Page 39 of The Pact

“Fuck! I have an emergency at home. I gotta go. Guys can one of you take Ausra home later?”

Bode rises from his chair, showing immediate concern for his best friend. “Do you need help, dude?”

“Thanks, Bode. You know I can never tell what kind of shit show I’m going to walk into.”

Ashton and Shep reassure the other two that they have the situation handled. “I have to go see my dad for about an hour but after I can bring some shrimp to grill for tonight? Just let us know if you’ll be later than dinner time, and in that case, we’ll drive Ausra back home. Cutie, can you hang with Shep for a bit? Then the three of us could watch a movie or something.”

I agree with his plan, Shep puts me at ease and I don’t mind getting the chance to talk to him one-on-one.

Three of my new “friends with benefits”? get up to leave. Ashton and Kelley greet me respectively with a curt nod and a wink. Bode leans down to place a soft kiss on the spot behind my ear.

“I can’t wait to start playing with you, pretty girl,” he whispers. “I’m so excited that we get to break you in.”

11.

Game On

Ausra

Shep gives me the tour of Bode’s house once the others have left.

“Would you like a snack?” he asks as we’re padding around the top floor.

“We’ve just had lunch. And you ate my taco!” I observe, shocked by how much the guy can eat.

A smirk forms on Shep’s soft lips. “You didn’t just say that.” He chuckles and I don’t get it.

“What did I say?”

His eyes skim down my body and settle down at crotch level. “Well fuck, ‘taco’ can be another name for pussy. Think about its shape.”

“Oh.” I immediately feel redness starting to rise to my face and I hate my body for showing my emotions without any room for misunderstanding.

Shep notices and takes a step closer to me, his easy smile firmly in place as he wraps one arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Smokey. It was just a joke; I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Bode says I have to learn to keep my fucking thoughts to myself long enough to decide if what I’m about to say is inappropriate.”

He looks genuinely sorry, so I smile back. “To be honest, Shep, I kinda like that about you. You just say what you want and there’s no need to second guess you. It makes me feel at ease. Like I can really relax around you and we can be friends.”

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