by Ryan Michele
Next was Daniel and Paula. “The cards say you should get a dog together before you try for a baby. See how you care for the dog for two years then you make a baby.” She dismissed them, and Paula was whispering to Daniel, wanting to know how she could possibly know they had been talking about having a baby.
I had to admit it was a good guess.
Rebecca and my brother sat down next in the booth. Mistress Raven went through the same routine as she had with the others, shuffling the cards and having them tap one that called to them.
“The answers you seek are right in front of you, but you are not ready to hear or see them. Denial weighs on your shoulders, Andrew. When the time comes you will do the right thing.” Her gaze shifted to Rebecca. “You aren’t happy when you look in the mirror. Things that keep you up at night eat at your soul. There is a darkness that surrounds you. The cards do not lie, and if you continue on the path you are on, you will hurt the ones who love you the most.”
Rebecca and my brother slid out of the booth. Everyone was quiet. I didn’t think these readings were what Rebecca had in mind when she came up with this challenge. I was sure she thought it would be fun things like how many children she and Drew might have or where they would live.
Carley and Joe went next. To be honest I was afraid of what the woman was going to say when it was mine and Conner’s turn.
My brother was downing more shots and looking grim. Rebecca and Laura had gone to the bathroom with Paula. I wanted to comfort Drew, but I didn’t know what to say to him. I was so lost in my thoughts I had missed Carley and Joe’s reading.
Conner had my hand in his and was pulling me into the booth. I was shaking like a leaf in a tornado when I tapped my card.
Mistress Raven smiled at Conner and me. “Soulmates. Friends. Lovers. Strong foundations for a successful marriage.”
“Oh were’ not…” I started, and she held up a hand.
“The cards see what we do not. Lady Luck likes you. She smiles on you. Both of you.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. Could the cards have been wrong? The reading Conner and I received was the one that should belong to my brother and Rebecca. They were the ones getting married.
10
Quinn
YOU KNOW THAT TINGLY LITTLE FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU LIKE SOMETHING? THAT’S YOUR COMMON SENSE LEAVING YOUR BODY.
By the time we arrived back to our room after continuing to drink at the bar, I was drunk and all I could think about was sleep. Conner had the same plan as me. He could hardly hold his head up when we were sharing the sink to brush our teeth.
I woke up late the following day, thankful Rebecca wasn’t a complete bitch and gave us the morning to sleep in before throwing her final challenge at us. It would have been like her to give us a seven am wakeup call. I had missed breakfast and lunch. Tequila hadn’t made my clothes fall off. It made me feel like I’d been run over by a bus ten times.
Conner was awake and showered, waiting for me to get up.
“Good afternoon, sleeping beauty. I have the perfect cure for you. A croissant, orange juice, and aspirin.”
“Thank you,” I muttered as my head pounded. I dragged myself to the bathroom for a shower, hoping I wasn’t going to vomit. White dots were still clouding my vision in the shower. The warm spray of water felt amazing as goose bumps pebbled up and down my arms and legs. I needed to shave but didn’t have the energy. Luckily, I had snagged some hair removal cream when I ran to the drugstore with Conner to grab him some extra toiletries the other day while we were shopping.
I only hoped I didn’t mistake it for my shampoo. I was that out of sorts and hungover. Rebecca would never let me live it down if I showed up for the challenge with bald spots. I finished my shower and got dressed in a yellow sundress that looked great with my tan.
Conner had left a note that he was going to see what time we were supposed to meet up with the group. I graciously ate the croissant and swallowed down my aspirin with my orange juice.
I was still hungry but wasn’t going to challenge myself with eating too much too soon. Conner returned looking ready to conquer the day. “We meet in twenty at the bar.”
My stomach lurched. “Oh God,” I muttered, and he laughed.
“Don’t worry; I don’t think it involves drinking.”
“Thank God for small favors.”
“You ready to go?”
“Yeah.” I slid my sandals on and mentally prepared myself for what the challenge could entail.
In the lobby my brother and Rebecca were standing with some dude in a gray suit with dark slicked back hair. “Everyone is here,” my brother told the stranger who had a show-stopping smile.
“Perfect. If you will all follow me, we’ll get to our location and get started.”
Our location was the bar on the roof of the hotel with an amazing view of the Las Vegas strip. One that I could look at for hours with all the hustle and bustle of people milling about.
“Today I’m your hostess with the mostest.” The man had a deep voice like one you’d hear on some kind of game show, the last word of the sentence drawn out for entertainment purposes. The inflection was spot on.
“We’ll be putting your knowledge of your mate to the test with the Newlywed Game. Now I know not all of you are married, but that doesn’t matter. If you’re with your significant other, you should know.”
That last bit sounded like Rebecca. Looking over at her, she had a small smirk telling me it was.
“My name is Tony. Everyone, take a seat next to your partner.” Conner and I moved as one, sitting in the plush chairs.
“Under each of your chairs you will find a card and a marker. I will be asking a series of questions and want you to write the answers down you think your partner would give. The couple at the end with the most points wins. Get it. Got it. Good.” He drew out the oo in good, then popped his lips.
