The Five Brothers Next Door: A Reverse Harem Romance Read online

  Luckily, they can only look at Jessica’s red waves from the back, and the one they know at this table is me.

  Anxiety grips my heart as Mason’s gaze lands on me. Bright morning sunlight behind him forces me to squint as I take in his glowing form. Recognition quickly fills his green eyes, and his lips slowly curl up.

  I nervously return his smile, painfully aware that my stomach is tied up in knots, and my panties are about to spontaneously combust.

  He waves, and I wave back.

  When the other brothers follow the direction of Mason’s gaze, Tony grips my thigh, hard.

  “They’re looking at you, Ava. They’re looking at you. Oh god. They’re looking at you, aren’t they?”

  “Jesus, Tone. Keep your cool,” Sarah says.

  “I promise you, you’ll find it hard to keep your cool too if you see what I—” Tony doesn’t finish his sentence because he starts making a weird throaty noise with his mouth closed.

  He grabs his coffee cup like it’s the cure for whatever’s ailing him. Holding the edge against his mouth to hide his lips, he squeaks, “They’re coming.”

  Nathan

  “Hi, Ava,” Mason says as he approaches the table where the girl’s sitting.

  And by “the girl,” I mean the cute little brunette with the shy smile. She’s even blushing as she says “hi” back to Mason.

  I listen closely as they make small talk. Mason’s asking the girl for recommendations and she’s pointing to her half-eaten plate of what looks like a full English breakfast.

  I like a girl with an appetite, but so far, I don’t see what’s so special about her.

  But when Mason, Ollie, and even Liam beeline for the same girl, there’s no way I don’t take notice.

  Out of the five of us, Noah and I share women most often. Don’t get me wrong, I love all my brothers, but Noah’s almost like a part of myself. We also spend a lot of time together because we co-manage the same department.

  But also, there’s the twin thing.

  Women tend to be more . . . open to new experiences when they realize Noah and I are likely offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We’re probably responsible for a lot of ticks on a lot of women’s bucket lists.

  It’s definitely easier to score when it’s Noah and me tag-teaming the same woman. We’ve done it with Mason a bunch of times and once with Ollie, too, making it a peak total of four of us on one lucky lady.

  It’s not that Liam doesn’t share. He’s done it a couple of times before, apparently, with Mason.

  But I’ve had enough gang bangs to crave something new and different, to heighten the thrill in some way . . . like . . . having all five of us share one woman.

  Can you imagine? It would be hedonism at its most epic.

  Five brothers. One lady. We’ll kiss and lick and suck and fuck her into orbit.

  That’s the plan for the Hunter brothers this holiday season. Well, only Noah and I came up with it, actually. But I’m sure the others won’t mind.

  What can I say? Growing up, our parents were always either fighting or fucking, which has fundamentally affected the way we view sex. Obviously, this ailment has its roots in childhood trauma. The cure is . . . well, why do I need a cure? I’m loving this.

  That psycho-babble isn’t real, by the way. But it’s convincing, right? I pride myself on my ability to spin a story in the direction that maximizes my chances of closing the deal—whether it’s for business or pleasure.

  As deal-makers, Noah and I know someone who’s trying to close a deal when we see him.

  And right now, Mason is definitely trying to close a deal. He’s looming over Ava, one hand on the marble tabletop and another on the back of the banquette bench she's sitting on.

  For her part, Ava doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she’s leaning toward Mason.

  Is she our unicorn, who’ll let all five of us share her? Or is Mason the only one she wants?

  A guy with a weird hat sits beside Ava. He seems to be a little too enthusiastic about his coffee-drinking. If I were the barista, I’d cut him off. Dude’s obviously had too much caffeine.

  Across the table from them sit two women, a redhead and a brunette. The redhead’s kind of pretty but a little too skinny for my taste. They sit and watch as Ollie starts to put on the moves on Ava, too.

  “I was hoping to see you again after last night. Your parents weren't upset, were they?” Ollie asks. Somehow, he can make empty small talk sound real and genuine.

