dry throat that I forgot to feel self-conscious in front of him.

“Thanks.” My voice sounded less raspy than before. I took another sip, stalling as I tried to figure out what to ask first. “How did I get here?”

“We brought you back here last night when we couldn’t get a local address out of you. You were pretty wasted,” he said frankly. The twinkle in his eyes spoke of good humor, but my face flushed anyway. Why on Earth had I drunk that much?

“We?”

“Me and my roommates. We work at the club you were at. I’m Denver.” He held out his hand. Denver. The names came back to me. Denver and Austin, not Boston. His large hand engulfed mine and heat rushed up my arm. It was like touching a demigod or something. No mere mortal could be that gorgeous. He cocked his head to the side. “How much do you remember about last night?”

“Not much.” I retreated backwards until I felt the bed behind me. “I mean, I know you’re a—” Somehow, I couldn’t say the word stripper. “I know you work there, I just didn’t know which one you were.” God, I’d practically just admitted to ogling him and his brother last night.

Denver grinned, as if he knew why my cheeks were turning pink. “Austin’s downstairs. So are the others. We made breakfast, if you’re feeling up to it. And they’d like to meet you.”

“The others?”

“Come see for yourself. Or, sorry, what am I thinking? The bathroom’s just down the hall. You probably need that first. But come downstairs when you’re ready, okay?”

His gaze was so intense that I could only nod in agreement. He could be a hypnotist if he wanted to be—I couldn’t imagine any woman saying no to him. Besides, it wasn’t like I could hide up here forever. I was obviously in his room, invading his personal space. I had to emerge at some point, whether I had any place to go or not.

“Okay,” I echoed, and looked down as he flashed his megawatt smile again. But I couldn’t help peeking as he walked away, his tee stretched tightly over the muscles of his back. The black running shorts were looser, but they didn’t hide that perfect ass. Clothed or unclothed, it was a pretty spectacular view.

Ten minutes later, I clung to the banister as I made my way down the wooden staircase. My lack of balance wasn’t all because of my hangover—I’d put on my heels from last night, which had been outside the door of the room. Apparently, they’d survived whatever calamity had befallen my dress. My purse was slung over the arm that wasn’t clutching the railing in a death grip.

Masculine voices, plus the smell of something delicious, guided me to a large, sunny kitchen. The bright light made my head hurt worse, and for a moment I hovered in the doorway, taking stock.

The twins were at the table, laughing at something together. They looked as identical as they did last night in everything except their attire. Austin was wearing black running shorts, like his brother, but that was all he was wearing. Well, except for a black baseball cap. Luckily, his back was to me. I didn’t want any of the guys to see me start counting his eight-pack again.

Speaking of guys, the man next to Denver could count for three men, at least. He was huge, with the massive physique of a bodybuilder. Something about his short brown beard and mustache looked familiar. Then I realized that he was the bouncer from the club last night. I nodded shyly as he stared at me with vivid blue eyes under fierce, dark brows.

He was a mountain of a man, yet there was a certain stillness and steadiness to him. While it seemed like Austin and Denver could overwhelm your senses and make you faint on the spot, this man looked like he might just pick you back up. A memory stirred… the feeling of being lifted up into the air. Of being pressed to a massive chest. Of being safe. Had he carried me up to the bedroom last night?

“There she is,” the last man said from his position at the stove. He looked familiar, too, but he was harder to place. “I hope you eat carbs.”

What?

I frowned, replaying his words, trying to make sense of them.

“She’s having a rough morning,” Denver said from the table.

“Understandable,” the fourth man said. He was good-looking in a different way from the twins. Still, if you entered the phrase ‘tall, dark, and handsome’ in a search engine, you’d probably end up with a picture of him. “But I made French toast, which those two won’t touch with a ten-foot pole.” He jerked his head at the twins. “So I’m hoping you’ll help eat some.”

His tan forearm, dusted with a smattering of dark hair, rested on the counter near a massive stack of French toast. That must be what smelled so good. It looked delicious, but my stomach was staging a rebellion. Still, I’d try for the sake of that panty-melting smile of his. Suddenly, it clicked into place. “You’re the bartender.”

