“Exactly.”
“No offense, but I’m not sure I want to go back to that place a third time.”
“That might not be an issue—” Denver began, but Austin cut him off.
“What’d you think of the act?” he growled.
“You mean before you flew through the air like a trapeze artist? I thought it was great. Really well done and quite frankly—really hot.”
Denver smiled and reached over to pat my thigh. Austin, however, still looked surly.
Abruptly, he set his beer on a side table and stood. “I’m heading to bed.” He strode across the living room and I hastily rose to my feet. He paused as I hurried to his side.
“Thank you for getting rid of that guy.” I stood up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
“You’re welcome,” he said gruffly. He opened the door to the basement and paused. “Care to join me?”
My pulse quickened as I nodded. Austin held the door open, gesturing for me to go down the stairs in front of him, but I didn’t move. There was something I needed to say—if I was brave enough to do it. “Um… was that invitation just for me?”
Austin stared at me, his tawny eyes revealing nothing for a long moment. Then something shifted in his expression or perhaps his posture. It was hard to pinpoint the change, but it was there.
“It doesn’t have to be. Not if you don’t want it to be.”
I looked at the others, one by one. Knox was so big, but it had been so long since I’d seen him as intimidating. Now he was a man I knew would never let me down. Then there was Tonio. He’d made my dream of publishing a book come true, and I wished so badly that I could make his dream come true. But since I couldn’t, maybe I could make him very happy tonight.
Then there was Denver. He stared up at me from the couch with bright, eager eyes. He’d been so upbeat since we’d left the club—the total opposite of how Austin had been. Maybe his usual good mood was intact because he hadn’t seen that guy harassing me at the club?
Whatever caused his mood, it was contagious. The encounter with that awful man had reminded me of how damn amazing my men were, and I wanted to make sure that all of them knew how I felt tonight.
“Will you join us? Please? All of you?”
Denver nodded and leaped to his feet. Tonio rose slowly, studying my face to make sure I was sure. I was, no question about it. But it was Knox who answered as he pushed himself out of the deep chair and rose to reveal his full size. “As you wish.”
I followed Austin down the stairs, the guys’ heavy footfalls echoing around me. At the base of the stairs, Austin headed to his bedroom. He stopped at the door and motioned the others to stop. “Don’t crowd her. C’mere.” That last part was directed to me.
He ushered me into his room and then went over to the closet. His voice was muffled as he rummaged through the small space. “You wear Knox’s shirt to bed… will you wear one of mine tonight?” He brought out a long-sleeved white dress shirt.
I took it gratefully. As much as I wanted this, I don’t think I could’ve just pulled my clothes off in front of all of them. Not this first time. “Thank you.” I headed to the basement bathroom, not making eye contact with any of the guys, who were milling around the exercise equipment.
Once in the bathroom, I took off everything and piled it neatly on the edge of the counter. Then I stared at myself in the mirror as I pulled on Austin’s shirt and buttoned it up. I tried to see what the guys saw. My reddish blonde hair. My hazel eyes. My fair skin that flushed so easily. It was a pretty safe bet that I’d be blushing a lot tonight.
Surprisingly, that thought didn’t bother me very much. Some of the redness that already colored my cheeks was from anticipation. I took one last look at myself and then grinned. With the night I had ahead of me, there was no need for that many buttons to be done. With a steady hand, I undid three more. Grinning, I went back to Austin’s room.
The guys were all in there, and I barely had time to register that they’d taken off their shirts before Tonio took me in his arms and kissed me. It was the kind of kiss that sent my senses reeling. My self-consciousness about doing this in front of the others faded. My world narrowed, and all I could focus on was Tonio’s lean form pressed against me as his mouth claimed mine. There was no doubt he wanted me—the massive bulge in his jeans proved that—but I knew he wasn’t the only one who did.