12. Chapter Twelve
Maya
W hen I woke up, light streamed in from an open curtain, hitting me across the face.
My head was pounding as the hangover kicked in, and my bladder was screaming at me to get out of bed.
I groaned; my stomach grumbling was the last straw.
Looking around the small unfamiliar room, I slowly sat up in the queen-size bed.
The bedroom was mostly sparse, save for the bed and a dresser. The dresser didn’t have any personal items on it besides a pile of dirty laundry. I couldn’t see any family photos or knickknacks anywhere.
Sliding out of bed, I looked down and saw I was in an oversized T-shirt, and my red dress was hanging from the closet door—someone had changed me last night.
I didn’t remember anything past agreeing to go home with my guys and following them out to the pickup truck. I must have passed out on the way.
Feeling unsettled, and the need to pee overwhelming, I padded out of the room and looked around for a bathroom. Thankfully, across the hall from the bedroom I’d slept in was a bathroom. Down the hall, I could hear the deep voices of my guys and the clinking of dishes.
I took my time in the bathroom, even going as far as to use their shower after I found it was clean enough. After living in the dorms full of women for four years, my standards were pretty low. Thankfully, my boys were relatively clean when it came to bathroom upkeep.
Smiling when I checked out the shampoo selection and finding shampoo and conditioner—which had to be Nico’s—I managed to wash my curls and not worry about them going haywire.
When I finished, and dressed again in the borrowed T-shirt, I used Nico’s hairbrush to part my curly hair and used my fingers to comb out the locks.
I had to be careful with my curls, or they would rebel and drive me crazy all day.
Feeling better after the shower, I left the bathroom and went in search of my guys.
I found them in the open concept kitchen, dining, and living room, sitting down at a small rickety table, eating breakfast. All three of them had yet to get dressed, still in sweatpants and T-shirts.
“Morning,” I murmured as I stepped into the small open living space.
Three sets of eyes turned to meet my own. I tried not to blush as three hungry stares devoured me. The T-shirt hung off my shoulder, and my wet hair cascaded down my back—I could only imagine how they saw me if their stares were anything to go by.
“Good morning, Darlin’,” Jason greeted with his low timbre that made me shiver.
“How’d you sleep?” Marcos asked, reaching a hand out to me.
I moved toward him slowly as Nico stood up. “You hungry?” Nico asked.
I nodded and smiled as I slid onto Marco’s lap. He wrapped a heavy arm around my waist, holding me to him as he ate his breakfast.
Nico set a plate of food down next to Marcos’s plate, pushing his plate over to make room, before Nico handed me a fork. On my plate was a full set up of biscuits and gravy with hashbrowns and bacon on the side.
I didn’t want things to be awkward this morning, and I wasn’t sure where I stood with them.
Sure, last night when I’d been drunk, they had said forever , but did they actually mean that in the morning?
If this morning was anything to go by though, they had meant what they said.
I was amazed by how easily they had just slotted me into their morning routine.
“How you feelin, Darlin’?” Jason asked .
I shrugged a shoulder as I chewed my food. “Alright. I’ve got a slight headache.”
Nico shot up again and headed for the counter. I heard the pill bottle rattle before I could look over. “Coffee, Milk, Water?” Nico asked.
“Coffee, please,” I murmured.
A moment later, two blue liquid-gels and a steaming mug of coffee were set down beside me. I beamed as I reached for the mug of black coffee. “Thank you.”
Nico grinned at me as he returned to his chair at the small table.
“So about last night,” Jason said.
I reached for the pills and raised an eyebrow at Jason. I tossed back the pills with a sip of the burning coffee, relishing in the taste of the strong, fresh brew.
He waited until I was done before he continued speaking. “We were serious about this being real for us.”
I slowly set down my coffee and nodded. “We going straight into it then?”
“Let her eat, first,” Marcos grumbled.
Jason shrugged. “You can eat and talk.” He smirked.
I rolled my eyes and took a bite of the biscuits and gravy and moaned low in my throat. “Oh my goooood.”
Nico chuckled, “Fucking hell, Little Dreamer.”
Marcos adjusted me on his lap as his cock kicked beneath me .
I giggled around another mouthful of food, not sorry in the slightest. “You were saying, Jason?” I smiled coyly over at him.
Jason’s gray eyes had gone stormy with desire, his eyelids hooded. He was looking at me like he wanted to throw me down on the tabletop and eat me instead. And I was OK with that. “What do you remember about last night?” He questioned me instead.
“All of it, until the truck. Did I pass out?”
Jason’s hooded gaze narrowed on me. “Yes, you passed out. Which had it been anyone else—”
“Had it been anyone else, it wouldn’t have happened. Save the lecture, Dad, before it’s not you either,” I snapped off, rolling my eyes before he could really get into it.
Nico whistled under his breath, looking almost gleeful.
Jason’s eyes narrowed on me further.
Marcos shifted beneath me. “Let’s back it up here,” he spoke up, intervening. “Maya knows how to take care of herself.”
