by Alison Mello
“Isn’t that cold?” I asked him.
His grin was wide and mischievous as he shook his head and did it all over again.
By now my mom was used to his unpredictable ways; she no longer batted an eye. Instead she simply lay the rubber-gripped spoon beside Toby’s bowl and ignored the fact that he showed no signs of grabbing it.
“Do you two have big plans for the night?” she asked as she took a seat in the only chair still left at the table.
She looked tired, and for a moment I just looked at her. I wished there was something I could do for her. A way I could relieve just a small amount of the heaping stress both she and my father felt.
“I’m forcing your daughter to go out tonight,” Marcus stated, causing me to focus on the present instead of being lost in wishful thinking. “She hasn’t had a free night since she started working at the Sub Shop and I’m making her take advantage of it.”
He seemed pleased with himself.
“Yeah, by making me go to some college party,” I said, wrinkling my nose and making my mother laugh.
“Marcus.” She fought the smile I knew she wanted to share and tried to maintain that motherly expression she used often. Marcus was like one of her own. “I think we both know that Morgan hates parties. Do you plan to babysit this evening?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I fully intend on making sure that no one gets in her way. But I do, however, think she needs to relax a bit. We both know that stick up her ass cannot be comfortable.”
At that point my mother had no hope of hiding her smile any longer. I narrowed my eyes at the both of them and had a flash of “I’ll show them stick up my ass” moment.
“You two are awful,” I said as I leaned over toward Toby. “Do you think I’m difficult?” I asked him and he took a small break from his ice cream to nod his head, agreeing with the other two.
“Toby,” I said, trying to act offended, “I thought you were on my side.”
He laughed, Marcus chuckled, and my mother sat back with humor in her eyes. It looked good on her.
And in that moment I made a mental note to set aside a girls’ day she and I could share.
Marcus could sit with Toby if my father was at work. I knew he would.
***
We drove by the house where the party was first. A slow pass, just to get a feel for what was to come.
The front porch held entirely too many people as they stood sandwiched together. Laughing, talking, and some—well, let’s just say they needed to take it inside. Preferably behind a secure door that hid their goodies from the rest of the world.
“You ready to have some fun?” Marcus asked, pulling my attention away from the house and back to him.
He chuckled, and it was then I realized I was sneering in disgust.
“Does one ever get ready for that?” I asked, pointing over my shoulder back toward the house. “I mean come on, doesn’t a nice quiet movie sound better than…” I waved my hand, unable to think of a proper word for what was going on behind me.
“You are such a prude,” he said, shaking his head as he proceeded to look for a parking space.
“No, I just have an allergic reaction to dumbasses,” I said in defense. “And something tells me there are a whole lot of those—in there.”
Again I pointed over my shoulder.
He didn’t answer me, he didn’t try to fire back with any type of smartass remark. Instead he simply parked the car and pulled the keys from the ignition.
I sat in shock as he climbed from the car, shut his door, and began walking across the street, leaving me behind.
“Hey,” I hollered out as I opened my door.
But he didn’t stop.
“Asshole,” I yelled a little louder, and about five guys turned to look in my direction.
Yep, let’s party.
A party full of men who responded to someone yelling asshole. Oh the possibilities.
I shivered at the thought of what my night would entail.
Sluggishly, I climbed out of the car and jogged across the street to catch up with Marcus. When I reached him, I tucked my arm through his and he leaned into my body. “Promise me you’ll have a little fun,” he said as he led me up the porch. I ignored the curious stares of those around us as I focused on placing one foot in front of the other. “You never just let go, and you need to every once in a while. Otherwise you’ll be a dried up ol’ bitch with no friends later in life.”
“Nice analogy.” I rolled my eyes as we stepped inside.
“I’m not kidding; just let loose and be a young adult for once. I know shit’s rough. And I know you have a lot of things to stress over, but for tonight can you just relax? Forget all the garbage and just act your age for one night.”
I looked up and could see that he was being completely serious.
Marcus and I joked around a lot. But this was definitely one of those times he was not playing.
“Okay,” I said, bumping my hip against his. “I’ll have fun.”
“Promise?” he asked with a questioning stare.
“Yes,” I said, before suddenly stiffening and moving in closer to him. As if to seek shelter from my current position. “I’ll attempt to ignore the fact that right now, there is a hand on my ass that shouldn’t be there,” I said through gritted teeth.
Marcus looked over my shoulder and I saw that he was fighting against a grin.
“Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be with another girl?” he asked and my eyes widened a little further as the hand squeezed my ass and another began to snake around my waist.
“Make it stop.” I glared at him. “Or so help me God, Marcus, I will turn around right now and…” I was cut off when he jerked my body forward and moved me across the room, far, far away from Miss Grabby.
I took in a deep calming breath, remembering what I had just promised Marcus only moments ago.
A good time.
I would relax.
