Chapter 3
Heat Waves
AIDEN
Greer Morrow is not who I expected to show up for this job. She’s young, maybe barely in her twenties, while we’re all almost thirty. She’s small and swimming in her oversized T-shirt and baggy pants. Her chipped pink toenails peek out of a pair of bright pink flip-flops.
Her voice has this husky factor that makes my balls tighten—which is probably why Roarke insisted she come interview. She’s small, compact, but refreshing. Fuck, if she’d shown up here in a dress that showed off those curves she hides, Roarke would have fucked her before we could even get a drug test.
As it is, I don’t think the baggy clothes are putting him off at all.
Mason and I discussed hiring a guy to do the job just so we don’t have to deal with a woman crawling into our beds. But I’m not sure I’d hate if Greer crawled into my bed. Besides, we didn’t have much luck with the last guy.
“Shouldn’t we check the dipstick?” she says softly. Her light brown eyes flick to the strip on the counter before returning to mine.
I shift to move to my feet and catch her sweet vanilla scent. I’m glad she didn’t notice my erection from patting her down earlier. That shirt is a fucking disappointment when I realized what lies beneath. Her breasts are perky and not as small as I thought. They’d fill my hand and my mouth nicely.
Fuck. Those aren’t the thoughts I should have about my employee. I should probably say no to hiring her. But when I meet those wide eyes, I also don’t want her to leave.
Turning, I check the test and note that everything is negative. I didn’t expect anything less. The pain on her face when she discussed her mother was like a kick to the groin, which helped to make my erection go down. That I made the people around me feel like she must have felt guts me.
My friends are my family, and I hurt them. Trying to stop the pain I felt was the only thing on my mind. To erase the pain caused by my failed marriage.
“Did I pass?” She stands behind me. Her flip-flops slap as she draws near to look around me.
“With flying colors.” I take a breath, inhaling her intoxicating scent. Fuck. I do the only thing I know will make my cock stand down: I think about preparing for a role.
“Good. What’s next?” Her husky voice teases my ears. She’s close enough that her warmth claws at me, making me want to turn and lift her onto the counter and bite those lips she keeps worrying with her teeth to discover how they taste. Then lick them to soothe them.
It’s been too fucking long since I’ve had sex. That’s the only reasonable explanation that this pixie of a woman tempts me.
“We should go back upstairs.” I take another moment to get myself under control. My eyes close, and I let my thoughts drift away until nothing remains.
She doesn’t say anything as she dumps the cup into the toilet and flushes. Her hip brushes mine as she turns on the water and washes her hands.
“Do you want to wash your hands too?” That voice. Fuck me.
“Yeah.” Opening my eyes, I find her watching me in the mirror. Concern pulls at her pixie-like face. Her brown hair is pulled into a bun, revealing her long neck and smooth jawline. I flash her my signature smile and wash my hands.
Her brow furrows a little, but then she plasters on a fake smile too. It looks just as practiced. Ten years old and she couldn’t save her mother. My heart tightens for her. What ten-year-old could?
Fuck, the guys almost couldn’t reach me. But once I realized what I was doing, it all came crashing down around me and I willingly went into rehab.
“Come on.” I dry my hands and lead her back upstairs to the others.
The guys are on the couch. As soon as we come into view, the murmur of conversation dies. Mason’s hawk-like gaze scans both of us.
“Come here, poppet.” Roarke holds his hand out to her. She glances at me for confirmation.
Something settles inside me at that look. Maybe she trusts me. My chest warms. Even though she shouldn’t. Addiction is an evil mistress to live with. Staying clean will be a hard road with all the temptations lingering in my life. I give her an encouraging nod.
Roarke takes her hand and makes her sit next to him. Thigh to thigh. Greer couldn’t get more red. Even the tips of her ears glow with color. I shut down every image my mind tries to send me of how she’d look spread out beneath me, flushed and writhing with pleasure.
I try to focus on the conversation, only getting small bits and pieces as I try to figure out why Greer is the first woman to make me want to fuck her since my ex.
As she answers Mason’s questions, they filter into my brain. She’s twenty-one, high school diploma, some college. Her pussy was warm against my fingers, and the tang of her arousal filled the space between us, mixed with that vanilla scent intoxicating me.
She’s pretty, but I’ve been surrounded by the most beautiful women in the world and not responded like I do to her.
“What other obligations do you have?” Mason’s firm voice brings me back as I tuck away the unwanted attraction.
Her lips part slightly before she licks them.
“None. I’m down to part time at the diner, which I could quit. They’re overstaffed.” Her gaze flicks up to mine. “I don’t have anyone who needs my attention.”
“What about the fucking asshole?” Roarke says.
She winces and I perk up. Maybe she’s unavailable. That would make this attraction easy to ignore. She blows out a breath.
“We moved in too soon. He’s a cheating bastard, but I don’t really have anywhere else to go.” She shrugs and gives all of us a smile. “I’m like a cat, though. I always land on my feet.”
I’m sure she does, but fuck if I’m going to let her go and wind up another statistic of this town. She doesn’t have anywhere else to go. What does the guy want her to do to stay? My insides knot up.