  If I were to try and mimic him, I’d just seem like a fake because I don't actually care how her parents are doing, whereas Ollie cares about everything—street kids in India, clean water supply for Kenyans, the manatees that were beached after the hurricane in Florida, and the list goes on.

  “No.” Ava shakes her head, causing tendrils of her chestnut-colored hair to fall over her forehead. “Don't worry. They were fine.”

  The two women at the table appear to be exchanging glances with weird-hat guy.

  It's probably shocking to see two brothers vie for the attention of one girl so openly. But what people won’t guess is that Mason and Ollie aren’t competing with each other. They’re on the same team because they don't mind sharing.

  And this time, since we’re all here, and we’re all relatively free for a change, maybe we can finally do a five-in-one.

  I catch Noah’s eye and we share a split-second look. That’s enough. He knows what I have in mind because he’s thinking about the same thing, too.

  Move over, boys. We close deals with difficult clients all the time. Let the pros work on this Ava girl. We’ll get her, and then we’ll share her with the rest of you.

  Ava

  “Excuse me, you’re blocking the way. If you stand there any longer, you’re going to get us fined because the fire department’s going to consider you permanent fixtures.” Linda, the owner of Sunny Side Up, stands with arms akimbo, frowning at the Hunter brothers. Stiff, angry sticks of red hair poke out of the bandana on her head.

  The five brothers act like cheeky boys who’ve gotten caught doing something naughty. They share looks and secret smiles.

  “I’m sorry for my brothers’ behavior,” Liam says.

  “Is he seriously apologizing for us?” Nathan whispers to his twin brother, Noah.

  Even though they’re both tall, dark, and charming, it’s always been easy for me to tell Nathan and Noah apart.

  And no, it’s not just because they’re wearing different clothes, even though Nathan’s wearing dark leather while Noah’s wearing light knit.

  Nathan’s like water from a dam when the floodgates have just been opened, and Noah’s like a gently flowing river. They’re similar—identical, even, if you pick them apart and compare the parts. But they’re different.

  I remember when I was just a little girl, watching the boys next door play basketball in their backyard from my second-floor bedroom window. Nathan was always clenching his teeth, ready to go, whereas Noah had a relaxed smile on his face the entire time, like he was just absorbing the awesomeness of hanging out with all his brothers.

  But right now, instead of helping his brothers get out of trouble, Noah turns to face me. He leans against the table and shoots me a friendly grin. “I’m sorry for my brothers’ behavior, too, Ava. We’re interrupting your brunch, and your food’s getting cold.”

  “Oh, no, we don’t mind,” Tony says from beside me, speaking up for the first time since my old neighbors arrived. “We don’t mind at all. Right, ladies?”

  Both Sarah and Jessica nod their heads rapidly, apparently in complete agreement with Tony. They watch intently as Noah puts his palm on the table and moves to my side, partially blocking my exit.

  “How about we catch up some other time, in a place where we’re not fire hazards? It’s been so long since we saw each other,” Noah says, his gaze so intense my heart pounds under his scrutiny.

  I’m confused. Is Noah asking me out? I mean, not that I don’t like him because that�
��s crazy talk. Noah’s a kind, gentle soul, and any girl would be lucky to have him.

  But I was starting to like Ollie, too. Oh, and Mason. And Liam. Nathan, as well.

  If I say “yes” to Noah now, does that mean I won’t get a chance to get to know the other brothers?

  My mouth feels dry. It’s like a giant sponge has been lodged in my throat, sucking out all the moisture.

  I gasp when something hits my foot. Tony’s just kicked me under the table because Noah’s still watching me, waiting for my answer.

  I’m probably over-thinking this. Maybe Noah just wants to reconnect with an old neighbor.

  “Yes,” I say.

  “Yes, you’ll catch up with us?” Nathan cocks an eyebrow as he puts his forearm on the back of my banquette bench. Together with his twin brother, he completely blocks my exit.

  “With the two of you?” I try to gulp down my anxiety, but it doesn’t work. Can they hear my heartbeat?

  “With however many of us you want,” Nathan says, his voice dripping with wickedness.

