That lasted three days before I walked into my dorm room to see them sitting on the beds tossing my tension ball back and forth. I had no idea how they got in there. It was a female only dorm. Absolutely no guys allowed at any time, ever.
I panicked at the thought of getting caught. Until Ryder provided a note from the principal giving them permission to be in there. I was stunned. I also realized at that moment I wasn’t getting away from them. Resisting was futile. I just wasn’t certain what their end game was. But I was willing to play along as long as we followed my rules. We were just friends.
Of course, Ryder and Maddox kept to my rules, but that didn’t stop either of them from the flirting. Or the sexually suggestive language.
Oh, who am I kidding. It’s not suggestive when they just come out and say it.
I have spent every free moment I have with them. All four of them. We’ve mostly hung out at one of their places. I’ve spent a little time at the bar they work at. Their boss didn’t mind letting me in as long as I stayed quiet about my age. Jake and I have discussed our college plans. He plans on leaving for UCLA next fall, and I’ve wondered what that means for their band. Dane will finish college this spring and plansto opena tattoo shop. I’ve even let him fix the mess that I let Heidi talk me into. Now my tattoos look like art. I must admit I was nervous at first, but Dane is an amazing artist. After seeing his work, I wasn’t shocked to learn he is actually an art major.
Thanksgiving was the longest I’d gone without seeing them since we returned from the beach. It’s when I realized I’d grown attached to the four of them. Even more so than Heidi, Louis, and Garret. I was so happy to see my parents, my brother, and sister, and Delilah and Brett, but I missed my guys.
It’s Saturday now. They came back from Louisiana the day after Thanksgiving. Something about not staying longer than necessary. But I promised my parents I would stay through Friday to help get the Christmas tree up and then have lunch with them on Saturday. I didn’t even leave until nearly six.
When I get back into the city, my first stop is to drop my things off at my dorm. By nine, I’m standing in front of Ryder’s building.
I’m anxious to see them. The attachment I didn’t want has developed, but not just to one of them. I love all of them. They make me happy.
I take the elevators to his floor and knock on the door. Someone I don’t know answers and I walk in to find several dozen people spread throughout the large space. I look around trying to find any sign of my guys. Finally, I decide to walk toward the back.
I open the door to the room they usually fall into because Ryder had it soundproofed and find the four of them sitting on the sofas that encircle the red room. Each of them has a guitar in their hand while Ryder and Maddox sing along to some song I don’t recognize.
I am mesmerized. The tone of the guitars and whatever Dane is doing to make the beats is incredible. Their voices are in perfect harmony. Along with the guitars playing, it’s like the sweetest symphony. It’s a stark contrast to what I’m used to seeing them do.
Maddox catches my eyes with a wide smile. He nods for me to join them. I walk across the room and sit between him and Ryder, who waggles his brows at me.
I blush at their ridiculous flirting. They have been slowly – or maybe not so slowly – wearing me down. It’s weird that I am so attracted to both of them. It’s even weirder that they don’t make me feel like I need to choose between them. If anything, I’m being double-teamed constantly. So unlike all the guys I grew up with who practically pee on your leg, trying to mark their territory.
Maddox and Ryder are almost – blasé. But in a magnetic, charismatic way that attracts every female – and male – within a five-mile radius. They know it too. They’re just not cocky or arrogant. It’s just a fact.
My attraction to them grows more and more every day. But more than that, I’m starting to catch feelings. Feelings of more than friendship. And it makes me feel a little uncomfortable. It feels wrong to be so physically attracted to both of them. Especially when the feelings I’m catching are only for one of them. If I thought I was asking for trouble before, this feels worse. And scary as hell.
The more I’m around them, the more I want to give into the urge – the lust. They aren’t much older than me, but the two of them have far more experience. I witnessed that firsthand. Although, since I have absolutely none, it wouldn’t be hard.
It makes me wish I’d given the guys I went to high school with more of a chance. Dated more at the very least, so I didn’t come off completely inept. But the moment those two walked into that diner looking like they fell out of a magazine, I knew Brett and Dee were right. My standards were too high. They looked like a Michelangelo masterpiece in the flesh.
I could almost hate them for what they do to me. The way they have awakened something deep inside that leaves me burning like an inferno. I hate the way he’s making me feel even more. I am drawn to the darkness that hides inside. It sits just below the surface ready to combust, but it never does. It’s always masked with indifference. But I want to dive into it and drown in that abyss. More so, I want to delve into those depths and heal.
And how fucking cliché is that? The good girl, wanting to fix the bad boy. Ugh. It’s like something right out of a cheesy romance novel. But those were always my favorite kind.
What does all of this say about me? I’ve gotten attached to four men. I’m attracted to two of them. I’m starting to feel something for one of them.
It says I’m a mess with a world of distractions I never wanted and definitely don’t need. Except now, want or need doesn’t matter because I can’t walk away.
“Where’d ya go, love?” Ryder whispers into my ear. My skin erupts with goosebumps everywhere. The evidence of what his warm breath across my flesh does to me cannot be denied.
I blink in confusion. I’ve been lost in my own thoughts for so long, I didn’t notice they stopped playing. And Jake and Dane have left the room. Leaving me alone with the two of them.
I’ve been alone with them plenty as of late. But this feels different. This feels dangerous.
“Why so nervous, cupcake?” Maddox asks as his fingers rub soothing strokes up and down my arm. They’re not really soothing though. And Ryder is slowly running his nose down the length of my neck, breathing me in. They’re making me want to crawl out of my skin.
And into theirs.
All of my synapses are misfiring. Everything that would normally tell me to laugh – or run – has shut down under the sensation of their touch. They’ve touched me before. A hand pressed to the small of my back or their fingers entwined with mine, but nothing like this.
I can’t form a coherent thought. My brain has melted. I’m pretty sure it’s soaking my panties right now. I gulp embarrassingly loud. I feel like I’m trapped in the spider’s web waiting to be eaten.
Sin and temptation.That’s what they are. I’m just not sure who is what.
