EPILOGI 'The Choice'

Chapter 3 - Four

"Boys!"

They all look up and instantly stop what they were doing. "Why don't you all come in here and grab a bite first, young lads!", Eric prompts them to come in.

Them. Oh God! I don't know what I'm feeling right now. I can feel the heat spreading from my face to the shallow depth between my legs.

One by one they entered the lobby parading their chiseled bodies in front of us. Where the hell are their damn shirts? My mouth fell further to the floor if that's even possible. I rubbed off imaginary dust from my jeans and kept my eyes towards the floor, as I felt a chirpy Lily grab my arm and steadies herself beside me.

I motioned my gaze at Lily and see her carrying a thousand-megawatt grin towards me, while constantly squeezing my arm. What is she taking? I might need some.

"Ughm" someone coughs up. "Is she-" he, the one nearest Eric, was cut off by Eric himself.

"This is Rachelle" he announced. All four pairs of eyes soon glued to mine. "She will be the new proprietress of our cabin." Eric adds.

I can feel their gaze on me. A shy smile formed on my lips unknowingly. And soon extends my arms to shake theirs.

What? f**k it. I curse myself in my head. When did I ever get this confident? What are these guys doing to me?

My train of thoughts soon blew away, as I felt a warm hand gently touch mine. I look up to see a deep set of blue eyes looking through me. "Hi, I'm Rob." His firm hands are rough but warm, very warm. Attached to these hands are well-built arms. I noticed his left arm to have an intricate ink. His barrel chest and toned abdomen glistened with sweat make me drool. Curly dark-brown locks fall on his face just above his eyes. And his smile sends shivers through my spine but heats up in my most sensitive areas. Oh God please help me. One down, three to go. I swear, by the end of this I'll be drowning. Yes, down there.

Rob's hand was soon replaced by another. Shifting my gaze to the next, I set sight on his blue orbs, just like Rob's but with little specs of gold. "I'm Kayne." he said with a firm hold on me. He is more brawny than Rob, an inch or two shorter, a lighter shade of brown locks, and has a deep growl in his voice complementing his size which is not saving my drenched friend from drowning.

If you look at them both closer, you'll see a lot of similarities making them most probably brothers or cousins. I remember Eric saying they gained four boys, but did not mention if the four of them are related.

"I am Tag!" says the next one. "Their eldest brother." Ha! my suspicion proved right. Tag is the tallest one, maybe around 6' 5", it made me angle my head a bit higher. A little thin but is just right for his height. His body is slightly built just enough to keep up with the others. His statuesque body makes him look like the head amongst the four, which fits just right being the eldest and all. His eyes are gray but shifts to a lighter shade of blue as the sunlight pouring from the small skylight hits his face. Yep! Not much help either.

Okay so I'm down to the last and I'm sweating like a pig. I held on to my smile since Rob but is now fading due to the uneasy feeling in the temples of my arousal. This kind of attention from other people, and from four drool-worthy men for that matter, has my heart pounding like a drum and my emotions skyrockexd1ting all over the place. I know it's wrong, but I can't help it. I've been hiding in the dark for too long.

I shifted uneasily where I stand just as a pair of strong hands wrap my hand, steadying me. They're strong but gentle. I found myself staring at the tribal flower ink on his hand. "And I'm Gage." I looked at him and brought back the smile that was on my lips. His eyes are blue as well, a darker shade with green streaks like the ocean. He is buffed as the others as well. He melted my walls with his bright smile highlighting a small stubble on his jaw.

"It's so nice to meet you", Gage continues. I gave him a nod and a sheepish smile before he lets go of my hand. But I noticed his expression change as the rock on my finger grazed his palm. I froze for a moment, and just like that, the pool that has been settling in my knickers was sucked back in and has knocked me off guard with realization. I snatched my hand back and composed myself before I motioned myself back to Rob.

"Nice to meet you all.", I said as I shift my gaze from each of them, trying my best to act normal.

I was so caught up in the moment that I forgot. I completely forgot everything. Is that a bad thing? I'm here to start fresh anyway. I'm actually here to forget. But why do I feel guilty about it?  o

"Come my children let's settle down with lunch." Lily interrupts my thoughts coming to my side still with her blinding smile like she just received the best Christmas gift ever. I felt comfort in Lily's motherly touch.

A hand on the small of my back guided me through the door entering the cafe, "You'll love the food here, Nana's stew is the best." Tag points out pertaining to Lily.

Comfort turns into discomfort. I can still feel Gage staring at the side of my head. And if I turn my head a little more to his direction, I know for sure that his questioning gaze would meet mine.

We all sat together in the cafe, Eric at the end of the table, Lily to his right, I am to his left. The 'boys', I mean guys, settled down on the remaining seats. Tag sat beside me as he wore his shirt back making the fabric cling to his chest not hiding much what's underneath. Gage, with his head, hung low, sat beside Lily, but left his shirt hanging on his shoulder, leaving half, or most of his torso exposed. Rob and Kayne sat towards the other end of the table, still naked as can be.

We ate and chat throughout the meal. I just focused on my food but can't help but join in the conversation from time to time. I missed this. I missed being around happy people, despite some bickering among the boys. Yes, now they're boys. They may be physically mature but boy are they like kids when they bicker.

"Lily, that meal is probably the best I ever had." I complimented her. She smiled sheepishly and grabbed my hand across the table for a quick squeeze. Oh boy does she love to squeeze.

"That's nothing dear. I'll teach you the recipe when you're settled in."

"So Rachelle," we all turned to the direction of Rob. "Why here?" He asks as he turns his lips up into a sexy smirk.

I know I'm now staring at his lips like I haven't eaten a whole meal and still want to devour something. I snapped from it shaking my head in the process. "I have lived far too long along the coast and just wanted to have a change of scene." I half lied.

"Oh, from where?" Kayne asks steadying his chin on his hand, eyeing me like a detective.

"From Westport." I said truthfully. "The weather there is menacingly hot and the idea of lush greenery is so tempting."

"You'll certainly love it here then." Tag says as he lays his arms at the back of my chair. I felt heat come up to my cheeks. I feel like I'm trapped in a bubble with them.

My bubble instantly burst as Gage finally joins in the conversation, "Any family?"

"Uhm... My..." I started to stutter. I know at some point this would be brought up, but I was not that ready. "Uhm...I'm... well, I'm an orphan, never adopted. So uhm.... none. There's no one." again a half-lie.

"No man?" Gage immediately adds, peeking through his lashes while looking down, his arm propped up at the backrest if his chair and his other played with his fork.

My hands began to shake from under the table. I know that he knows what the rock on my hand is. He's the only one who noticed it. I can't make up an alibi so I just shrugged.

Thankfully, Gage did not follow through on his interrogation. I know he was just getting to know me better but it felt more like an interrogation.

"You'll definitely enjoy your new home here dear." Eric said as he stood up.

I glanced at each and every one of them, "Oh I know I will."

A/N: Thank you guys for being here.

I know it's too early but who would you ship Rachelle with?

What do you think happened to her?

Comment your ideas..

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