Zoe
“Kai!” I raced across the hotel lobby and launched myself into his arms. He lifted me up off the ground and spun me around as I clutched at him.
A rather dry, amused voice came from behind me. “You act like you haven’t seen him in years. It’s been less than a month,” Asher pointed out.
I barely listened because Kai was transferring me into another set of strong arms.
Landon kissed my cheek, holding me close. “I’ve missed you so much.”
I clung to him, our foreheads together. I would’ve liked to kiss him until I lost my breath, but this was a public place. Not that I cared much what the other people in the busy lobby thought.
Finally, Landon handed me back to another guy who looked just like him.
“Wait, are there three of you now?” I asked with a laugh as Kai took me into his arms again.
“You wouldn’t be able to handle three of us,” Kai growled in my ear.
“I think I handle three of you just fine,” I whispered, but Asher heard me and laughed.
“That’s for damn sure.”
“I meant three twins,” Kai said. He made no move to put me down. He had on jeans and a light jacket, nothing like the heavy but elegant winter coat I’d borrowed from a friend. Apparently, he didn’t feel the need to bundle up as much in a city like Chicago as he did on a mountaintop.
“Three twins,” Landon said, sounding amused. “If only there were another term for that.”
“People are watching,” I finally said to Kai, who was holding me in a way that felt great but wasn’t exactly discreet.
Instead of letting go, he kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear. “I don’t blame them for watching you. It’s one of my favorite hobbies.”
Heat flooded me, and I knew exactly what kind of things he liked to watch.
Finally, he let me down, and I slid to the floor, my legs a bit shaky. Quite a few people were looking our way. I supposed it wasn’t too odd for a woman to race across a hotel lobby and leap into a man’s arms, but them passing me back and forth between them probably had raised a few eyebrows. But I couldn’t bring myself to mind, not when I loved it when they did that. Plus, at this hotel, I was a guest, not staff.
“Did you already check in?” Asher asked.
“Yep, we’re all set.” Landon handed him a card key.
“Let’s go up to the room and not leave for three days.” Kai’s voice was heavy with erotic promise.
That sounded amazing to me, but there was one problem. “Except that Ash has a list of a trillion restaurants he wants us to try. I think he’s scheduled us for five meals a day.”
“That might be a slight exaggeration.” Asher’s dark eyes flashed. He and I had been working our asses off since the semester started, and I knew he was as happy to have this short break with the twins as I was. “Which one of you doesn’t like Indian again?”
“Me,” Landon said.
“We’re going to show you the error of your ways.”
Landon shrugged good-naturedly. “Sure. I’ll give anything a try.”
Kai leaned down, and the scent of pine and his warm, toned body reached me. “I sure hope you share the same attitude,” he whispered, then he nipped at my earlobe.
We really needed to get up to the room before we got thrown out for public indecency or something. Which was valid—it was indecent how excited I was to be with my three guys again.
* * *
“I told you I didn’t want to waste any time while we’re in Chicago going to an art museum,” Kai said grumpily.
I couldn’t help laughing even as Asher frowned. We were all dressed up—the men in suits that made them look devastating, and me in that deep blue-gray dress from the boutique at The Fraser. The one that still made me feel like someone else when I wore it. Someone confident and desired.
“In a restaurant like this, the presentation of the food is every bit as important as how it tastes,” Asher said with a slight defensive note in his voice.
“I’m with Kai,” Landon said. “I’m here to eat. If I want to admire something beautiful, I know where to look.” His intense gaze pinned me in place, making my skin flush and my pulse spike.
But I could see the twins’ point. We each had a different dish, each with a small, artistically arranged portion that looked nothing like any food I’d ever seen. It honestly did look more like a sculpture than cuisine. To me at least. Asher probably knew every single gastronomic technique they’d used.
He was in his element, studying each plate with the kind of focus he usually reserved for his own cooking. The rest of us? We were here to support him, but I secretly figured that the twins, like me, would be happy with a good burger.
“Will you show us how to eat it?” I asked him.
“No one is eating it,” Kai grumbled, looking around the restaurant. “They’re just taking pictures and posting on Instagram.”
I looked around at the other tables, and it was half true. Some of the other customers appeared to be as awed and confused as we were, while others—who had that ultra-rich Langley look about them—seemed completely unfazed and unimpressed.
Several courses later—a meal that probably cost more than a semester’s worth of textbooks—I was finally served something I recognized as chicken. Far fancier than any chicken I’d ever eaten, arranged with the precision of a jeweler setting diamonds, but at least I understood what it was.