  Is that . . . Is he saying what I think he’s saying, or am I reading too much into his voice? Maybe that’s just how he talks normally.

  Surely, he can’t possibly mean . . . anything more than just having coffee with whichever and however many of them I want . . . right?

  Right?

  Right. Right. There’s no other possible explanation. Gang bangs—with brothers!—only happen in porn.

  Calm your tits, Ava, I tell myself. You’re a high school teacher. Not a porn star.

  I’m sure Nathan’s just talking about a normal catch-up thing.

  “Sure. Okay,” I say.

  “Great. Do you have any plans tomorrow?” Noah asks.

  Not expecting such a specific scheduling question so soon, I say the only thing that comes to mind. “No.”

  “Perfect. Sunday morning’s a great time to go sightseeing. It’s been a while since we were all in town. Maybe you could show us what’s changed since we’ve been gone,” Noah says with a disarmingly sweet smile.

  Surreptitiously, I let out a small, relieved sigh. My muscles relax. They really just mean a tour of Ashbourne. Of course. Nothing too crazy.

  Oh, shit. Wait.

  Tomorrow? That’s too soon, right?

  I need time. How am I going to pick an outfit when I have less than twenty-four hours? Where am I going to take them so they don’t think I’m boring?

  “Where do you live now, little Ava?” Nathan asks. “You’re not so little anymore now, are you?”

  “Um, I live close to the high school,” I say. My cheeks are so hot they must be flushed red right now. The way Nathan speaks sends tingles straight to my center.

  Am I reading the atmosphere incorrectly, or is Nathan interested in something more exciting than just a tour of this sleepy town?

  But then . . . why a group outing?

  But it’s also not like I’d prefer to go alone with him rather than with all the Hunter brothers.

  Nathan dangles his phone in front of me. The dial pad is on the screen. “Give me your phone number.”

  I reach up to take the phone. But as soon as I touch the smooth plastic surface, Nathan’s index finger strokes the back of my hand. It’s quick, and nobody else seems to have noticed it, but I know what that was.

  And Nathan does, too. He winks at me.

  I drop my gaze down to his phone in my hands and enter my number.

  “You’re all welcome to come along too, of course,” Noah says to Tony, Sarah, and Jessica. “The more the merrier.”

  As the people sitting at my table tell Noah their weekend plans, Nathan’s giving me the kind of smoldering look that heats up my insides with need.

  Knowing my eyes are on him, he deliberately lets his gaze roam all over my body. The hungry glint in his green eyes gives me a hint as to what’s going on in that beautiful head of his . . . and it only makes me blush even harder.

  What the hell? I should be offended, right? That’s an inappropriate look, especially in front of so many people. At brunch time. On the day of the Shabbat—not that I’m Jewish.

  My point is, it’s inappropriate.

  So why does it feel like there’s a gaping need in my core?

  There’s promise in Nathan’s eyes, and I long for him to fulfill it.

  I avert my gaze as I give the phone back to Nathan. There’s electricity in the air, and it sizzles with desire.

  “Well, then, Ava, see you tomorrow,” Nathan says.

  When I look up, all five brothers are looking in my direction. In my bewilderment at the way the twins have coaxed an Ashbourne tour out of me, I didn’t realize the other brothers have somehow managed to sweet-talk Linda into letting them stand there longer.

  Five sinful smiles grace the brothers’ handsome faces.

  I feel like I’m looking at five copies of the Mona Lisa. Their smiles are so mysterious. I don’t know what’s behind them.

  They scare me, but they draw me closer nonetheless. The pull I feel toward them feels like gravity at this point. I can’t just walk away without looking deeper into whatever the hell is going on.

  The Hunter brothers say their goodbyes before they saunter away to a table at the other end of the restaurant where Linda’s waiting with a stack of menus.

  My chest fills with longing.

  They’re so far away and I want to be with them.

  No, I’m supposed to be with them.

  It’s the strangest thing. I’ve never felt such a strong pull toward anyone. And now I feel it toward five guys, all at once? And they’re brothers, too?

