“I’ll have the cappuccino with a dash of vanilla syrup and a raspberry croissant. My bestie would love a hazelnut latte and a chocolate brioche, if you still have any.”
“We do, yes. What’s your milk preference?”
“Whole,” Vivian replies.
The waitress nods and walks back to the barista with our order, while Vivian gives me another curious glance.
“Now talk to me,” she says, slowly leaning forward. Other people are seated around us, enjoying their coffees and pastries, and the last thing Vivian wants is for us to be overheard while talking about my super-secret relationship with Alex, Max, and Vincent. “What’s it like?”
“What’s what like?”
I know what she’s asking. I loosen my shirt collar by one button to let some of the heat out. Just thinking about my dazzling silver foxes gets my blood pumping and my body temperature rising.
“Oh, come on,” Vivian rolls her eyes at me.
“Hell’s bells, Viv, what do you want me to tell you?” I laugh. “It’s amazing. It’s intense. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted and everything I didn’t even know I needed. Also, it’s nothing like what you read in those reverse harem novels of yours.”
“Guilty as charged.” She chuckles and wiggles an eyebrow at me. “Can’t blame a girl for indulging here and there.”
“Not at all. I’m just saying it’s different.”
“In a good way, I hope?”
I can’t stop myself from smiling like a total nerd. “And then some. Honestly, it’s a lot of work, too. Physically, I guess. Emotionally, not so much. That part feels natural.”
“Emotionally?” Viv’s humor begins to slowly fade.
“Yes.”
She lowers her gaze for a moment, as if she’s trying to find the right words. It’s my turn to lean closer to the table and watch her curiously. “Vivian? What is it?”
“Nothing, it’s just that I don’t think you’re supposed to get emotionally involved with three men at once. I mean, I get the fun and kinky part; Lord knows I get it. But are you actually getting serious with them?”
“Would that be so wrong?” I mumble, disappointed by the sudden turn of this conversation.
Then again, Vivian isn’t saying anything I haven’t already thought about on my own. There’s nothing wrong with feeling what I feel for Alex, Max, and Vincent. But it may be a surefire way for me to end up getting my heart broken all over again.
“Ray, you know I love and support you in everything you set out to do, everything,” Vivian says, but she’s using her lawyerly voice, the no-nonsense, tough-love tone. “And if you want to go ahead and fall in love with these guys, I’m not going to stop you. I don’t think I can, even if I wanted to. However, you do need to think about how it’s going to work out in the long run. I mean, you haven’t told Kaleb about it yet. Heck, he doesn’t even know you’re working there.”
“That’s just because Kaleb’s always been a prude.”
“Yes, yes, I remember Mr. Goody Two-Shoes, alright,” Vivian scoffs. “But he’s not an idiot, Ray. He will catch on eventually. What are you going to do then?”
“He’s my brother, not my master. I don’t have to do what he says.”
“Of course not; you’re a grown-ass woman. But he’s the only family you have left. Do you really want to risk losing him,not to mention the dent this is going to make in his relationship with the guys? I mean, they practically mentored him, didn’t they? Alex, in particular.”
My head hurts a little, and a tinge of nausea settles at the base of my throat.
“I’m not looking to discourage you,” Vivian adds. “But I think maybe you need to hear these things and at least make an informed decision going forward.”
“I really like them, Viv.” I sigh deeply. “They’re so alike and so different at the same time. They love to share me, and damn, they sure know how to bring out the woman in me. I’m free when I’m with them, free and happy and without a care.”
“Naturally. You’ve got three studs spoiling you rotten from bed to table, so to speak.” Vivian chuckles dryly. “But falling in love with them? Are you sure that’s wise?”
“I’m not sure I have any control over that.”
Every morning, I wake up in their arms. They cross my mind throughout the day, bringing a smile to my face. Each plate I put together is because I want to impress them, to outdo myself in the kitchen. I love listening to their stories, from their earliest days in the military down to the events that led to my hiring. And they certainly enjoy listening to me drone on about various world cuisines and food festivals, about new recipes, and whatever interesting idea I might’ve come across on a dedicated blog.
