by Nicole Dykes
Yeah, Jax is definitely intimidating. “Come on, it’s not so bad, is it?”
She laughs. “I guess not.”
I turn my head and see Dani and Cam. They are sitting pretty close to one another. Definitely some heat there. Fuck. “What about Dani? Does she not have a big brother?”
Cassie looks slightly nervous when she says, “Well, she does, but you remember the really nice, nerdy guy I dated?”
“Yep.”
“That’s her brother.”
I nod my head, knowing where she is going with this. “Ah.”
“Yeah, he’s great, but he couldn’t intimidate a fly.”
I nod and stand up, “Well, let’s go run interference then.”
She joins me, smiling as we walk outside. Dani is giggling at something Cam has said and I’m positive nothing could have been that funny. I look at Vanessa who is talking to one of my other teammates and staring daggers at Dani.
Shit this could be a bigger task than I realized.
Chapter 16
Hunter
Cassie and I join Cam and Dani, who are sitting around the table that was left here by the people that lived here before us. It’s large and has six metal chairs seated around it. The backyard is perfect for a barbecue. There are a few guys from the team and their girlfriends gathered around the grill. A few more people are playing a game of beer pong on a makeshift table.
All in all, it’s not a big party. Luke wasn’t lying.
Cassie takes a seat next to Dani and I sit next to her when I see Vanessa walk over, “Hey, Hunter. That was a great game today. Nice job, quarterback.”
I grin, full of pride for the way the team played today. “Thanks.”
Cam sits up straighter in his seat and stares at Vanessa, “What about me?”
Vanessa turns to him coldly, shrugging her shoulders, “Not bad. Of course, I did see you get pummeled in the second quarter.”
Cam’s face grows dark, “That was a cheap shot and the fucker got flagged for it too.”
Dani places a hand on Cam’s shoulder and I notice Vanessa’s eyes glued to that spot. Dani better watch it, she may be a scrapper, but I’d still put my money on Vanessa. “So, are you going to teach me to play poker or what?”
Cam turns his eyes from Vanessa and grins at Dani, “Hell yeah.” He then turns to me, “Can you believe she’s never played poker before?”
I hear Cassie scoff next to me and address Dani, “Yes you have.”
Dani gives Cassie a look like she ruined her plan and then Cam laughs, “Ah, you were trying to hustle me, huh?”
Dani giggles at that, “You caught me.”
He winks at her, “Never hustle a hustler, but we can still play.”
Vanessa looks tense as hell and Cassie looks worried so I say, “No, no one is playing poker here.”
Cam turns to me, “Why the hell not?”
“I know you and I know poker will turn into strip poker. I don’t want a bunch of naked people in my house.” I answer firmly.
He folds his arms, “My name is on the lease too, man. My half is clothing optional.”
Dani laughs again and then suggests, “Well how about a drinking game instead. Like I don’t know…truth or dare.”
Vanessa laughs at that with clear irritation written on her face, “Truth or dare isn’t a drinking game and we aren’t a bunch of twelve year olds at a slumber party.”
Dani glares at her, “It can be.” She turns to Cassie, “Right, Cass?”
Cassie looks slightly embarrassed, “We’ve turned it into that before.”
Dani gets excited and bangs her hands on the metal table in front of her, “Oh I know! We can play ‘Never Have I Ever’!”
This won’t end well. I shake my head and Cam motions toward me, “Well that’ll be boring with Choir Boy here. The only thing that will make him drink is, ‘Never have I ever had sex in the missionary position, in the dark, under the covers of my neatly made bed.’”
My middle finger goes up in his direction and he smirks over at me. Asshole. This is a really dangerous game, but I notice Cassie’s eyes on mine. I can’t tell if she wants to play or not.
Dani looks over at Cassie and before I can ask her if she wants to says, “Cass, I know you’re in. You love this game!”
I study Cassie for a second, she shifts uncomfortably in her seat. “I don’t know. I really don’t want to get drunk.”
Her eyes are locked on mine and my mouth goes dry thinking about last weekend. Cassie asking me to kiss her. Cassie taking her shirt off right in front of me. Her perfect fucking body right in front of me and her full on begging me to kiss her. This game is definitely dangerous. “We don’t have to play, Cassie.”
