Cruel Kiss

“Anything in particular?”

Whit met my eye and arched an eyebrow.

“Your call,” I told her.

“Tequila,” she told the woman. “And what’s your name?”

“Patricia.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and giggled at Whitley’s attention.

“Get one for yourself too, Patricia.”

She laughed. “You got it.”

When she stepped back to make our drinks, I drew closer to Whit. “What do you think you’re doing?”

She put her hand under her chin. The mask of innocence. “Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“Well, the bartender is hot. And don’t I deserve someone hot, King?”

Yes. Yes, she did.

“Can we share?” I teased.

She looked up, as if she was considering it. I’d heard enough of her wild stories to know that it wouldn’t be her first time in a threesome. Certainly wouldn’t be mine.

“Do you think you’re that lucky?”

I grinned. “Definitely.”

Patricia returned in that moment, dropping our shots on the table. “Cheers.”

We all three downed our shots as one. Patricia winked at Whit and then headed over to get more drinks for the rest of the booth.

“I won that round,” Whit said. She leaned back, as if satisfied from one wink.

“Ha!” I said dramatically. “We have a long way to go before we decide that. I can definitely still land her.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked, her caramel hair falling forward like a curtain. “Want to bet on that?”

When the person I wanted was right in front of me, betting I could get other people was pure stupidity. But I saw the challenge in Whitley’s eyes. She liked the idea of us fighting over people. I had a feeling that she liked the push and pull I gave her as much as the teasing and joking.

“I don’t think you could keep up,” I said, purposely provoking her.

She laughed. “Oh, I bet I can get way more action than you.”

“Phone numbers,” I suggested. “Whoever has more by the end of the night wins.”

She laughed. “Old school.”

“It’ll even the odds. I bet you can get a dozen guys to Snap you.”

“As if I’m only going after guys.”

“That does put you at an advantage. I’m straight.”

She rolled her eyes and patted my cheek once. “Sure you are.”

“You think everyone is a little bit gay.”

“Aren’t they? How could other girls not look at this and think, Damn?” she said, standing and gesturing to herself. Then, she tugged me to my feet. “And guys not look at you and go, Yeah, I’d jack him off in the shower?”

I nearly choked on her words. “Is that what you thought?”

Her eyebrows shot up, and her mouth fell open slightly, as if she’d been caught red-handed. Then, she winked at me. “Who wouldn’t?”

I grinned devilishly because she’d admitted it. Fuck, this was going to be a mistake. But oh well. I was too far in already.

So, I did a stupid thing.

I held my hand out and said, “All right. You’re on.”

6

WHITLEY

“Thanks, sugar,” I said, pressing a pink kiss to the napkin the girl had just given me. “I’ll call you.”

She giggled and glanced behind her. I’d lost her name in the haze of alcohol. She was one of those who was here with her girlfriends. They were all scouting for hot, available men. This one hadn’t admitted her attraction to other girls and kept making sure they hadn’t noticed. I was certain she had a crush on the blonde behind her, and, damn, did I hope that she got enough courage after this to ask her out.

I held up the napkin at her as I stepped away. I stuffed it into the small clutch I’d brought with me and sauntered back toward the booth. It was nearly bar close. Our friends had ditched twenty minutes ago to finish their own fun evening. It was just me and Gavin and Patricia at this point.

He was still talking her up when I walked up with my last number of the evening. A pang of something like jealousy flared through me at the way he spoke to Patricia. Was I jealous that Patricia was talking to him or that he was talking to Patricia? It was absurd either way. I was not the jealous type. I was the sharing is caring type.

“That’s lucky number thirteen,” I said as I dropped into Gavin’s lap and waved the napkin in his face.

His hands came to my hips as he drew me in closer. “Damn, that’s impressive.”

“You’d be nothing without me, King,” I informed him. “There’s a reason I’m your best wingman.”

Patricia pushed another round of tequila shots toward us. “So, do you two do this often?”

I reached for my drink. “Do what?”

“Play games in your relationship.”

I gaped for a second, glad I hadn’t taken the shot while she answered. “Oh, we’re not together.”

Patricia glanced at Gavin and then back to me. “You’re joking.”

Gavin shook his head. “Nope. Just friends.”

“Sorry. I thought you were in an open relationship. My friend and her boyfriend do this sort of thing to find someone to bring into the relationship sometimes.”