SWNOVELS STRIPTEASED: Chapter 7
“None of my clothes fit,” I texted to Maddie in desperation one morning a few days later.
It didn’t take her long to respond. “Just don’t wear any. That seems to work for Austin and Denver.”
“I think that’s a better look on them than on me.” That was for damn sure. I pulled out my favorite pair of jeans, but they’d felt tight the last time I’d worn them so I put them back.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Do those two even have an ounce of body fat between them?”
“Nope.”
“Maybe staying with them is giving you a complex or something.”
‘Or something’ was right. Not a complex, but a near constant state of arousal. They were all just so good-looking—plus, they were all flirts. Well, except Knox. But all the other guys had to do was say something semi-suggestive, shoot me a well-timed wink, or even just flash me an irresistible grin, and my hormones went into overdrive. It was strange to feel this way so soon after the end of my engagement, but that’s how it was.
Come to think of it, I couldn’t remember ever feeling this way unless it was when reading romance books. I didn’t know it was possible to feel such sexual tension in real life.
I riffled through the clothes I’d managed to squeeze onto the rod in Denver’s closet. To my eye, they all looked plain, old-fashioned, and in most cases, far too tight. “It’s Tonio’s fault. He’s too good of a cook and he’s been going all out lately.”
“Do you think he’s showing off to impress you?”
That was a nice thought, but it was doubtful. I think the guys just kind of flirted reflexively. They were hot as hell, and they knew it. Being walking advertisements for sex seemed to be their default mode. Well, except for Knox. But he had a charm all his own. Much to the amusement of the others, he and I had stuck with our vow to hug daily, and I cherished the moments I was engulfed in his strong arms, no matter if the others snickered. “I think Tonio’s just happy that now there are three of us who eat normally versus the twins.” I’d already explained to Maddie that the twins only ate meat, protein shakes, eggs, and so on.
“How’s the job search going?” Maddie’s next text read.
That made my stomach flip-flop. I’d applied for pretty much every job I’d seen. Secretaries. Receptionists. Cashiers. Clerks. Being an English major didn’t seem to be an asset for the kind of jobs that were available in Riverside. To add to the problem, I was also competing with an influx of recently returned university students who needed part-time jobs to keep them in textbooks and beer. “Slow going, but if I do get an interview it’s going to require clothes that fit.”
“So do something about it,” Maddie replied. “You say the guys are always working out—maybe you could join them?” Hmm. That wasn’t a bad idea. Well, not working out with them. They were on a different planet in terms of fitness levels. I was pretty sure each of them could bench-press a sofa and not work up a sweat. But I could start exercising on my own. At various times of my life I had. I’d never ended up with super strength, but I’d ended up feeling better about myself and felt better.
As I wrapped up the text with Maddie, I hopped on my laptop to look up some nearby gyms.
“I found this coupon online,” I said, self-consciously wiping the smudged screen of my phone before sliding it across the counter. The blonde with the high ponytail and pert breasts seemed to be the female version of the twins—perfect skin, great figure, and no body fat in evidence anywhere. I, on the other hand, was already a bit grimy. It had taken me about thirty minutes to walk here in the midday sun.
She stared at my screen, not touching it. “This entitles you to full use of the facilities, including classes, for three days. After that, you have to sign up for a membership. Fill this out.”
One long, perfectly manicured finger slid a form my way. I took a pen from the container on the counter and started writing. She hovered in her sports bra and leggings, making me feel all the more self-conscious in my oversized t-shirt and shorts. I wouldn’t have worn her outfit in public for a million dollars—even if I had been able to fit into it—but I had to admit she looked amazing. Most of the women at the gym did, and I was getting more body-conscious by the second.
Before signing the bottom of the form, I hesitated. If I was this uncomfortable just filling out the paperwork, how on earth was I going to make it through an actual workout here—let alone three days of them? But I was getting ahead of myself. I was here now, and I could make it through one exercise session. I scribbled my name and slid the paper back to her.
She handed me a temporary card. “Let me know if you decide to become a member.”
Clearly, I was dismissed, but there was one thing I wanted to know. “Um, are Austin and Denver here?” I hadn’t purposefully sought out their gym, but theirs was the only one nearby that offered a free trial.
