Four Kicks - Stephanie Brother Page 0,41

evening at the Williams site.”

My mind quickly digs back in my memories. I didn’t have my underwear when I got home that evening. I assumed they’d been left behind in the gazebo, and I didn’t recognize them in Nathan’s drawer because they were just a plain fabric.

“Mine?” Part of my brain is trying to process the implication that he only has my underwear in his drawer. Does it mean anything? The other part of my brain stalls for time with an obvious question. “Why do you have underwear in your drawer?!”

Nathan shrugs, tilting his head to the side. “Work can be stressful. Sometimes I like to be reminded of some of the best experiences I’ve ever had.” His face is open and honest, but as if realizing he’s said too much, he adds with a smirk, “I have a few other kinks you’d like much better.”

Landon reaches out and touches my forearm. “Lacy, you still haven’t explained why you want to quit.”

“I’m quitting because I’m catching feelings for all of you, and being around you is torture. You like to play around with a lot of women, and I can’t be around to watch it.”

Landon stands and slips his hand into mine. “We did like to play around with a lot of women.”

Derek comes closer on my other side, sliding a hand around my waist. “Now we only want to play with you.”

Stepping back, I shrug them both off. “That’s the thing. I don’t want to just play around. We had our fun, and it was amazing, but you know I want more. I want more than any of you are willing to give.”

Nathan advances, taking hold of my hand as if he’s afraid I’ll run off. “You’ve been making a lot of assumptions.”

“A lot of incorrect assumptions,” Ash adds. He’s standing now, too, and I’m once again surrounded by all of them.

With a gentle hand, Derek turns my chin in his direction. “We know that when you find something good, you need to hold on to it.”

“We haven’t been with any other women since you came to work with us, and we have no desire to,” Landon says.

Nathan squeezes my hand. “We talked with each other about making a commitment to you. But it didn’t seem like you wanted that from us.”

I don’t know what to say. The four of them have once again overwhelmed me, this time with revelations that I’m struggling to keep up with.

Ash takes my other hand in his. “We know you want a husband and children, and if you think you might want that with us, let’s give things a try. Let’s go on dates, get to know each other even more, and see where things go.”

“We want to give you everything you want,” Derek says. “As long as you give us what we want.”

My voice is shaky with emotion. “What’s that?”

“You,” Derek says, his word quickly echoed by Nathan.

“We want you,” Ash says.

“You’re everything we want,” Landon adds.

I’m overwhelmed in the very best possible way. The men all step in closer and I’m enveloped in the arms of the four most gorgeous, sexy, hard-working, caring men I know. My men. My future.

Six Months Later

“I had high hopes for them, Maddy.”

“I know you did.” We’re on the beach in front of my friend’s house, sitting under a big umbrella, watching little Amelia play in the sand.

Maddy lays a comforting hand on my arm. “Have faith. Things will work out better next time.”

I let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. I’m kind of losing hope.”

“Oh my gosh! You’re being so dramatic! I’ll bake extra apple fritters next Friday and I’ll be sure to save some for you. We had a big order at the end of the day yesterday.”

“But I was counting on having one today. These cookies are good, but they’re just not as good as your apple fritters. I haven’t had one in weeks!”

She laughs. “Do your men have any idea how addicted you are?”

My men. I love the sound of that. “When I’m around my men, I don’t think much about food.”

“I hear you, sister!” She gives me an air high five.

“How are you and your men doing, by the way?” I’ve been busy and haven’t checked in with Maddy on her relationship with the Harding brothers much lately, though I do keep in touch for regular updates on her quickly growing daughter.

She settles back in her chair with a contented sigh. “We’re doing great. Especially now that Amelia’s letting us