“Uh-huh,” Wren said dryly. “That explains why you were giving Paul a handjob.”
“What? Oh, that,” Christy said. “No, I do that all the time. Most of the time I don’t even notice.”
“It’s true,” I said. “Sometimes she’ll be drawing with one hand and jerking me with the other.”
“He’s right! I can’t tell you how many pages in my sketchbook are stuck together now.”
Brooke lost it at that point. She doubled over and shook with laughter, and everyone turned to look. Wren succumbed a moment later, and soon we were all laughing, including Christy.
“Oh, Chris,” Brooke gasped. “You’re the worst liar in the world.”
“Like, totally,” Erin said through tears.
“I didn’t think it was that bad,” Christy muttered.
“It was pretty bad,” I said.
“But it was funny,” Trip said. “Ya gotta admit…”
“Yeah, it was,” Wren said.
“This calls for another drink,” Mark said. “And then let’s finish this game. I dunno ’bout you guys, but I’m ready to get my dick wet.”
“Hear, hear!” Trip agreed.
Mark emptied the pitcher into the girls’ cups. He didn’t have enough left for his own, so he accepted a healthy splash of whiskey from Trip, who waved the bottle at me.
“Sure, what the hell,” I said. “Why not?”
He poured and we drank. The alcohol burned my throat and filled me with warmth.
“Okay, who’s next?” Mark said. “Erin or Brooke?”
“Erin,” Leah said with an evil grin.
“Save the best for last,” Trip said.
Wren punched him in the arm.
“Ow! Yeah, all right,” he said as he rubbed it, “I kinda deserved that.” He grinned. “Let me rephrase. I meant to say, ‘The second best, after my sweetie.’”
“Uh-huh.”
“Come on,” Leah said, “let’s do this. Erin…? Assume the position.”
We returned to the other table, where Leah helped Erin with the blindfold. Brooke drew a white chip and then passed the bag. I pulled a red one, and Wren immediately shook her head. I paused and considered it, mostly to needle her. Then I put it back and drew another.
“Well?” I held up another red chip. “What now?”
“It’s a sign,” Christy said hopefully.
“Just look in there and find a white one,” Wren said.
“Your wish—”
She glared and huffed, so I rolled my eyes in a passable imitation.
“Be nice,” Christy said out of the side of her mouth.
“Yes, dear.”
I found a white chip and passed the bag to Christy, who immediately drew my red one. Trip and Mark pulled the last two and shared a grin.
“Are we ready?” Brooke said.
Leah gestured for Christy to go first.
Brooke held up the watch. “On your mark… get set… go.”
Erin was so worked up by the island fantasy that she didn’t have a clue who was licking her. Trip took Christy’s place and made her come after less than a minute. Erin cried out and arched her back, and Trip kept licking until she finally gasped and pushed him away.
“Oh, yeah, that’s how I do it,” he bragged. Then he helped her sit up. He was still a gentleman, after all. He supported her with a hand on her shoulder and bent to look into her eyes. “Are you all right? That was a big one.”
“It’s still— going.”
“Wow! For real?”
She nodded jerkily.
“Okay… so… um?”
“I don’t think— I can walk.”
He chuckled. “Not the first time I’ve heard that.”
Wren rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.
“Bring her over here,” Leah said.
Trip lifted Erin off the table and carried her to a chair. “Is she gonna be all right?”
“She’ll be fine,” Leah said. “I’ll take care of her.” She found Erin’s towel and draped it around her shoulders. Then she pulled up her own chair. “Aw, honey… that was a big one, wasn’t it?”
“O-o-oh my God.”
“You were pretty worked up, weren’t you?”
“W-w-was it— that obvious?”
Erin’s teeth were chattering. Leah laughed easily and hugged her. Then she caught Mark’s eye and nodded toward the other table.
“Okay,” he said. “Brooke, you’re up.”
“Is she gonna be all right? Do we need to stop?”
“I’m f-f-fine,” Erin said. “Your turn. Y-y-you earned it.”
“She’s okay,” Leah said. “She gets like this sometimes.” She rubbed Erin’s shoulder and leaned into her.
“Sorry,” Trip joked. “I’ll dial it back next time.”
“Oh, brother,” Wren said.
“What? I’m just sayin’—”
“Oh, quit. Everyone knows you’re the best.”
“It’s true,” Mark said. “Now c’mon, let’s do this.”
He tied Brooke’s blindfold, and I picked up the bag of chips. I fished out two white ones and set them on the table next to Leah, who smiled gratefully. Then I made a snap decision and glanced at Christy. She nodded and scooted a chair next to the other two. I dumped all the chips into my palm, found a white one, and set it on the table for her.
I looked at Wren and held up the fourth and final white chip. She glanced at the red ones in my right hand before her eyes flicked to Trip and Mark.
“Yeah, give it here,” she said, and I handed her the white one. “All right, are we ready?” She gestured at Mark. “You wanna go first?”
He grinned, nodded, and slid into the chair between Brooke’s legs.
“Hold on to your knickers,” he said under his breath, and Brooke actually laughed. Then she moistened her lips and relaxed.
“On your mark—”
On your Mark. I snorted a laugh. Wren glared, so I did my best to compose my expression. Sadly, my best wasn’t very good.
“On your mark…,” she repeated ominously. Then she waited to see if I had anything to add (I didn’t) before she finished, “get set… go!”
Brooke figured out what we’d done. She guessed all three of us correctly and scored a perfect six points.
“Okay, that was impressive,” Wren said.
“Makes it easy to declare a winner,” Trip agreed. He helped Brooke sit up.
“Did we ever decide what she wins?” I asked Leah, who shook her head.
“Winner’s choice,” Mark declared.
Brooke blushed peach-pink when everyone looked at her.
“Do you know what you want?” Trip asked.
“Tell us your wishes,” I boomed, “O Winner of the Licker Lottery.”
Wren rolled her eyes but followed with a grudging grin. She was a showman too, after all.
“You’re such a dork,” Erin laughed.
“Yeah, but he’s our dork,” Christy and Leah said at the same time.
“Jinx!” Christy said. “You owe me a Coke.”
Leah smiled warmly. “Any time.”
“So… what’ll it be?” Mark asked Brooke. “Anything you want.”
“Anything?”
“Anything,” Trip agreed.
“In that case, I want… um…” She swallowed nervously. The silence threatened to become awkward.
“Want me to tell them?” I asked.
“Hey, this isn’t what you want,” Wren snapped. “She won.”
Christy cleared her throat softly.
“Yeah, okay,” Wren admitted, “I guess he’d know.”
Brooke nodded.
“Gentlemen… the lady wants a foursome.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Mark said. “Let’s do this.”
“Oh, yeah,” Trip added. “Her wish is our command.”
Wren shot me a glare. I’ll get you for this…
At first I thought she was upset that Trip had such an obvious hard-on for Brooke. Then I realized she was annoyed that he’d adopted my usual reply. I couldn’t help but tease her about it.
“And your little dog too!” I cackled.
“God, you are such a dork,” Erin said.