“At your service.” He gave a mock little bow that was sexy as hell. “I’m Tonio.”

I couldn’t help returning his smile. “I’m Emma.” Unlike the twins and the bouncer, I’d actually talked with the bartender last night, so I couldn’t believe it took me so long to remember him. Apparently getting dumped and drinking heavily didn’t do much for one’s short-term memory.

“We know.” Tonio’s voice held a hint of apology. “We looked at your license to see if we could find your address. Pennsylvania, huh? Must be a long commute. So, better eat first.” That last line was accompanied by a wink.

My mind swirled as I tried to figure out what kind of an explanation I could give to these men who had been so kind to me. I didn’t know where to begin, and the fact that they were all so hot didn’t help. How was a girl supposed to think with all of them together in one room?

Luckily, at least one of them didn’t give me a chance to dwell in it any further. “Sit down before you fall down,” Austin ordered. He pushed the chair next to him out for me.

Gratefully, I sank down into the seat, blinking in surprise as Austin pulled my chair in with one hand. That was impressive—I wasn’t used to men so strong they could move you about at will.

Trying to focus, I looked across the table. I was face to face with the huge bouncer, whose name I still didn’t know. He pushed a glass of water toward me, and I took it gratefully.

“Do you want coffee?” Denver asked.

“No thanks.” I sipped the water slowly.

“I know you’re hungover, but eat something if you can. It’ll help, and it’ll make Tonio happy,” Denver said.

“He thinks he knows what’s best for us,” his brother added.

“Shut up and eat your eggs,” Tonio growled from the stove.

“I’m Austin, by the way, and the big guy here is Drax.”

“Like in Guardians of the Galaxy?” Come to think of it, he did look a bit like the big, powerfully built man in the movies. Only not an alien and not green.

Denver grinned. “She knows her Marvel movies.”

I nodded. I’d watched most of them on my own because Clint didn’t approve of movies based on comic books. There were a lot of things Clint hadn’t approved of.

The big man sitting across from me said something I didn’t catch.

“Pardon?”

“It’s Knox,” he said, pronouncing his name clearly before shooting Austin a look. “Not Drax.”

“Oh. Nice to meet you, Knox.”

He gave me a quick nod before turning toward the stack of French toast the bartender had set on the table. A minute later, Tonio pulled up a chair and the three of us each took a slice while the twins ate their omelets. No wonder they didn’t have an ounce of fat on them. Not that Tonio or Knox were out of shape. Truth be told, the only one at the table with a little extra padding was me.

I nibbled at my food in silence, sneaking peeks all around me when I thought no one was looking. It was still hard to believe that I was eating with two men that over a hundred women had gone crazy for last night. I was kind of glad that Austin was sitting at my side. If he were across from me, I was pretty sure I’d be staring at his bare chest. As it was, I kept glancing back and forth between him and his brother, trying to find differences.

“It’s the hair,” Tonio said abruptly. “Denver’s is a little longer. That’s how you can tell them apart.”

Oops. Guess I hadn’t been as subtle as I thought I had.

Denver nodded. “We try to make sure we look as much alike as possible for the act, but hair can be a little tricky.”

“Can’t you just get it cut at the same time?” I ventured.

“We do, but mine grows a bit faster,” Denver said.

Beside me, Austin opened his mouth, but Tonio cut him off. “If you even think about making a joke about being a ‘grower’ or a ‘shower’ in front of our guest, I’ll force-feed you bread.”

Austin grinned and cocked his head to the side. “You and what army?”

Tonio jerked his head in Knox’s direction.

“Oh, that army,” Austin said. “Fair enough.”

“The other way to tell us apart is that Austin’s usually wearing less clothing,” Denver said, flashing me a smile.

I couldn’t help letting my eyes cut over to Austin’s hard pecs, and heat flooded my face.

Austin, however, just shrugged. “Taking off my clothes pays the bills.”

“Some of the bills,” Denver said darkly. But then he smiled his good-natured grin at me. “So tell us about yourself, Emma. How come you’re so far from home?”

