“Not quite.” He chuckled. “See, that’s where the story starts to get a little crazy.”
We moved to the couch. Dakota sat next to me, his eyes locking on mine as our glasses met with a crystalding.
Dakota leaned closer, his big hand finding its way to my knee, and continued his story. I loved listening to him talk—the gentle rumble of his voice comforted me, and I couldn’t stop staring at the shape of his pretty mouth.
But my jaw dropped in astonishment when he revealed the big twist: during their stay in this very same penthouse, Brock and Connorbothfell in love with Coach Miller’s daughter, Sofia.
“Wait—theybothfell in love with her?” I asked, my eyes wide.
“Yep. Andshefell in love with them, too.”
“What?!”
“She couldn’t choose between them, so … she chose both.” He grinned plainly, as if this were a tale as old as time. “Andthat’show we got Brock and Connor to play for us. Wild, right?”
“Um! Excuse me,what?!” I felt a rush of excitement, and a burst of scandalous laughter escaped me. “She choseboth?What do you mean?”
Beaming, he seemed to revel in my delight. “Well, I mean, she’s in a committed relationship with both players.”
“So … they share her?”
“Yup.”
“And they’restillfriends to this day?” I asked, my intrigue growing.
“They’re super close. The three of them live in the same house and everything.”
I lowered my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Do you think they … do it?”
He nodded, a playful gleam in his eyes.
“No, I mean—” I stammered, not knowing how to say it. “The three of them—?”
“Iknowwhat you meant, Ottavia,” he said with a wink. “And the answer is, ohhellyeah.”
He was so ridiculous! No one could make me laugh like him. I erupted into a fit of whole-body laughter that led to me toppling over and falling against Dakota’s chest. My head rested on his solid pecs, and my hand found its way to the chiseled contours of his abdomen. He gently held me while the last of the giggles worked their way through my system, softly stroking my hair.
When the laughter stopped, I realized I was in the most comfortable place in the world. The pleasant scent of his cologne mingled with the warmth of his body—an intoxicating combination, indeed. I wished I couldstaythere forever—but I had to pick myself up before I did something.
“That’s wild,” I said, lifting myself. “But good for Brock, Connor, and Sofia. I really, truly hope they’re happy.”
“They are, yeah.”
“Maybe it’s this penthouse?” I teased, playfully catching his glance. “Maybe it has some kind of matchmaking magic?”
“Maybe.” Dakota’s warm smile grew as he moved closer, his hand gently caressing my cheek. “Your cheeks are so red.”
His smooth touch and softly spoken words caused a rush of warmth to spread through me, which I’m sure only made my cheeks redder. I couldn’t help but be captivated by his green-eyed gaze.
“You’re so cute. You know that, Ottavia?”
His words hung in the air, a palpable charge between us. The world around us seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us in that moment. I felt an attraction, like a magnetic pull, drawing us closer with every passing second.
I couldn’t resist responding, my voice nothing but a feathery whisper. “You think I’m cute?”
We both began to lean in, our lips inching closer and closer, my heart pounding. As our lips hovered just inches apart, Dakota’s voice, filled with reverence, gently broke the silence.
“Nah,” he said, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “I think you’re absolutely beautiful, actually.”
