36. Poker Face
Poker Face
CARTER
The bass was low and sensual as it thundered around us, and Sara moved on me.
She turned, pushing her ass against me, and dragged her hand down through my hair, while I buried my face in her neck, and I couldn’t help biting her.
She gasped and rubbed herself against me even harder as we gyrated to the music, letting our hands wander, grasp, and explore. “We’re being reckless.” I panted.
“Who cares?”
“Liam might.”
Sara turned towards me again, looking around as she gripped my neck. “Actually, where is Liam? I haven’t seen him in a while.”
“Uh, I don’t know.” I wondered if Liam had somehow ended up in that shady backroom with Cade and Dante. My gut told me he had, but I didn’t want to think about him. Not right now.
I was so tempted to steal a kiss, but after nearly getting caught once, I didn’t dare. Dancing I could explain. If we got caught kissing, Liam might actually kill me.
After a couple of dances, Sloane appeared all too soon. “Come on, lovebirds, it’s cake time.”
“Sloane.” Sara groaned, shooting her a look, but Sloane was already headed back .
Sara pushed up on her tiptoes and pecked me on the lips with a sweet smile before she grabbed my hand with a sigh. “Let’s go, Lover Boy.”
I grinned like a schoolboy and tugged her ponytail as she dragged me back to the table, putting a little extra sway in her hips with every step.
At the booth, there was hardly room for us to fit. Everyone was crammed in, Jules in Douglass’s lap, Sloane, Riley, and Ariana crammed together at the back of the booth. Cade smashed in on the far end, nearly falling over the edge, but Liam was nowhere to be found.
I motioned for Sara to take the only free spot on the edge of the booth next to Douglass. “Actually, you sit for a second.” Sara said, pulling out her phone. “You guys are too cute. I have to get a picture.”
Jules, who was in Douglass’s lap, shifted over for me, and Sara snapped the picture with an adorable grin.
“Right here, birthday girl.” Cade patted his lap as Sara put her phone away.
I pushed up to stand because there was no way in hell I was letting her sit in Cade’s lap. She could have my spot.
Sara shoved me back down with surprising force, all while smiling sweetly at Cade. “There’s room over here. Thanks though.” Sara planted herself square in my lap, and my fingers instinctively slid around her waist as she wiggled back.
Cade nodded at me with an understanding smirk, and I just shrugged, struggling to conceal my pleased smile.
It was hard to hear everyone over the music, and the girls were practically shouting, trying to carry on a conversation at the back of the booth when Sara whispered over her shoulder to me.
“I dare you to see how long you can go without touching me.” She pushed herself back, grinding against me, ruthlessly .
I was already hard, and this wasn’t helping in the slightest. “Careful.” I warned softly. “Or I might have to teach you a lesson for teasing me all night.” I murmured, fingers grazing against her bare leg. “See how good your poker face is.”
“I think you’re the one who’s bluffing.” She challenged quietly.
“Oh, yeah?” I dragged a lazy caress up the inside of her thigh, and she flinched. “You sure this is a game you wanna play right now, pretty girl?”
Sara’s legs parted beneath the table, inviting me in. “Deal me in, Kensington, I dare you. ”
“Oh, you are trouble, aren’t you?” I chuckled, cautiously glancing around the table as I continued lazily, just barely inching higher. “You can fold anytime—show me your cards.” I offered, giving her an easy out as the rise and fall of her breaths against me became more shallow by the second.
“Call. I raise you double or nothing.” She dared, and my own heart was thrumming a mile a minute as I inched beneath the edge of her dress, feeling wicked as ever.
“You shouldn’t raise when you have no idea what’s in my hand, pretty girl.
” I gave her one last warning, as my self-restraint snapped down to the last wavering thread.
“If this was a dare, and it totally is,” she leaned forward onto the table, resting her chin on one hand casually, while the other slipped beneath the table, sliding up my leg.