“So do you two eat this way every day back in Haverford?” Landon asked.
He was being more open-minded about the situation than Kai, but I could tell this wasn’t his element either. None of us really fit in here except for Asher. Though even that wasn’t quite true. I had no doubt Asher could create food that looked like works of art—I’d seen him do it—but his food was also approachable and utterly delicious. This felt more like… a statement.
“There’s not a lot of time between classes,” I said, “but Ash never lets me go hungry.”
“That’s the benefit of living with a chef,” Kai said casually.
“We’re not living together,” I said quickly.
Asher agreed just as fast. “She’s still got her own apartment.”
“Yeah?” Kai’s eyebrow rose. “You mean the one her sister is currently living in?”
I flushed because he had a point.
Peyton was using my old bed and hanging out with my roommates. It just made sense for me to sometimes stay where there was a bit more room. Like Asher’s place.
“I still can’t believe that situation with her didn’t work out,” Landon said. “Who knew that moving across the country for a guy you hadn’t even met in person wouldn’t be a good idea?”
I laughed because I wholeheartedly agreed and had told him that many times on the phone. “At least her tuition’s been paid. That part was real.”
Turned out Michael had been sending Peyton pictures of himself from his twenties while he was actually in his forties. She’d been upset about being catfished, but it hadn’t kept her down for long. She already had more friends in Haverford than I did. I wasn’t sure how her classes were going, though—Peyton had never really been the studious type.
Landon pushed a tiny round object around his plate with his fork, clearly trying to figure out what it was. I had no clue either.
“So you’re staying at Asher’s place every night,” Landon said, “but you’re not living together.”
“Exactly,” I said a little too quickly, and Asher nodded.
“If we locked you in a sauna, would you admit you’re living together?” Kai asked. “This time, we’d really crank up the heat.”
Asher laughed and gave me a very direct look that made my stomach clench. “If I get locked in a sauna with you again, there’s no way I’d waste any time on conversation.”
“Me either,” I said, my voice coming out breathier than I intended.
The twins exchanged knowing looks, and I felt my cheeks flush. God, I’d missed them. It had only been a month, but being here with all three of them again felt right in a way that I couldn’t explain. But I didn’t have to—I was thrilled we were all together, even if it was just for the weekend.
The waiter appeared with yet another elaborate course—something involving edible flowers and gold leaf—and I barely paid attention as he explained it. All I could think about was getting back to the hotel. About having all of them to myself without fancy restaurants or other diners watching. About finally being able to touch them the way I’d been wanting to all evening.
Asher caught my eye across the table and smiled like he knew exactly what I was thinking.
“So,” I said, trying to sound casual as the waiter cleared our plates, “should we skip dessert and head back?”
Asher’s eyes darkened. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Kai was already signaling for the check.
Landon smiled, that slow smile that always made my heart race. “Let’s go for it.”
The meal might have been fancy, but what I really wanted was waiting for us back at the hotel. All four of us. Together.
* * *
The car wasn’t big enough for all of us, so Asher and Kai were coming in a different Uber. It was too cold and my heels were too high to walk that far back to the hotel.
In the backseat, the city lights flashed past the windows in streaks of gold and white. The interior was dark except for the passing city lights, creating moments of brightness before plunging us back into shadow. It felt intimate, just me and Landon in this small space, with the rest of the world rushing by outside.
He shifted beside me, and I could feel the warmth of his body even though we weren’t quite touching yet.
“I’m glad to see you and Asher aren’t fighting anymore,” he said.
“Yeah. That’s nice.”
“But maybe things have swung in the opposite direction.” His voice was gentle in the darkness. “Maybe you’re getting along too well.”
I scoffed at that. “How is it possible to get along too well?”
“You tell me. You’re the one who didn’t want to admit to living with him.”
“I’m not—” I paused, uncertain. Maybe I was protesting a bit too much. “Why would that be a problem if we’re getting along?”
“It might bring up some feelings for you.”
“Like what?” And why was I sitting next to the only guy in the world who insisted on talking about feelings?
“You tell me,” Landon said quietly.
Damn it, why was he this perceptive? I looked out the window, watching the buildings glide past. “It’s just all so new,” I admitted finally. “We’re acting like a team. Like a—” I couldn’t say the word couple, so I moved on. “He’s helping me. I’m helping him. I never imagined that.”
“How does he help you?”
