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

Even though it was nearly three in the morning, no one went straight to bed when we got home. As if by unspoken agreement, we all settled in the living room. Knox brought an armful of beers from the kitchen. I passed since I’d had some at the club, but the others all took one, even the twins.

Austin was in one armchair, and we’d left the other one for Knox. It was the biggest one, where he was most comfortable. That left me, Denver, and Tonio on the sofa. I sat in my place in the middle, but after a moment, I leaned to the side and rested my head on Denver’s thigh. I pulled my feet up onto the couch, my knees bent to give Tonio some space. He patted his lap in a wordless invitation, so I stretched my legs out, my feet resting on his thighs.

We were quiet for a while. Denver stroked my hair absently, and Tonio had his hand on my ankle. Occasionally, he’d rub his thumb against my skin in a circular fashion.

After a while, Austin broke the silence. “Are you sure you’re okay, Emma?”

“Yes,” I said as firmly as I could. “That guy was a total creep, but he didn’t hurt me.”

“You should have been there.” Austin’s words were directed at Knox.

“He was breaking up a fight,” I protested.

“He wasn’t breaking it up very quickly.”

Knox’s voice was level. “What are you saying?”

I tried to sit up, but Denver put his hand on my shoulder, silently urging me to stay out of it.

“I’m saying that if it had been two men fighting, you would’ve thrown their asses out the door in record time. Then you would’ve been there when Emma needed you. You were soft on them because they were women.”

“Austin, that’s not fair—” I started, but then Knox’s voice cut over me.

“But it’s true. I don’t go around roughing up women if I can help it. But I’m more sorry than you could ever know that I wasn’t there for you, Emma.”

His blue eyes looked so concerned that my heart ached for him.

“The club wouldn’t do very well if word got out that the bouncer got physical with the female customers,” Tonio said quietly.

“Screw the club,” Austin said.

Wiggling out from underneath Denver’s arm, I sat up. “He was just doing his job. All of you were. Austin was able to see me because I was on his side of the room. If any of the rest of you had seen what happened, you would’ve been there. I know that in my heart—and so do you.”

There was silence for a moment and then Denver said, “We know.” The others nodded.

“It was no one’s fault other than that guy, and he was an asshole.” A wry thought hit, and I let out a rueful laugh. “I’ve been to your club twice, and both times, my night has been affected by a huge jerk.”

Tonio looked at me quizzically, and then his face cleared. “But the first time, the jerk contacted you by text.”

“Exactly.”

“No offense, but I’m not sure I want to go back to that place a third time.”

“That might not be an issue—” Denver began, but Austin cut him off.

“What’d you think of the act?” he growled.

“You mean before you flew through the air like a trapeze artist? I thought it was great. Really well done and quite frankly—really hot.”

Denver smiled and reached over to pat my thigh. Austin, however, still looked surly.

Abruptly, he set his beer on a side table and stood. “I’m heading to bed.” He strode across the living room and I hastily rose to my feet. He paused as I hurried to his side.

“Thank you for getting rid of that guy.” I stood up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

“You’re welcome,” he said gruffly. He opened the door to the basement and paused. “Care to join me?”

My pulse quickened as I nodded. Austin held the door open, gesturing for me to go down the stairs in front of him, but I didn’t move. There was something I needed to say—if I was brave enough to do it. “Um… was that invitation just for me?”

Austin stared at me, his tawny eyes revealing nothing for a long moment. Then something shifted in his expression or perhaps his posture. It was hard to pinpoint the change, but it was there.

“It doesn’t have to be. Not if you don’t want it to be.”

I looked at the others, one by one. Knox was so big, but it had been so long since I’d seen him as intimidating. Now he was a man I knew would never let me down. Then there was Tonio. He’d made my dream of publishing a book come true, and I wished so badly that I could make his dream come true. But since I couldn’t, maybe I could make him very happy tonight.

Then there was Denver. He stared up at me from the couch with bright, eager eyes. He’d been so upbeat since we’d left the club—the total opposite of how Austin had been. Maybe his usual good mood was intact because he hadn’t seen that guy harassing me at the club?

Whatever caused his mood, it was contagious. The encounter with that awful man had reminded me of how damn amazing my men were, and I wanted to make sure that all of them knew how I felt tonight.

“Will you join us? Please? All of you?”

Denver nodded and leaped to his feet. Tonio rose slowly, studying my face to make sure I was sure. I was, no question about it. But it was Knox who answered as he pushed himself out of the deep chair and rose to reveal his full size. “As you wish.”

