Page 7 of Notorious (Hollywood Heartthrobs #2)

OLLIE

T he entire almost two weeks I’d been in the Blake family residence, I found both a new sense of peace and more than enough ideas and scenarios to write books for the rest of my life.

Connor’s family ingratiated me into their tight-knit group, and it made me realize proper parents were the happiest when they allowed their children to find their own way in life.

Valentina turned out to be my biggest supporter; she sat in my room as she read my books while I created a new story using her oldest son as a proxy for my protagonist. There was nothing recognizable about Sam in my book, other than the way he reacted to Thomas whenever the older, muscular man was around.

And when I wasn’t working, she was teaching me how to cook.

I’d never thought it would be something I liked; because before I came to live with them, I threw together whatever was in the kitchen or warmed up leftovers my parents wouldn’t eat.

But the rhythm of the sizzling and bubbling relaxed me after a long day of being hunched over a computer researching and writing.

The triplets took me shopping during the middle of the week when they should’ve been with the rest of their senior class, celebrating the summer before the start of their last year in high school.

Instead, they dragged me to Beverly Hills, which I balked at as soon as I spotted the designer boutiques.

The thought of changing my look or even competing with Connor’s crowd held little appeal, so the twins gave up on the pricer stores and we hit thrift stores instead.

Soon, I found several graphic tees and jeans along with sweats, since I didn’t have to dress up for my job, so I chose comfort rather than be fashionable.

I also asked them to help me pinpoint a friendly neighborhood for when I needed to move and room with Gracie, or live by myself in the worst-case scenario.

But their horrified reactions made me change the subject, and instead, we spent the rest of the afternoon in Connor’s movie room, watching the TV miniseries Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth.

Holy hotness, Mr. Darcy!

Even things with Connor’s older brother had changed.

With Sam’s recent schedule, he left for his shift at the hospital after dinner each night.

He would drop off Charlie and Lucy at the house.

I walked them around the neighborhood for an hour, listening to my gay romance audiobooks, before feeding them.

It was perfect for getting out in the mild weather and meeting new people.

After the dogs went to their beds in the basement, the rest of the family indoctrinated me into watching all the rom-coms I could.

And being with Connor as friends was easy.

I reigned in the crush when he reminded me, similar to the way I teased Landon, that I was family and he had no interest in me.

Although when he first said it, my heart fractured, and the words stole my breath for a minute.

But knowing early on I hadn’t stood a chance with him helped me not to weave dreams of forever around the man.

But what ended any hope that he might see me in a different light were the stories of Connor’s many, many exploits with various people over the years.

Despite him joking around with the rest of his family as they teased him, I spotted the pinch of his lips when the triplets would hound him, and the flash of dread whenever everyone started on the subject.

Every time, my stomach dropped, and the conversation gave me a nauseous sensation, but it wasn’t my place to step in to stop the teasing.

Valentina would get upset, and the topic moved on, and both Connor and I were relieved by the change.

“Hey, what are we watching tonight?” Connor said as he walked into the kitchen, giving his mama a hug.

I shrugged. “It’s Lyric’s turn to choose.”

He chuckled as I replaced the lid on the pot containing the marinara sauce boiling away and turned toward the cabinets to get the plates.

As I opened the door, Connor’s hand landed on my lower back and electricity surged up my spine.

I bit my lip as he snagged a glass from the next cabinet over before stepping back and asking his mama a question.

I was ashamed to admit such an insignificant gesture that meant nothing to him made me feel off-kilter for a few seconds.

Inhaling deep, I took the plates, pausing near the silverware drawer to grab the napkins and utensils, and hurried away to the dining room, where I found myself alone and able to breathe.

There had to be some way of getting over Connor sooner rather than later?

Yes, I’d appreciated the male form before, but I’d never desired a man enough to want him to be mine.

For the longest time, I believed that the lack of candidates in the small town in which I grew up caused my stunted dating life.

