The Arrangement - A Reverse Harem Romance, page 1
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
1 - Kayleen
2 - Kayleen
3 - Kayleen
4 - Nathan
5 - Kayleen
6 - Kayleen
7 - Kayleen
8 - Burke
9 - Kayleen
10 - Kayleen
11 - Kayleen
12 - Kayleen
13 - Chase
14 - Kayleen
15 - Kayleen
16 - Kayleen
17 - Kayleen
18 - Burke
19 - Kayleen
20 - Kayleen
21 - Kayleen
22 - Kayleen
23 - Kayleen
24 - Nathan
25 - Kayleen
26 - Kayleen
27 - Kayleen
28 - Chase
29 - Kayleen
30 - Kayleen
31 - Kayleen
32 - Kayleen
33 - Kayleen
34 - Burke
35 - Kayleen
36 - Kayleen
37 - Kayleen
38 - Kayleen
39 - Kayleen
40 - Burke
41 - Kayleen
42 - Kayleen
43 - Kayleen
44 - Nathan
45 - Kayleen
46 - Kayleen
47 - Kayleen
48 - Kayleen
49 - Chase
50 - Kayleen
51 - Kayleen
52 - Kayleen
53 - Kayleen
54 - Kayleen
55 - Kayleen
56 - Kayleen
57 - Kayleen
Epilogue
Protecting Dallas
About the Author
~ The Arrangement ~
A Reverse Harem
Love Story
Krista Wolf
Copyright © 2019 Krista Wolf
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior consent of the author.
Cover image: Stock footage — story is unrelated to subject/models
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~ Other Books by Krista Wolf ~
Quadruple Duty
Quadruple Duty II - All or Nothing
Shared
Snowed In
Unwrapping Holly
Protecting Dallas
The Arrangement
Chronicles of the Hallowed Order
Book one: Ghosts of Averoigne
Book two: Beyond the Gates of Evermoore
Book three: Claimed by the Pack
One
KAYLEEN
“No, hold it like this. And don’t cut all the way through. Only three-quarters.”
I closed my hand over Chase’s, helping my would-be student work the knife. It was more an excuse than anything, just to mold my body against his.
I hope he knew it, too.
“There... exactly like that.”
Chase sliced the onion carefully, his strong hand rolling beneath my own. I could feel the warmth of his body. The smell of his skin was driving me wild…
“Now turn it sideways and dice it.”
The muscles in his big arms flexed in tantalizing fashion. I watched them almost hypnotically, as if in a trance.
My God, he’s gorgeous.
“Like this?”
I’d completely forgotten the onion. He was making a mess of it again.
“Sort of,” I said. “Look, you want to keep the point of the knife down...” I jumped on the opportunity to reverse positions, with me ducking beneath his outstretched arms. I melted backward, into his body.
“Here,” I said. “Let me show you…”
This time I took his hand and laid it over mine. His touch was electric. I could feel the heat rising as he inched forward, the distance between us slowly closing.
“So what you want to do…”
He was above me now. Behind me. So achingly close his chin was practically resting on my shoulder. His hot breath was standing every hair up on the back of my neck…
“Is grab it firmly…”
Oh, fuck this.
I dropped the knife and spun around… just as his hands went to my waist. Chase bent down as our faces came together, and then suddenly he was crushing his lips against mine.
Yes…
Our mouths churned hungrily, rolling against one another’s with a pent-up frustration finally defeated by unrestrained heat and passion. At long last, after all this time, we were finally kissing.
Oh FUCK yes.
I melted into him, parting my lips as his tongue swirled its way into my mouth. It was sweet and wonderful. Tasting of man and masculinity and the bottle of beer he’d set down on the counter when I offered to show him how to properly chop an onion.
Wow…
I put one hand on his chest, feeling the raw strength and power there. As my fingers teased their way between the buttons of his perfectly-tailored shirt, my other hand came up to caress the scruff of his chiseled, angular jaw.
God, he was perfect! So perfect I almost couldn’t believe it. And I was actually kissing him. Standing in his kitchen, making out with him savagely while his hands — which were only moments ago on my hips — slid their way downward over the smooth curve of my ass.
I’d wanted him for so long. Hell, I’d wanted them all really, they were all so incredibly good-looking! I’d been cooking for them for half a year now; six torturous months of prepping weekly meals while they walked casually in and out of the kitchen…
And they’ve been teasing you, Kayleen. You know that, right?
It sure seemed that way. Sometimes they’d emerge from their home gym, all tank-tops and sweat and grins. Other times they’d come shirtless, straight out of the shower. They’d strike up pleasant conversations here and there, while pretending to look for food, or snacks, or water.
