“Then it would suck,” she wrapped one arm around me for a side-hug. “But you’ll survive it. I’ll be upstairs if you need me, okay? Don’t let those boys push you around. You’ll always be my badass best friend.”
I nodded, filled up my glass again, and then went to the door to let the boys in. As I swing it open, I don’t expect the little pitter patter my heart makes when I find all three of them standing on the porch, looking sheepish and almost as nervous as I feel.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” Matt said back, and the other two nodded.
“Thanks for having us over,” Aaron smiled, that charming, boyish smile that at once set me at ease as they stepped inside and followed me to the living room. I sit in one of the recliners, and the boys spread out until we all sit facing each other. Jake looks the most unsure, but he doesn’t get up and leave. Aaron is still smiling, and Matt is staring at me intently. Seeing Matt so soon makes heat rise to my cheeks, and I have difficulty looking him in the eye. In fact, I can't look at any of them anymore without thinking of the most intimate moments I’ve had with them.
A tingling sensation overcomes me between my legs, and I adjust in the chair, praying they don’t notice how turned on I am. Fuck, this is ridiculous.
“We have a proposal,” Aaron said finally. I averted my gaze to him, once again put at ease. Aaron, wonderful, artistic, sexy Aaron. How could I do this? How could I choose? I can feel the panic welling inside me, but I clear my throat and push it down, trying to ignore it.
“Okay,” I said instead. “Hit me with it.”
When nobody answered immediately, a ball of dread formed in my stomach. I take another drink from my glass, wishing I had something more potent than sweet wine to soothe my nerves. Vodka, maybe. Or tequila. Tequila would work too. Anything that could help set my mind and nerves at ease.
Finally, after what seems like far too long, Jake leans forward, clasping his hands in front of him.
“We couldn't be with you,” he said, and for a second, I thought I might lose all sense of reality and have a breakdown. Somehow I knew this was coming, but it didn’t make it any easier.
“You couldn't ...” I start to repeat, but words fail me, and I take another drink instead. “Well, fuck.”
“What my douchebag best friend means is that none of us alone could be with you,” Matt said, his eyes meeting mine in a moment of clarity. “All of us get you, or none of us do.”
“I don’t understand.” I finished the rest of my wine and then started to get up for a refill, but Jake took the glass from me and went to the kitchen to pour me some more. He returns and hands it to me, and I promptly chug it down.
“How would you feel if we all dated you?” Aaron asked softly. I was unsure I understood what they were talking about for a moment, but then it dawned on me.
“All of you?” I repeat. “Dating me?”
“It’s called a harem or something,” Matt mutters.
“This would be a reverse harem,” Aaron corrects, and Jake rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, I’ve heard about that.” I swallow, wishing suddenly I was anywhere but here. I was honestly not even sure what to say or think about this. When Jami brought it up, it seemed silly, like a joke. However, when the guys brought it up, I was right back to square one. I have no idea how to even react to this. And so, instead of being helpful, I fall silent and hope that I’ll wake up before I have to engage in this conversation.
“So, what do you think?” Jake asked. He reached out and took my hand, and a zing of anticipation fluttered through me. I looked at handsome, charming, and protective Jake. I wouldn’t know what to do if I never saw them again.
“I think it’s crazy,” I said finally. This must not have been the answer everyone expected because all three pairs of eyes were on me as I got to my feet, chugged the rest of my wine, and shook my head, looking back and forth between them.
“Crazy how?” Matt asked. He, too, got to his feet and crossed the floor until he was in front of me. One hand moves up to touch my cheek, and he leans in to kiss me. For a second, I almost refused, almost back away, but I couldn't. Not now. Not anymore. I kiss him back, losing myself in the moment, and we don’t separate until Aaron clears his throat behind us.
“Maybe we should move this up to the bedroom?” Jake suggested. My face flushed with heat at the mere comment, and I cleared my throat, breaking away from Matt.
“All of us?” I ask, trying not to act as terrified as I felt. “All of us in the bedroom?”
“Only if you wanted to,” said Jake. “No pressure. We know you haven’t exactly agreed to this yet.”
I said nothing because I didn’t know what to say to make this feel more real. But it didn’t matter, it really didn’t, because the only thing I wanted more than to be standing here with the three men who have somehow become the world to me was to be having sex with them. And I was not even ashamed.
Finally.
“Jami is here, and I don’t want to disturb her,” I told them. “How about we do this at your house?”