Stone barely glanced at his buddy, before he turned his gaze back to me.
I watched him suspiciously, waiting for him to say something else that might piss me off. I was NOT a morning person, and I was still mad at him—all of them. And as I didn’t remember what happened after they got me in the truck, I had to ask. “Did you guys, sleep with me last night?”
“What? God no. You passed out,” Nico exclaimed .
Relief washed over me, as I took in their horrified expressions. “What the hell do you take us for?” Jason snapped.
I glared at him. “As you said, I passed out. And as I really don’t even know you guys…”
“We’d never touch you without your permission, Dream Girl,” Nico said, shaking his head.
I shrugged, unsure what else to say after that.
“Alright, so last night,” Marcos said. He rubbed his hand over my bare thigh, soothingly. “We said we play for keeps, meaning you come home with us, you’re ours.”
“I remember,” I said.
“That means something different to us, Maya,” Marcos continued. “Last time we played together we talked a little about BDSM and the lifestyle we’re into.”
I nodded slowly. “So that would apply to our relationship then?”
Nico nodded. “We wouldn’t expect you to go twenty-four-seven. But in the bedroom, yes, that’s what we’d expect.”
“And when we meant for keeps, we’d want you to move in,” Marcos clarified.
I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth. “No.” The word was out before I realized I even spoke it.
Marcos’s body stiffened beneath me, like he was shocked at my answer. “No? ”
I set my fork down and stood up, shaking my head. Marcos’s hand trailed down my body as he let go of me. I walked a few steps away to the counter and leaned back, crossing my arms over my chest as I surveyed the three of them.
“What do you mean no ?” Marcos asked.
“Just what I said. You want me to move in here? Just like that? No.” I shook my head again. “For the record, I’m still pissed at the three of you. I’m not just letting that shit go and moving in here, not just cause we slept together a couple times and you said so. Fuck that.”
Their heads lowered, gazes on the table, before they slowly got to their feet, chairs scraping on the cheap linoleum. “Alright. We deserve that,” Marcos nodded, as he turned toward me.
I gave them a look that screamed ‘Duh’ in return. I hated when men tried to validate my fucking feelings, like they were only acceptable if men deemed them so.
“So, that’s it?” Jason asked, crossing his own arms over his chest, his T-shirt pulled tight across his muscles, his biceps popping. He had that stone-cold expression on his face, locking down his emotions, but I knew better. I could see the hurt in his gaze.
“I didn’t say that.” Shaking my head, I ran my fingers through my damp curls. “BDSM is all about negotiations, correct?”
My men froze, their eyes on me cautiously. “Correct,” Marcos agreed, the hint of approval his dark gaze.
“So, I’m open to negotiations,” Maya conceded .
Jason smirked. “Good girl,” he murmured.
Heat bloomed across my cheeks and I had to fight the smile that threatened to spread across my face. I needed to keep the upper hand here, stand my ground. “Don’t, Jason Langford. Not right now, I’m not in the mood.”
“She’s right.” Marcos sighed. “We fucked up, and we’re not in the position to be making demands here.”
I nodded solemnly. “I don’t like the idea of moving in with anyone without dating.
We’ve only fooled around. I want actual dates.
I’m not talking fancy dinners and roses bullshit,” I said, when I could see their faces clamming up.
“I’m talking about doing things together, going places.
I’m not a fancy chick. I don’t care about that bullshit, but we do need to get know each other before I make a decision. ”
My men nodded slowly. “Dating,” Jason said, testing the word, like he’d never heard it before.
I smirked. “Dating.”
“Agreed,” Marcos nodded.
Nico flashed me a smile. “You’re gonna be falling head over heels before you know what hit you, Little Dreamer.”
If he kept up the nicknames like that, I didn’t doubt him.
“What else?” Jason asked.
“Besides dating for an undetermined amount of time? Before I agree to maybe move in here?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes,” Jason said. “What else are you negotiating for? ”
I paused, unsure. I honestly had no idea what else I to negotiate for. This was all so new to me. “I uh—”
“This is new, so we’re not in any rush, and negotiations are ALWAYS open for discussion, at any time. Just because we agree to something, doesn’t mean we can’t revisit the conversation at a later date if things aren’t working for you or us,” Marcos said.
I nodded slowly, my mind whirling.
“We should each fill out a check list and Maya there’s a questionnaire and online quiz you can take. Those should help you understand your likes and dislikes, and what we should talk about as a group,” Nico suggested. He reached for his phone and started typing. “I’ll send you the links.”
“I’ve got a couple blank check lists in my room,” Jason said, his voice gentle. “We should all take them again, so Maya can read them when she gets time.”
“That sounds good.” I nodded, hopefully sounding braver than I felt.
“Alright, come eat,” Marcos said, reaching for me again. He pulled me into his arms, holding me close. He pressed a kiss to my forehead before he pulled back and guided me to the table again.
We ate breakfast in a companionable silence.