I followed Austin down the stairs, the guys’ heavy footfalls echoing around me. At the base of the stairs, Austin headed to his bedroom. He stopped at the door and motioned the others to stop. “Don’t crowd her. C’mere.” That last part was directed to me.

He ushered me into his room and then went over to the closet. His voice was muffled as he rummaged through the small space. “You wear Knox’s shirt to bed… will you wear one of mine tonight?” He brought out a long-sleeved white dress shirt.

I took it gratefully. As much as I wanted this, I don’t think I could’ve just pulled my clothes off in front of all of them. Not this first time. “Thank you.” I headed to the basement bathroom, not making eye contact with any of the guys, who were milling around the exercise equipment.

Once in the bathroom, I took off everything and piled it neatly on the edge of the counter. Then I stared at myself in the mirror as I pulled on Austin’s shirt and buttoned it up. I tried to see what the guys saw. My reddish blonde hair. My hazel eyes. My fair skin that flushed so easily. It was a pretty safe bet that I’d be blushing a lot tonight.

Surprisingly, that thought didn’t bother me very much. Some of the redness that already colored my cheeks was from anticipation. I took one last look at myself and then grinned. With the night I had ahead of me, there was no need for that many buttons to be done. With a steady hand, I undid three more. Grinning, I went back to Austin’s room.

The guys were all in there, and I barely had time to register that they’d taken off their shirts before Tonio took me in his arms and kissed me. It was the kind of kiss that sent my senses reeling. My self-consciousness about doing this in front of the others faded. My world narrowed, and all I could focus on was Tonio’s lean form pressed against me as his mouth claimed mine. There was no doubt he wanted me—the massive bulge in his jeans proved that—but I knew he wasn’t the only one who did.

Knox proved that by reaching out and placing his large hand on Tonio’s shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?”

Tonio passed me off smoothly, and then Knox had his arms around me. He was so big that even with my head tilted up, I couldn’t reach his head. “You’re too tall,” I complained. That wasn’t a problem for long, though. He ran his hands down my back and then down to my ass. He cupped me there and picked me up. I squealed and wrapped my legs around his waist, but I needn’t have worried. He had me and he wasn’t going to drop me.

Knox’s mouth ravished mine as I linked my hands behind his neck. We fit so well together when he held me like this. I didn’t have to tilt my head at all. He plunged one hand into my hair, squeezing it, but his other hand stayed on my ass—and also squeezed. The way he held me was really doing something for me. My pulse pounded between my legs and I ground myself against the rock-hard bulge in his pants.

He didn’t break the kiss as he walked to the bed. He managed to climb onto the bed while still holding me. He crawled forward on his knees and then lay me down on my back. I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down for one last kiss before I let him go.

Knox stepped back. All four of them stood around the bed, looking down at me. It made me a little self-conscious even though the light was low. It was candlelight, I realized, looking around. There were three or four glass jars with lit candles in them scattered around the room.

I patted the bed next to me. “Isn’t anyone going to join me?”

Denver looked across the bed to his brother. “Guess it’s one of our turns to kiss her.”

I whipped my head back and forth, trying to look at them both at once. They seemed to be doing that twin telepathy thing they often did, only they’d both been acting so strange tonight, I was a little concerned about what they might be silently communicating.

Then Austin broke the trance. “I’ve got an idea.” He reached inside his nightstand and pulled out a black silk scarf. Why on earth did he have a scarf like that? But when he sat on the bed and held it out to me, I understood. He chuckled at the expression on my face. “Relax, it’s nothing kinky. I’m just curious whether you can still tell us apart if you can’t see us.”

Oh. That was a much more benevolent use of a blindfold than what I’d been imagining. I grinned at him and said, “Yes, I can.”

Tonio laughed. “So cocky.”

“I learned it from this guy.” I jerked my head in Austin’s direction, and he smiled for the first time in hours.

He leaned over and draped the scarf over my eyes. I lifted my head so he could tie it behind my head. He did so without catching any of my hair in it, which suggested to me that he had practice at that sort of thing. Somehow, I didn’t find that too surprising.

It was an entirely different sensation once my vision was taken away. I became much more aware of how little I was wearing. My legs were bare, and the dress shirt was only half buttoned. I was surrounded by four very virile, masculine men.

It was an intoxicating feeling. Exciting and a little scary, but in a good way. I trusted them—but I knew they wanted this badly, too. It made me wonder how much longer they’d be content to take things slow. I wasn’t even sure how much longer I’d be satisfied with that.

Then the bed shifted as not just one, but multiple men sat on the edge on both sides of me. Austin had been on my left, but that didn’t mean anything. He and Denver could’ve switched places before they sat down.

