Chapter 11

Krista

“Why aren’t you guys even remotely nervous?”

I stare at the three of them in the research facility the next night. They’re all grinning with delirious adulation—yes—at me.

“Worried? For what?” King chuckles and shrugs.

“You know…” I trail off and swirl an invisible figure eight pattern on the desk with my index finger.

“Not really,” Simon offers.

“You guys aren’t at all worried what might happen if we get found out?”

I raise my eyebrows and wonder why they aren’t understanding the gravity of the situation.

“There’s no sense in having anxiety over something that hasn’t even happened,” Dylan tries to be reassuring in a softer tone.

“I am nervous though,” I admit.

“Are you saying you’re not having fun with us?”

King grins with mischief and tries to run a hand up my leg but I playfully bat it away.

“Stop,” I giggle. “I’m serious here.”

“We can’t help it, you’re just too beautiful,” King replies.

“Thank you, I appreciate all your compliments, really I do.”

I nod at them.

“Then what’s the problem?” Dylan asks.

“Yeah, and you still haven’t answered about whether you’re having a good time with us,” King grins.

“I’m having a fantastic time with you guys,” I confess. “It’s just…well, this scholarship means the world to me.”

“We know your studies are important; that’s why we’re here to help you,” Simon reminds me with a genuine smile.

“I don’t think I could get through the research without you guys,” I laugh. “All three of you are turning out to be amazing assets for my studies.

“Its no trouble at all, we’re happy to assist.” Dylan leans in and places his hand over mine.

His warm touch makes my pussy yearn and tremble.

Internally, I explore my options and try to come to some resolution to fix this mess, but I’m coming up empty the more I naturally over-analyze.

I mean, don’t get me wrong—I want to spend time with the guys.

No, scratch that.

I want to spend every waking minute with them, but not just because of the fact that they adore me. Which I still can’t figure out the reason for, by the way. They say they love a sexy brunette with green eyes, and they can’t resist me.

Well then, so be it. Who am I to stand in the way of their dreams?

On the other hand, there are my dreams to factor in as well.

I don’t want anything to stand in the way of my research, and that includes these dream hunks currently drooling over me like I’m a piece of meat.

Why don’t I mind their behavior? Am I really that depraved of self-worth?

Why am I even approaching the subject at in this level of depth? Why can’t I just be happy for myself?

In the end, I have to make the choice to keep them on board with me. For one, they’re experts in the field and can help me soar to new, groundbreaking heights.

It will be faster with their help, because they already contain vast amounts of knowledge that they can explain in a shorter time rather than me wait until all of my classes are complete.

I imagine the praise I’ll get when the professors and colleagues here review my remarkable findings.

Of course, I’ll have to give the guys credit for their charity for my benefit, or in my case, their efforts to be involved in my research.

“Why are you so worried that your research won’t be a success?” King quizzes me.

“Yeah, do you not trust us or something?” Dylan adds, but he’s smiling to soften the blow. I know they’re only teasing me.

“I think you guys are incredible,” I admit. “It’s just…well this research is important to me because of the fact that I lost my father, grandfather, and many other relatives to work in the dangerous mines.”

“We’re so sorry to hear that,” Simon tells me.

“Thank you,” I nod and clear my throat. “I just want the mine workers of today to live in a better world where they don’t have to get up in the morning and wonder if they’ll ever get to go home to their families again.”

“You’re a wonderful person,” Dylan smiles adoringly at me.

“Clean energy and clean coal are extremely important to me,” I confess. “I want to live in a world where I visualize this in all the mines around the country.”

“That’s where we come in,” King beams with pride. “We want to help you be successful and reach your goals.”

I know they genuinely mean it, and I appreciate them for it. I wish we could all live happily ever after while I receive orgasm after orgasm from them in a line…but that’s unfortunately not the way life works most of the time.

I yawn because it’s getting late, but we still have a lot of ground to cover.

“Are you tired?” King asks.

“Maybe a little,” I shrug and laugh.

“We can stop whenever you’re ready,” Simon offers.

I glance at all three guys. They’re equally hot, equally charming and charismatic and as a set, they complete me perfectly.

I take a deep breath and sigh dramatically.

“What’s wrong?”

King’s brow furrows because he apparently thinks we’re already moving on from the gnawing subject.

At my luck, there are probably cameras in this room or something. I have to be careful from now on.

“If I’m to prosper in my venture to clean up renewable resources, then it means I have to stay in this scholarship. My dreams are only as possible as I make them.”

“Right…” Simon mentions as if I’m already stating the obvious.

“I might get kicked out if they know I’m having sex with the three of you,” I comment.

The forbidden makes me want them even more, but I have to press forward and focus on what really matters here.

“I just want the mines to be safer,” I admit. “If not, then my relatives would’ve died in vain.”

“It’s remarkable that you want to be the hero,” Dylan smiles at me.

“Thank you,” I say as his eyes twinkle as they rise to meet with mine.

“Listen,” King shifts his weight. “We understand that you need our relationship to remain under wraps.”

“Yeah?” I ask.

“Absolutely,” Dylan and Simon state in unison, and affirmatively.

“We can keep this our little secret,” King’s eyes gleam with mischief.

“Do you really think that’s possible?”

I have my doubts, but I want to believe them. They’re behaving convincingly enough.

“The only way anybody would ever even be able to find out is if one of us tells,” King points among us.

“I don’t plan on saying anything,” Simon agrees.

“My lips are sealed,” Dylan offers.

“I’m obviously not going to rat myself out,” I chuckle.

“See? Everything will work itself out.”

King pats me on the back, and I want him to give me a nice neck and back massage.

“Let go of your reservations,” Simon coaches. “Cast your cares to the wind.”

I lean back in my chair. “I’m afraid that’s easier said than done.”

“It might take some conditioning,” he agrees. “It is possible though.”

“Anything is possible,” King adds.

I know the guys are enhancing my research, and I’m better off sticking with them than kicking them to the curb.

“It’s just an internal struggle I’m dealing with,” I confess.

“Then let us help you work through it,” Dylan says.

“I want to, believe me,” I chuckle.

“You’re just suppressing what natural attraction you already have for us,” King tells me. “Just let it go and ignite the flame burning inside you.”

“You only live once,” Dylan says.

“That may be true, but I only have one shot at this. I can’t fuck it up,” I remind them.

“You can get fucked in the process,” King, my wild little devil grins.

“You like having multiple orgasms, don’t you?” Simon croons.

“Of course,” I bite my lip, enjoying their flirty banter.

“You’re just too sexy to ignore,” Dylan says with a wink.

“You guys are super-hot too,” I confess. “I love it when we are together.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Simon asks.

I don’t answer at first. I know I need to set boundaries with them but I’m careful to admit that to them out loud.

Then, as if reading my mind, King laughs. “We want to break the limits with you, because we think you’re worth every minute.”

My heart flips because I feel the same way about them. Every relationship that’s new is going to be exciting, sure.

Will it last? Only time will tell.

We continue to press on with our work and finish up late.

“We want you to get home safely,” King says. “Can we walk you home?”

“I can take the subway,” I wave a hand dismissively.

Simon eyes me like I’m crazy. “This time of night? Do you have a death wish?”

“No,” I laugh.

We walk out together, and I want to refuse their offer, but as we walk to the gates leading out of the university, I stop.

I’m frozen solid, I can’t move a muscle, and my breath catches in my throat.

Standing at the edge of the gate, staring directly at me with the three guys, is Brandon.