She has an odd look in her eyes. Curiosity? Nervousness? Dani looks over at her disappointed, “Cass, we’ll play with beer. Only a sip every time there is no way you will get totally shitfaced or anything.”
She’s still looking at me, “Okay, I’ll play.”
Shit. Cam looks over at me, “You in, Hunt?”
I nod. Why the fuck did I nod my head yes? I blame it on the high from the game. He turns to Vanessa, “What about you?”
She takes a seat right across from him, “Oh, I’m in.”
Yep, this definitely isn’t good. I should stop this, but there is something deep inside of me. Some kind of idiotic curiosity about Cassie’s answers.
Cam hops up from the table with way too much eagerness and grabs five beers from the cooler. At least it’s not hard liquor. I reason with myself as he hands the beers to each of us and we all open them simultaneously before Cam says, “All right, so everyone knows the rules?”
Dani grins. She shares the same eagerness he does, “You drink if you have done what the person says they haven’t. If no one drinks on that round, then the person that suggests it has to drink. Pretty straight forward.” She quickly adds, “Oh and it must be dirty. The dirtier the better.”
Of course, she had to add that even though that’s the direction it would end up anyway.
He clinks his beer bottle with hers, “Exactly. So, who wants to start us off?”
Dani pipes up again, almost squealing with excitement. I laugh when I see Vanessa roll her eyes as Dani says, “I’ll go. Never have I ever…given or received road head.”
So much for not having a sexual conversation with Cassie around. I watch her cheeks turn a shade of pink as her bottle of beer goes to her lips and she takes a quick sip of beer. See that’s something I shouldn’t know about Cassie Monroe.
Dani giggles, “Sorry, Cass. I had to go for an easy one and I’ll never forget you telling me about that!”
Cassie shushes her and Vanessa and Cam both take a sip of their beer at the same time, sharing a look. Didn’t need to know that either.
Cam shakes his head at me, “See man, that’s something you should have experienced in your twenty-one years. You’re missing out!”
I ignore him and Dani says, “Cass, you’re up. And remember only sexy questions, no cop outs.”
Cassie looks a little nervous. I’m sure this has to be awkward for her playing this game with her brother’s friends. “Um, okay. Never have I ever…had sex outside and parked in a car doesn’t count.”
Cam, Vanessa, and Dani take a drink, but Cassie’s eyes are on me. I lift the bottle and take a drink of the cold beer. Cassie looks at me curiously like she wants to know more, but doesn’t ask. She seems to have a filter when she hasn’t had a lot to drink.
Cam smirks over at me, “Well damn, Hunt. You aren’t a total saint after all!”
“Never claimed to be.”
Knowing I’m next in line I say, “Alright, never have I ever…slept with my girlfriend’s mom.”
Cam glares at me as he takes a drink, “Fucker.”
I laugh, “You shouldn’t insist on telling me every time you get laid.”
Vanessa looks over at him, “That better not have been my mom, asshole.”
Cam holds his hands up, “No way,
your mom is fucking hot, but your dad is fucking terrifying.”
We all laugh at that and then Vanessa takes her turn, “Never have I ever…been caught jerking off.”
Cam looks at Vanessa, “Really? I was like thirteen and told you that in confidence.”
Vanessa just shrugs and Cam actually looks amused by Vanessa’s attempt to get at him as he takes a drink of beer. Then he takes his turn. “Okay everyone’s ganging up on Cam. That’s cool, I can handle it.” Looking Vanessa dead in the eye he says, “Never have I ever…had sex in a hot tub.”
Vanessa’s cheeks flush, but I don’t think it’s from embarrassment. She takes a drink, but so does Cam. Dani seems annoyed by that, but tries to joke about it, “Well who hasn’t?”
She takes a drink and I notice Cassie doesn’t. Good. I however, do take a drink and Cam laughs when he sees that. “Nice man!”
I roll my eyes at his enthusiasm. I never said I don’t enjoy sex or ever played into the whole “Choir Boy” thing. Before Miranda decided to fuck my best friend, we were pretty wild together.