Still, no one made an actual move on me, and that part didn’t make sense at all. Three gorgeous men, sharing the same secluded Spanish-style villa. Three men who were almost always at home and around each other, making it difficult to be alone with any single one of them.
It was Chase who’d eventually begun flirting with me outright. It started off small, a few smiles and compliments here and there. He’d appear often, his green eyes flashing dangerously as I stared at his broad shoulders, his massive arms. He started hanging around the kitchen every Monday, on the regular. Taking more and more interest in what I was doing.
And now…
Well, now it would be Chase, getting the prize.
We were making out like teenagers at the moment, our hands roaming freely over each other’s bodies. It almost felt forbidden, after all this time. To be finally touching something that had been so close, yet so mouthwateringly out of reach, for so many months.
And the best part…
The best part was that right now, no one else was home. The others were gone. Out. See ya later.
Right now it was all Chase… and me.
“Took you long enough,” I teased, when our lips finally broke apart.
He stared down at me and chuckled. “What’s that they say about good things coming to those who wait?”
“No fucking clue,” I sighed dreamily. Boldly I slid one hand up along the inside of his thigh. “But the early bird?”
I closed my hand over his crotch. There was already a significant bulge there, as I squeezed gently.
“Definitely gets the worm.”
Yeah, I was a little forward. And randy. And forward. But the way I saw things, our encounter had been a long time in coming. The obvious breaking point for all our building sexual tension. The culmination of a long, silent courtship.
That, plus you’re horny as hell.
I sure couldn’t argue there. My last serious boyfriend had been almost a year ago. And I hadn’t hooked up with Roger or Dante — my two favorite friends with benefits — in way, way too long.
“So are you going to show me which room is yours?” I purred, pulling him toward the elaborate tiled hallway.
Chase followed only semi-reluctantly, with just enough hesitation to give the illusion of resistance. His grin still betrayed him though. “You know which room is mine.”
“Yeah, but I’ve never seen it from the inside.”
His perfect jaw flexed, but I could see the excitement building. Our eyes were also doing the same thing: drifting freely over each other’s bodies. It was almost as if a wall had come down, like some sort of license had finally been granted to us. Five minutes ago, this kind of gawking would’ve been borderline inappropriate. But now…
“You’re in for it,” Chase growled, sweeping me into him again. His grip was strong and commanding and, let’s face it, made me more than a little bit wet. “You know that?”
“I sure as hell hope so.”
He pushed me against the wall and kissed me harder now, pinning my hands over my head. Our tongues danced. My breath became his breath as I cooed into his mouth and kissed him back.
You sure you know what you’re doing?
Yeah, I was sure. I was about to fuck my boss. Probably.
Probably?
As quickly as everything was progressing, this rea
The truth of the matter was, I just really didn’t care.
“We’ll have to be quick,” Chase said, glancing over his shoulder.
I sighed dramatically. “Just the words every girl wants to hear.”
“No,” he laughed, “I mean — they’ll be back soon. Nathan and Burke. Nathan for sure, and—”
“Chase?”
“Yes?”
“Shut up and take me to bed?”
He laughed again, and this time he blushed. “Well when you put it that way, I—”
We froze as the front door suddenly banged open and closed. There was the resounding KLACK of the heavy iron lock latching itself, and then Nathan strode straight into the kitchen.
SHIT!
“Hey!” he called out cheerily. “What’s for dinner?”
He sniffed around a bit before finally spotting us, standing not-so-innocuously in the hallway. His face broke into a handsome smile.
“Do I smell onions?”
Two
KAYLEEN
“Let me cook for you then,” I pleaded. “Whatever you want. Whatever you like, I’m sure I can—”
But my landlord was already shaking his head. He had his hairy arms folded across his big, barrel chest.
“Clean for you?”
Ugh. I hated cleaning. I could barely keep my own apartment clean, much less someone else’s.
“I don’t need cooking,” said Jerry. “I don’t need cleaning. What I need is the rent.”
It was a timeless tale; girl gets apartment, girl works her fingers to the bone, girl still can’t make rent. It had happened a million times to a million other women. Only now it was happening to me.
“Look, I can get you three-hundred by tomorrow,” I said.
“Rent is eight-hundred.”
“And another two—”
“Eight-hundred,” Jerry grunted. He looked past me, into my little rat-trap of an apartment. I swung the door shut just a little bit more.
“Fine, five tomorrow,” I said. “The other three… on Wednesday?”
Behind me, Beast was pulling hard on my pants leg. His little teeth were scraping my skin, but I tried not cry out.
After all, dogs were forbidden by my lease.
“Tuesday,” Jerry countered finally. “Take the weekend. Forget paying tomorrow, just have the whole thing for me on Tuesday.”
I sighed with relief… until my pants ripped. Beast went tumbling sideways, landing in plain sight.