But based on the number of people I’ve met so far in Los Angeles, some of them gorgeous and by the looks of it, single and hinted at their interest in me, there wasn’t even a spark from me, much less the churn of desire I experienced the moment I sat next to Connor on the plane.

But that was okay. I’d find the man for me when the time was right. There was no need to rush.

Or so I kept telling myself.

If only he wouldn’t touch me all the time.

The house was gargantuan, and the size of the kitchen alone would fit in an entire floor of an average apartment complex.

And yet, whenever we were in the same room, I found him close and always…

touching me. I wasn’t complaining; not when his cologne, a mix of bergamot and lemon, calmed me while sending electricity pulsing in my veins.

I was used to denying who I was and what I wanted for the longest time. I figured if I couldn’t have Connor, then I needed to put myself out there and find someone who might appreciate me, quirks, and all.

After dinner, we settled in the movie room waiting for the rest of the family. I took a deep breath and turned to Connor.

“What’s the best way to find a date? I’m not talking about you, obviously, because you have no trouble attracting whomever you want. But for me, who is new to Los Angeles and dating? Do you have any advice?”

To say that Connor went from chill, leaning his shoulder against mine as he relaxed back into the couch, to vibrating anger in a split second was an understatement. He took a deep breath through his nose before he pinched his eyes shut and exhaled.

“What?” I asked, confused by his reaction.

“Why?”

My brows furrowed, and I asked, “What? Why do I want to date? Is it strange I’m asking you? Help me here if I’m going to understand your question.”

A growl erupted from his throat before he said, “I… I just… I’m not sure you’d find someone not out for something in this town. Well, anywhere.”

“But Connor, isn’t trust earned? And that’s why you date?

You get to know the other person, figure out if you’re compatible.

You don’t jump right into a relationship and allow them into your life without finding out more about them.

Besides, I’m not looking for anything serious.

I could meet men my age interested in the possibility of more. ”

“You’re going to sleep with them to find out if… no, you’re too trustworthy, Ollie. And dating apps are the worst way of finding someone you’re compatible with. It’s like going to a gay bar and falling in love with the man who blew you in a bathroom stall. Which, I’m not condoning! At all!”

Before I could decide whether to laugh or cry, the triplets trotted downstairs and when they rounded the corner, Landon demanded, “Why are you shouting at Ollie?”

Despite being the consummate flirt next to his older brother, Landon was the most protective of his family. And somehow it extended to me, so he crammed his body between mine and Connor’s and glared at said brother, ready to fight a battle for me.

“What are you doing?”

Landon’s mouth turned down in a frown. Then, adding insult to injury, he shook his head.

“Trying to figure out why you’re freaking out.”

“Ollie wants to know about dating apps and how to meet someone,” Connor said with reluctance.

My cheeks burned as the triplets’ gazes zeroed in on me.

“Yeah, I agree with Connor. You shouldn’t date until you’ve toughened up a bit. Thomas will need to teach you self defense like he did all of us because although you’re tall, I wouldn’t say you have the muscles or technique to get out of a dangerous situation,” Landon said.

There were more footsteps and when Sam and Thomas came around the corner, my heart leapt in my chest, especially when they sat down behind us, close together.

“What are we talking about?” Sam asked.

“Ollie, and why he shouldn’t date? Well, at least until he can learn how to defend himself. Thomas can teach him.”

“Sure, anytime you want to, Ollie,” Thomas said.

“Thank you.”

Sam nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, Landon. Maybe we’ll bring whoever he dates around for Charlie and Lucy’s take before we get that PI to do a background check on him. You can never be too cautious.”

Another reason I loved the Blake family.

Instead of reverting to not being able to tell the triplets apart, they’d each observed their brothers until each of them learned their distinct personalities.

And the commentary did not embarrass me about my lack of a love life because I knew it came from a place of caring.

I planned on it being a private conversation, but since they all felt the same way, I’d give up on the idea of dating for the time being.