  I try to calm myself down. Don’t get ahead of yourself.

  In all likelihood, the brothers really do just need a tour guide and my overactive imagination is filling my mind with filthy thoughts most unbecoming of a high school teacher.

  When I turn my attention back to my own table, all three of my brunch companions are staring at me.

  “Well, well, well . . . Ava Green. Who would’ve thought?” Tony lifts up his hands and does a slow clap, which is joined by both Sarah and Jessica.

  “What?” My gaze flicks from Tony, to Jessica, and then to Sarah.

  “Well done,” she says.

  “How did you do it?” Jessica asks.

  “Do what? I only know them because they used to be my neighbors. It’s not an achievement. My parents just lived right next door to their parents.”

  “I’ve never had neighbors like those,” Sarah says, casting a glance at the Hunter brothers.

  “Me neither.” Tony raises one hand in the air as if Sarah’s taking attendance.

  “Me nei—” Jessica pauses. “Actually, Jacob used to be my neighbor before we got together. So technically I’ve had a hot neighbor before. And I slept with him. Still am, actually.”

  “If my boyfriend weren’t such a hot hunk of a man himself, I would’ve fought you for a piece of the action,” Sarah says to me.

  “What action? There’s no action. I’m just showing them around town,” I say.

  “Right. And the dog your parents took ‘to the farm’ really is living happily ever after among his new friends, the cows and the chickens,” Sarah says.

  “Yeah, stop acting all innocent, Ava Green. We’ve seen your true colors,” Tony says.

  “We all saw the way you were staring at them,” Jessica teases with a smile.

  “Okay. So I have a crush on them. That’s not weird.”

  “And we also saw the way they were staring at you,” Sarah adds.

  I pause. I look around the table, expecting to see some laughter. But they all look dead serious.

  “Really?” I ask.

  “Really,” all three of them say as they nod.

  “You’d have to be blind to not see it,” Jessica says.

  So it wasn’t just my imagination, then . . .

  “So . . .?” Tony asks as he turns his attention away from his coffee cup and faces me. He raises an eyebrow.

&nb
sp; “So what?”

  “You heard what the pretty twin boy said.” Tony drops his voice to mimic Nathan’s deep baritone. “‘However many of us you want.’”

  Both Jessica and Sarah lean forward and stare at me expectantly.

  “I don’t know. I mean . . . Are you sure they really mean . . .” My face boils. “Maybe it’s nothing. Just a ride around town.”

  Tony, Sarah, and Jessica shake their heads. They seem pretty certain that Nathan meant . . . Oh god, I can’t even say it in my head.

  “I’d ride all five of them around town,” Tony says. “Too bad my days of wild orgies are behind me now. I mean, I love Greg and all, but damn; I’m married, not blind.”

  “Amen,” Sarah says.

  “Let us live vicariously through you, Ava.” Jessica grins from across the table.

  “You guys, I don’t even know if—”

  “Honey, I know what I saw. I don’t want to get too graphic because there are kids in this restaurant, but they wanted you,” Tony says. “Trust me.”

  “That’s kind of hard to believe . . .”

  “Believe it,” Tony says. “It doesn’t happen often, and it never happens for some people, especially not with men as beautiful as those brothers . . .” Tony glances their way longingly. “As one of the lucky few who get the golden opportunity, it would be a cardinal sin for you to just let it go.”

  “Don’t you think that’s kind of . . .” I can’t believe I’m actually saying this “. . . slutty?”

  “That’s just a word people use when they get jealous because they’re not getting laid,” Jessica says.

  “Yeah. Who cares what people think?” Sarah asks.

  “Even if I . . .” I let my voice trail off. I can’t bring myself to finish this sentence.

  “Even if you what?” Sarah asks.

  “Yeah. You can’t just end your sentence in the middle like that.”

  “Even if I . . . um . . . like all five of them?”

  Mason

  It's the most pathetic thing.

  We’ve set aside some time in our busy schedules to visit our parents. For two whole months. Most parents would be so ecstatic they’d clear their calendars.