Title: The Temptation of Cinderella
Series: Cinderella & Her 7 Guards #1
Author: Lisa London
Genre: Reverse Harem Romance
Pumpkin Spice lattes, shopping for the perfect shoe, I’m a simple girl. I never thought I could find a great man, but now I have seven. Seven smoking hot brothers who want to satisfy me. But am I woman enough to handle them all?The Temptation of Cinderella is the first of three books in the Cinderella & Her Seven Guards series. Come hang with Cinderella and her friend Snow from the best selling Snow & Seven SEALs series.
Most visitors to Quantum Biotech were nothing to look at. Not that I should be scoping out my future dating prospects on the job but today there were seven incredibly gorgeous men checking in at the security desk of my office building. They were probably from the security firm that Doris was scheduled to meet with all day today. I briefly glanced at the scheduled visitor list for the week but didn’t envision these hunks as the seven men we were expecting.
And the best part? They were all tall. Like, taller than me tall, which is really all I cared about when first checking out a new prospect.
Thank you, kind Universe.
Maybe Patty was right. That ridiculous Gratitude Journal magic mojo thing did work.
I immediately went into a hot men alert. I glanced at my reflection in the glass and did a quick wardrobe check.
All buttons fastened.
No food or coffee stains on my shirt.
Matching shoes.
Check, check, check.
I pulled my shoulders back, straightened my posture and fluffed out my hair.
“Hi, I’m Emma Chase. Are you the representatives from Sentinel Services?”
Greeting visitors in the building lobby wasn’t really part of either job description, the paid job or the unpaid job, but could I really pass up an opportunity to meet them? Barney, the lobby security guard, gave me a funny look but he didn’t say anything.
All seven men returned my salutation with a smile, which is always a good sign. Especially when they were as smoking hot as these guys.
The blond one looked exactly like a living Ken doll and he stepped forward and extended his hand.
“Hi there, I’m Cole Lancaster. And yes, we’re all here from Sentinel Services. This is Grant, Seth, Jacques, Marcel, Antoine and Ezra.”
Cole’s handshake was firm and manly. Classically tall and handsome, he was an all-American looking guy. Cole was the senior prom date that your mother would have approved of, along with your grandmother and your entire extended family because he was so perfect and wholesome looking.
Grant was the total opposite of Cole. Where Cole was all Ivy League and clean-cut, Grant seemed more like the man your mother warned you not to date. He was also the guy you’d want for protection in a dark alley. His jet black hair and dark eyes were a perfect match to his mysterious demeanor.
“Chase. Good name, I like it.” Even Grant’s hands were rougher and more manly. In an odd way, I was proud that he liked my last name.
“And I’m Seth.” Seth could easily have come from the same mold as Cole in terms of his chiseled face and toothpaste commercial-white teeth.
The others introduced themselves one by one.
Jacques and Marcel were identical hunky carbon copies of each other, except one wore glasses. I couldn’t remember which was Jacques and which was Marcel. They were definitely good-looking but somehow having two of them in front of me made them even hotter.
“Yes, we’re twins,” said one of them with a distinct and very sexy voice.
Like they weren’t attractive enough already without that.
“And I am Antoine.” I don’t know why but twins are hotter than normal men.
“And I’m Ezra.” Ezra moved like James Bond, smooth and swift but ever so charming.
They were all pretty striking, and male model-handsome.
All were dressed well beyond business casual in sleek, tailored suits, complete with cufflinks.
These were the exact dream men I pictured myself dating in my wildest fantasies. I’d give anything to go on a date with a guy who didn’t show up with sand in his hair and ketchup stains on his shirt. For most of the local San Diego men down here, the concept of formal wear meant replacing their flip-flops and T-shirts with khakis and Keds; and even that was too much for some of them.
Barney handed them their visitor passes.
“Quantum Biotech Reception is on the twentieth floor. You can swipe your passes through the turnstiles and take the bank of elevators on the far right straight up,” said Barney, pointing the way.
“I can take them up,” I offered.
“It’s fine,” said Barney. “Doris already called and said she’d take care of them. Plus, it looks like you have a visitor.”
Patty.
She came bounding into the lobby, waving her arms and holding several books in both hands.
“Hey, Emma, I’m here! And I brought all those books on dating we discussed that can totally help you finally land a man!”
Her words grated my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
“Hey, Patty. Thanks, I’ll take those.”
I tried to quickly grab the books from her but in my haste, her small piles went flying through the air.
Of course, a few books bounced off some of the hot men because… why not!?
“Here, let me help you,” said one of the hotties.
It was Cole. He glanced at the titles and to my mortification, read them out loud before handing them over.
“How To Finally Find True Love, Score a Ring By Spring and Become A Man Magnet?”
I looked at the floor, wishing an earthquake would cleave the ground open and swallow me whole.
“These aren’t mine,” I blurted out, lacking anything else to say.
“Yes, they’re mine but you can borrow them from me for as long as it takes for you to manifest a soulmate in your life,” said Patty, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
Seth stepped up and handed me another book.
“Here you go. Why You’re Still Single.”
Why did they have to read the titles out loud?
Patty finally took inventory of the audience in the lobby and a spark of realization crossed her face.
“Oooh, are these men with you?” asked Patty with a flirty smile.
“Yes, but not like that. They’re here for business and I should probably take them upstairs so they’re not late.”
At this point, an introduction to Patty would have been polite but I couldn’t remember all seven of their names or to whom they belonged. Any small talk would obviously be centered on how Patty and I knew each other, which would eventually lead to a discussion of my dating deficiencies in life. Although, that was probably obvious by now.
Whatever hope I had of appearing like a girl with lots of dating options waiting for her after work were totally gone.
“Don’t you have an Uber waiting for you?” I asked Patty.
