24. Dice After Dark
Chapter 24
Dice After Dark
Evan
I watched with barely contained glee as everyone settled around the coffee table, various levels of suspicion on their faces. Archer, ever the lawyer, examined my colored die like it might be evidence in a murder trial. Liam lounged back against the couch, trying to look disinterested, but I caught the curl of a smile. And Tessa... well, she eyed the bottle of tequila like it might bite her.
“I can’t believe you created your own drinking game.” Tessa accepted the regular dice I handed her, shaking her head. “Actually, no, I completely believe it. This tracks perfectly with everything I know about you.”
I plopped down next to her, deliberately letting my thigh press against hers. “Hey, some people paint, and some people write poetry. I create innovative ways to get my friends drunk and embarrassed. Besides, D.A.D. is way better than Never Have I Ever.”
Archer snorted, unimpressed. “That’s a low bar, and can we please not call it D.A.D.? Dice After Dark is just fine.”
We all rolled, and when Tessa’s came up snake eyes, I couldn’t hold back a cackle. “Oh, this is perfect. The universe loves me.”
“It hates me.” She reached for my special die, tracing the slightly uneven Sharpie scribbles before letting it roll across the table.
It landed on purple.
“Connection prompt! And since I rolled the highest dice total, I get to decide.”
Tessa eyed me warily. “Why do I feel like I’m about to regret everything?”
I tapped my chin thoughtfully, though I’d already made my decision the moment I saw her roll. “You have to sit in Archer’s lap for the entire game.”
Archer’s head snapped up from scrolling on his phone. “What?”
I winked at Tessa. “Unless you’d rather take a shot?”
Her gaze flickered between the tequila and Archer. “Nope, I choose the lap.” She stood up, straightened her shoulders like she was about to give a presentation, and marched over to him.
Archer adjusted his posture so fast it was almost comical, hands hovering like he wasn’t sure where to put them until she settled against him. His eyes briefly closed when she wiggled to get comfortable, the movement earning me a sharp glare that only made it harder to hold back my laughter.
“Next round!” I sounded a little too enthusiastic, but this was better than cable TV.
We all rolled again, and Liam ended up with the lowest total. The colored die clattered across the table and landed on red.
“Confession time. Tell us about your most embarrassing dating story.” I was really relishing my victory so far.
Liam didn’t hesitate, already reaching for the tequila. “Pass.”
Tessa huffed from her perch on Archer’s lap. “Oh, come on! Now I need to know.”
Archer’s thumb absently traced circles on Tessa’s hip, his focus still on Liam. “Trust me, you really don’t.”
Grinning, I leaned forward. “It involves a hot tub and his ex’s grandmother.”
The throw pillow hit me square in the face before I could dodge it.
Liam shook his head, fighting a smile as he poured his shot. “That’s it. I’m making the next prompt extra evil when I win.”
I watched as Liam downed his shot, making a face that suggested the tequila was about as smooth as sandpaper. His refusal to share the hot tub story only made Tessa more interested, judging by how she kept glancing between us with narrowed eyes.
We all rolled, and Archer came out on top with Tessa rolling the lowest again. Her colored roll landed on blue.
“Hm… what would a good challenge be?” Archer’s voice was rougher than usual, probably because Tessa had shifted in his lap again. “Time to show us your best lap dance moves.”
I choked on my drink and Liam sat up straighter. And Tessa? She turned so red I worried she might spontaneously combust.
“On who?” she squeaked.
“Your choice.” Archer still had his hands firmly on her hips like he was daring her to pick someone other than him. The possessive gesture wasn’t lost on any of us.
Tessa bit her lip. “I might need liquid courage for this one.” She reached for the tequila, but I beat her to it.
“Allow me.” I poured her shot with a flourish.
She knocked it back like a pro, barely wincing. “Okay, but I need music. And everyone has to promise not to laugh.”
“Scout’s honor.” I scrolled through my phone until I found the perfect song with a slow, heavy beat that practically screamed ‘take your clothes off.’
As the music started, Tessa stood, rolling her shoulders like she was preparing for battle. “Remember that you asked for this.” She leaned down and kissed Archer’s cheek before turning to look at me. “It’s only fair the creator of such a great game gets the lap dance.”
Archer suddenly looked like he might be regretting not specifying the recipient of his challenge. “You know, I think I misspoke. This is more of a connection thing than a challenge.”
I caught Liam’s eye across the coffee table, and we shared a knowing look. “Too late. She already accepted.”
Spreading my legs wide, I held my breath as Tessa sauntered toward me, her hips swaying to the beat in a way that made my mouth go dry. The tequila had given her liquid courage, but the look in her eyes told me she was still delightfully nervous.
“I have no idea what I’m doing.” Tessa’s voice was laced with nervous laughter as she positioned herself between my legs.
My pulse pounded as she hesitated just long enough for me to take in the way her chest rose and fell and the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. Then, as if deciding to commit, she started to move.
Her hips rolled in slow, deliberate circles, syncing with the sultry beat of the music. I clenched the couch cushions, my knuckles aching from the pressure, but it was the only thing keeping me tethered to sanity. Every brush of her body against mine sent a rush of heat straight to my gut, the friction maddening.
She ran her fingers through her hair, tilting her head just enough to expose the smooth line of her throat. Jesus Christ. I swallowed hard, dragging my gaze up before I did something humiliating.
Over her shoulder, I caught Archer’s eye. His jaw was clenched so tight I half expected to hear his teeth crack. Liam, on the other hand, looked thoroughly entertained, one brow arched in amusement as he nursed his drink.
Then Tessa turned around, and my breath caught in my throat.
She lowered herself onto my lap, her back pressing flush against my chest, the curve of her body fitting against mine like a goddamn puzzle piece. The way she moved with slow, teasing pressure was almost enough to make my self-control slip.
