“Because we should talk, Nicolette,” Michael answered, always the ringleader.
“About?” I waited for him to answer, my breath held. Were they not happy with me?
“About what we’re doing here,” Tristan answered when Michael paused. He was impatient to get on with it, then. “I, we, want this to continue, if you want the same, Nicolette. I know we’re off to Spain soon, and you mentioned that your grandparents wanted you to come to California in August, last night. But once everything is settled, and we’ve decided about the future, well, we want to move to Charlotte and start there.”
“I see.” I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, excited and pleased with what he’d said, but still afraid I’d fuck it all up somehow. “I would like that.”
“Would you? People will find out about us all, eventually, one way or another. It could be damaging to our careers and other relationships,” Michael said the words with weight behind them as if he wanted to make an impression on me.
“I know that,” I responded. “Like you guys with your decision about your careers, I have to decide if I want to put it all on the line for you.”
I sank back into the water and stared up at the view of the city. Twilight was on the way and the city gleamed in the last of the sunlight. Wouldn’t it be nice to live up here, in this castle in the sky, and look out at the world like this every day? Reality waited for me though and I looked back at each of the men in the tub with me.
“I don’t have nearly as much to lose as you guys do, but I guess you mean things like the respect of my mother and friends, or coworkers that I’ll have in the future. I don’t want to lose those things, but my mother loves me, I think she’d quietly cheer me on. As for friends? Well, there are only two that matter, and I know both would be right behind me, no matter what. I don’t have coworkers yet, so I don’t care about them either.” I gave a nervous laugh that soon firmed up to certainty. “Yeah, I know what it means if anybody finds out about us, but I don’t care. If you all want to carry on, if you want to see where this takes us, then I’d love to be on that journey with you.”
There were relieved sighs all around and then, the air changed. It became electric as four pairs of hungry eyes zeroed in on me. Oh boy. We were going to skip the nap then.Chapter EighteenWe spent the night with each brother telling me goodbye in his own way. My flight left early in the morning and I had to take the rental car back before I even stepped into the airport.
We had one more tryst with all of us in the tub. I touched his face as he got me off, trying to imprint it on my brain. Tristan wanted me to himself, to romance me with flowers and kisses, with sweet and gentle touches, until he had me trembling with need. Adam wanted me next and had me up against the glass wall that looked out on the balcony. It was hot, with that edge of danger that thrilled me, excited me, and made me want to explore more. We only had a short time, though, so I walked away from him with two love bites, one on the front of my neck that had already started to fade, and one on the back of my neck that my hair would hide. That meant I spent the night with Daniel.
He was as romantic as Tristan, but he had a little bit of an edge of danger like Adam had, though not as much. Just enough to be interesting. He kept me up for hours as he explored my body, then showed me how to please him, in more ways than one. I went to sleep with a tired smile on my face, and one very sore body.
They all got up with me the next morning and we had breakfast before we packed the suitcase they’d gotten for me. I dressed slowly, not at all eager to leave the place. I wanted more time, but we all knew I had to get back home. After that, there wasn’t much else to do. They each told me goodbye in their own way.
Tristan held me for ages, as did Daniel. Adam although still determined to play the tough guy, broke as I turned to Michael when all he did was kiss my cheek and say goodbye. In the end, he held me just as close as his brothers had. Michael did the same when it was his turn. Only he promised he’d get them all to me as quickly as he could. A final kiss on my cheek, his fingers against my face as he wiped away my tears, and a watery smile were the last moments I spent with them.