Those Pants Would Look Better On My Floor
THOSE PANTS WOULD LOOK BETTER ON MY FLOOR
SYDNEY
This entire evening is surreal—I didn’t expect them to propose a night dedicated to making me feel better, but I also didn’t have them asking if we can all… date… for real on my bingo card. That’s supposing I had a bingo card, which I don’t. But if I had one, this would absolutely not be on it.
Is this for real?
Five men who almost everyone would consider top tier choices for boyfriends are surrounding me in a soft, warm nest with treats and gentle touches that make my body sing. And they want me to agree to letting them guide me through experiences that I should have had much younger, but didn’t because I was being a jackass. My reasons are actually offensive to one of them, but instead of chastising me, they accept that I am redefining myself on the fly now. Every single one of these gorgeous, powerful guys is pledging to share me even though I’m nothing special, especially compared to some men and women in this competition. They want me, flaws and all, and they’re willing to make our family exclusive.
I didn’t ask for any of this, nor did I consider it being possible. This situation hasn’t been a blip on my radar until we ended up in this dorm together, and I have no idea how to do any of the shit required in a genuine relationship—sexual or emotional. They seem to know what they’re doing, and it’s not a problem that I don’t. In fact, they’re offering to teach me. It should seem weird and creepy, I suppose, but it’s also… a little sweet? Like they somehow care enough to make certain I am not being pushed into things I’m not ready for, even if they are.
But what do I do? Saying ‘yes’ gives them power I’ve stubbornly withheld from everyone on the planet for the length of my brief life.
Rory’s hands are still massaging my thighs gently and it’s making me melt in ways I’ve ignored in the past. My skin is hot and my pussy is leaking fluid as steadily as it would for a period—but this is different. I’m turned on by what he’s doing, and by the rumbly vibrations of Elias’s voice behind me. Thad’s hands are magical as they push me forward a tiny bit to work on the muscles of my back. It’s yet another delicious feeling, and while I’m trying to get a grip on my emotions, Huck is bringing another piece of food up for me to sample.
“Sweet pea, I know this is a lot all at once.” He presses the piece of meat to my lips and I open up dutifully, surprising myself as I take it and chew. “It will take a lot of trust that’s in short supply in your heart. Finding out the world differs completely from what you thought makes that even harder.”
“Yes, it does,” I murmur when I’m done with the bite. “How can I trust people I’ve known much less time than my father when he was lying to me for almost two decades?”
This time, it’s Elias who answers. “Your father had something to gain by lying to you—a devoted companion, a daughter who stayed safe, and someone to give credence to his beliefs. We don’t know how much of his rhetoric was true because we’re stuck here instead of wandering the world to confirm it. However, at this moment, you know we have all agreed to work as a team and to use this event to help start a rebellion. We don’t need you to say you want to date us to achieve that goal. Since it’s the only thing we can focus on and it’s not a motive, you know we’re being honest.”
“Holy shit, Dante,” Rory says, as he looks up from his spot between my legs. “That was a fuckton of words for you, man.”
My lips curve up a little as I turn my head to look at the dragon. “You know I like when you talk more.”
“I do, little rebel. That is why I put in my two cents.”
Sebastian pulls my face back, looking into my eyes seriously. “The mage has been making you feel relaxed, but he can do so much more, kitten. Those light kisses are just the beginning. If you would like, he can show you what we mean.”
“Um…” I lick my lips as I stare into his crimson eyes, my brain warring with my body inside my head. “I don’t… I don’t know?”
Thad presses his thumbs into the small of my back and I moan as the knot on one side loosens slightly. “Syd, you smell like citrus and flowers; it’s intoxicating. I’ve known you for four years, and I’ve never caught this scent on you before. You have no idea how hard it is not to sniff you until I get drunk on it.”
Oh, my.
“If you say no to more, no one will be upset, Vicious,” Rory says hoarsely as he pauses. “We can still have the food and be comfy and make sure you don’t have muscle aches. You can do that with the option to reconsider later on without it being an issue.”
Turning to look into his beautiful blue eyes, I see the truth in them. He’s serious, and since no one is correcting him, the rest of them are, too. But I can smell things, too, and when I inhale, the mix of their own arousal is heavy in the air. I don’t know if I noticed shit like this before or if the ability is new because I’m slowly ‘emerging’. Either way, I know Thad has the smell of cinnamon, amber, musk, vanilla, and other spices coming off of him. He smells tasty, too.
“We want this, but we can wait until you’re ready—if you’re ready,” Sebastian says when I look at him again. I breathe in again, smiling at the smell of gardenias, jasmine, and the wings of the night. His scent is exactly what you’d think a creature of the night would smell like, and I hate admitting that it also makes my whole body tingle happily.