“My assistant Camille will be keeping score over there on her board.” A busty blonde in a silver sparkly dress gestured to her chalkboard with a big smile like she was Vanna White. This was the perfect game show set up. I had to give it to Rebecca. It was good. “Let’s play,” he called out, clapping his hands three times.
“Ready or not, here we go!” he yelled out. I looked over at Conner who had a wide smile on his face.
“Better answer right,” he teased.
“No pressure or anything,” I teased right back.
“Question number one. Ladies, I want you to think about your partner. Gentlemen, I want you to write down your own response. No cheating or peeking, or you will lose a point. Ladies, what time of day would your man prefer sex: morning, midday, or night? You have one minute to write down your answers.”
I thought about what Carrie had told me about her brother over the years. I knew I had the right answer and scribbled it down.
“Couple number one. Please show us your answers.”
Carley and Joe held up their cards. He wrote morning and she wrote night, netting them zero points. Surprisingly Laura and Bruce got it right, both putting down evening. Rebecca said night, and my brother answered morning. Paula and Daniel got it wrong too. I looked over at Conner as he held up his card. Anytime.
I held up my own, revealing I had written doesn’t matter what time.
Arms up, I gave a small squeal and wrapped my arms around Conner’s neck. He dropped his cards and held me tight.
“Now this gives me incentive to get them right if this is the response,” he whispered in my ear as I pulled back, noting the humor and desire brimming in his eyes. A cough brought us back to the game.
We were tied with Laura and Bruce.
“Question number two. Gentlemen, this is for you. Think about your partner and what she will answer to this question. Ladies, please write down your response. If your partner could choose between a dream vacation or an unlimited shopping trip to their favorite store, what would she pick? You have one minute to write down your answers.”
; He paused for long moments as we wrote down our answers. “Couple number five, please hold up your cards.”
I held up my card with the word vacation on it. Conner’s went up stating the same. Another hug, but this one was shorter.
“Alright, another point for couple number five.”
Rebecca and my brother got on the board along with Carley and Joe.
“Moving along to question number three. Ladies, keep your man in mind when you answer. Gentlemen, again give your own answer. Ladies, how would your man rate himself in the bedroom on a scale of one to ten. Ten being the highest. Remember, this isn’t how you would rate him but how he would rate his skills as a lover. You have one minute to complete your answers.”
This question was slightly harder. Conner was confident, but he wasn’t a cocky asshole either.
“Couple number two please hold up your cards.”
Laura wrote down the number four point five and oddly Bruce put a five, but they didn’t get the point.
Rebecca put a ten for my brother, and he answered with a seven. She got mad and smacked him with her card over the head. It wasn’t playful, and it pissed me off.
Paula and Daniel earned a point. Carley and Joe didn’t make the board.
Conner and I earned another point by both answering the number eight.
“Let’s take a quick intermission. Drinks are available at the bar, and over to the left you will find the bathrooms.”
My brother went straight to the bar, and I followed him.
“Not a word,” he muttered and took a hard pull off his bottle of beer.
“Fine. I won’t say anything.” Not that I knew what he thought I was going to say. Everything about Rebecca I’d already said over their time together.
“Good.”
Conner’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Thought you weren’t drinking.”
“I’m getting a water and wanted to check on Drew.”
“I’m fine,” my brother snapped and finished his beer, then immediately went for another. He wasn’t fine, but he didn’t want my help, so I left him to it.
Minutes later the game was back on, and we took to our seats for the second and, I hoped, final round.
“Question number four. Gentlemen, keep your lady in mind when you give your answer. Ladies, you know what to do. The question is simple. Is your lady a dog or cat person? You have one minute to give your answer.”
This could be a trick question. Growing up we always had a cat, but I had always wanted a dog. Though, I loved both animals equally.
Bruce and Laura were such an odd pair. Her card said neither, and his said cat. Who doesn’t like cats or dogs? Drew missed saying snake, and Rebecca answered dog. Carley and Joe missed, and Paula and Daniel got a point.
I answered both and so did Conner, earning us another point.
“Final question. Ladies, keep your man in mind when you give your answer. Gentlemen, give us your answer. Does your man prefer chocolate or vanilla? You have one minute to write down your response.”
We so had this in the bag. Which was crazy because we were the only ones here who weren’t an actual couple. Conner loved white chocolate. I remembered every Christmas he always got white chocolate while the rest of us received milk chocolate in our stockings.
“Congratulations, Quinn and Conner, you know your partner the best, making you the most compatible couple. Enjoy your winnings.” The Tony guy handed us a bucket shaped trophy holding a bottle of expensive champagne and a gift certificate to a romantic dinner for two. Rebecca’s face twisted into a snarl, and my brother was already back at the bar getting shitfaced.
11
Quinn
Childhood is like being drunk. Everyone remembers what you did, except you.
The night was young, and my second cocktail went down smoothly. What the drink had in it, I wasn’t sure. Something with orange juice, rum, schnapps and a few other things mixed in. The bartender suggested it, and thankfully the liquor tasted good. It was almost like drinking water.