“Wyatt, why don’t you show Greer around the house?” I give her my interview smile. I want to see where Mason’s head is on this. Pretty sure Roarke is already signing up to be her number one fuck buddy, which is why I didn’t ask him to show her the place.
Wyatt rubs his hands on his sweats and stands. “This way, we’ll start downstairs.”
Greer’s eyes flick to mine before she follows Wyatt. Checking in with me again. My chest swells, as does my cock.
Fuck, why this woman? It’s going to drive me mental. But I can’t kick her out with nowhere to go.
“I like her.” Roarke flashes his movie star smile.
“You like anything female.” Mason shakes his head and meets my gaze. We’ve both seen Roarke “in love,” and then a week later, he’s in love with someone new. Love is a throwaway term to him. I’m surprised he said he likes her, though. That’s high praise from the guy.
Roarke chuckles darkly. “Can you blame me? That voice alone will haunt my dreams tonight. Such a compact little piece of ass.”
“She’s not a piece of ass if she works here.” Mason glares at Roarke before his eyes narrow on me. “What do you think?”
I think my cock will be hard all the time with her around, but I can get over that. That soft look she gave me in the bathroom makes me warm in a different way, though. One I’m not entirely comfortable with. I clear my throat.
“She knows addicts. She’s in a pinch, and so are we.” I lean back on the counter. We don’t have much time to get someone new. The last guy tried to sell me drugs. He promised me he’d cover for me if I got him a role in the movie.
“We can take our time and find the right person for the job.” Mason glances at Roarke. “Maybe a male applicant?”
“And get rid of my poppet?” Roarke acts like that would be an offense to him. My guts tighten at the thought of her walking out of here and never seeing her again. She’d become just another face in the crowd. No one special.
That would be a shame.
“Are you going to fuck her?” Mason’s gaze drills into Roarke.
Roarke grins. “Why not? Besides, I saw the way you looked at her. And Aiden…”
I tense as they both look at me. “What?”
Mason’s eyes widen.
Roarke smirks. “This is the first time I’ve seen him want to fuck someone since Siobhan.”
Wincing at my ex’s name, I glare at Roarke. “We aren’t hiring her to fuck us, Roarke.”
“Why not?” He grins. “She’s a woman and we’re men. Seems like a good solution all around.”
“Because she’s not a prostitute.” I straighten. “This is a job. She keeps me on the straight and narrow and helps out around the place. We aren’t paying her to have sex with us.”
“But that doesn’t mean we can’t have sex with her.” Roarke wiggles his eyebrows. It was the right call sending Wyatt with Greer, because she would have returned well fucked if Roarke had his way. And he usually does.
“Fuck.” Mason leans back. His shoulders slump. “This is going to become a thing.”
“Most likely.” Roarke sinks back into the couch with a grin. “Pretty sure my little poppet wants all of us too. She got that look of a kid in a candy store who can’t make up her mind.”
“We can’t lose her halfway through the filming because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants.” Mason stands and clenches his fists. “If she thinks you’re dumping her, which you will, she’ll leave us high and dry.”
Good, at least Mason is on board with having her as our assistant. That’s one barrier down.
“Studios add morality clauses all the time to contracts.” I should know. “What if we make it clear—”
Roarke stands, so now we’re all standing. “If you cockblock me—”
“For fuck’s sake, let me finish.” I wet my lips and listen for a second to see if I hear Wyatt and Greer nearby. Nothing.
“Please continue.” Roarke gestures with a scowl on his face like he knows what I’m going to say.
Mason watches me carefully. He’s been looking for cracks since I returned from rehab. I deserve it, but it’s annoying as hell. I’m fine. I did my time. Sure, there are still demons lurking to drag me down, but I’ll fight them off.
With her help.
“We put in a consent clause in addition to the NDA.” I rub my jaw as I think it through.
“What exactly will we be putting in this consent clause?” Mason does look a little too interested. He didn’t want her here because he’s attracted to her? Is Wyatt interested in my little warrior as well?
“What we want.” I swallow and straighten. “Her to commit to the full length of time and give us permission to explore our attraction without having to worry about her growing attached to any one of us. We can give her a bonus if she makes it to the end of the filming to make it more tempting.”
“You want the woman who will be with us for four months—plus probably postproduction until the premiere, which could be at least another year—to consider fucking us with no strings attached?” Mason gives me a look that clearly says he thinks I’m crazy. “All of us?”
“It’s not like we’d be taking away the woman’s free will.” I lean back against the counter as Roarke lowers to the couch with a thoughtful look. “She can choose to engage or not.”
“I like it.” Roarke grins.
“Of course you do.” Mason shakes his head. “I’m not sure sharing a woman is a good idea. Especially if Roarke continues his manwhore ways.”
Roarke laughs loud and booming. “If my poppet gives it up, I’m willing to forgo extracurricular fucking. At least until I tire of her.”
“How sweet. Willing to be monogamous for a whole week.” I roll my eyes and shake my head. “I think we need to insist on no extracurricular fucking on all those who participate.”