Cam turns to Dani, “Alright pretty girl, what do you have for me?”
She giggles again and grazes his arm with her fingers. Cassie and I both watch Vanessa who looks like she’s about to pounce. Dani must be oblivious or just not care and she says, “Let me think. Never have I ever…fucked in a store’s dressing room.”
Cassie glares at her, “Bitch!”
Dani laughs and Cassie’s expression turns softer laughing with her friend as she takes a drink. Dani is still laughing when she says, “I’m sorry, Cass. We just know so much about each other.”
Damn, this fucking game. The thought of Cassie having sex with someone in a dressing room both pisses me off and turns me the fuck on. I’m seriously going to have to take a cold shower after this.
Chapter 17
Cassie
I’m going to kill Dani. She’s my best friend and I love her, but seriously? First, she insists on playing ‘Never Have I Ever’ with alcohol and then she keeps saying things that she knows I have done, mostly with Brent.
I should have backed out when Hunter gave me the chance, but I just couldn’t pass up getting to learn more about him. Him actually talking about sex, in a way. So, sue me. I’m crazy attracted to him and I’ll take what I can get.
We are on round five now and all on our second and third beers. We all also know a hell of a lot more about each other’s sex lives. Like I know that Cam has been in a threesome, Vanessa and Cam have engaged in sixty-nine, and we all have gotten or given a blowjob.
I don’t think this game is supposed to be a turn on, but every time Hunter takes a drink I wonder what it would be like to partake in that act with him. I know he doesn’t see me that way, but it doesn’t mean I don’t see him that way.
“Never have I ever…had sex in public.” That question comes from Dani and she says it knowing she will have to drink.
Cam asks, “What do you define as public?”
Dani locks eyes with him, putting on her best sexy face. I’m pretty sure she’s buzzed since she’s on her third beer. “Well, parks, movie theaters, at a lake, cars, busses…”
We all take a drink.
Hunter and I both take a quick turn and now Vanessa is up and she says, “Never have I ever…cheated while in a relationship.”
It’s directed straight at Cam and he reluctantly takes a drink. Is that why it ended between them? I thought she said he didn’t cheat on her. “Monogamy isn’t fucking natural.”
She glares at him, “Not for animals that can’t control themselves.”
He sits up a little straighter in his chair, keeping an even and calm tone, “I told you I didn’t fucking touch that chick.”
Vanessa folds her arms over her chest, “Bullshit, Cam. You’re really going to tell me that out of three semi-serious relationships you’ve been in. Two in which you fully admit you cheated, that you didn’t cheat on me. Please.”
Cam raises his hands up in frustration, “No, I’m not going to fucking tell you that because I’ve already told you that! A million fucking times! I’m tired of saying it.”
Hunter looks worried by his friends’ argument, “Guys, let’s just calm down.”
Cam ignores Hunter and his eyes plead with Vanessa, “You really think I cheated on you?”
Vanessa rolls her eyes over at Cam, “Just take your turn.”
Obvious fury comes over Cam’s face. I’ve never seen him angry, he’s usually the guy that’s goofing around. He leans forward further in his chair, deadly calm as his eyes bore into Vanessa’s, “Alright, never have I have been finger fucked under the table in a crowded restaurant and fucking loved every second of it.”
Vanessa glares at him, “Prick.”
He just shrugs as she takes drink and watches her intensely. All eyes are on them and I’m nervous about how this is going to play out.
Dani clears her throat, effectively breaking the trance Cam is in. “Wow, that’s fucking hot, Cam.” She purrs close to his ear and he slouches back in his chair.
I catch Hunter’s eyes and he’s clearly just as worried as I am. Dani continues with the game, like nothing else is going on. “Well we all know the girls have given blowjobs and now I want to know how generous the guys are at this table below the belt. So, never have I ever…made a girl come using my tongue.”
I’m mesmerized by Hunter as he takes a drink of his beer. My mind wanders to a place it shouldn’t go. Thinking about Hunter in bed, about him going down on me, something I’ve never experienced. My heartrate speeds way up and even though the sun has gone down and it’s a little chilly out, I’m on fire. Just from the thought of that.
