Chapter Five
Shae
“DID YOU brING STUFF to sleep over?” Shae asked, holding her bedroom door open for Kira as they headed downstairs.
“Girl, of course. I came ready.”
“Good,” Shae grinned. “Because we’re getting wasted to-night.”
Kira gave a delighted little shriek. “Now that’s the energy I came for.”
“Can you stay for two weeks?” Shae joked, and both girls burst into a laugh, opening the back door to the pool and stepping out.
The girls were half asleep, sunbathing in their lounge chairs.
While the boys played water basketball in the pool, arguing over whether a certain shot would be deemed a three-pointer or not.
“Hey, Kira,” Lennon called lazily from across the pool.
“Hey, girl!” Kira called back. “I’m here to bring this place back to life. Y’all look like a retirement home up in here.”
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Seth called from the pool.
“Look, I knew someone else was feeling it,” Kira said, flashing her eyes over at Seth. Seth came sauntering over to the edge of the pool where Kira and Shae were sitting.
“Whatever do we have in mind?”
“I’m not sure, I’m thinking. I just know it’s time to liven up this party. Y’all are giving me bedtime energy.”
Kira paused, her hands making quick taps on her legs. “What about a drinking game? Ladies, you down for a drinking game?” she suggested, her voice booming across the pool.
The girls talked quietly amongst themselves. Em was shaking her head, whispering to Lennon.
“Yes, we’re down,” Lennon answered.
“How about Never Have I Ever?” Kira asked Shae and Seth in a hushed tone.
“Oh hell yes!” Seth replied, and Shae agreed.
“We’re playing Never Have I Ever!” Kira yelled over. “Come on.”
“No, Len. No,” Em said as Lennon and Claire rose from their lounge chairs, gathering their things.
“Em, we’re doing this!” Lennon replied, yanking her up. “Come on.”
Seth sprang out of the pool and snagged the vodka off the outdoor table.
“Shots?”
“No, we’re not doing shots!” Lennon said. “Hold this.”
She transferred her things into Seth’s hands and went inside, pulled a case of beer from the fridge, and popped back out, handing everyone a drink.
“You trying to get us wasted?” she accused Seth, winking as she passed him by.
“What’s wrong with that?” Seth replied, disappointment in his tone.
Everyone crowded around in a circle.
“Okay, who’s starting us off?” Claire asked.
“I will,” Brodie volunteered.
“Never have I ever... stripped naked on the beach.”
“That’s not fair, you knew that!” Lennon said, sipping her beer.
“That’s literally the point of the game,” he replied, arms out in defense.
“Okay, guys. Keep it going,” Kira interrupted. “Go clockwise.”
“Never have I ever... had multiple orgasms in a row,” Seth confessed. Everyone in the group drank except for Em and Kira.
“Does it count if you’re giving them to yourself?” Kira chuckled.
“Oh my God.” Brodie shook his head.
“For real, Kira?” Shae asked.
“What? It’s true.”
“Yes!” Seth exclaimed, winking her way.
Kira took a sip of her beer.
Lennon tilted her head thoughtfully, “Wait. Side question.”
Everyone paused, heads turned toward Lennon.
“What’s more intimate?” she asked. “Sex or kissing?”
“Kissing,” Claire answered immediately.
“Sex,” Seth shot back.
“Definitely kissing,” Kira added. “Way more dangerous.”
Shae’s gaze drifted to Em. She was fiddling with the rings on her fingers. Her eyes bounced around the group as everyone tossed out their answers.
“How is kissing more dangerous?” Brodie asked.
“Because it actually means something.” Shae blurted.
The comment caught Em’s attention, and she squinted over at Shae. A look of acknowledgement crossed Lennon's face, her stare flickering between the two of them before sliding over to Kira.
Kira clapped her hands, “Okay. Let’s stick to the game.”
“My turn.” Claire chimed in. “Never have I ever... given a blowjob.”
“Stay thirsty, lezbos!” Seth called out, downing his beer and almost choking on it. He handed the empty can over to Lennon.
“Len, pass me another one.” He snapped his fingers.
Lennon gave him an annoyed look and pulled another drink from the box, slapping it into his hand.
Brodie, Shae, Claire, and Em didn’t drink.
“Em, your turn,” Lennon said.
“Hmm,” she paused. “Umm. Never have I ever… fantasized about a friend.”
She tossed a fleeting glance at Shae and then away just as quickly, taking a long drink, and surprisingly, so did everyone else.