“You guys… um. You guys smell fantastic, too,” I finally say. Sebastian looks surprised, and his head tilts as he looks at me curiously. “I can tell the difference, I think.”
Rory punches my thigh lightly as he smiles prettily. “That’s a really good sign, Vicious. It points towards a shifter in the mix, which we sort of ruled out. You’re an enigma, baby.”
Hearing his raspy, eager voice say the word ‘baby’ regarding me hits me right in the needy bitch button. I clench everything for a second, trying not to give in just because my sorely neglected sexuality is bursting at the seams. “I, uh… I’m not sure. I just know my mom had magic, and he didn’t, and it was forbidden for them to be together.”
“It’s probably forbidden for us, too, by that standard, kitten. But I don’t give a fuck.” Sebastian dips his head to get closer, and I can see the tips of his sharp fangs between his lips. “The longer we’re all together, the more I think nothing about this entire set-up is coincidence. You’ve done nothing but smack me around, and I can’t do shit without keeping my eyes on you. It’s not normal.”
I frown, unsure how to take that. “I’m sorry?”
That gets a laugh out of Elias, and his tail flicks over my collarbone lightly. “It’s nothing to be sorry about, little rebel. Being obsessed with you has been infinitely more interesting than anything I’ve done in the past four years.”
“You, too?” My eyes widen and I turn for a second to glance at the dragon, but Sebastian brings my face back again. “Hey!”
“Focus, Sydney. You don’t need us to repeat what we said in order to stall. If you do not want to continue, you can say so. But you will need to decide that before the mage has to hump the blankets to deal with his… problem.”
He’s baiting me and it’s working—I want so badly to see what he means now.
“I… I think I…” my voice cuts out and I have to clear my throat before I can speak again. “I want him to continue.”
The collective groan from the men around me makes my stomach flutter, and Rory drops his head to dust more kisses over my sweats. I feel the heat of his lips even through the fabric, and for some reason, I wish I’d picked shorts. Thad starts on my back again as Rory’s hands slip up my hips, and Elias’s tail traces along my torso, studiously ignoring every spot that seems to ache for his touch.
“We’re teasing you, kitten, but not in a joking way,” Sebastian whispers to me. His breath is warm on my face and I have to lean back a little to watch him as he talks. “It’s the best way to get you excited, and sometimes, you’ll find that it’s both pleasure and punishment.”
“Punishment?” I breathe. A not-so-subtle grip on the hem of my sweatpants makes my heart rate kick up, and I don’t resist when Rory’s hands wiggle them down on my hips. “Why would I want… um… that?”
The vampire chuckles. “Oh, you won’t. But you’re a brat, Sydney, and I guarantee you will earn it. Am I right, dragon?”
His tail flicks over my nipples and I make a strangled sound when the gesture sets me on fire internally. “You are, Whitmore. But I also think she will enjoy some of it. She enjoys irritating you far too much not to savor the sharp edges.”
“I don’t know about?—”
I have to swallow hard when I realize Thad is now lifting my hips so Rory can tug the sweatpants down. He drags them down my legs, then tosses them aside to leave my legs bare in front of him. “Vicious, all you have to do is say the word.”
“You didn’t set the word,” Huck drawls as his eyes rove over my skin.
“Good point.” Rory stops and looks at me again. “You need to pick a safe word. One you won’t say by mistake if you’re moaning or writhing. When you say it, everything stops, we get you cleaned up, and you rest. That word will never cause a discussion or argument. It’s final.”
I guess I’ve heard of this before, but I wasn’t paying attention. Are they setting me up for bondage stuff?
“Is this like… bondage stuff?” I ask carefully. “I don’t know if I’ll be good at that. I mean, I don’t even know what most of it is.”
“Pick a word, little rebel. It only gives us a clue when you truly mean stop.”
Elias’s reassurance helps; he definitely won’t let me get into things I’m not comfortable with. “Okay, how about kumquat?”
They all have amused reactions and for a moment, I wonder if I’m too na?ve to handle one of them, much less all of them. Squirming in place, I feel the fear of disappointing people well up inside me, and I consider using that word even though I just set it. Before I can do it, Elias’s tail wraps around my waist and squeezes. The gentle gesture makes my chest tighten and I realize that I definitely do not want to stop them—at least, not yet.
“Are you ready, Vicious?” Rory murmurs against my upper thigh. I feel the evening’s slight stubble sting as he moves along the inner curve of my right leg. “Because you got to eat, but I’m still hungry.”
Holy fuck, I’m never going to survive this.