Not that I’ve been very active, but Mason has Halley. She’s nothing more than a warm bed, but he uses her a lot during his creative process. He’s a dark motherfucker.
“If you want in…” I leave that statement open as a muscle ticks in Mason’s jaw.
“Fine,” he bites out.
“It might be a nonissue if Greer says no.” I’ll just be taking a lot of long showers while she lives with us until I can work out this attraction. “We’re hiring her either way. She’s here to keep me sober, and I’m confident she can.”
#
GREER
The house is massive, and every new space is more amazing than the last. Wyatt didn’t pull on a shirt, and with the way his gray sweats hang low on his hips, I’m heated as I follow him. I’ll keep all that shit on lockdown if I get the job, because this is exactly what I need. A chance to escape reality for a while. Live a fantasy life for just a short time.
We’ve moved to the top floor with the bedrooms. Wyatt walks in front of the closed doors.
“Roarke’s, mine, Mason’s.” He leads me a little down the hallway. “Aiden’s and our assistant’s.”
He opens the second door and I walk into the space. It’s not massive like most of the space in the house. But it’s a large room with a king-sized bed in it. The walls are light gray, and everything else is white. The attached bathroom is lovely with a shower and tub combination done in marble tile and a pretty white vanity.
When I come out of the bathroom, Wyatt sits on the bed, watching me with those hazel eyes. My gaze drops to his cut chest and abs. I’ve been trying not to notice the bulge in his sweats. Seriously trying not to look, but he seems big.
Like not hard big, but big. Like double-take big.
I squeeze my thighs together as I lift my gaze back to his smirk. Fuck, he caught me checking out his dick. My face feels so hot, I’m afraid I’ll combust.
“So why this?” he asks.
I lean against the door frame. “My friend heard about the job and thought it would be a great opportunity to get out of my current living arrangement.”
“Escape.” He nods thoughtfully. “Is this something you want to do?”
I release a breath and look out the windows at the ocean rolling in. Peace settles deep inside me. “Yes. I can clean and cook and make sure Aiden doesn’t fall off the wagon.”
“You won’t have much of a life living with us.” He raises an eyebrow and pushes his hand through his messy hair. When he was close earlier, the smell of the ocean on a sunny day, along with the earthy scent of him filled my nose.
“I don’t have much of a life now.” I lift my hands in surrender. “Normally, I wouldn’t do something like this, but I really don’t have much to lose.”
I lost everything that was important a long time ago. Though part of me wonders if I ever had anything worth keeping before.
Wyatt stands fluidly and stalks across the wood floor to stop directly in front of me. My breath catches as I take in his scent and heat. I lift my gaze from the middle of his chest up to his eyes.
“Everyone has something left to lose, kitten.” His voice is low and intimate as he hovers above me. “We just don’t always know what it is until it’s gone.”
I bite my lip as I look up at this guy. Everything inside me stands at attention, waiting for his touch. Sure, he’s not a movie star, but he’s still hot. “What do you do?”
He smiles this sexy smile that makes me clench my thighs tighter. I’m blaming this on Chad and his asshole ways, because I’m not usually attracted to guys like these ones. They are so far out of my league, I’m surprised I don’t just blink into extinction in their presence. My hormones must be on overdrive.
“I’m the screenwriter.” He reaches out.
I hold my breath as he brushes a strand of hair off my cheek and behind my ear. I can’t seem to look away from his eyes. Brown and greens collide within his iris, mottled with little flecks of gold. It’s hypnotic. His fingers brush my neck, and I suck in a breath as arousal sweeps through me.
“How much of an escape do you need, kitten?”
My panties are soaked as his head begins to dip. Is he going to kiss me? What is happening right now? My heart races. My eyes flutter shut as I brace myself for impact, knowing even his kiss could destroy me.
“Wyatt, bring me my poppet!” Roarke’s voice booms through the house.
My eyes pop open and Wyatt is right there, so close I can feel his breath on my lips. My heart strains against my rib cage as I search his eyes.
“Come on, kitten. Let’s see what the big bad wolf wants now.” Wyatt’s hand tangles with mine, and I suck in a breath.
What is happening? Things like this don’t happen to people like me. They just don’t. But I know I want more.
When we walk down the stairs, we’re met with looks that make me feel like prey. My heartbeat quickens even more, and I stop. Or I would have if Wyatt wasn’t holding my hand and dragging me forward into this den of wolves waiting eagerly to devour this sheep.
“We want to discuss our offer with you.”
My breath catches at Aiden’s words. This is really happening? Because my life has been one shit show after another. So far it sounds fantastic, but there’s always a catch.
“Your offer?”
Wyatt releases my hand, and I stand there dumbfounded among gods.
“Come on, poppet.” Roarke walks up to me and puts his hand on the small of my back, gently leading me over to the table. Tingles race through my veins. “We have some things to discuss.”
He pulls out a chair for me. I sit and watch as the others fill the table around me. Blowing out a breath, I drag my ass out of the clouds. This is a job, just like any job, but it’s also living with four really hot men who ooze sex appeal.
I don’t know how this is going to end, but I’m excited to find out.