Home.

That thought made the queasy feeling in my stomach return. Where was home? Certainly not Clint’s parents’ place. Not the tiny studio apartment I’d lived in since my sophomore year of college. Someone else lived there now, anyway. And certainly not my grandmother’s cold, sterile house. “I, um, just moved here.”

Tonio met my eyes, encouraging me to go on.

“My, um, fiancé is from here, and he wanted to move back. But now…” I trailed off, and for the first time since receiving Clint’s message last night, tears threatened. Last night I’d been so numb… and so drunk. This morning I’d been trying to get my bearings and going with anger because it was easier. But now, with four concerned faces staring at me, it was harder to stave off the waterworks.

“We know about the text,” Denver said gently. “We saw it when we were trying to find someone to come get you.”

To my surprise, a warm hand slipped under my hair. For a brief moment, a long, strong finger caressed the back of my neck. “Asshole,” Austin said, and my mouth dropped open. His touch was electrifying, but completely at odds with his utterance. “Him, I mean, not you,” he clarified.

“Yeah, that was a real dick move,” Tonio said, while Knox grunted in agreement.

Despite their tough words, their looks of understanding almost undid me. I didn’t know if I could put what I was feeling into words, though. My mind kept wavering between pain and fear, fear for the uncertainty of the whole situation.

It hurt, losing Clint, but, well… in my heart of hearts, maybe I had sensed that something wasn’t completely right between us. I guess I’d hoped that a fresh start in a new town might help strengthen our relationship. There was something inherently romantic about two people creating a life for themselves in a new town. But now Clint was creating a new life with his high school sweetheart, and I didn’t have a clue what to do next.

“Are you going to head back to Pennsylvania?” Denver asked.

“No.” The word left my lips without conscious thought. “I mean, I haven’t really had time to think. But… there’s nothing there for me anymore.” That was true. My grandmother wouldn’t be thrilled if I showed up on her doorstep, and my old job had been filled—not that I wanted to return to either of those places. “I guess I just feel that now that I’m here, I may as well… I’ve been looking for a job, and I put in all of these applications. I might as well stay and see if anything comes of that.”

“What kind of work are you looking for?” Tonio asked.

“Anything I can get. I was a receptionist before. And I majored in English in college.”

“So did one of the guys at the club,” Austin said. “Guess that makes you qualified to strip.”

I met his eyes, expecting him to be joking as he said that, but instead, the look he gave me was almost… flirtatious. What was wrong with him? Surely he knew that my body was nothing special—Clint had made that clear enough. The idea of men wanting to watch me strip—not that I ever would—was preposterous, and my face flushed.

“Sorry,” Denver said on behalf of his twin. “We know you’re going through a lot. It’s probably too soon for jokes, but that’s just how we are around here.”

“Smart people usually ignore him,” Tonio added. “But come on, eat your breakfast or I’ll think you don’t like it. Then we can drive you to—wait, where are you staying?”

The few bites of bread I’d eaten seemed to solidify into an uncomfortable lump inside my stomach. “Well, I—”

“You’re not staying with him, are you?” Austin demanded.

“Did you two sign a lease or something?” Denver asked.

“No, thank God.” Though our apartment search had been frustrating, mostly because I couldn’t get Clint to put in the time, I was glad now that nothing had worked out yet.

“Were you two staying in a hotel?” Tonio asked. Across from me, Knox had been silent throughout this whole exchange, but his eyes were on me, wanting to know the answer.

“No, at his parents’ place.”

“Obviously, you can’t go back there,” Denver said.

My thoughts swirled as I tried to come up with an alternate plan. The south side of town where the club was hadn’t looked too expensive. “Could you guys recommend a hotel? Maybe something cheap like around that area where you work?”

Austin immediately shook his head. “Bad idea.”

Tonio was apparently in agreement. “I fail to see how your situation would be improved by getting mugged.”

“Or bedbugs,” Denver added.

I shuddered. “Bedbugs don’t sound so bad compared to seeing Clint or his parents again.”