The blonde sighed as if I was keeping her from negotiating world peace. “Austin’s booked months in advance, and he doesn’t train beginners.” Her tone indicated that she clearly felt I was in that category. Which, okay, I was, but she didn’t have to say it like that. “The schedule of classes is over there by the locker rooms. Denver’s fill up fast.”
I followed her gaze. “Thanks,” I said, and picked up my bag, about to leave. But then I turned back to the woman. “But I’m actually not looking for a personal trainer or a class. I just thought, if they were here, I could say hi.”
One corner of the woman’s mouth turned upward in a nasty half smile. “So that’s why you’re here. The twins are very busy and popular. They don’t have time to pose for a selfie with every fangirl who’s salivated over the sight of them on the stage.”
Shock filled me. “No, that’s not—” I trailed off at her disdainful glance. Obviously, she thought that there was no other reason a woman like me might have come to a gym.
Part of me wanted to walk out the door and never look back. Probably a month or two ago, I would have. But things had changed since then. I’d given up the life I’d known and moved to a new city. I’d survived—more or less—the realization that the man I’d moved for was complete scum. And whether Miss Priss believed it or not, I’d made friends with four funny, passionate, sexy men.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and located the women’s locker room. Finding an empty locker, I put my things in and then did a few stretches. It had been a long time since high school gym class, but when I was done, I felt slightly more limber.
Slightly.
A treadmill seemed a pretty safe way to start since I could control the speed. I purposely chose one as far from the front desk as possible. After five minutes at a low speed and no incline, I felt as if I could do this. After ten minutes at a slightly higher speed and incline, I felt as if I was going to die.
Gingerly, I stepped off the machine, panting and rubbing my face with a towel. Obviously I was more out of shape than I thought.
Still breathing harder than normal, I wandered over to the weight machines. It was the middle of the afternoon so they weren’t very busy. I tried one in which you opened and closed your thighs to lift a stack of weights—a small stack of weights in my case. That wasn’t too hard, but I suspected I might feel the stretch more tomorrow. Then I tried a seated exercise in which I pulled down a long handle, but no matter how I adjusted my form it made my back twitch, and it seemed wiser to move on to something else.
Two machines over was the kind in which you lie on a bench and lift a barbell up. I’d seen people do that in movies plenty of times. As long as I didn’t put too much weight on the barbell, it seemed like I couldn’t mess that up too badly.
However, like everything else, it was easier said than done. For one thing, the bench was a bit too high, and once I lay down on it only the tips of my toes touched the ground. The barbell was centered above my neck, held suspended by two supports on either side, and I had to lift my shoulders to reach it. Either I was doing it wrong or these machines weren’t designed with females in mind.
Straining upward, I succeeded in lifting the bar off of the rack, but then it swayed from side to side. Great. The woman up front would probably laugh her tiny ass off if I managed to knock myself out. With great effort, I got the bar under control and then lowered it, my elbows sticking out to the sides. When the bar was all but resting on my breasts, I pushed it up, trying to keep it from wobbling from side to side, until my arms were full extended. I let out the breath I’d been holding, and I lowered it again.
“Stop.”
A musky sandalwood scent hit my nose at the same time a tall figure appeared over me—directly over me. The man above me swung a long, tan leg over and straddled me. He plucked the bar out of my grasp and put it back up on the rack.
“Hey, Austin.” I tried to sound normal, as if I was used to having a gorgeous man appear out of nowhere and climb on top of me.
“Most people have trouble telling us apart, you know.” His initial smile turned into a frown. “You should’ve let us know you were here.”
“Yeah, I should have.” I decided not to mention the snooty but perfect feminine specimen up at the front desk. For all I knew, Austin was dating her or something, and then I’d have to strangle her with her bouncy ponytail.
“I never figured you for the gym type.”
That was a bit insulting. True, but insulting. “I’m not, really, but you know… new town, new life. Time to make some positive changes.” My gaze was drawn to one of his powerful thighs. It was too disconcerting to stare directly into his eyes when he was so close to me.
