Page 15

MAKAYLA

I ’m thrilled that Oscar and I managed to smooth things over.

But now that everything’s out in the open and we’re all on the same page, I’m beginning to have second thoughts.

What if I can’t handle all three at once?

It’s a giant leap for a woman whose wildest escapade was getting bent over in what technically counts as a public space.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” I say as they help me up from where I’ve fallen halfway down the slope.

Truth be told, I need a moment alone to pull myself together.

“When we reach the bottom, you can go to the ski shop,” Oscar offers.

“Great,” I say.

That’s less than ideal. What am I going to do for five minutes in a bathroom other than wring my hands? But I feel like I need some space to sort out my feelings, and that will have to do. I’m the one who played along and then poured fuel on the fire.

The Anderson brothers escort me to the ski shop and help me release my bindings. I walk inside, finally alone, and look around for the restroom.

At last I spot it, rush inside, then shut the door and lean against it in relief.

“Excuse me,” a woman says.

She stands in front of the mirror, adjusting her makeup. The room has no stalls, just a toilet and a sink. Thank goodness I didn’t walk in on her while she was doing her business.

“I’m so sorry,” I say. “I didn’t know anyone was in here—I should’ve knocked.”

“It’s okay,” she says. “I’m almost done.”

I tug off my gloves, hands trembling. With nowhere else to perch, I lower the lid and sink onto the toilet.

The woman turns around to face me. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” I nod. “I’m about to do something crazy, and I don’t know if I’m up for it. On one hand, it could be incredible; on the other, it might change everything in ways I’m not ready for.”

“That sounds… pretty intense,” the woman replies.

I let out a nervous laugh. “Sorry for dumping all of that on you.”

She shakes her head. “No, it’s okay. I think we’ve all dealt with something similar at one point in our lives. Strangers can sometimes lend a good ear…”

That’s a fair point. And I don’t have to disclose all the dirty details. I just need to paint a clear enough picture. “There’s this… guy I like.”

“Promising start,” she says, half-smiling. “Friends-to-lovers situation?”

“More or less. I’ve known him since I was a kid. He and my brother are best friends. We haven’t seen each other in ages—until today.”

“He’s still close with your brother?”

“They’re business partners, and my brother can be ridiculously protective,” I admit, remembering the dates he sabotaged in high school. And that’s only the beginning.

“You’re worried, then. What does the guy—the one you’re into—say?”

“Oh, he’s into me, too—and then some.” I can’t help but smile.

“What stops you, then? Just your brother?”

“It’s a tad more complicated than that. I don’t know why I’m having second thoughts now. We were getting so hot and heavy earlier…”

“Is he cool?” she wonders. “Does he come with any baggage?”

“He’s amazing. Smart. Successful. Handsome as hell. Funny. Chivalrous. He’s like three men rolled into one.” It’s as close as I can get to the truth with this lady. “I’m not sure about the baggage, though. From what he’s told me, he hasn’t had that many relationships over the years.”

“And do you trust him?” she continues.

“Yes,” I say with a nod. “I actually do. I must sound crazy, huh?”

“No.It sounds like the two of you dove in a bit too fast, and now you’re wondering if you should pump the brakes. That’s what would be on my mind, anyway,” the woman says.

“So you think I should go for it?” I ask.

“Ask yourself what you really have to lose. Are you dealing purely with physical attraction? Or is there more to it? Is there more to it for the both of you, or just for him? Or just for you? Because if it’s just a sex thing, I say go for it and regret it later.

If you want more, then yes, go slow. It’s pretty straightforward… ”

Looking at the bigger picture—and remembering Oscar’s doubts about building a relationship among four—I decide I can keep things strictly physical. We’ve only just reunited. There’s no way for us to know where this might lead.

Where it might not lead.

Why build up expectations like this? Oscar wants to go slow, but he’s deeply attracted, too.

I can see it in his eyes, I can hear it in his voice.

Kellan and Alex are practically simmering just beneath the surface, and I know that the minute we’re left to our own devices, we will finish what we started in that hot tub.

“Just go for it, then, and worry about the consequences later,” I say.

“It really depends on what you want from him,” she says with a casual shrug.

“I want him to bend me over. Stat.”

She doubles over laughing. “Damn, girl. Then go get that. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen. If not, the universe will make room in your life for something better.”

“Regardless of our expectations,” I conclude. I’m not sure the mental gymnastics we just performed in this bathroom are what I needed, but I like the result. It’s what I want, anyway.

It’s the sexual logistics of the whole dynamic that have me on edge, I realize. But I have control over that. Kellan and Alex made that perfectly clear. I decide who goes where, who does what. I trust them. They would never do anything to hurt or overwhelm me, after all.

“What if we do this and things can never go back to the way they were? My brother might have questions if he notices something off between us.”

“Are you a child or a woman?”

I laugh, quick to pick up on what she’s trying to tell me.

“I am a woman. I have agency over my body and my decisions.” I straighten my shoulders.

“Then there you have it.”

“I guess you were right. Talking to strangers can help. Thank you…”

She chuckles softly. “Don’t mention it. Just never find yourself in a position to explain yourself or your choices to anyone. It’s your life, honey. Nobody else gets to live it for you.”

We part ways, and I’m given a few minutes of silence and solitude in front of the mirror.

This is happening. I want it to happen, and I want to see where it leads.

W ith renewed enthusiasm, I march out of the bathroom to meet my guys at the bottom of the slopes. “I think I’ve had enough skiing for one day,” I announce.

Alex and Kellan look at each other. Their eyes say more than words ever could, and just looking at them makes my heart stutter and heat bloom low in my belly. Oscar lifts his brows and meets my gaze. I respond with a nod, certain of my intentions.

“I should swing by the bar and grab a bottle of champagne,” Alex says, flashing a smile brighter than the setting sun.

“Make it two,” Oscar says, offering me his hand.

Kellan hands our gear to a lodge attendant, and we head toward the resort, its silhouette glowing against the jeweled sunset.

We wait for Alex in the lobby for a little while. I’m getting hot, so I remove my hat and gloves. Kellan and Oscar watch me from the corners of their eyes. Tension coils between us, tugging our bodies closer. The shift is so subtle no one else would notice.

But I feel it.

Back in the elevator, the air turns molten. All bets are off as soon as the doors slide shut. Oscar pulls me into his arms, his mouth crashing into mine with devastating, pent-up desire.

“Come here,” Kellan says. He refuses to stand idly by, palming my hip. He brushes my hair to one side and lowers his lips to my neck.

The electricity is palpable. Here I am, wedged between two hunky guys. One savors me from the front, the other from behind.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while now,” Alex says, smiling as he watches us unravel.

I sneak my hand up to stroke Oscar’s face. He’s clean-shaven, but after several hours I can feel the faint rasp of a five-o’clock shadow. His mouth tastes of the sweetest sin, and his tender touch nearly melts me.

Kellan’s attention to my neck does not go unnoticed. I feel his tongue glide over my skin, sampling the pleasure that will soon be ours. The elevator chimes, and we break apart in case someone waits on the other side.

Kellan flashes a wicked grin. “Game faces on.”

Luck is with us because the hallway is empty. I lean on Oscar as I step out of the elevator car and onto solid ground. No one is laughing anymore. We practically sprint to our suite, desperate to get behind closed doors.

As soon as we’re inside, Kellan scoops me up and pins my back to the door. I wrap my legs around his waist, closing my eyes as I surrender to his possessive kiss.