I told him about the little student-run café I managed, tucked away in a forgotten corner of campus. “Asher brings a batch of his breakfast burritos once a week now, and people started lining up for them. Now that they know about the place, they keep coming back. Business has really picked up. I’m even thinking about hiring a second barista.” Possibly even Peyton, although all kinds of things could go wrong with that.
Landon squeezed my hand and waited for me to finish my thoughts.
“And I think I’m helping him too.”
“You are. He said you got him out of his contract for making the shirtless videos.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“How?” Landon asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.
“Well, I thought about what you guys had done for me. How you’d appealed to Edward Pierce to write that internship report for me, which has made all the difference in the world.” Though it was dark, I could feel the intensity in his eyes as he watched me. “So I thought about the fact that Asher had posted a video from the kitchens of The Fraser—and how Edward Pierce might not appreciate having his luxury resort represented online in that manner.”
Landon waved me off. “He wouldn’t care.”
I laughed. “I know that, and you know that. But Asher’s sponsor didn’t. We made it sound like The Fraser had a legal team ready to come after them if they didn’t take down the video and cancel their contract with him.”
“So that’s why those videos aren’t online anymore?”
“Yeah. He’s free to be a serious chef now.”
Landon stroked my leg, his touch sending warmth through me even as he chuckled softly. “That’s good. But I hope being a serious chef doesn’t mean working entirely with expensive but completely unrecognizable food like we had tonight.”
“God, me too.” Then I changed the subject. “So how are things with you and Kai?” The twins had been very close for years but had grown apart over the past one.
“Better,” Landon said after a brief pause. “We’re not in lockstep like we were when we were twins. But maybe that’s okay, because we’re adults now. It’s different, and—” He frowned down at me. “Wait, we weren’t done talking about you and Ash.”
“Weren’t we?” I asked, trying to sound innocent.
He pinched my thigh to show he saw right through that. Heat ran up my leg to my core—until he continued on. “I have a theory about why it makes you uncomfortable that you’re getting along so well.”
“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” I said, even though uneasiness was already creeping through my chest. “Why would I not want to get along with him?”
“Because of us,” Landon said simply.
A pit opened in my stomach, but I kept my voice neutral. “What do you mean?”
“I mean maybe it feels like, since you’re getting along so well with Asher, you’re cutting us out of the picture.”
“I would never do that,” I said quickly.
He gave me a steady look and squeezed my hand. The streetlights illuminated his face for a moment, and I could see the understanding there. “First off, you could if that’s what’s best for you. But secondly, if that’s not what you want, you don’t have to feel guilty. All of this is temporary, Zoe. You’ve got just three more months of school. It’s natural to be close to him because you’re in the same situation—taking classes, wrapping up your senior year. It’s what’s happening now, but it’s not forever. In another three months, everything will change.”
“But how?” I whispered, and I felt tears prick at my eyes. “We’re applying for jobs all over. What if I end up on the other side of the country from you two and from Asher? What if I’m not near any of you?”
That was my secret worry. The main one was that I couldn’t be with all of them. But even worse—what if I wasn’t with any of them?
“Then we deal with it,” Landon said. “We’re making long-distance work now.”
“But I don’t want that.”
“Neither do we, but you’ve worked far too long to jeopardize your career plans for a man.” He gave a wry smile that I could barely see in the darkness. “Or three men. But here’s the thing.”
I waited, holding my breath.
“We met at a resort where we all had jobs to do. I bet somewhere out there, there’s a place where we can do that again. We all have skills that are pretty marketable at high-end resorts. I’ve been trying to talk Kai into training for the ski patrol. But don’t forget he’s like catnip to elderly resort owners. We have options.”
Hope fluttered in my chest. “Options,” I repeated. I liked the sound of that.
“We can make plans,” he continued, “but we don’t have to figure it all out this weekend. Just know that if you want all three of us in your life, you’ve got it. Because we want that too.”
I was blinking back tears but needed to clarify. “How can we know for sure? We haven’t known each other all that long, and this weekend is going to be about sex—”
Landon grinned. “Really hot sex.”
“I’m looking forward to that part,” I admitted.
“But that’s not all this weekend is about. Even with three guys hung like horses, we can’t go twenty-four-seven. There’ll be time to talk and plan. Maybe three, even four minutes between rounds.”
I laughed and scooted over, leaning my head against his shoulder. His arm came around me, pulling me in close. The largest city I’d ever been in surrounded us, yet it felt like Landon and I were in our own little cocoon, and I felt safe and understood. I didn’t want the real world to intrude… but I did very much want two other people to join us in our cozy little retreat.