“That’s the right attitude. And speaking of changes, let’s get you situated.” He stepped back, swinging his leg back over me, and then disappeared from view. A few seconds later, I yelped as I felt a firm hand grasp my ankle and lift. A moment later, he placed my foot back down on some kind of block or something a few inches off the ground. He did the same to the other side, and the strain in my lower back eased. Then he grabbed the insides of my shoes and pushed, spreading my legs wider. That caused an entirely different body part to wake up and start throbbing as a direct result of his touch.
Then he came back into sight, adjusting the weights on either side of the barbell. Lastly, he straddled me again and leaned forward, his head within kissing range. He grasped my sides just below my breasts and pushed me up the bench, positioning me differently.
“That better?” he asked while straightening up. I nodded, still sneaking peeks at his powerful thighs on either side of my waist. And the shiny black shorts that couldn’t quite disguise the bulge underneath. Then there was the tight tank top that clung to his abs and pecs. And above all that, those piercing whiskey-colored eyes in that handsome face.
“That’s perfect,” I breathed.
He smirked and then ran his eyes up and down me. “Keep your feet flat on the blocks. And lower your shoulders. Lower—like you’re trying to stick your tits out. Got it?”
I managed to nod even though my blood was racing. This demigod of a man was standing over me and calmly discussing my breasts. It was enough to make a girl melt. Then, to make things worse—or better?—he reached down and grabbed my hands, bringing them up to the bar. “Keep your arms wide. The goal is to really open up your chest.”
He could open any part of me he wanted.
Wait, maybe that wasn’t what I was supposed to be thinking—at least not right now, and definitely not in public.
Austin grasped the bar in the middle between my hands and pulled it off the supports. “Balance it over your chest and hold it steady. Yeah, like that. Now brace your abs—tighten them, I mean,” he elaborated at my look of confusion. Then he let go of the bar. “Great. Now lower it steadily. Breathe in when you lower it. Good. No, keep both ends level and the bar centered over you.”
I thought I was doing it correctly, but then his strong hand was on the bar again about a millimeter from my chest. “Basically it should be right over your nipples and as low as possible.” His fingers actually grazed my shirt and I almost died on the spot. “Perfect,” he concluded, and my face turned even redder than it had been.
“Okay, now push it up, quick but controlled. Breathe out when you do it.” He let go as I pushed it up, managing not to let it wobble. “That was great,” he said. “Tighten your abs, and breathe in as you lower it down again. Keep it steady.”
In spite of the fact that the world’s hottest guy was hovering over me, I did my best to maintain proper form. It was hard to keep track of it all. When to breathe in or out. Keeping my shoulders down and my chest out. Making controlled movements.
“Good job, Emma.” Austin took the barbell from me and hung it back up. “Ready to try something else?” He reached out a large hand and I took it, gasping as he easily pulled me to my feet.
Didn’t he have something else to do? The witch at the front desk had mentioned how busy he was. But it would’ve taken a stronger woman than me to tell him no.
He showed me a few more machines, touching and positioning my body as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I did my best to follow his instructions and concentrate, but it was difficult not to focus on how good he smelled, how warm his skin was when he touched me, and how incredibly gorgeous he was.
After the fourth machine, he handed me a towel, which I used to wipe my forehead. “How do you feel?”
“Not bad,” I said, taking stock. “A little sore maybe.”
“It’ll be worse tomorrow. It’s always that way when you get back into it. If you feel too bad, let Denver or me know and we can rub some of the stiffness away.”
Just that one sentence was about enough to give me an orgasm right there in the middle of the gym, but all I did was nod.
“Come with me, I want to show you something.”
Whatever he wanted to show me, I was up for seeing—even if it turned out to be something completely boring like paint drying. To make matters even better, he led me past the front desk where the snooty blonde stared at us with her mouth open. I couldn’t help giving a cheeky little wave as I passed by with Austin.
He led me through an open room that had free weights, hula hoops, exercise balls, and a bunch of stuff I couldn’t even begin to identify. Through open doorways, I saw various fitness classes being conducted.
The large room led to a narrow hallway. Offices were on one side, but Austin led me to the last door on the right. He opened it up and went on in. It was another fitness room, only smaller. One wall was all mirrors, and there was one of those ballet bars all along it. In the middle of the room, a man was on the floor, stretching his long legs.
“Look who I found,” Austin said.
“Emma! What are you doing here?” Denver said, beaming a megawatt smile up at me.