“No way in hell we’re sending you back there,” Tonio said. His eyes were on his roommates and theirs on him. I got the sense that there was some kind of silent communication going on between them. Twins were sometimes said to have that kind of ability, but I doubted that extended to their roommates.

But then Denver said, “So it’s settled then.”

Wait, what was settled? My confusion must’ve shown on my face, because Austin said, “You’ll stay here until you figure things out.”

“Here?” The word came out almost like a shriek and surprise made me knock over my water glass.

Knox was quick to pick it up. “Why not?” he said softly as he mopped up the spill with his napkin.

“You can’t go back to your ex’s house,” Tonio said. “So stay here for a few days while you figure out your next steps.”

I was so shocked by the offer that I couldn’t figure out what to say. Deep inside, embarrassment rolled through me. I was an adult—I was supposed to have things figured out and shouldn’t need help from strangers. Especially such handsome strangers. As much as these guys talked like normal men, it was hard to ignore how good-looking they were. Every time one of them looked my way, it made me blush. If I stayed with them, I’d probably spontaneously combust at some point. “I, um… thank you, that’s very kind, but I can’t stay here.”

“Yes, you can,” Austin said. “Know how we know that?”

“Because you did it last night,” his twin finished.

Tonio’s sympathetic gaze caught my eye. “You’ve had some shitty luck. Let us help you for a bit.”

“You already have.”

“And we don’t mind doing it, do we?” Denver polled his roommates. They all shook their heads. “See?”

Wow, it was hard to muster arguments when they presented a united front like that. “Thank you,” I said firmly, “but I can’t. Really.” My voice was less firm now. “It’s your home, and I… maybe… I mean, only if I can’t find a hotel… maybe I could just stay here one more night so I can figure out what to do next. But just one, and only if you’re sure it’s okay. And I can pay you.” Not much, but I could pay them a little.

“Not without insulting us,” Tonio said, but he winked when he said it.

“We’re not an Airbnb,” Austin added. “Or a licensed inn.”

“But I can’t—”

“You use that word a lot,” Denver observed. “And you’re making this too big a deal. It’s a big house. We’ll be at the club in the evening, and likely gone a lot of the day, too. We’ll barely notice you’re here. There’s no way we’d kick you out after just one more night.”

“But—but I can’t just stay in your bed.”

Denver’s eyes gleamed and the other guys grinned as I thought about how that had sounded. “Do I look like the kind of guy who would kick a woman like you out of my bed? And be good, Austin.”

It took me a moment to realize that he was warning his brother not to say something crass.

As I tried to think of another way to explain to them how crazy this was, Tonio spoke up. “You need a home base for a few days.”

“Yeah, but I can’t just stay here, free of charge.”

“You can if you’re invited to,” Austin said, and Knox nodded.

“If you’re hung up on payment,” Tonio began, “how about we give you a job to earn your keep?”

“You’re already offering to let me stay, I can’t also expect you to find me a job.”

“Not find you a job, give you a job. We could use some help around here,” Tonio said. He and the others traded looks, and again it felt almost as if they were engaging in some kind of telepathy again. “I know the perfect place to start, too.”

In spite of my hesitation, I was curious. “What’s that?”

He rose to his feet and crossed to the fridge. “Take a look.”

As the door swung wide, I looked inside. There was beer. Water bottles. Lots of condiments in the side door, but not a lot of food.

“See the problem?” Tonio jerked his head toward the twins. “Those two burn thousands of calories every night.” He let the door shut as he moved over to put his hand on Knox’s massive shoulder. “And this one could eat a small village and still be hungry.”

Knox frowned at that assessment, but didn’t say anything.

“I’m not a really great cook,” I began, but Tonio cut me off.

“Not cook, shop. I’m fine with cooking but I hate shopping.”

Next to me, Austin snorted. “You wouldn’t believe that if you saw his closet.” Denver laughed with his twin.

“That’s an entirely different kind of shopping,” Tonio said. “How about it? Each of us has two jobs, so there’s not always time to run to the store. And between the four of us, we need a lot of grocery runs. Will you help us?”

“I can’t earn my keep by grocery shopping.”