“Yes. I should be going.”
Patty air-kissed me on the left and right cheeks as she whispered into my ear.
“Text me if you end up going out with them for drinks. I’ll join you. It’s not like you can date all seven of them at once!”
And the best part? They were all tall. Like, taller than me tall, which is really all I cared about when first checking out a new prospect.
Thank you, kind Universe.
Maybe Patty was right. That ridiculous Gratitude Journal magic mojo thing did work.
I immediately went into a hot men alert. I glanced at my reflection in the glass and did a quick wardrobe check.
All buttons fastened.
No food or coffee stains on my shirt.
Matching shoes.
Check, check, check.
I pulled my shoulders back, straightened my posture and fluffed out my hair.
“Hi, I’m Emma Chase. Are you the representatives from Sentinel Services?”
Greeting visitors in the building lobby wasn’t really part of either job description, the paid job or the unpaid job, but could I really pass up an opportunity to meet them? Barney, the lobby security guard, gave me a funny look but he didn’t say anything.
All seven men returned my salutation with a smile, which is always a good sign. Especially when they were as smoking hot as these guys.
The blond one looked exactly like a living Ken doll and he stepped forward and extended his hand.
“Hi there, I’m Cole Lancaster. And yes, we’re all here from Sentinel Services. This is Grant, Seth, Jacques, Marcel, Antoine and Ezra.”
Cole’s handshake was firm and manly. Classically tall and handsome, he was an all-American looking guy. Cole was the senior prom date that your mother would have approved of, along with your grandmother and your entire extended family because he was so perfect and wholesome looking.
Grant was the total opposite of Cole. Where Cole was all Ivy League and clean-cut, Grant seemed more like the man your mother warned you not to date. He was also the guy you’d want for protection in a dark alley. His jet black hair and dark eyes were a perfect match to his mysterious demeanor.
“Chase. Good name, I like it.” Even Grant’s hands were rougher and more manly. In an odd way, I was proud that he liked my last name.
“And I’m Seth.” Seth could easily have come from the same mold as Cole in terms of his chiseled face and toothpaste commercial-white teeth.
The others introduced themselves one by one.
Jacques and Marcel were identical hunky carbon copies of each other, except one wore glasses. I couldn’t remember which was Jacques and which was Marcel. They were definitely good-looking but somehow having two of them in front of me made them even hotter.
“Yes, we’re twins,” said one of them with a distinct and very sexy voice.
Like they weren’t attractive enough already without that.
“And I am Antoine.” I don’t know why but twins are hotter than normal men.
“And I’m Ezra.” Ezra moved like James Bond, smooth and swift but ever so charming.
They were all pretty striking, and male model-handsome.
All were dressed well beyond business casual in sleek, tailored suits, complete with cufflinks.
These were the exact dream men I pictured myself dating in my wildest fantasies. I’d give anything to go on a date with a guy who didn’t show up with sand in his hair and ketchup stains on his shirt. For most of the local San Diego men down here, the concept of formal wear meant replacing their flip-flops and T-shirts with khakis and Keds; and even that was too much for some of them.
Barney handed them their visitor passes.
“Quantum Biotech Reception is on the twentieth floor. You can swipe your passes through the turnstiles and take the bank of elevators on the far right straight up,” said Barney, pointing the way.
“I can take them up,” I offered.
“It’s fine,” said Barney. “Doris already called and said she’d take care of them. Plus, it looks like you have a visitor.”
Patty.
She came bounding into the lobby, waving her arms and holding several books in both hands.
“Hey, Emma, I’m here! And I brought all those books on dating we discussed that can totally help you finally land a man!”
Her words grated my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
“Hey, Patty. Thanks, I’ll take those.”
I tried to quickly grab the books from her but in my haste, her small piles went flying through the air.
Of course, a few books bounced off some of the hot men because… why not!?
“Here, let me help you,” said one of the hotties.
It was Cole. He glanced at the titles and to my mortification, read them out loud before handing them over.
“How To Finally Find True Love, Score a Ring By Spring and Become A Man Magnet?”
I looked at the floor, wishing an earthquake would cleave the ground open and swallow me whole.
“These aren’t mine,” I blurted out, lacking anything else to say.
“Yes, they’re mine but you can borrow them from me for as long as it takes for you to manifest a soulmate in your life,” said Patty, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
Seth stepped up and handed me another book.
“Here you go. Why You’re Still Single.”
Why did they have to read the titles out loud?
Patty finally took inventory of the audience in the lobby and a spark of realization crossed her face.
“Oooh, are these men with you?” asked Patty with a flirty smile.
“Yes, but not like that. They’re here for business and I should probably take them upstairs so they’re not late.”
At this point, an introduction to Patty would have been polite but I couldn’t remember all seven of their names or to whom they belonged. Any small talk would obviously be centered on how Patty and I knew each other, which would eventually lead to a discussion of my dating deficiencies in life. Although, that was probably obvious by now.
Whatever hope I had of appearing like a girl with lots of dating options waiting for her after work were totally gone.
“Don’t you have an Uber waiting for you?” I asked Patty.
“Yes. I should be going.”
Patty air-kissed me on the left and right cheeks as she whispered into my ear.
“Text me if you end up going out with them for drinks. I’ll join you. It’s not like you can date all seven of them at once!”
Lisa London is a contemporary romance and erotica author. When she's not writing or recording YouTube videos, she's either getting her daily ice cream scoop at Salt & Straw or watching a Marvel or DC movie. She recently relocated from NY to San Diego for the amazing weather and daily views of the ocean. She loves connecting with readers and aspiring writers on her YouTube Channel where she responds to each and every comment, post and question so come on over and say hello at https://www.youtube.com/c/lisalondonbooks?sub_confirmation=1
Learn more at https://lisalondonauthor.com
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