“She wanted to do some weight training,” Austin answered for me. “She’s a natural.”
That so obviously wasn’t true that I laughed, and Austin smiled at me. “Stick with us, kid, and you will be.”
“Are you here to watch the rehearsal?” Denver asked as Austin crossed the room to a mini fridge.
“What rehearsal?”
“The gym manager lets us rehearse our dance moves back here when our shift is over. Want to watch?”
Oh.
I gulped. If I’d gotten turned on just from Austin coaching me, my internal systems might implode from a private viewing.
Austin chuckled and handed me a bottle of water. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep our clothes on.”
Denver raised one cocky eyebrow. “Why would she be worried about that?”
“She’s afraid she won’t be able to control herself.”
I shook my head and tried to make a derisive snort, but I don’t think I fooled anyone in the room.
Denver laughed. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take. Come sit over here.” He led me over to the wall and set a folding chair out for me. “Feel free to speak up if you see anything that looks like it’s not working. It’s a new routine for us.”
In spite of the heat coursing through my body, I was intrigued. “Where’d you learn it?”
“Denver does all our choreography,” Austin said with a hint of pride for his brother. “He’s the dancer in this duo.”
Denver nodded. “Austin’s not as much into dancing, but he does enjoy showing off.”
“Hey,” Austin protested, punching his brother’s arm.
“It’s not a judgment, just a fact. You like moving your body to the beat and doing flips and athletic shit.”
“Well, when you put it like that, damn straight I do,” Austin said, and I laughed.
I sipped the water as the rehearsal began. Denver was obviously in charge, but Austin didn’t hesitate to add his input. He often wanted to go bigger, to make the jumps longer and more prominent. He was clearly a strong athlete even if dancing wasn’t quite in his blood the way it was in Denver’s.
Denver barked orders like a drill sergeant, which was a bit odd to see because I usually thought of Austin as the take-charge one. But this was Denver’s domain.
They practiced the individual parts of the dance for about thirty minutes and then took a break. Austin got more water while Denver pulled up an audio file on his phone. After that, they worked on performing the moves to the music, and it was amazing to watch. Every step, every footfall, every hip thrust had to be timed just right. In most cases they did the same steps, but some parts of the dance called for them to separate, to go to opposite sides of the room and then somehow manage to end up back together at the exact same time.
It was mesmerizing to watch, and after a while I was so into following the dance moves that I forgot to drool over the twins’ bodies. But then one or both would spin, or pull up his shirt to flash his abs, or thrust out his pelvis, and delicious shivers would steal through me.
After about an hour, they took another break and I clapped. They’d gotten so into it that they looked up as if surprised to still see me there. Grabbing more water bottles, I took them over to the twins. “That was amazing. I never realized how much goes into your routines.”
“The secret to being good at something is to make it look easy,” Denver said.
“You guys totally do that onstage, but seeing how much hard work is involved is really impressive.”
“Thanks. It’s fun, and it keeps us in shape,” Austin said. “That is, as long as we stay away from Tonio’s Mexican feasts.”
Denver turned to me. “What about you? Do you like dancing or do you perhaps enjoy moving your body in fun ways like Austin?”
“Um… neither? Can’t dance. Can’t move my body in fun ways.”
“Sure you can,” the twins said in unison. Interest had lit both sets of whiskey-colored eyes, and the hormones that had faded before flooded my body in full-force.
“Dance with me,” Denver urged. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
“I don’t have anything,” I protested.
Denver laughed. “You know how to hug. When you hug Knox, you look like a Chihuahua embraced by a Great Dane. Let’s start there.”
“Start where?” I said weakly. I couldn’t see any way that this wouldn’t end in total embarrassment.
“With a hug. Come on.” He held his arms out wide.
A hot-as-hell man was waiting for me to press my body against his. What was I going to say, no? I mean, I probably should have, but there was no way I was going to. Gingerly, I stepped toward him. His arms encircled my back and pulled me closer, and I clasped my hands behind his neck.
“That’s good.” Denver’s head was so close to mine that I could feel his breath hit my ear. I didn’t know if what I was doing was right, but it sure felt good. “Okay, we’re going to sway a bit. Just keep your body loose and relaxed and try to move the way I do.”