On my right side, the bed shifted and someone leaned over me. Whoever it was placed his hand on my other side for balance, and then there was a gentle pressure at my lips. Automatically, my mouth opened, and he captured my bottom lip, tugging at it with his teeth. I knew Austin had done that to me before, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was him.

I parted my lips more, and a warm tongue danced into my mouth. It teased and explored as our mouths mashed together. He stroked my hair away from my face and kissed me thoroughly.

At last, he straightened up, but I could still feel him hovering near me.

“Well?” Tonio’s voice came from further down the bed.

“Denver,” I said, and the man who’d just kissed me swore softly.

“How does she do that?” Knox asked.

“Again,” Austin said.

They all stood up and their footsteps faded. I resisted the urge to lift the edge of the blindfold and peek.

A moment later, they all came in again. This time when they sat on the bed, two of them scooted over until they were on either side of me. Likely Austin and Denver thought they could confuse my senses with both of them next to me.

Someone leaned forward from my right side and kissed my closed mouth. It was a light, gentle touch and it made me think of Denver—but perhaps it was Austin and that’s what he wanted me to think.

The mouth returned and peppered my lips with little kisses, which I usually did to them instead of the other way around. They were definitely trying to trick me.

Our lips mashed together more insistently, and a hand stroked the side of my breast. Then he cupped it through the shirt, and I moaned. The kiss intensified as his other hand slid down my side and cupped my ass.

My back arched as he ravished me with his mouth. It felt so damn good, but it was a total sensory overload. His mouth on mine. His hands on my heated flesh.

To my surprise, I couldn’t figure out who it was. It felt like Austin one moment and Denver the next. I didn’t want the pleasure to stop, but I was still a little perplexed at why my ability to tell the twins apart had failed me.

“Who is it?” It was Knox who asked this time.

I shifted my head away from the talented mouth in order to answer. “I… I don’t know.”

“Then take a guess,” Tonio said from nearby. “If you’re wrong, you have to unbutton your shirt the rest of the way.”

“What if I’m right?” I was definitely breathing heavier, and I fought to keep my voice steady.

“Then you’ll get a reward,” he said.

“What is it?”

“Something you’ll like,” Knox said. “What’s your answer?”

Which one? I honestly wasn’t sure. I half thought it was Austin pretending to be like his brother, but the twins were tricky, and I knew they were making it hard for me on purpose. I grinned as the double meaning of that thought hit me. “Denver.”

The man above me rose up a little, and the hands on my breasts and ass stilled. Then someone lifted the blindfold off of me.

I blinked in the candlelight and looked around. Austin hovered over me, but his hands rested on the bed on either side of me. Denver was the one cupping my breast and Tonio, on the same side as Austin, had his hand under my ass.

“No fair.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

Denver tweaked my nipple once through the shirt and then leaned back. “Definitely fair. Austin was the one kissing you. He just had a little assistance.”

I shook my head, annoyed but also amused. “How come you didn’t get in on the fun?” I asked Knox.

It was Tonio who answered. “We thought you might notice if the twin kissing you suddenly grew a third hand.”

I grinned. “I would’ve noticed, but I definitely wouldn’t have minded.”

“Good to know,” Austin said, sounding a bit more like his usual self. “Especially since we have eight hands available for you tonight.”

“Oh God,” I said, but it came out as more of a plea than a moan.

Tonio stared at me, his dark eyes looking dark and a little dangerous in the candlelight. “I believe it’s time for you to pay up.”

They stared at me, three of them on the bed and Knox standing just beside it. Four strong, eager men… and in a moment they’d see all of me. That made me gulp.

“Um… could you lower the lights a little?”

“Sure,” Knox responded. He leaned over the nearest candle and blew it out. That made me giggle, and the others grinned.

“That works,” Tonio observed. I could still see them, but not every detail. That gave me more confidence, and I brought my hands to my breasts and unfastened a button.

All eyes were on me as I undid the remaining ones, slowly, with fingers that trembled. When I was done, the shirt stayed mostly in place, perhaps showing an inch-wide strip of skin.

I held my breath as I waited, unsure of what was coming next. When no one made a move, I spoke up. “I’m, um, not sure how to start.”

“That’s okay,” Tonio assured me. “We are. Maestro?”

The men all looked at Austin. He nodded and reached into his nightstand again. It made me wonder what all was in there. When he pulled his hand out, he had a small bottle. For a moment I thought it was lube, but then his words made me smile. “How about we start with a massage?”