“Never have I ever attended a sex party,” Lennon confessed.
Shae lifted her beer and drank without realizing she was giving herself away.
“What? Shae!” Lennon said, shocked.
“Girl, you have some ‘splainin to do,” Seth sang.
“Girlie pop, talk,” Kira snapped her fingers.
“What?” Shae paused. “It was in Italy. I went to support a friend.”
“Yeah, I bet,” Seth chuckled, taking another swig of his beer.
“Okay, story for another time,” Kira said. She stopped and pointed at Shae. “Don’t hold out on me like this again.”
Shae flashed her a quick grin.
“You think I’m joking,” Kira trailed off.
Shae shook her head, smiling. When she glanced back up, she caught eyes with Em, who appeared... she didn’t know. Not jealous, a look she hadn’t seen before. She took a sip of her beer and shook it off.
“Kira, you’re up!” Claire said, fully invested in the game now.
“Okay, never have I ever… pulled a muscle during sex.”
“What?” Brodie laughed.
“What?” Kira snapped defensively.
“Only you, Kira. Only you!” Brodie replied.
“It’s not my fault, I’m a wild card,” Kira said.
“Okay. My turn, I guess,” Shae blew out her lips. “Never have I ever… been in love.”
Drinks went up, everyone taking quick sips, but Shae kept hers lowered. Her eyes shifted to Em— she hadn’t drunk either. She met Shae’s gaze, tipping her drink up, downing it in one fluid motion. Then held her drink out, releasing it, the empty can clattering to the ground beside her.
Shae’s mouth twisted, biting at the inside of her cheek.
“Oh-kay!” Lennon said as she eyed the two of them. “This was fun, but... I’m over it. Let’s order some food. Who votes Chinese?”
“I vote pizza,” Brodie suggested.
“You always vote pizza. We’re not having that!” Lennon said, getting up.
“Chinese sounds good,” Claire said.
“I know, right? Here, let’s make an order.” Everyone drifted away from the pool, chatting about food, but Shae and Em stayed put, their feet skimming the water at opposite corners. Claire plopped down beside Shae, her presence filling the space between them.
“I want to hear more about this sex party you went to in Italy. It sounds intoxicating.”
“It was interesting, to say the least,” Shae circled the rim of her beer with her finger, her gaze drifting off into the distance as she recalled the experience.
She cast a brief look over toward where Em had been sitting, expecting her to still be listening. But Em was pushing to standing, phone pressed to her ear, her posture shifting the second she answered.
“Hi, this is Em with Harbor Light. I’m here with you,” she said, striding toward the house and disappearing inside.
“Duty calls,” her sister said from the side of the pool. “She’s on call tonight.”
“Well, did you join in on the fun?” Claire asked, drawing her back into the conversation. Claire propped her elbow on her knee and rested her chin in her hand, her eyes lit with full, nosy interest.
“I didn’t. Nor did my friend. But, ahh…”
“What?”
“Nothing,” Shae shook her head in embarrassment.
“Wait, what? You can’t just say that and not explain!”
“We did…” Shae laughed to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. “We did get spanked. Tied up and spanked,” she corrected herself. “By an elderly dominatrix.”
Claire burst out laughing, and Shae couldn’t help but crack up along with her, recalling the moment.
“What was her name?” Claire asked, wiping away tears of laughter.
“Mona,” Shae said, taking a sip of her drink. “Her name was Mona.”
They both burst out laughing again.
“Mona?” Claire repeated, snorting. “Hahaha, of course it was! Well, was it hot?” Claire said through a fit of giggles.
“You’d be surprised what can turn a person on!” Shae replied, getting an even heartier laugh from her new company.
Shae’s smile was huge. Thinking of that made her miss Italy and the friends she left behind.
“I’m going to Italy in the fall with my cousin. Well, she’s more like a sister to me.”
“Oh yeah? Where in Italy?”
“Florence. We’ll be there for a week.”
“That’s where I stayed. Florence is gorgeous. You’re going to have a great time.”
“Lennon mentioned. I’d love to see some of your photographs from there. Lennon told me you have beautiful work.”
“Hey, girlie pop, come on!” Kira called from the side of the pool where she stood with Seth and Brodie.
“I’m being summoned. Let’s talk about this again, and I’ll give you some must-see places to hit up while you’re there.” Shae pushed to her feet. “Good chatting with you, Claire.”
“Yeah, same,” Claire said.
Shae made her way over to Kira, glancing back to find Claire still watching her, her face bright and still lit with a smile.