Pretty sure Calder is right. I have most definitely met my match. I’m in awe.
* * *
“Oh, I have one,” I say as I take a sip of my beer and lick the top of my lip before saying, “Rachel, fuck, chuck, and marry.” I clear my throat, “Daario Naharis, Khal Drogo, and Jon Snow.”
I’m practically giddy over my question, knowing how much this is going to kill Rachel. She is a HUGEGame of Thronesfan, throwing viewing parties and dressing up in her GOT-themed clothing every time the show airs.
Slowly, Rachel lowers her pink Cosmo from her mouth, eyes locked on mine, a little vein in her forehead twitching. “Youbastard.”
Laughing, I reach over and pat her hand. “You have to answer. It’s the oath we cheersed to before the game started. And as we have all known from the beginning of this friendship, a cheersed oath is one never to be broken.” I might be a little drunk, but who’s really counting beers tonight? At least I’m not Adalyn who’s been giggling consistently since she downed her fourth drink.
“And you had layups. You just threw down the gauntlet with a fuck, chuck, and marry, Game of Thrones edition. Tell me how that’s fair.”
“It’s not, but I never said I was fair.”
Shaking her head, payback written all over her face, Rachel playfully points her finger at me. “Just you wait, Holmes, your turn is coming.”
“Bring it on.” I spread my arms. “You won’t be able to stump me.”
“Maybe not you . . .” She eyes Adalyn who’s still giggling, playing with the stem of her margarita glass.
Eyeing Rachel suspiciously, I ask, “What are you up to?”
“Just you wait and see.” Sighing heavily, she leans her head back against the bench and really puts some thought into her answer.
Next to her, Calder sways back and forth to the Irish music lightly playing in the background, occasionally biting down heavily on his bottom lip and drunkenly tapping on the table along with the beat. Drunk looks “good” on him.
“If I have to answer, which this isn’t fair, because you know I love all of my men . . .” She presses her hand over her eyes, and swears under her breath. “Marry Jon, chuck Daario, and fuck that monster cock of a man Khal.” Leaning forward, growing even more serious, she adds, “And for the record, I would teach that man how to not only please a woman, but how to make him come so hard, his eyes pop out of their sockets.”
“She knows how to fuck, man.” Calder falls into Rachel and places sloppy kisses all over her face, which she doesn’t seem to mind, given how her mouth opens and her tongue starts prying Calder’s mouth open.
Moving in close to me, Adalyn loudly whispers, “They sure know how to kiss and make noise when they do it, don’t they? Top-notch noise level. Do you think we sound like that when we kiss?”
I shake my head. “Nah, we’re classy, baby.” I press a quick kiss across her nose and then throw a wadded-up napkin to break up the make-out session.
“Come on, I shouldn’t have to tell you to keep your lips to yourself every goddamn second. We’re playing a game.”
Pushing Calder away, Rachel says, “He’s right.” She wipes her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt, all class flying out the window long ago. “I have an important question to ask.” I don’t like that look in her eye. Fixing on Adalyn, she taps the table in front of her to gather her attention and says, “Adalyn, fuck, chuck, and marry.” Smiling devilishly at me, eyes locked, she says, “Hayden, Holden, and Halsey.” She finishes her sentence with a giant smile and folded hands on the table.
Touché.
Tou-fucking-ché.
“You bitch.”
Rachel throws her head back and laughs. She’s so happy with herself, pleased as punch, and I have to hand it to her. She has all the right to be because that is a killer question.
Head tilted to the side, Adalyn asks, “You want me to compare Hayden with his brothers?”
Rachel nods her head.
“Well . . . that’s easy.” Turning toward me, Adalyn boops my nose with her little finger and says, “Fuck Holden, marry Halsey, and chuck Hayden. I like my men young.”
From the other side of the table, Calder and Rachel erupt in laughter, holding on to their stomachs, wiping tears from their eyes kind of laughter. Adalyn giggles along with them, keeping her eyes on mine, a sparkle deep within her dark irises.
“You’re in fucking trouble now,” I whisper to her, leaning into her ear.
“Good, it’s about time you punish me.”