“You’d be losing right now.” Naughty girl, egging me on like that—she gasped when I slid my feet between hers, snapping her legs wide open under the table, anchoring them there.
“If you want to fold, now would be the time.” I hummed a final warning as she tried to wiggle free.
“Hit me.” She rasped, begging me to keep going.
Breath ragged, I slid my fingers higher, making her jolt. “Then while we’re at it, why don’t we up the ante?” I purred against the shell of her ear, “You always were a rookie when it came to poker. Let’s see if you’ve gotten any better at bluffing. ”
I felt Sara choke back a sound as my fingers grazed higher, discovering she was wearing underwear and there was a warm damp spot, already waiting, just for me.
Fucking hell. She chased my hand as I lazily moved elsewhere, testing her limits one last time because I was about to have some fun with my little daredevil.
“Are you going to actually do something, or not?” Sara challenged breathlessly. “Because I’m starting to get bored.”
I chuckled. “Oh, sweet girl, you are about to be in big trouble .” I threatened quietly and then cleared my throat, finding my voice rough, as I called across the table, “Sloane, Sara wanted to ask you something.” I tugged those thin panties to the side and dragged my fingers across the very edge of her, and Sara practically convulsed.
Sloane turned, shouting across the table. “What’s up?”
Sara was fucking soaked, desperately squirming as I locked my forearm over her thighs, halting her escape.
“I—was just wondering,” She struggled as I slid the tip of a finger through her wet heat, counting on her to keep it together.
“Water!” Sara gasped out, slamming her hand on the table, reaching towards the pitcher a millisecond too late.
“Could you pass the water over here?” She begged, fluttering against my fingertips as I began a slow, wide circle around?—
“What the hell is this?” Liam barked, coming up to the table.
I might have actually been having a heart attack as I frantically unpinned Sara’s legs, grateful it was so dark in here.
“Tables full.” Sara quickly interjected, saving us, albeit far too breathily, while I tried to pull her dress back down as discreetly as possible, hoping my own poker face was holding.
“Here they come, here they come.” Jules announced, our saving grace, as everyone started singing happy birthday.
Liam shot me a look, but I knew he hadn’t seen, because if he had, I would have already swallowed my teeth.
Someone set down an epic cake on the table that Liam had no doubt made, or at least ordered with detailed instructions—it was covered in flowers and glitter with six-inch sparkler candles shooting off the top.
The entire table was singing, staring at that epic cake, and I couldn’t have given two shits about that cake, because the dessert I desperately wanted a taste of—was already glazed across the tips of my fingers like sweet, sweet icing.
I rubbed my slippery fingers together under the table and tried to shake myself out of the lusty haze I was in, as I finally joined in the singing. Sara threw her head back and laughed, so carefree, and then she took a deep breath to blow out the colorful sparkler candles.
“Make a wish.” I said quietly into her ear as the chorus ended.
Sara leaned forward and blew out the candles, only they didn’t blow out. She squealed adorably in her frustration as she tried again.
“Blow harder.” The girls cackled hysterically as Sara tried again. “Put your back into it!”
“Help me!” Sara finally pleaded, and before anyone else could lean in and spit all over the cake, Douglass licked his fingers and snuffed out the candles, one after another, sort of killing the vibe.
“Doug,” Jules complained in shock. “Now her wish isn’t going to come true.”
“It wasn’t going to come true anyway.” He shrugged indifferently.
Jules made a frustrated noise, but pulled the cake towards herself and started cutting slices for everyone, muttering quietly.
The first plate was, of course, passed down to Sara, who continued to wiggle in my lap as she leaned forward and started eating. “Look who finally has an appetite.” I murmured, suppressing a smile.
“I got your note,” Sara said, even quieter, as I popped one of the birthday hats onto her head with a chuckle.
Sloane announced to the table, “I got us all tickets to Rattlesnake Ranch. They have an epic corn maze, and the most insane haunted house, it’s so fucked up.” She grinned. “ So finish your cake and have another drink if you need a liquid jacket because it’s going to be chilly out there.”
