Chapter 14
BENNETT
Lola was enjoying Leo’s food, and she even asked for seconds after she finished her steak and grilled vegetables. While she ate, she listened to us tell more stories about work, and every time we asked her a question, she answered enthusiastically.
I could tell that she was having a good time, and the initial nerves she carried had vanished quickly. We made her sit at the end of the table, while the four of us sat on the sides. Leo had taken the seat to her left, putting food on her plate whenever she asked for more, and I sat next to him. Kline was opposite of Leo, and Watson was in front of me.
Our attention was on her the whole time. It was hard to look away. Even while she ate, she looked fucking perfect. She moved so gracefully, and every time she laughed, she made my heart skip a beat.
We were all the kind of men who never really thought about settling down. Then again, most women didn’t like the idea of being with a man who stripped for other women every weekend.
The one woman I once developed feelings for put me in front of an ultimatum, telling me that she would leave me if I wouldn’t stop dancing. She wasn’t much for compromising, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to throw away my job. A job I loved and lived for.
Lola was just talking about her job, and I liked how much she loved what she did for a living. It wasn’t a job I heard of before, but by what she told us, I could see how fitting it was for her.
“And you’re around when those companies have those meetings and parties?” I asked, getting her to look at me.
“Yes, I’m always there to make sure they have everything they need. Sometimes I even go out to grab more food when they need it.”
“And what was the biggest company you had in your offices?” I wondered, truly interested in the people she got to meet.
“Well, just last month we had some people from a production company over. They make indie films, and I talked to one of the producers. I always try to get as much info out of them as I can, just because it’s fun to find out more about certain people and companies,” she told us.
“And what were those people there for? A meeting?” Watson asked.
“Yes, but it was more like a team event where they hung out with each other. They stayed all day, and at the end, they watched a movie they produced. I got to watch it too, so that was fun.”
“Sounds like a super cool job. I didn’t know something like that existed,” Leo said.
“It’s fairly new. At least in this area. If you ever need a space for a party or something, just let me know,” she told us, smiling.
“We’ll definitely consider. We were actually hoping to hold a workshop someday for men who want to get into dancing and stripping,” Kline said, then he looked at us. “Or is that off the table already?”
“No, I think we should do it. We got many requests already,” I told him.
“Awesome, just let me know! I’d love to work with you guys,” Lola said. She put down her fork once she was done eating, and she leaned back in her chair, placing both hands on her stomach. “The food was incredible, Leo. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this good.”
Leo grinned, looking proud. “That means a lot to me, thank you. Does that mean you’ll come back if I invite you to another dinner?”
Lola laughed as she reached for her water. “Most definitely.”
“There’s dessert too,” Watson announced. “But we can wait if you’re full right now.”
“Oh, yes. I think I have to wait a little while.” She smiled softly and started to put together the plates, but Kline stopped her.
“We’ll do this. You go sit down on the couch and make yourself at home.”
She looked at him with that intense gleam in her eyes. It was clear that all of us had a different impact on her, but she hadn’t given either of us any less attention because of that. I could tell that she liked all of us, and like we had promised, we weren’t fighting each other for her attention.
“Okay, thank you.”
It didn’t take us long to clean up the dining table and kitchen, and once we were done, we went to sit down on the couch with her. I brought her another glass of water and she thanked me with that beautiful smile of hers. “Do you guys watch a lot of movies?” she asked, hinting at the large TV screen hanging on the brick wall.
“We do.” I sat down next to her and leaned back. “We share a love for horror movies. It’s another thing we bonded over.”
“For real?” She looked stunned.
“Yeah, probably not the genre of movies you enjoy,” Leo assumed.
“Are you kidding? I love horror movies! It’s my favorite genre too.”
We were all perplexed, but in a good way. “You’re shitting us, right?”
She looked at Leo and shook her head, chuckling. “No, I’m not. I really love horror movies. Especially old slashers. There’s this new movie coming out next week and I want to go see it, but Willa is too scared to come with me.”
“We’ll come,” Watson stated, grinning at her. “Damn, you keep getting more interesting.”
Lola sucked in her cheek, trying her best to hide a grin. “We can make that our second date. Watch a horror movie and have dinner after,” she suggested.
“Sounds perfect. Will you come watch another show first? We have one on Friday. It’s the last of the month, and we’ll have an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
She looked at Kline and thought about it at first, but I could tell she already had her answer. “Sounds fun.”
LOLA
Bennett had his arm around the back of the couch, and his fingers were in my hair, playing with strands of it as we spoke. I felt safe sitting between them, and they hadn’t made me feel uncomfortable once. Talking to them came naturally, and although I hadn’t planned on staying too long, I didn’t feel like going home just yet.
“When do you have to get up in the morning?” Watson asked.
“I usually get up around six-thirty and go for a quick run. I have to be at the office at nine.”
