Fearless Like Us (Like Us 9)

I can’t help but think about Sulli.

About us.

Did someone put polyamory as a charade option? I glance to Quinn. He hasn’t taken his gaze off Sulli this whole time. Not even as he grabs a handful of popcorn from a bowl.

“Kissing! Love!” Thatcher guesses.

Jane lets out an exasperated breath and shakes her head. She goes back to the other side and mimes kissing someone again.

Thatcher looks between Banks and me. “You two going to guess here?”

He doesn’t want to leave his wife high and dry on her round, but the only guess I have is polyamory and I’m not about to blurt that out.

“Peacocking!” Banks shouts unhelpfully.

Jane looks like she’s imitating her little brother with Beckett’s classic what the fuck face. I laugh a little into my beer. Three more air kisses, and the timer goes off.

Thatcher gives Jane an encouraging nod. “That one was hard.”

Banks whispers to me, “That’s what she said.”

“To you or to me,” I joke, hanging onto that levity with Banks.

He slaps my chest, then steals my beer, downing the rest.

Thatcher overhears our whisper-fest and gives us a strange look. Like something has changed. He’s not on the outs.

But I’m closer to his brother. Closer than I’ve ever been.

Dirty thoughts infiltrate. I picture Sulli’s hand…but Banks’ cock. That image heats my blood.

“Cheating,” Jane says.

That word ices me over in an instant. Hair stands up on my arms.

“What?” I ask.

“The answer was cheating,” Jane clarifies. “I was kissing two guys.”

Great.

Great.

That’s what cheating is considered these days? I run a hand through my hair.

Sulli slumps further on the sofa next to Luna, who whispers to her, then throws a blanket over their heads.

Banks whispers, “I wish Sulli were on our team.”

“She is metaphorically.”

We’re all on the same team.

Jack rifles around the papers in the glass bowl.

Oscar shakes Quinn’s arm. “You alright over there, little bro?”

“Huh?” Quinn turns to his brother.

“Look at you,” Oscar grins, “you’re crushing on Sulli.”

“Oscar.” Quinn looks horrified. “I don’t have a crush.”

Don’t look over here, Quinn.

Don’t look over here.

He looks over here.

Shit.

I glare.

Oscar eats popcorn slower, studying me way too closely.

Now we’re fucked.

I stand up. “Who needs refills?” The quick distraction causes hands to shoot in the air and drink orders to be listed off quickly.

“I’ll help,” Sulli throws off the blanket, uncovering her and Luna. She follows me fast into the kitchen.

Sulli opens the fridge and practically steps inside.

“You cooling off?”

“Yeah, I’m so hot from this whole night. Like could it get anymore fucking tense?” She pulls out a few beers and hands them over. “And we haven’t even told them yet.” She takes one more from the fridge and kicks the door closed.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

She twists off the cap to her beer and takes a giant swig. More used to the taste of beer than her first taste a couple years back. Honestly, I support the fact that she wanted to drink tonight. Alcoholism runs in her family, but she’s never abused alcohol. What concerned me was when she’d pass out after drinking nearly nothing, but that hasn’t happened in a long time.

Beer is relaxing her nerves tonight, and I’d be a hypocrite if I said I haven’t had a drink while stressed. I’m keeping an eye on her—like I’ve done for years.

She wipes her mouth with the side of her wrist. “Next person up for charades has to do it.”

“Me,” I tell her. “It has to be me.” I want to kiss her. We’re out of sight from the game. From onlookers.

But I play it too safe and kiss her cheek. A peck. An awkward beat tries to pass, but I tell her assuredly, “More is coming later.”

Sulli begins to smile. “Promise?”

“Promise.” I hook my pinky with hers, then I kiss her knuckles.

Sulli now starts to melt, her smile more uncontrollable. And how stupid I was—to never kiss her earlier. Kissing her didn’t ruin what we had. The feelings grow inside me. Infinitely stronger. “Jeez, Kits.”

“Jeez, what?”

“You’re fucking hot.”

I laugh.

“And jeez, I can’t believe this is real. We’re not just friends anymore.”

“It’s about to be more real.”

“Yeah.” She glances back. “I think I’m ready.”

Me too.

No more waiting, I release her hand, just to hug her side, and then we return, hearing Jack’s round end with more cheers.

“Your team is already taking the L,” she whispers to me.

“The team that I want to win hasn’t played yet.”

Her smile softens.

“Who’s up?” Jane asks.

“Me,” I say and quickly hand out the beers. As I grab a random slip of paper from the bowl, I meet Banks’ eyes. I do my best to silently tell him it’s happening now.

He must read me because he gives me a nod.

My stomach knots as I unfurl the slip of paper. Slowly, I read the word and make my way to the middle of the room.