“I’m so sorry, but I’m going to have to head out after this,” Ariana called across the table to Sara. “I have an early morning at the embassy tomorrow.”
“Oh my gosh, don’t even worry about it. I’m just so glad I got to see you at all.
” Sara grabbed Ariana’s hand across the table, and they did a girly, whatever kind of thing that made me chuckle.
It was cute. Sara was cute. “You’re here for the cake.
That’s the most important part anyway.” Sara winked, and I was so glad to see the old Sara back, and happier than ever.
Everything felt right. Better than right, actually.
The table broke into chatter, and while Liam was waiting for his piece of cake, he leaned in. “Hey, did you ever figure out who left the dildo in your bed?”
Sara immediately choked, and Cade looked between us and sucked his teeth. “I could take a wild guess.” Asshole.
“Sorry.” Liam chuckled to Sara. “Guy talk.” If only Liam knew.
Sara shoved a massive piece of cake into her mouth, chewing furiously, and I pushed her water cup towards her, doing my best to keep a straight face while I talked to Liam.
Suddenly, Theo appeared out of thin air, looking like a bull ready to charge. “What in the ever-living fuck are you doing here, Riley?” Theo thundered, and the table froze.
“Oh, shit.” Riley hissed and quickly knocked back her drink, quickly shoving the last bite of cake into her mouth.
“And you .” Theo pointed a finger at Ariana. “You are in deep shit, princess.”
“Don’t you dare speak that way to me,” Ariana bit out harshly.
“We had an agreement.” Theo snarled.
“ You had an agreement.” Ariana crossed her arms in defiance.
Everyone’s eyes ping-ponged between Theo and Ariana as they argued.
“I should have known I couldn’t trust you with anyone else.”
“I. Don’t. Need. A grumpy beefcake, following me around everywhere I go!” Ariana gritted out angrily.
“Tell that to your fucking father.”
“I did.” Ariana practically screamed.
Meanwhile, Riley was quietly sliding over everyone, trying to avoid the crossfire. “Sorry.” She grimaced, literally climbing over Jules and Douglass. “So sorry.”
“If your brothers find out about this,” Theo grumbled, grabbing Riley and hauling her over the table entirely.
“You’re not going to say a damn word.” Ariana threatened Theo from the back of the booth. “Otherwise, I’ll tell my father what you did!”
Theo barked a sardonic laugh. “You go right ahead and do that, cupcake!” Everyone gasped as Theo ripped the table out from the booth, sending cake and drinks flying everywhere.
Ariana’s eyes went wide. “What are you doing?” She tried to scramble away as he closed in, but there was nowhere to go, we were packed in like sardines, and he was blocking the only path out. “Theo—Theodore! Don’t you fucking dare.” Ariana cried, scrambling up.
Theo grabbed an arm, bent low, and in one motion he hauled Ariana over his shoulder, as if she’d even had a chance.
“You bastard.” Ariana screamed, beating against his muscled back, her strawberry blonde hair swinging with his every step. “I’m going to have you arrested for kidnapping.”
“In case you forgot, princess, making sure you don’t get abducted again is exactly why I’m here.” Theo scoffed, a satisfied smirk on his face. “Better me than someone else.”
Riley’s shoulders sagged as she trailed along behind Theo and an outraged Ariana.
“Bye, cutie.” Cade called with a wave of his fingers to Riley.
Without even turning around, Riley threw her hand up behind her and flipped off Cade.
Sara clapped a hand over her mouth as the girls erupted in shocked giggles. “Why was that kind of hot?” Jules gaped at Sara, who headily murmured her agreement. Noted.
“Okaaaaay.” Sloane chimed as we all gawked at each other. “I guess we’re done with cake. Who’s ready for the haunted house?”
My grip on Sara tightened. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?