“If you’re tired, we don’t want to hold you here for too long,” Kline told me, looking slightly worried.
“It’s not that late yet,” I replied with a smile. “Unless you guys want me to leave.”
“No, it’s fine. How about dessert then?”
“That sounds great. I do need to use the bathroom first,” I said, looking away from Kline.
“I’ll show you to it.” Bennett got up and held his hand to me, and I placed mine in his, letting him help me up.
“I’ll go get the cake then,” Leo announced.
I let Bennett lead me downstairs to show me where the bathroom was. He waited outside until I was done, and after washing my hands and checking myself in the mirror, I went back out to find him standing across the hallway, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
He smiled when our eyes met, and I walked over to him, taking in the downstairs area. “You don’t share only one bathroom, do you?”
“No, we each have a small bathroom attached to our bedrooms. This one’s just the guest bathroom. Would you like to see our rooms?”
“I’d love to.” I smiled again, and he nodded to the door closest to us. He showed me the other guys’ rooms first before leading me to the last door furthest down the hall.
“This one’s mine.”
He pushed open the door, and I stepped inside to look around. It looked clean, and the bed was perfectly made. There were three large bookcases against one wall, with a leather armchair in the corner. “Do you read every day?”
“During the week, yes. On the weekends, I’m often too tired.”
“Understandable.” I turned back to him and smiled. “I like to read too, but I do it way too rarely.”
He watched me as I stepped closer to him, and it was as if there was a magnetic pull between us, pulling our bodies close.
“You’re a very interesting man. I like this calmness about you,” I told him as I placed a hand to his chest. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to touch him.
“One of us has to be,” he said with a low chuckle. “The other three would fight each other every day if I wasn’t there to stop them from arguing.” He reached out to touch my hips, and he pulled me against his body, making me press mine against his.
I slid my hands up his chest, feeling his hard muscles under his shirt’s fabric. My eyes dropped to his lips where they stayed for a moment before I lifted my gaze to look into his eyes. “Can I be honest?” I asked.
“Of course.”
“This will sound crazy, but I really like you. All of you. And I’m not sure if I’m just being irrational and stupid, but I really want to keep dating all four of you.”
His deep laugh sent shivers down my spine. His hands were on my lower back, with his fingertips grazing my ass. “You’re not being irrational and stupid. I think you’re being adventurous and true to yourself. You don’t seem like the woman who does things if she wasn’t sure about it.”
“I’m not. I only ever do things I know are right for me, but this…just feels different,” I admitted.
His arms tightened around me, and he ran one hand up my back until he cupped the back of my neck. “And does it feel right too?”
“Yes, very. No man has ever made me feel like this. Let alone four,” I said with a laugh.
“It’s new to us too. It’s not a rarity that some of us have the same crush on a woman, but it never happened that we were all into the same one. We figured it could be overwhelming for you, but we’re trying not to push too much. We agreed to let you be in control of this situation.”
And that’s what made it hard to hold back. They were being so respectful and they showed me just how interested they were in me without being too pushy.
I studied his face and smiled. It had never been easy for me to let myself go completely, and let my heart take over, but since the moment I stepped into their apartment earlier tonight, that had changed.
“That’s very kind of you.” I bit the inside of my cheek and dropped my gaze to his lips, unable to look away. I was sending him definite signals, and he noticed them but was reluctant to act on it.
A small grin appeared on his lips, and the hand he had placed on my neck moved to my cheek. I kept both my hands on his shoulders as he leaned in, and I closed my eyes when his lips pressed against my other cheek.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he whispered. His words made sparks appear in my belly, and my heart started to beat faster. He pressed another kiss to my cheek, this time closer to the corner of my mouth.
I didn’t move, but the urge to turn my head and kiss him was strong. I opened my eyes and looked up at him, and before I could thank him for the compliment he had given me, his lips covered mine.
It was a quick but gentle kiss, and when he pulled back, he looked pleased with himself. “Was that okay?”
I pursed my lips. God, how sweet was he? “Yes, that was more than okay.”
“Dessert’s ready.” Kline’s deep voice interrupted this sweet moment I was having with, and we both turned around to look at him.
“We’re coming. Just showed her our rooms,” Bennett told him.
Kline nodded and looked at me. I couldn’t read his expression but he looked unsure. He was trying to figure out if I was okay, and when I smiled at him, his expression softened. “Do you like them?”
I nodded, slowly letting go of Bennett. “I do. You guys turned this place into a cozy home.”
“We sure did. And we’re glad you like it here. Now, how about some chocolate cake?”
“Sounds delicious.”
I walked back upstairs with them, with my lips still tingling from Bennett’s kiss. He made me want more of him, and more of the others, but with how everything was going, I knew I wouldn’t have to wait too long before the fire inside all of us ignited.