I nearly snorted. Austin and Denver could move in ways that no mere mortal could achieve, least of all me. But it sure was pleasant to cling to him. His pecs and abs were like granite beneath his shirt. His strong legs leaned this way and that, forcing me to move with him. And it was impossible to ignore the bulge in his shorts. I could feel the heat from his skin as he pressed against me, even through the layers of his clothes and mine. I moaned slightly before I could catch myself.
“Come on, loosen up,” Denver urged. “Don’t think, just let your body react.” He stepped out to the side, his strong hands on my back to guide me. But I didn’t step far enough, and when I moved my other leg to compensate, I almost hit him in the groin. He jumped back quickly, but then returned to gather me in his arms again. Brave man.
“Don’t worry about it,” he continued. “Just let me move you. It sounds a bit odd, and probably sexist, but try to bend to my will. If I move, you move. If I lean, you lean. Don’t think, just react.”
“You’re too tense.” I’d almost forgotten about Austin, but suddenly he was behind me, his hands on my waist. “Relax your muscles. You’re not going to fall. We’ve got you.”
Denver moved us this way and that, making little circles around the room, and I did my best to stay loose and pliant. “That’s better,” he finally said. “You’re getting out of your head.”
That much was an understatement. All the blood in my body seemed to be coursing past the parts the twins were touching.
“Okay, now try moving your hips from side to side. Keep them loose. I’ll show you.”
Denver’s way of showing me was to grind his groin into me, and I took a step back in surprise. But that bumped me against Austin, whose grip on my hips tightened to steady me.
“Shh, just let your body take over,” Denver urged. “Pretend you’re in a dark night club, dancing with a sexy stranger and letting the sensations take over. Can you do that?” I nodded. “Good. How about some music, Aus?”
The heat behind me disappeared as Austin stepped away. He not only found some sexy instrumental dance music on his phone, but he also lowered the lights. Then he was behind me again, pressing his body against mine. His hands returned to my waist and his thumbs lightly caressed my sides. “Just relax, okay?” His words were breathy against my neck, but it was hard to relax when I could feel both of them grinding against me. Austin’s fingers were driving me crazy, too, the way they stroked so close to the sides of my breasts.
Denver swung his hips to the side, and somehow I managed to do that too. With one twin in front of me and one behind me, it was easier to follow along. Plus I wanted to do it right. After all, if I moved the wrong way, I’d lose the delicious sensation of them pressing against me.
“That’s it. Keep swaying your hips and we’re going to move around a bit. Bend your knees a little, it’ll help.”
I felt a bit like a ragdoll, as if my body were completely loose and free. The only thing holding me up was their warm, hard bodies.
“You’re almost there, sweetheart,” Denver said. “We just need to move more as a unit.”
“You two already know how to move as a unit,” I breathed, my voice soft.
“Trust me when I say I’d rather be pressed up against you than my brother,” Denver said.
“Agreed,” Austin breathed into my ear. His voice was like liquid sex.
“Let’s move a little more. Knees bent. Hips loose.”
Somehow, my body knew what to do. Sandwiched between them, I didn’t have to think. I didn’t have to act. I only had to trust them to hold me, to guide me, to keep me safe. My erect nipples were smashed against Denver’s chest. Austin’s hard body pressed up behind me. We moved like one, and it was the most amazing sensation I’d ever felt.
It if had been up to me, I could’ve stayed that way forever, but after another few minutes of bliss, Austin’s phone vibrated. At first we ignored it, but as it kept going Austin cursed and stepped away. The warm cocoon I’d been in was half gone, and my back felt bare and exposed without Austin there.
“Shit,” he muttered, looking at his phone. “They need me up front for a scheduling problem.”
Denver never stopped moving, his hips pressing against mine, and I followed along. It had been easier with Austin behind me, but I still managed. It was like my body knew how to move in ways it hadn’t before. “We’ll be along in a bit,” Denver said to his twin.
I could feel his head turn in Austin’s direction and it was like I could almost hear the telepathic thoughts flying between them. Austin was at the front of the room, and as Denver slowly turned me around, I saw Austin fiddling with Denver’s phone. He found some slightly faster music on it, set it on a chair, and then left, closing the door behind him.