Conner sat next to me and downed the remainder of his beer. He’d only had a couple and luckily for me, he had a hard time keeping his hands to himself.
Sliding his palm up my leg, his fingertips grazing softly, he wore a mischievous grin that was sexy as all hell.
Electricity rippled through my veins as the desire pooled in my belly.
Some of the bridal party had gone to the hotel bar after the game show to cut loose. Of course, this was Vegas, and the bar was way over the top with showgirls and everything.
My brother and Rebecca had disappeared immediately following Conner and my win. I had a feeling they had a lot to discuss since it had been a long week for them, and they hadn’t excelled at any of the challenges. That didn’t say good things about their relationship.
My opinions didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but this week had been so telling between the two of them. Just as an observer, I didn’t see the connection between them.
I wanted Drew to be happy, I always did, but she was all wrong for him. Here’s to hoping he saw the light.
Considering there was nothing I could do for my brother, I finished my drink and pushed thoughts of his relationship problems to the back of my mind.
It was my last night in Sin City with Conner. Starting out the week, I had no idea we’d be in this position, having each other’s bodies. It had been a dream come true, and I was going to make the most of the time we had together.
If this was going to be our last night, he’d have something to remember me by.
In the mood to celebrate our win and cut loose, I grabbed Conner’s hand and laced our fingers together and directed him to the dance floor. I wanted to feel his body on mine and soak every bit of him up.
He followed me with ease, and when I turned back, he had a wide smile across his lips.
The floor was packed, but we squeezed in getting close. The beat of the music pumped through the speakers, making the floor shake. Loud and erotic, the rhythm pulsed as our bodies connected and started to move together.
With an arm snaked around my waist, he held me close, my breasts to his chest. The smell of his cologne added to the erotic feel and was hella sexy. I inhaled deep, memorizing the scent.
As much as I loved being front to front with him, it was time to get into it. Turning, my ass lined perfectly and ground over his crotch, my blood humming with desire. I could feel his length getting harder and harder with each move I made. Arm in the air, I shook my ass, hips, and hair, letting it all hang out.
Strobe lights flashed overhead, making our movements look scattered. The bar was packed with everyone here for a good time. And we were having it.
Pulling his head down, I kissed him while sideways, needing to taste the man. His hands roamed over my stomach and up my chest. Every touch sparked new desires inside of me.
If he put his hand in my panties now, he’d know just how much he was turning me on.
Suddenly foam started falling from the ceiling. Looking up, several machines were pumping out the soapy substance as it slowly came down to us. The crowd went wild cheering and trying to throw the foam at one another. This didn’t work well because, well, it was foam. They didn’t care, though.
I grabbed some that fell on my arm then turned and put it on Conner’s face. Mouth wide open, he pulled me tight to him and held my arms behind me as he wiped all the bubbles across my face. We were hot, sweaty, and now soapy. We were completely soaked by the end, loving every second.
Conner chuckled and embraced the chaos, his focus solely on me which was hot as well. “I like the way you move.” Husky and deep his voice reverberated in my ear.
Slick. Wet. Turned on. I wanted Conner, but did he feel the same?
Spinning me around to face him, his gorgeous smile awaited. Those dazzling blue eyes pierced through me. Yeah, I thought he wanted me too. “That was unexpected.”
Strong and firm his hands glided over my curves, touching me all over. M
y flame for him burned brightly in the darkened room. The way he held me as if I were the most precious thing in his world made my heart beat double time.
My yellow sundress clung to my skin and turned see-through, showing my pert nipples thanks to the suds.
Conner licked his lips, gaze roaming over my body. Heat flashed on the back of my neck as he gripped it tightly. His head dipped, lips connecting with the column of my throat and carving a dangerous path up to the shell of my ear. His tongue darted out, tasting. I desperately wished he’d kiss me again. Hell, I wished he would…
“Isn’t this fun?” Paula shouted over the music, interrupting our moment. She and Daniel danced next to us, just as wet from the soap. I shot her a friendly smile and nodded because it was some of the best times I’d had being in Conner’s arms.
“Ready to get out of here? Shit is making my clothes itch my skin.” Conner tugged on the collar of his shirt. I so wanted him to take it off. Maybe not here, but it needed to be away from his skin.
“Mhmm, more than ready.”
I waved to Paula and signaled to the exit, letting her know we were leaving. Conner’s hand enveloped mine as we weaved through the crowd, navigating our way through.
I noted Carley and Joe were making out hot and heavy in a nearby booth, and Laura had her arms wrapped around the neck of a man who wasn’t Bruce.
Secretly I cheered her on inside my head. Bruce had been awful to her all week long. Good for her. She deserved better.
Bruce was chatting up a raven-haired woman at the bar, his hand inching on her thigh closer to being under her skirt. Obviously, he didn’t care ‘his’ woman was dancing with another man.
I turned my head, not wanting to see if he made good on the action. I’d had enough of Bruce to last a lifetime.
We made our way to the elevators with my heart in my throat and nerves tingling in anticipation. I wanted to get Conner alone.