Jerry frowned. I smiled awkwardly and shrugged.
“You know dogs aren’t—”
“He’s very little,” I offered meekly.
“Still…”
“Tiny. And quiet. So, so quiet. Right beast?”
On cue of course, Beast wagged his tail and barked.
Jerry’s frown softened, but only a bit. He stared at my little corgi for another moment or two, then took his foot out of the doorway.
“Eight-hundred dollars, miss Decker. Cash. Tuesday morning.” He raised an eyebrow. “We on the same page with all that?”
I nodded eagerly. “Same page, same paragraph.” He was still staring me down. “Same sentence.”
Jerry finally smirked and nodded back before spinning away. “Have a good weekend then.”
The door closed, and I leaned back against it. My face was soon covered in corgi kisses as I sank to the floor.
I didn’t have eight-hundred dollars. Hell, I didn’t have half that amount. Not yet, anyway.
That’s all your own fault, you know.
Beast continued licking my face, improving my sour mood. In truth it was my fault. I’d been splurging on ingredients. Buying the best when I could’ve made more economical substitutions. Still, it was hard for me not to. When I cooked, I cooked with the best. The best knives, the best cookware, the best spices. I bought the freshest proteins, too. Grass-fed beef. Free range chickens. Cage-free eggs…
Think any one of your clients care where their eggs come from?
It was stupid, I knew, because it was costing me my business. I was barely making enough to eke out a profit, much less pay my rent and make bills. Originally I’d figured I could save money as well. Finish out culinary school. Get a job somewhere prestigious, work my way up the ranks..
Maybe one day even open my own restaurant.
Your own restaurant? Yeah, okay.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it, it was just that everything still seemed so far away. Right now I was still trying to scrape together rent for my meager little apartment…
…while fighting off an overly-affectionate corgi.
I held Beast out at arm’s length. “Do you have eight-hundred dollars?”
He stared back at me with his curious brown eyes and cocked his head.
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “Didn’t think so.”
Three
KAYLEEN
It was a long, strange, and exhausting weekend. I’d worked just about every available hour, always on my feet. My fingers still smelled like garlic no matter how many times I washed them, every time I passed out into the bed.
And all I could think about was Chase.
Chase, whose kisses had practically melted me into a puddle right there in that beautiful kitchen. Chase, who’d had me halfway to his bedroom by the time one of his roommates burst through the front door.
Chase… who hadn’t called or even texted me, all damned week.
My thoughts were conflicted. I really liked him! I wanted him, totally desired him. And he wanted me, I was pretty sure of that. I could see it in his eyes. Feel it in his embrace, and in the way his taut body responded beneath my touch. And yet…
Monday finally arrived, and I strode straight through the kitchen and down that hall. I burst into his room without knocking, partially because the door was ajar, partially because I’d gone six grueling days without answers.
“Alright,” I spat, folding my arms across my chef’s whites. “Out with it.”
Chase was sitting at the other end of his room, typing away on his keyboard. The squared off, U-shaped desk he was at looked like an aircraft cockpit.
“W—What?” He pulled a wireless earbud away from his left ear. “Kayleen?”
“Yes, Kayleen,” I said crisply. “You know, your personal chef? The girl who comes here every Monday to prep meals for you?”
“Oh.” He squinted up at me. “It’s Monday?”
“The girl you kissed last week,” I went on. “A lot. I mean like, a real lot.” I felt my frustration slipping. “And really well, too, I don’t mind saying.”
Dammit, Kayleen.
I was supposed to stay strong. Supposed to get answers. And here was Chase, staring back at me like a deer in headlights. Rubbing absently at about two day’s growth of dark, stubbly beard.
God, even that made him look sexy.
“You sure it’s Monday?”
He was writing — that much I knew. I could tell by the far-away look in his eyes that I’d caught him in ‘the zone’.
Shit, Kayleen. I cursed myself silently. Now you look like a needy asshole!
The zone was something with which I was already familiar. Chase, Nathan, Burke — all three men in the house got into the zone at one time or another. They were all young authors, as well as lifelong friends. All of them working on a novel together, or rather, a series of novels.
A shared trilogy. That’s what they called it.
Ah, now I could remember. Chase had explained it to me in the kitchen once, while keeping me company as I peeled carrots.
“I’m sorry,” I sighed, backing out of the room. All at once I was terribly embarrassed. “Forget I even did this.”
Embarrassment wasn’t usually my thing. But here, I was pretty sure I’d overextended. I’d ventured quickly into you-look-like-an-asshole territory, and I really hated that territory.
“Kayleen, wait…”
Chase backed out of the cockpit by rolling his chair away from the desk. As he approached me, I scanned around his room.
“Not bad,” I said, checking out the decor. “A little more contemporary than I expected, but—”