“There are other things around here we can find for you to do,” Austin said. “And for once, I mean that in a G-rated way.”

“So how about it?” Denver said, almost as if on cue. “Are you really going to leave four growing boys with an empty fridge?”

When he phrased it like that, it almost made it sound as if I would be doing him a favor. These were the nicest, most generous men I’d ever met. Still… I couldn’t impose on them like this, could I? It didn’t seem right. Then again, what Clint did to me last night wasn’t right, either. “I, um, don’t have a lot of spare cash right now. For the groceries, I mean.” Almost every penny in my bank account had been used for the moving truck even though it had mostly been filled with Clint’s possessions and furniture. My stuff probably could’ve fit in the trunk and backseat of a mid-size car.

Tonio waved this objection off. “Not a problem as long as you don’t have an issue with a hundred sweaty bills that have been in the twins’ G-strings.”

My jaw dropped slightly as I took in that image. Then Denver sniggered.

“Ignore him,” Austin said. “He’s kidding. It’s a bit hard to tell because he’s not very funny.”

That was a relief, but still, my mind was throwing up all kinds of arguments. Not because I didn’t want to stay, but because I didn’t want to take advantage of these guys. “I don’t have a car, either. I was going to get one, but—”

“Four cars and five people—seems like we can work something out,” Denver observed.

“And a motorcycle,” Knox’s deep, gruff voice said. He didn’t always contribute to the conversation, but when he did, I found myself captivated by his deep, slow voice.

“That’s right,” Tonio nodded. “Austin’s got a bike in the shed out back, one that, due to his outstanding mechanical skills, works one, maybe two days a month.”

“Fuck off,” Austin said lazily, and I laughed. Even with all that had happened in the last twelve hours, it was fun to see the camaraderie these men had. I wondered how long they’d been friends.

Tonio smiled, not at all put off by Austin’s comment. “I don’t have any classes today, so I can drive you the first time.”

First time? How long were they inviting me to stay? Then I was distracted by something else he’d said.

“Classes? Do you teach?”

“I learn. I’m working toward a business degree, but there aren’t any classes on Saturday. I can take you to the store and show you where everything is. There’s this cute brunette who works the meat counter—she gives me the freshest cuts and all I have to do is flirt a bit, flash her a smile now and then…” Tonio trailed off. “Though I suppose that might not work as well in your case.”

“See what I mean? Not very funny,” Austin said. “But Denver and I do teach, and we have to get to the gym. He runs fitness classes and I do personal training, so let’s cut to the chase. You’ll get a warm bed. Meals provided by a good cook. And best of all, four strong, good-looking dudes. You won’t have to deal with a spider or struggle to open a jar while you’re here. Are you in?”

It was a pretty convincing list, and mentally I added to it. Staying here meant that I wouldn’t have to face Clint’s parents or sister. And I wouldn’t have to spend the night alone in an expensive hotel wondering where the hell things went wrong with my relationship. And Austin was right about the benefits of being around four hot men. Even without their strength and their amazing bodies, there was something that felt safe about them. As if they’d never be as careless with me as Clint had been. It was crazy because they were strangers, but it still felt that way. “Maybe I could stay the weekend, but you all have to promise to let me know if I’m bothering—” I began, but Austin cut me off.

“Are you in?” he repeated, not letting me add any disclaimers.

“What have you got to lose?” Denver asked. It was a reasonable question. I’d already lost pretty much everything I thought I’d gained by moving out here. Over on my left, Tonio was grinning, convinced I’d say yes.

But before I did, I needed something from the huge man across from me. How did he really feel about this? Even though his buddies were more outspoken, this was his home, too. I met his piercing blue eyes and he silently held my gaze. Everything else faded as I stared at him, willing him to understand my unspoken question.

Amazingly, it seemed he did. After a long moment, he nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.

It felt like such a private thing between us, but the others had picked up on it. “It’s settled then,” Denver said as he got to his feet. “You’re staying.”

It was absolutely astonishing, but it looked like I was. My tentative smile met four broad, masculine grins.

I was completely unsure what the next chapter of my life would hold, but it was off to one hell of an interesting start.