Chapter 21

Krista

Sure, I’m fucking disappointed that the research papers are missing, but the guys are doing a damn fantastic job at calming me down and uplifting my spirits.

I need a boost, I won’t deny it. It just seems like lately, so many things are working against us at completing the research and being able to project our plans into real experiments. But if the guys have confidence in me, then I might as well heed their advice and believe it myself.

“Wow, this is the cabin?” I climb out of the back seat and stare up at the cozy, yet slightly enormous house tucked away in the middle of the woods.

“Yep,” Simon nods and grins with pride.

“Impressive,” I state and beam at him. “It looks cozy here.”

“It is. You’ll want to kiss me immediately when you go inside.” Simon chuckles.

“We’ll see about that,” I tease back lightly.

“I’m going to hold you to it!” he calls out as I walk up the steps and onto the porch.

It’s utterly perfect. The wooden deck floorboards creak beneath my feet, and it’s so quaint and charming. I almost want to pinch myself to find out whether I’m dreaming or not.

“We should just stay here forever,” I joke and stand at the front door, waiting for the guys to carry the bags inside.

“I can probably get on board with that,” Dylan smiles as he walks up to join me. “Yo, Simon! Do you think you could take any fucking longer? Let us in!” he calls out to Simon who gives him the middle finger in response.

I giggle and look at the guys. “Thank you for agreeing to come here and help me,” I tell them. “I really appreciate it…and you.”

“I don’t want to brag, but the cabin in the woods idea was all my idea,” Simon admits much to the other two men’s chagrin.

“You’re just lucky she agreed to it,” King spoke next, giving Simon a hard time.

Simon rolled his eyes and unlocked the front door. “It’s hard to say no to.”

“The man’s got a point,” I laugh as we all file inside together.

When we walk inside, I’m immediately hit with rustic charm and wooden beams everywhere. There are high ceilings and a stone fireplace that looks as if its custom made—which I’m sure it is.

“How long have your parents owned this place?” I turn to ask Simon.

He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Since I was a kid.”

“So a million years ago?” Dylan teases.

“Really fucking funny, asshole,” Simon quips back and places his and my bags at the end of the staircase leading upstairs.

I walk over to the back windows that expose panoramic views of the woods behind us. There’s a little clearing that I note will be perfect to conduct our experiments later on once we get settled and potentially get a little food in our bellies.

King comes up behind me and places his hands tenderly on my shoulders.

“Don’t worry,” he says, giving them a squeeze. “Like I said before, I mean it. I can do the research again to be able to complete the information again.”

I turn to face him and smile warmly. “Are you sure you can remember everything?”

He takes a deep breath and glances outside.

“Absolutely,” he states with confidence.

“I can help you,” I admit. “It’s my research anyway. I need to contribute as much as I can.”

“We’re ready,” Dylan walks up to join us. “We have everything we need to get started, either on paper or from things we have bought to help with the testing.”

“You guys are seriously the fucking best ever,” I chuckle. “I probably wouldn’t be this far without you.”

I privately admit that even with the research notes and formulas, I wouldn’t be able to do all this alone or without their help.

* * *

Later that night after dinner, I watch as King works on his laptop in the living room, diligently working and trying to get ahead.

“You’re a workaholic,” I tease as I sit across from him on the loveseat.

“I just want to make sure you get ahead in your experiments,” he admits with humble grace.

“What he’s trying to say,” Dylan says as he takes a bite of an apple, “is that he’s a little suck up.”

“Oh, stop teasing each other,” I say lightheartedly with a giggle. “I think it’s sweet.”

I glance up at King and notice a twinkle in his eyes.

In all honesty, I do admire the way he genuinely hits the grindstone daily to help me achieve my dreams.

“King is such a kiss ass that he helps other faculty members complete their work and deadlines, too,” Simon laughs.

King scoffs. “I can’t help it if I’m smarter than everyone else.”

“In your dreams,” Dylan says through a mouthful of apple.

“You’re dynamic and intense, but I think it’s awesome,” I admit, coming to King’s rescue.

“Thank you,” he grins and squeezes my hand from across the coffee table.

Seriously though, all that stamina he has and the ability to do enormous amounts of work while still maintaining his raw and magnetizing energy…it’s totally sexy and a major turn on for me.