I had to start mentally reciting baseball stats just to keep from completely losing it.
“Still think this was a good idea?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, meant only for me.
I let out a strained chuckle, my fingers twitching against my thighs. “Best. Game. Ever,” I rasped.
The song ended, and she practically shot off my lap like she’d been burned, her face flushed as she retreated to Archer’s lap. The absence of her warmth was immediate, but if that had gone on even a second longer, I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself. Because Tessa? She wouldn’t be sitting on anyone else’s lap.
She’d be under me.
After several more rounds, many shots of tequila, and one confession from me about having sex in the clock tower during college, I rolled the highest again finally.
Liam rolled the color die, and I cleared my throat to keep from whooping. I’d been waiting for this moment. “Wild card.”
Liam groaned. “Why do I feel like I’m about to regret everything?”
I glanced around our little circle. The tequila was working its magic on all of us, and the sexual tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Perfect time to push things a little further.
I leaned back, a wicked grin spreading across my face as I looked at Liam. “All right, wild card means anything goes. So, Liam, you get to tell Tessa how to pleasure herself.”
My gaze shifted to Tessa, who looked like she was caught between mortification and intrigue. Masturbating in front of three men was entirely different from what we’d done last night. “You can always do a shot instead. Both of you have to agree.”
“I’m in.” There was a spark in her eyes that told me she wasn’t entirely opposed to this.
Liam looked momentarily stunned before a slow, devilish smile spread across his face. He leaned forward, his eyes locked onto Tessa’s with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. This was going to be good. “Start by running your hand down the front of your leggings. Slowly.”
Archer’s fingers flexed against her hips. I could see the war playing out in his eyes. He wanted to be the one giving the orders, but the wild card had been played, and now it was Liam’s show.
Tessa hesitated for a moment before her hand began a slow descent, her fingers tracing a path down her stomach, over the waistband of her leggings, and finally cupping her sex through the fabric.
Liam’s eyes followed her every movement. “Now, slip your hand inside. Tell us how wet you are.”
I shifted in my seat, adjusting my jeans as I grew even harder. The room was thick with anticipation as Tessa’s hand slipped beneath the fabric, her eyes fluttering closed as she explored herself.
“I’m... I’m wet.” The words escaped Tessa’s lips like a secret. She met Liam’s intense stare, her pupils blown with arousal. Her hand still lingered inside her leggings, and there was a slight tremble in her shoulders as she held herself still.
“Show us. Take off your leggings and panties. Let us see you.” Liam’s command was both a challenge and an invitation.
Tessa stood up and hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her leggings. She hesitated for a moment before she slowly began to peel them down, revealing inch after inch of creamy skin. The tease was almost unbearable, and I leaned forward, my eyes fixed on her every movement.
When her leggings and panties pooled at her feet, she stepped out of them, kicking them aside. She stood before us, completely bare from the waist down. Seeing her so vulnerable and exposed sent a surge of lust through me.
“Sit back down on Archer’s lap. Spread your legs wide and hook them over his.”
Tessa did as she was told, settling back onto Archer’s lap, giving us an unobstructed view of her glistening pussy. Archer’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he fought to maintain control.
Liam leaned back, his hand casually resting on the bulge in his jeans. “Now, grab Archer’s hand. Use it. Show us how you like to be touched.”
Tessa took Archer’s hand and guided it between her legs. His fingers parted her folds, a low groan escaping his lips. She began to move his hand, her hips rocking in time with the rhythm she set.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I unzipped my jeans, pulling out my cock and giving it a slow stroke. Liam followed suit, his eyes never leaving Tessa as he began to stroke himself. The sight of her using Archer’s hand to pleasure herself was the hottest thing I’d ever seen.
“That’s it, Tessa,” Liam growled, his hand moving faster. “Ride his hand. Show us how you come.”
Tessa’s body trembled as she chased her release. Archer’s other hand snaked around her waist, holding her tight against him. His hips bucked upward, grinding against her ass.
Her movements grew more desperate and unrestrained, her hips rolling against Archer’s palm with rising intensity. Sweat glistened on her skin in the dim light, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away from where they connected.
“Fuck, Tessa,” Archer groaned, his head falling back, his jaw straining with the effort of restraint. “You feel so fucking good.”
I couldn’t look away, my heart pounding as I watched her start to unravel. My hand moved faster, gripping myself tighter, mirroring the urgency of her movements. Tension coiled in my gut, threatening to explode at any moment. The room was filled with the sounds of our ragged breaths and flesh meeting flesh. It was a heady mix, pushing us all closer to the edge.
“Come for us, Tessa.” Liam’s voice was rough with need. “Let us see you fall apart.”
Her body arched, head thrown back against Archer’s shoulder as she cried out, the sound sending sparks down my spine. Her thighs trembled and toes curled as she came. Archer held her steady, his fingers pressed deep inside her as she writhed against him, drawing out every second of her bliss.
My muscles tensed as euphoria coursed through me, my vision blurring at the edges. Through half-lidded eyes, I watched Liam succumb moments later.
Archer thrusted upward as he came in his pants like a fucking teenager. Tessa slumped back against him, looking dazed and satisfied. He slid his hand from between her legs, his fingers glistening with her arousal as he brought them to his mouth.
A satisfied exhale left me. “Well, that was certainly a wild card.”
Tessa laughed as she shifted to sit sideways on Archer’s lap. Her skin still glowed with a post-orgasmic flush that made me want to trace every inch of her with my fingertips. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Are you okay?” Archer pressed a kiss to her temple, his arms wrapping around her protectively. The tender gesture struck something deep inside me.
“Better than okay.” Her lips curved into a smile that could light up the darkest corners of my soul, and damn if I didn’t want to see that expression on her face every day for the rest of my life.