“Up front. Better view.”
“Who’s ready to play the champion?” One of the guys shouts, getting the crowd’s attention.
After squeezing ourselves into the front, a girl beside me whispers to her friend, “I wannaplayhim, I bet he could put you out of commission for days.” She and her friend giggle at each other. A piece of me wants to punch her right in the throat. I blink rapidly, clearing my head. I need to let all of him go.
I bring my attention back up to the guys at the table, waiting for them to begin playing. Ryder pinches the guy’s joint between his fingers, inhaling slowly before blowing out the smoke. Suddenly, I’m remembering why I agreed to give him my number.
“Anyone gonna challenge me, or should I just go back to my seat?” Ryder asks, his tone bored.
Jessie grabs my wrist, throwing my hand in the air, high above my head. Before I have time to protest, she yells out, “Kelsey volunteers!” My eyes snap to hers so fast I lose balance in my heels.
No, no, no.Snatching my hand out of her grip, I shake my head violently. “No, I don’t. I’ve never even played before!” I mean, it’s just a party game, I’m not scared of playing, it’s aboutwhoI’m playing with. I look over my shoulder, searching for Hayden, and he’s conveniently vanished. A frown pulls at my eyebrows, and I ask Jessie. “Where’d Hayden go? He was just here.” She shrugs in response. Apparently, she’s only observant when it comes to me.
“Come on, Little Bird,” Ryder winks and motions me forward. “I can teach you.”
My heart stutters, and I feel clammy. Then his nickname dawns on me, and I take offense. Hot anger rushes through my blood.Little Bird?I’m still feeling buzzed from the drinks earlier, and my high has already worn off. Fuck me.
I inhale sharply, “Alright, fuck it.” I feign confidence, because I don’t wanna look like a scared little bitch. That’s the point of his nickname, right? My heels clap the concrete flooring as I saunter up to the plastic folding table already set up with the cups. Ten on each end in a triangular form. The liquid in the cups is clear, so I have to state the obvious: “That isn’t beer.”
“It isn’t,” A familiar voice speaks from behind me, and I shift my weight in my heels. “It’s vodka. Beer would be too easy.” I turn to find Hayden standing beside Ryder. Where the hell did he come from? Hayden takes a step back for Ryder to move in closer to me. I have so many questions.
Ryder places his large calloused hand on my exposed, overheated skin. He leans over my shoulder and whispers in my ear. “Just toss this little ball into those cups. If you get one in, I have to take the shot and vice versa.” He explains the rules that I already know. I forgot I played stupid earlier to try to get out of this.
His thumb rubs idle circles along my waist, distracting me from the game. His soft breath tickles the sensitive skin behind my ear, making my breath quicken. His whole goal is to throw me off my game with his little seductive tricks. He tosses the ball, directing my hand, and it goes straight into a cup.
“But you won’t make any in, will you?” He remarks snidely. Stalking around the table, he plucks the ball from the cup and wipes it on his shirt, then rolls it across the table back to me.
“You can go first. Good luck, baby girl.” He winks with a smirk. I scoff at his arrogance. It’s honestly annoying as fuck, and the way he acts like he wasn’t just begging me to hang out with him. What an asshole. A fine as fuck asshole at that. He pretends to run this place, which makes me wonder what his relation is with people. He’s like one of those popular kids in school, who everyone clings to.
We’ve been playing for what feels like eternity, but the clock shows only ten minutes. I’m losing terribly. My knees are wobbly, the buzz I had just started recovering from is quickly returning after these vodka shots. He’s got damn good aim, but I am at a disadvantage considering I’m drunk. Who can accurately toss a tiny ball into a cup when their whole world is spinning around them? It’s not fair. Hayden has his arm leisurely draped over Ryder’s shoulder, leaning into him, and I can’t help but study them. They seem so close, are they brothers? They don’t look anything alike, but who’s to say they’re not stepbrothers or half-brothers? Genetics are weird like that, so who knows.
Ryder bounces the ball lazily, and I watch as it plops right into the damn cup. My last cup. Warily, I toss it back, gagging on the burn as it harshly runs down my throat. Stumbling over my own two feet, I crush the cup and toss it over my shoulder as I walk up to him and shove my finger into his chest.
“There,baby boy,” I say in the same mocking tone he used on me. “You got what you wanted. Happy now?” I say, throwing my arms out at my sides. “Now that I’m fucking shit faced in front of what? All of your friends? You too, Hayden? Happy?”
This fucking bastard has the audacity to laugh in my face. “Not yet, baby. I will be, though,” Ryder’s voice is so dark it sends a shiver through my soul.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I snap. I’m pissed off at this point. Who does he think he is? He comes here with some other girl, when he’s been texting me, keeping me close, too. Fuck that. He wants to play this game, I’ll play right back,baby. If I could see straight enough to find Jessie, she would get an ear full too.
“You lost. You have to play another game. But if you keep up that sexy little attitude, I may skip that and haul your ass straight up to my room.” He hovers over my face, our breaths mingling together. I smell the lingering hint of weed and his cologne—sandalwood—and it makes my mouth water. I would love to be carried up to his room if it means he’ll fuck my brains out. I’m all sweaty and horny.
“What…game?” I hiccup, really feeling the effects of all the vodka. My stomach burns, and I feel the urge to puke.
“Strip Dare. Then I might be happy.” He winks. “What about you, Hayden?” Although he’s talking to Hayden, his eyes are burning holes through mine. I clench my thighs, trying to ignore the rush of heat between them and my pulsing clit. Hayden doesn’t answer, so I shift my gaze to him. He’s eyeing me like a predator on the hunt, stalking his prey. Like he could devour me right this very second, and I might just let him if he made a move.
“Are you going to keep staring me down, or are you going to give me my first dare?” I challenge, crossing my arms over my chest, intentionally pushing my tits up. I can tell it worked because Ryder glances down, but quickly adjusts his attention back to me.
He bites his bottom lip. “I dare you to get on that table.” He nods toward the folding table behind me that’s littered with empty Solo cups. I glance over my shoulder and arch a brow, wondering how in the hell I’m supposed to get up there this drunk and in heels. Hayden grips my hips and hoists me up on the table, making me gasp in surprise as if he read my mind.
“Now what? Want a show?” I slowly squat down in front of him, tugging him closer by the front of his button-up shirt. I grab one of the cups of vodka and tip it back, letting some dribble down my chin, and it wets my white crop top, making it slightly translucent over the crease of my breasts. I watch his pupils dilate as he looks down at it, and I can’t help but continue coaxing him. The crowd has gone quiet behind us, or maybe I can’t hear them over theblood rushing in my ears and all the alcohol making them feel fuzzy. I would look to find out, but I can’t seem to break the hold Ryder’s eyes have on mine.
“Take the shirt off.” He commands. He’s falling right into my trap.
Tilting my head, “Was that a dare?”
His eyes narrow, “I dare you to take the shirt off before I rip it off you.”
“That’s more like it,” I respond, patting his cheek before shoving his head back aggressively. I watch anger flash through his eyes, but it’s gone as quick as it came. I seductively pull my shirt over my head, exposing my pale pink, lacy bra. It’s see-through, so my hardened nipples are visible to the crowd and show just how turned on I am. I toss my shirt to the side, and Hayden snatches it just as a guy beside him reaches up for it.
