Chapter 20 #3
Kane is on the floor, leaning back on his hands, with his legs folded. William adjusts to get into position, cracks his neck, and stretches like he’s about to run a race. He’s being dramatic, and enjoying every minute. He pauses to get a breath mint.
“Don’t worry, buttercup; any feelings I inspire are perfectly natural I assure you. We should just change the music...”
“Penalty!” Amelia yells. “He’s stalling! Take off a piece of clothing.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” William says.
He takes off his shirt, leaving a tight undershirt. It reveals a ripped physique, some welts from paintball, and some scars. Nothing alarming or unattractive. He’s got a tattoo on his sternum; I can only see a little bit of it.
“Don’t be fooled,” Will says. “My kiss may make you think you’re the only man in the world, but I’m just a fantastic kisser.”
“I’m sure I will keep up,” Kane laughs. “It’s all fun and games.”
“I’m giving you another penalty if you don’t get on with it,” Amelia scolds.
William does not hold back. He dives in with his usual confidence.
He envelops Kane’s hair with his hands, and they both give over to the moment.
It’s passionate and has a sense of deep connection, maybe because William is using a lot of tongue.
William’s hands move down Kane’s body and when he reaches his hips he tries to pull him in closer.
Kane has to move his legs out and William uses the opportunity to get between them.
Now they are against the sofa with William on top.
If William were a sex worker, Kane would be getting something known as the “boyfriend experience.” It pays well. He could make a lot of money doing this professionally.
I still maintain that Kane is gay, and I think he likes this.
Me and the girls find it amusing. Yeah, the longer it goes the more obvious these two are fucking on the downlow and Isobelle gives zero fucks.
A minute is far too long for all this. The timer goes off on Amelia’s phone and they separate.
William looks in Kane’s eyes and gives him a final smooch.
Kane emerges dazed and rumpled. Will pulls him up off the floor.
“I’m pretty sure you just got Kane pregnant,” Isobelle says.
Kane’s eyes are wide. “I think I feel pregnant.”
To Hayden’s horror, he also gets William. Kane and Isobelle guffaw with laughter. William cracks his knuckles and flashes his smug, devilish smile.
“Round two; pucker up, pretty boy.”
“Homophobia!” Amelia yells. “Piece of clothing!”
William whips his jeans off. Hayden’s arms are folded in front of him the entire time. William attacks him with just as much passion and confidence as Kane, but much less tongue than the first time.
“That was actually good,” Hayden admits, when it’s all over.
“Don’t worry,” William says. “I’ll pay for the therapy.”
Amelia lands on William and he’s a gentleman. He doesn’t lie her down or stick his tongue down her throat, he’s respectful and sweet.
“He is actually good,” Amelia says, “but my lips are getting chapped.”
Kane lands on Amelia. Amelia kisses him, but the stress is starting to show in her.
“I can’t take a fifth one,” Amelia says. “I’m out.”
I brace myself as Austen takes his turn. No matter what, I have to watch him kiss someone else, and not let my face give the game away.
As the bottle slows down, Amelia winds up tight. At the final moment, she knows it’s going to fall on her, and she rolls out of the way. Now the bottle is pointing behind her. At me.
“Your turn, Mischa,” she says.
My heart begins to pound.
“No,” I frown. “Fuck no. I’m not playing.”
She lowers her eyes. “Be a fucking gentleman and take one on the chin.” She turns to Austen. “I think you’re sexy, Austen, but I’m on shrooms, and doing some deep work on myself right now. Besides, I want to see you two kiss.”
“Don’t let Amelia bully you,” Isobelle laughs.
“All good, I can kiss him...” Austen says. “If that’s okay, Kitten?”
Sabrina looks around and shrugs. “If it’s alright with you, it's alright with me.”
“It’s not alright with me,” William tells Austen. “We’re identical; you’re an extension of me, so if you kiss him I’m basically kissing him. We don’t want to do that.”
“Oh for Christ sake, Honey,” Isobelle frowns at William. “This is not about you. Let baby-bee decide.”
“I don’t want to disappoint,” Austen says. He turns to me. “Unless you think I should kiss Amelia?”
“No!” I yelp, without thinking.
“Well then you have to kiss me! That’s how this works!”
I can smell alcohol on his breath. Maybe he’s had too much to drink. I feel my heart race. He’s not thinking straight. I’m a little high and definitely not thinking straight.
I backtrack. “Okay, kiss Amelia.” Then I bargain with him. “Or how about I kiss Amelia like I’m supposed to?”