I snap back to reality when Cam drinks too and I hear my best friend say, “Damn, I knew you were my kind of guy. Who knows maybe someday I’ll find out myself just how much pleasure you can bring in the bedroom.”
I watch in horror as Cam challenges Vanessa with his eyes, then turns to Dani, “Why wait?”
Vanessa stays strong, no tears or lashing out. She just sits there, stone faced. I feel Hunter’s body stiffen next to me as Cam stands up and holds his hand out for Dani.
She turns to me and I shake my head, begging her not to do this. We’ve been friends for a long time. I know that she’s asking for forgiveness as she stands up and takes his hand. I’m frozen as they walk into the house through the sliding glass door.
Vanessa sits there, dead to the world for a minute and I hear Hunter’s deep voice, “Van?”
She looks over at him, “Don’t worry about it, Hunt. I’m gonna head home.”
She stands up and so does he, “I’ll walk you.”
She shakes her head, “Nah, stay. I literally live three houses down. I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t mind.”
She says no with her head again, “Thanks.”
She starts to walk toward the backyard gate and Hunter says, “Be careful. Luke and Hannah are there.”
Her head drops, “Shit. Thanks for reminding me.”
She waves goodbye and then heads out of the backyard. Hunter takes his seat, right beside me. “I’m so sorry for Dani. I don’t understand what’s going on with her lately.” That’s not entirely true. “Well, maybe I do. I’ve felt the need to use sex to numb the pain. Hell, I’ve even used it for revenge, like Cam is doing.”
Hunter picks up his beer bottle and places it to his lips, taking a big drink. “Cam has his reasons too, but he shouldn’t take it out on Vanessa and he sure as hell shouldn’t use Dani.”
“What happened between them? Did he cheat on her?”
He plays with the label on the beer bottle, placed between his jean clad thighs. “Nah, I really don’t think he did.”
I nod, “Well they clearly care about it each other. That would be nice to have on both sides.”
He turns to face me, with the porch light on I can easily make out his handsome face. I wish I could control what I say around him. I loved Brent, but
he never loved me. Austin loved me, but I didn’t love him, at least in that way. “I’m sorry about the shit your ex put you through, Cassie.”
I give him a weak smile, knowing he’s talking about Brent. “Thanks. Like I said though I’ve tried to put him through pain too.”
“Tried?”
I nod and take a drink of my near empty beer. “I’ve done some really messed up things, Hunter.”
He shakes his head at me. “We all make mistakes, Cass. Whatever you did there are people out there, hell at this house even, that have done a lot worse.”
I don’t know if it’s the beer or just Hunter’s kind nature, but I suddenly blurt out, “I used Austin.”
He takes another sip of beer, like he needs it to have this specific conversation. Why can’t I just hide my crazy around him? “How?”
“After Brent broke up with me, the second time, I just wanted to feel better. No one understood why I was so upset and kept saying it was his loss. Austin, literally was just nice to me in the hallway at school and that same night, I snuck into his room, through the window. I kissed him and…” I’m a despicable human being. Dani doesn’t even know this. “We had sex. His first time. He told me he loved me and he thought we were back together.”
Hunter nods, knowingly. Somehow, I don’t feel like he’s judging me, “But you just wanted to get over Brent.”
It wasn’t a question. “Yes. I broke his heart again because I was being a selfish brat.”
“At least you didn’t drag it out. That would have been worse.” He smiles over at me.
Wow, how does he manage to be so ‘glass half full’ all of the time? “So, I’m no different from Cam. I used Austin, like he’s using Dani and she’s using him. And I’ve even tried revenge sex.”
He winces slightly when I say that, “So, that thing with Austin wasn’t the revenge part?”
I shake my head slowly, suddenly feeling the need to unburden myself. Well, if there was a part of him that would be with me before all of this I’m sure it’s gone now. “No. The revenge part failed miserably.”
Damn it, he’s going to think I’m a slut. Maybe I am, but why do I feel the need to tell him everything? I should change the subject, I can tell he’s uncomfortable. He told me he wouldn’t talk about sex with me just last weekend. Of course, we did just play a long game of never have I ever.