“Anyone want any wine?” Simon asks and claps his hands together.

The rest of us raise our hands in unison.

“I do!” I shout out with exuberance. “Everything is better with wine.”

“I concur,” Simon winks at me and walks to the kitchen to retrieve a couple of bottles for us to share and enjoy together.

“I have to confess something to you guys.” I glance around the room and bite my lip.

“You’re really a girl…right?” Simon asks with mock horror.

“Shut up,” I giggle and playfully slap his leg. “Yes, I’m really a girl. It’s nothing crazy like that.”

“Then please, do enlighten us,” Simon coaxes me on.

“Yeah, I love a good story over wine,” King winks at me.

Taking a deep breath, I decide to be honest with the guys about the research. “Well, the reason this research is so important to me, is because my grandfather and some other relatives I had died because of the effects of the coal in their health. Then, my own father volunteered to help the miners, but he died because of an accident down there.”

I stop to gauge the guys’ reactions. It’s not my intention to turn this party into a sob fest, but I’m passionate about this work and they have a right to know why they have to work so hard at it for me.

“That is so terrible,” Dylan rubs my back consolingly.

“Everyone knows that it’s because of the coal mining company’s negligence,” I admit bitterly.

“It’s a damn shame,” King leans back and gives me a touching glance.

I feel myself becoming more inebriated by the wine. I’m chugging it down as if it’s water. I know I should probably calm down and pace myself, but I think it’s probably too late for that now.

I’m already too far gone to stop.

I can’t help the emotions as they threaten to swallow me whole with the internal grief I’ve been struggling with for so long.

I have to release it because it’s intense and festering inside of me. Maybe if I vent to the guys tonight, I’ll get it out of my system, and I can have the closure I need to move on and charge forward full steam ahead.

I hiccup, and then choke back an inevitable sob. I can’t contain it any longer, and a few tears spill over my cheeks, revealing the true misery I feel about being alone.

“I miss my family,” I state and my voice cracks.

The guys look at each other as if they’re confused and don’t know how to approach a hysterically distraught woman.

I can’t really blame them; even I’m shocking myself with my behavior. I’m going to just go out on a limb here and blame the wine for my outburst of emotion tonight, even if I probably will be humiliated by the time the dawn lights up the sky again.

“My mother died giving birth to me,” I wail. “I’m a fucking orphan.”

Dylan and King wrap their arms around me because they’re closest to me. Simon then walks up to join the group hug of misery and crouches down to stroke my tear stained cheek.

“Since my mom died before I ever got a chance to know her, I grew up majorly close to my father,” I admit.

“Dads’ are good that way,” Simon gave me a warm smile.

“Yeah,” I chuckle through my tears and wipe my wet eyes. “Yeah, they really are. I was always daddy’s little girl.”

“I can totally see you in that role,” King grins playfully at me, but his voice is soothing, intoxicatingly sexy even through my distraught state of mind.

I glance at each of them, each with their own unique set of qualities and chemistry that makes me attracted to them. I love how they’re able to calm me down with little effort, it’s like their presence is enough to console me.

“I’m thankful that you guys are here with me,” I confess. “Sorry I’m being such a buzzkill.”

“It’s really okay,” Dylan says softly. “We’re always going to be here for you, no matter what.”

“I don’t feel alone anymore,” I admit.

“Nor should you ever again,” King responds.

I smile at all three of them, then begin to feel the tingle of desire rising in my belly like a warmth spreading throughout my veins.

The fact that they’re so concerned for my emotional well-being makes me so hot for them I can barely stand it.

Without a word, I stand up and slowly begin to undress myself. The moment is so erotic and passion filled that I can hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

My skin feels intensely hot, burning with the deep-rooted desire I feel for each of them together as a unit.

The simple fact that they’re willing to give me so much positive affection and attention makes me want them even more, an insatiable craving that I am desperate to quench.

I strip with the intention of being naked in front of them, right here in the living room.

I’m not crazy, just lustfully passionate.

I know I’m teasing them, and that makes the magical moment feel even sexier…more sensual.

Their eyes are hungry as they stare at me with longing.

The ball is in my court, and I have them under my seductive spell.