The man next to me truly understood and accepted me. And that was just as much of a gift as what was soon going to happen back at the hotel.
* * *
I leaned against Kai’s chest, my breathing still heavy though his heartbeat was returning to normal beneath my ear. It probably helped that he was so damn fit.
Landon was behind me, his hand stroking my thigh in slow, lazy circles. Asher was on the other side of Kai, close enough that I could reach out and touch him if I wanted. We were all exhausted in the best possible way, content and sated and tangled together.
“I’m so glad we finally got to spend the holidays together,” Landon said.
I giggled, still in a bit of a sex haze. “You mean Groundhog’s Day?”
“We were busy during Christmas and New Year’s,” Asher pointed out. “Weird holidays might be all we get for a while. That’s how the hospitality industry works.”
There was a moment of silence. They kept stroking me lazily—Landon’s hand on my thigh, Kai’s fingers tracing patterns on my arm, Asher’s outstretched hand ruffling my hair. I felt so comfortable with them, exhausted in the most wonderful way after everything we’d done together.
“I like this,” I whispered. “I like this so much.”
“We’ve spoiled you for other men,” Kai said, his voice full of satisfaction. “Sex will never be the same.”
“I don’t want other men,” I said quietly.
Asher made it into a joke. “Well, three men should be enough for any woman.”
It wasn’t a joke to me. I wanted so badly to explain how I felt but didn’t quite know how to dive in. But we were all here now, and I had to try. “But what if I’d like you even if we never had sex again?”
Kai pretended to be upset. “Don’t say that.”
Landon reached over and shoved him. “Shut up and let her talk.”
Except I didn’t know what to say next—but Landon always did.
“Back at The Fraser, you said it was impossible to have feelings for three people at one time,” Landon said gently. “Do you still feel that way?”
“No. I know it’s possible.” I knew it because they’d taught me that. Through the sex lessons, yes. But also because they’d demonstrated it for me. The connection the three of them had made me long for things I’d never even admitted to myself. Not sex, but closeness. And real closeness meant sharing yourself—and maybe even your life—with someone else.
“I know it’s possible because I love each of you.”
The words landed in the quiet room, solid and real, and suddenly I was terrified of them.
“I know it’s fast,” I rushed on. “And maybe it’s ridiculous, and we haven’t known each other that long, and I shouldn’t—”
Asher reached over and covered my mouth, firm but gentle, stopping the spiral before it could carry me away.
“Breathe, baby girl,” Kai murmured, his hand warm on my arm.
Landon’s touch was steady on my thigh, grounding me. “We’ve got you.”
Asher lowered his hand just enough to look at me. “You don’t need to justify how you feel.”
“I love you too,” Landon said simply.
“Me too,” Kai added, without hesitation.
“And me,” Asher said. The intensity in his dark gaze made my heart sing and ache at the same time.
Happiness threatened to burst inside my chest, but I couldn’t quite accept it yet. “But how is this even possible? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Does it have to make sense?” Kai asked. “Can’t we just go with it? I told you I’m a simple man with simple pleasures. I like you. I like your body. I like having sex with you. And I love you. These two guys, while being nowhere near the catch that I am, also love you.”
“Why does that make you panic?” Landon asked, his hand tightening on my thigh.
“Because I can’t trust it. It’s almost too good to be true.”
“Almost,” Asher said with a smile I could hear in his voice. “This wasn’t what I was looking for either. I knew these guys would always be a part of my life, so I thought that was all I needed. It left me free to focus a hundred and fifty percent on my career.”
“I know that feeling,” I said.
“But now I’m looking for more,” Asher continued. “If I can find love with an amazing woman and have a shot at spending my life with her and my best friends, why wouldn’t I go for that? Why wouldn’t you go for that?”
I looked at each of them, at the hope and certainty in their eyes. Maybe it didn’t have to make sense. Maybe I could just trust this, trust them, trust what we had together.
Landon was right, everything was going to change soon anyway. Why not fight to make that change together? “Okay,” I whispered. “Let’s go for it.”
Kai pulled me closer, Landon pressed a kiss to my shoulder, and Asher’s hand found mine. We lay there together in the darkness, four people who’d somehow found each other against all odds. The future was still uncertain, full of questions we hadn’t answered yet, but for the first time, that didn’t feel like a problem. Whatever came next, we’d figure it out the same way we had everything else so far.
Together.
(c) Stephanie Brother 2025