I kept repeating that in my mind when I accepted the pinkish-looking drink Marcus handed me and tipped it back, drinking half the contents in one big gulp.
“Keep ’em coming,” I said as I lowered the drink for only a few seconds before lifting the cup again and finishing it off quickly.
Chapter 5
Xavier
I was well aware of Red watching me from across the room. When I moved, he moved.
I knew he was waiting for the right moment when he could get me back for torturing his ass all day. Which is why for the last hour I’d slowly nursed the same beer.
I guess I’d hoped he’d find another source to occupy his attention by now. But I could only blame myself for this. I pushed him; what is one to do when they know they are already doomed?
You taunt a little more.
I lifted my beer in the air, using it to point in Elijah’s direction, and when I was sure his eyes were locked on mine, I winked and blew him a kiss.
The guy was fun to fuck with.
As the party went on, I found myself growing bored. It was then I realized that it wasn’t always Britney who kept me from the parties; I just would have rather spent time with her then be wrapped up in this shit.
Don’t get me wrong—I had fun with the guys, but I wasn’t a heavy partier.
My father and mother had both raised me knowing the importance of life. Neither of them ever drank. Instead we spent nights doing family shit. My brother and sister were both younger than me, so I was always pushed into board games and family nights. After a while those things became something I looked forward to.
Nights in, relaxing.
Much better than waking up the day after a party feeling like ass and unable to remember what the hell you did the night before.
“You find your balls yet?” I looked to my left to see Corbin smiling at me. The guy was such a weirdo at times.
But before I could answer, Clayton responded for me.
“Hell no, he’s peeled back his pussy lips a
nd realized they’re gone.” He chuckled and Corbin joined in. They really thought they were comedians.
I was just about to hassle Clayton about his dildo pics when I heard a laugh I recognized. A laugh I had spent just shy of a year listening to day after day. A laugh I used to enjoy but now it just got on my nerves.
Clayton stopped laughing and I heard him murmur “Oh fuck” under his breath.
And “oh fuck” was right.
I instantly wondered what in the hell Britney was trying to pull, but then I remembered who I was dealing with and knew instantly. She was a conniving bitch. She loved attention, and would do just about anything to gain it. Including showing up here at my place for a party we threw with her new toy.
The asshole who she decided could give her more than I could. Or more efficiently explained, what his asshole parents could provide for her.
Wade Richards, pretty boy, trying to act tough. His father was a big time attorney and his mother was some sought after plastic surgeon who traveled around, even working on some of the big actresses and actors in Hollywood.
Britney loved the idea of being a trophy wife. So the fact that my father was a simple working man and my mother was a teacher did nothing to impress her.
She looked over in my direction and curled into Wade a little tighter. And in that moment, I wasn’t sure what I ever saw in her.
Right now she just looked like some bimbo in a short skirt.
“Don’t let her fuck with your head, X,” Corbin said, nudging my shoulder.
“Don’t plan on it.” I tipped my beer up and looked away from her. “But I was promised a crazy night. So when does the crazy start?”
I wouldn’t let her being here stop me from having a good time. I knew that was her intention when she showed up. She never wanted to go to parties when we were together, so tonight was just some fucked up game she had planned.
And I wasn’t playing.
It was never love with her, just convenience, and now it was simple annoyance.
“Well then, let me direct you to the next room, my friend.” Clayton placed his hand on my shoulder and led me out of the living room toward the den. It had been converted to a game room. And when I say games, I mean strip poker, beer pong, and many more things crazy college kids thought up at parties.
The room was loud, wild, and just what I needed to get my head wrapped around the idea of what tonight was meant to be.
***
I tipped my shot glass upside down and looked across the table at the blonde. She was giving me a look that had my full attention. It wasn’t a needy sultry look, more of an “I’m unimpressed but I’ll play along to see where this goes” kind of look.
Something about the challenge in her eyes had my heart racing. I found I really liked the thrill it inflicted in me.
“Never have I ever masturbated while watching porn,” a guy said from my left, yet I continued to watch the blonde. I slowly lifted the shot that sat in front of me and downed it in one quick swig before locking eyes with her once more. It was then that I noticed her own shot glass was also empty.
I felt my dick harden at the thought of her spread out on her bed, porn playing on the television as the light illuminated her body. Her hand buried between her legs as she moaned, biting down on her lower lip.
I noticed the smirk on her face and found myself wondering if she was envisioning the same thing but with me perched on my bed instead.
“Never have I ever repurposed a common household item as a sex toy,” a girl added, and I waited to see what reaction that question would gain from the sexy blonde girl across from me. Slowly, she lifted her drink to her mouth and smiled just as she pressed the glass against her lips. She was fully aware that she had my attention.
No one would convince me that she didn’t enjoy it just as much as I did.
She tilted back the shot and licked her lower lip as she lowered her glass and once again made eye contact with me.
It was now her turn to ask the question, and I found myself eager to know what it would be. “Never have I ever slept with someone I just met.”
