Off Limits(a Rough Riders Novel)

Ellie

The wall was warm and smelled good. Without even looking up I knew he was tall. I was staring at his chest. I took a deep breath and tried to will my tears and embarrassment away. I was standing in my underwear clutching some strangers shirt, because if I hadn't grabbed on to something I would have bounced off him and fell on my ass.

"Whoa lil mama, you okay?" Wow that voice was deep. Wait did he just call me lil mama? I let out a laugh.

"That's better. Laughter is the best medicine." I looked up to find myself staring at one of the most beautiful faces on a man I had ever seen. It really didn't match his deep voice. That smile just made you smile along with him. "Here lil mama. So you don't catch a chill." I tore my gaze away from his to glance over to see that he was wrapping his flannel around my shoulders. Shit, those tears I had been trying to will away came flooding back full force. Why did he have to go and do something so incredibly sweet?

"Thank you," I hiccuped. I felt more than saw him pull me into an embrace and his hand started making soothing sweeps up and down my back. "It's okay. Sometimes you just have to cry everything out."

"I'm soooorrrrry," I cried burying my head in his chest. Couldn't I wait and do this in the privacy of my office?

"Nothing to be sorry about. We all have these days. I'm Travis by the way."

"The Twinkies man," I whisper sobbed. Travis let out a booming laugh that made me jump in his arms.

"Twinkies! I love that. Did you hear that babes? I have a new name to call you. I can't believe I haven't thought of that one yet," he said still laughing.

"Thanks Ellie. It's not like he doesn't have a million other stupid nicknames for us," I think Jared groaned from behind us somewhere.

"Jeez Trav, please don't. It's cute coming from Ellie, but not from our boyfriend," Jensen begged.

"Don't listen to Bonnie and Clyde over there. They secretly love all my pet names," Travis whispered in my ear.

"Sure, sure," I agreed.

"You feeling better?" I shook my head yes not quite wanting to show my face yet. "Take your time lil mama."

"You really do like pet names don't you," I grumbled without any heat. Lil mama was kinda cute.  You know if you were barefoot and pregnant...

"I'll call you more to get a smile on your face. How about sugar bear, pumpkin, love dumplin?"

I lifted my head and grinned at him, "Stop!"

"See you're laughing. My mission has been accomplished."

"You are a good man Travis. The Twinkies are lucky to have you," I said sincerely.

"Nah I'm the lucky one," he said giving his boys a loving smile.

"Lucky." I started to let go of his shirt when I heard,

"What the fuck is going on out here." And I froze.

I did a quick look over my shoulder to see Max walking over to us. "Who the fuck are you? Get your hands off my girl." Your girl? I wasn't anybody's girl Maxwell Creed. I'm not sure when you felt like you could get all caveman on me, but that stopped right now. As I recalled he was like that the other night with Mia. I whipped around and the look on my face must have given him pause because he stopped in his tracks.

"It's really none of your fucking business who has their hands all over me, but to be polite this is Travis. Travis and I were discussing whether or not if he had room in his triad for a girl. What do you think Travis, you have an opening for me?" I turned to look at him with a mischievous grin.

"Maybe. How do you guys feel about Ellie joining us?" Travis asked looking between Jared and Jensen.

"I vote hell yes," Jensen cried out excitedly coming over to embrace the both of us. Did I just hear Max growl? "Ellie is a kick ass cook. Ellie, we can't even boil water between the three of us so you would be saving us from starving."

"What would that make us, a Quart? No a Quint? Shit that's five," I muttered. Travis, Jared, and Jensen knew I was talking out of my ass right now. I was just really angry.

"You are thinking of a Quadruplet, four, so Quad," Travis kindly supplied for me.

"Quad!" I exclaimed. That's right quad.

"Ellie," Ash said getting my attention. He stood in front of Max almost as if he was keeping him back.

"What?" I snapped, "Ash I ran from you guys only wearing my underwear. I need a minute to compose myself and calm down. Just give me that."

"Travis is it? For claiming to have two boyfriends you sure are all over my girl. Step the fuck off," Max threatened pushing the hand I didn't even know had been sitting on my shoulder off and giving Travis a push back.

"For fucks sake Caleb Winston Wellor!" That's right Max, look scared, I used your full legal name your mama gave you. "You don't have the right to act all jealous! I'm not the one who fucks guys for a living!"

"Ellie," I heard one of the twins gasp.

"He knows I don't mean it like that. What I mean is if anyone has the right to be jealous is me. I only look at hot, sexy guys everyday. I don't get all up in their business several times a month. I personally know and like many of the guys you get busy with. I rationally know that it's just a job, but that irrational part let's those pesky feelings like jealousy and fear rule every now and then. If anyone is going to get all bitchy and toe tapping it's me."

"I'll retire." 

Hold up. Say what now?

"Max you can't retire for me. That's only something you can decide for yourself. We aren't even in a relationship."

"I want us to be. I want you, me, and Ash to be in a relationship. I want it so bad it's driving me crazy. You are driving me crazy. I can't help but get crazy when I see you with someone else," Max pulled me into his arms and buried his face in my neck, "I'm like that cliché but in reverse. I'm straight for you. Or bi. I don't even fucking know right now. I just know that I'm having all these feelings for my best friend that won't go away and I don't want them too. I don't know if it's all because of the adorable ass punk that came crashing into our lives or if it would have happened eventually. Please tell me you will think about it."

I ran my hands over Max's short hair and kissed his head. "I promise."

"You're lying."

I pulled back to look at him and I hated that he knew me so well. "I know you Ellie. After some time you are going to tell us that we are better off without you. That it wouldn't work. Sometimes I wish you would be a little more selfish," Max pushed me away and instead of me running away this time it was him that walked away.

"I'll go talk to him. Just don't throw us away before you even take us out of the package Ellie," Ash said before turning to go.

Without saying goodbye to Travis or my Twinkies I did what I had been wanting to do for the last several minutes, I ran and didn't stop until I hit my office. I had never been so glad to see someone sitting in my chair in my life.

"Pop," I whimpered before I fell into his waiting arms. There was nothing better than a hug from one of my dads. Right now I really needed my Pop.