“But it’s my turn!” Austen says.
“I’m good, thanks,” Amelia waves us away and downs a glass of wine. “I have too many self-esteem issues for this shit.”
“I’m on a hair-trigger,” I tell Austen, between gritted teeth. “When shit pops off, which it will, I might actually have a shot with her and I don’t want to ruin our friendship, Austen.”
“You had a shot with me,” Amelia says. “Had a shot.”
“True,” he nods. “Look, no pressure. Let’s forget about it. I can spin again.”
“Nope!” Amelia grabs the bottle away. “You have to kiss Mischa! We’ve all had multiple gay kisses and you have to do it as well. It’ll be really hot!”
“Do you ever go for guys?” Isobelle asks me, a cheeky little smile on her face.
“Well,” I huff, uncomfortable with the question. “I’m usually up to my ears in girls—but you know... addict... goddamn guys—you’re throwing a starving man food.”
Amelia squints her eyes. “There’s a lot of homophobia around this table, I think. You both have to undress!”
“No,” I whimper.
“And you’re both stalling! Four pieces of clothing! Two extra minutes!”
“Jesus Christ!” I squeak. “I only have four pieces of clothing!”
“You don’t have to do this,” William tells me.
“You know honey, a kiss is not a contract,” Austen says.
He just called me honey. He is drunk.
“This is not a good idea,” I warn him.
“Ugh,” Austen groans and moves across to me. “I know that, but don’t be weird about it. You’ve probably tortured a ton of people like this. It’s karma.”
He mounts my lap. I feel the warmth of him.
My poker face is good, because it’s always been a matter of life or death, but Austen is testing my limits.
The mushrooms are not helping. It feels like the volume of reality has been turned up loud, and like it’s been a thousand years since our last kiss, two nights ago.
I thought that might be the last one. Maybe this will be.
He runs his fingers through my hair and gently guides my face closer to his.
My skin prickles. I swallow, feeling my heart thud in my chest. Butterflies erupt in my stomach.
From the surface to the depths, the feelings have an intensity that I never imagined possible.
Yearning sparks inside my ears like electricity, meets at the tip of my nose, and runs down my body in a flash, and finds my cock, racing to the head of it.
This is about to make me hard. I have to focus.
I look up at him. “Listen to me,” I plead, “listen to me, listen to me; sitting on my lap isn’t the greatest idea. I’m going to think about chess and you should probably only give me some chaste pecks, alright?”
“Okay,” he says. “I’ll go slow.”
He doesn’t get off. Instead, he kisses me. I cooperate. It’s on the mouth, and very brief. He pulls away and looks in my face, amused. The room is dead quiet. All eyes on us. We look at each other and neither of us make a move.
He stares at me. His eyes are like dinner plates.
His lips hover over mine. I watch him bite the bottom one.
His beautiful features take my breath away.
His emerald eyes are luminous from the evening sun slanting through the window.
He holds me captive with his glance. His finger touches my neck, as he moves away a lock of hair.
It gives me the chills. I’m beyond logic now.
“This was such a bad idea,” William mutters.
“You guys are stalling,” Amelia says.
“No,” I say, and caress his cheek. “We’re not.”
Amelia huffs. “Well I’m not starting the timer until you go for it, and I’m adding another thirty second penalty.”
He kisses the tip of my nose like I did to him in the tent. I smile. He slides in tight. I hold his waist. I feel safe. I’m pretty sure he feels safe too, because we are encircled by five people who would kill me to protect him without question.
We are so close together. The sweet peach and honey scent of his body overwhelms my senses.
His strong, tanned arms tuck themselves under my body.
His warm lips touch my throat. The exhale from the lips of the man above me sends shivers of pleasure down my body right through my heart.
He nuzzles where my neck meets my collarbone.
I squirm and quake under his touch, fighting to not make any noise, but a soft moan escapes me.
“I’m giving you four minutes. Hurry up. Do you want to go for five?”
Leaning in, our lips meet in a sweet, lingering kiss, soft and unhurried, as if we were tasting the very essence of love.
Amelia starts the timer.
“That okay?” he asks, as he stops.
My heart is about to beat out of my chest and I open my eyes and take a deep breath out. He nuzzles my neck again. My back arches involuntarily as I fight the feelings ballooning inside me.
“Yes,” I say, gasping for air, and surrendering to Austen.
We kiss again and it’s sensual. Nothing about this moment feels ordinary.