I moaned. I’ll admit it.
I fucking moaned. And what did she do? Continued to stare at me, waiting for me to answer the question I knew was directed at me in the form of some fucked up game we were playing.
Had I hooked up? Yes.
But I knew the girls.
So to answer her question, I had never slept with a girl I just met, but I was more than willing to change that.
I found myself hoping that she also had not yet experienced such a thing. And was thankful when she didn’t raise her shot glass to her lips.
We shared some crazy stare down, no words, just curiosity.
“Never have I ever slept with twins.”
For the first time I took my eyes off the blonde and looked toward Corbin, who was looking around at the girls with a hopeful look on his face.
And found myself wandering off into territory I truly didn’t want to venture to, but was unable to stop it.
The twins did some sort of fist bump when one girl tipped her glass back and downed her shot. As she lowered it, she was eyeing the brothers and I knew right then their night was set up.
Freaky fucking twin shit going down and I was glad I had something else to distract me, because that shit just ain’t right.
Chapter 6
Morgan
“Do you know him?” Marcus leaned in close, whispering in my ear.
The reaction it gained from Mystery Guy made me smile. Apparently he wasn’t impressed with Marcus and his closeness. Normally that type of thing I found annoying, but at that moment it sparked an interest. Something about his dislike for another man paying attention to me was appealing.
“Nope,” I said, without looking away from the guy. He had barely taken his eyes off me since we started this silly game of questions and I found I loved it.
“From the looks of it, he’s wanting to get to know you,” Marcus added, and by his tone I could tell he approved. The appreciative little moan he let escape made me laugh.
Marcus was always pointing out good-looking guys to me. Telling me things like “I bet he would rock your world” and “Look at that ass.” Apparently I wasn’t forward enough for him, and he felt he needed to push me.
Mystery Guy, as I’d decided to call him for now, was very good looking. Tall, just how I like them, and dark hair, long enough to tug on when he was doing nasty things to me.
Just the thought of those things turned me on.
It was then I realized the multiple shots I had consumed were beginning to have an effect.
He’d been watching me close for the last hour. Each question that had been asked was just another small piece of the mystery solved.
He was experienced, but not overly experienced. Which meant there was room to explore.
I liked that idea.
“So what was with that question you asked?” Marcus spoke again and suddenly I felt the heat rise in my neck and cheeks.
I didn’t drink often but I found that it seemed to make me more adventurous and, um, horny, apparently.
“Morgan?” I pulled my stare away from the guy and faced Marcus. “The question?” he asked again, reminding me that I had yet to respond.
“What question?” I asked, as if lost to what he was meant. But I knew.
“You know exactly what question I’m referring to,” he added, daring me to argue. “The one about hooking up with someone you just met.” He wasn’t going to give me the chance to skate around the subject any longer.
“Oh that question.” I shrugged. “You did insist I have a little fun. He looks like fun,” I said, wagging my eyebrows suggestively.
“Honey, he looks like a whole lot of fun,” Marcus corrected. “Maybe even a little too much for an innocent like you.”
“Maybe I’m not so innocent,” I said, looking away from Marcus and back toward the guy, who was now preoccupied with the obvious twins he�
�d walked in with.
“Maybe you think I’m an idiot.” Marcus nudged me with his shoulder. “Because, Morgan, I know you, and you don’t do one night stands.”
Without looking back at him, I lifted the shot glass to my lips and tilted it back. It burnt on the way down, but I did my best to hide it. I had reached the point where I was feeling a good buzz.
I felt more confident than I normally did. More determined and definitely more cocky.
Lowering my glass to the table, I sat it down a little harder than I intended and it made a decently loud clank. But due to the noise of the room no one else seemed to pick up on my lack of judgement.
“Well it’s time I turn over a new leaf,” I stated as I pushed back and began to round the table.
It was as if Mystery Guy could feel me coming because he looked up and smiled.
“Hi,” I said and instantly regretted it.
I could do sultry. I could do the “let’s get naked now” look that I’d seen many girls use since I got there.
I laughed a little and I am sure I looked like an idiot.
Okay, who the hell was I kidding? I didn’t play games. I was terrible at them. I was the girl who said things before I thought them through. I shared what was on my mind the moment it arrived there without sugarcoating any of it.
So I should have just told the guy I wanted to hook up and move on.
But before I could do something that was so unlike me, I was pushed from behind and fell into his arms.
He gripped my waist tightly and turned his body, taking me with him as if to protect me from whatever it was that just barreled into my back.
“Whew!” A loud yelling filled the room. “Yeah baby, dick’s a swinging,” someone hollered, gaining everyone’s attention.
I looked around the guy’s body and I know my eyes widened to double their normal size.
There in the center of the room stood a tall, skinny guy, naked. He was swiveling his hips, making his manly parts swing around and around. A huge smile was on his face, but you could tell he was beyond loaded.