Denver straightened up, taking half a step back so he could look down at my face. “Still think you can’t dance?”
“I guess I can… with you. With both of you.” My insides felt all warm and melty. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure, and I do mean that literally. That kind of dancing is fine for a dark, smokey nightclub, but let’s try something else. I think you’re ready.”
“Okay.” Before, I would’ve protested that I couldn’t. Before, I wouldn’t have wanted to try. But now that I’d felt the magic of moving my body with the twins, my answer was different.
Denver took one of my hands in his and put his other one behind my back with a couple of inches of space between us. It wasn’t as exciting as being hip to hip, but it gave us more room to move around. And move around we did. “You’re an amazing teacher.”
“Thanks. You’re a pretty good student.” He smiled down at me. “And a pretty student.”
Naturally, I blushed. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the lesson.
Denver took me through a couple of different kinds of steps, but then there was a knock on the door. My wonderful dance partner stopped abruptly. “Shit… I forgot that this room was booked at four. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?”
“It sure does.”
We packed up and vacated the room, but even that didn’t break the spell. It felt like I was floating on air, somehow. And it was all because of Denver. Well, mostly because of Denver. It wouldn’t have been the same without Austin there, too. “I meant what I said. You’re a really good teacher. Why don’t you teach dance classes instead of fitness?”
Denver looked down at me with a rueful smile. “I’d love to, but there’s not a huge demand for that kind of thing in a town like Riverside. The few dance classes you can find at a community center or a gym, even this one, are taught by women.”
“Really?” That didn’t seem right. “Why would any woman want to learn from a female when they could learn by watching you?”
Denver laughed and put his arm around my shoulders as we walked to the front of the gym. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. I wish the management here thought that way. I have posted a few dance lessons online, though.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, up on YouTube. You should look at my channel sometime.”
“I’ll definitely do that.” Online, I could drool over Denver’s fantastic body all I wanted without worrying about him catching me looking.
Austin was waiting for us by the front desk. I felt a little awkward about him seeing Denver’s arm around me, but it didn’t seem to faze him. In fact, when we reached him, he fell into place on my other side, his arm slipping around my waist. We walked out that way, side by side, and for me it was like no one else existed in the world besides the twins. It wasn’t until we reached the parking lot that I realized I hadn’t even thought to check the perky ponytail lady’s reaction at the front desk.
We piled into Denver’s car for the short drive. I headed upstairs the minute we got home until Austin called out to me.
“What’s your hurry? We’re going to get a snack. Want to hang with us a bit?”
Turning, I came back down to the living room where the twins were dropping their bags and kicking off their shoes. “I’d love to, but I need to go up to my room and work on some job applications.” I winced, realizing what I’d just said. “I mean, go up to your room, Denver.” I still felt bad about kicking him out of his own space. Obviously I needed to figure out something to do about that, but I didn’t quite know what.
“Mi room es su room,” Denver said, with a gallant little bow. “Or whatever the word for room is. You’d think that, living with Tonio, we’d know a bit more Spanish.”
“Thank you, but I still feel guilty about it.”
“Keep the room as long as you like,” Austin said. “I don’t mind bunking with this guy.”
“Speak for yourself,” his brother retorted. “Last night you must’ve been dreaming of wrestling mountain lions because you were thrashing all over the place.”
“If that’s a problem, it’s easily solved. You can go back to your bed and Emma can come sleep with me.”
Heat coursed through me at the thought even though he was obviously joking.
Denver shook his head. “She’s already settled. Maybe I should just share my bed with her. Your bed’s so lumpy.”
The word lump somehow reminded me of the bulges in the twins’ shorts as they pressed against me today. And then of the way those tiny thongs had showcased their dicks at the club. And that reminded me of their signature move, when one of them did a split on the ground, his huge package resting on the stage, and the other jumped up and touched his toes with his fingers, his package hanging free in midair.
“There’s nothing sweeter than the blush of a true blonde,” Austin observed, and Denver nodded in agreement.
“I, um, I have to go,” I said, all but dashing for the stairs.
“To work on your job applications?” Austin called, somewhat skeptically.
“Right,” I stammered, reaching Denver’s room and closing the door behind me. There was something I really needed to do, but it definitely didn’t involve searching through job listings.