Page 137 of Finding Delaware

“I’m game.” Owen glances at me with a grin, and I smile back politely. He’s been staying close ever since I walked in the door, especially after Logan let it slip that I was also gay. I’m sure my best friend was just trying to be a good wingman, and even though Owen is friendly, it’s kind of grating on my nerves.

Christian throws an arm behind Arya and Taylor. “I’m in, too. Let’s get sexy.”

“Let’s not,” Taylor groans around his food. Christian’s fingers rest on his neck, but he doesn’t seem to mind, and my gut churns slightly. I’ve noticed how much the two like to touch. But, then again, Taylor seems to enjoy touching everyone. Not in a pervy way but more in...a comfort-seeking way. Physical touch is definitely his love language. Still, the fact that he and his best friend have shared women and have seen each other naked…kind of bothers me.

“Raise of hands, who wants to play?” Matt asks, raising his hand high in the air. Owen and Arya raise theirs, followed by Christian. Logan notices Salem looking less than pleased, so his hand shoots up, too. I follow suit if only to see the flash of annoyance in Taylor’s eyes that has me grinning broadly.

“Six against three, boom.” Christian reaches over to punch Xed on the shoulder, who looks like he’s ready to murder someone, before turning to Taylor. “What’s up with you,cariño? This type of shit is usuallyyour jam.”

Cariño?

My Spanish is rusty, and I can’t recall what that means for the life of me.

Taylor’s eyes briefly glance between Owen and me before falling away as he shrugs, playing it off like he’s tired, but it dawns on me that he’s still jealous even after all that loving I gave him upstairs. The thought makes me wish I could trade places with Arya and be the one with my hands on him.

“Start the fucking game, I guess.” Salem crosses her arms with a huff and leans back onto the couch between Taylor and Matt. I don’t remember ever seeing her look so pissed off.

“Yaaay!” Arya looks around with a grin. “Everyone has their drinks? Good, okay, I’ll start.” She brings up the app on her phone and taps the screen. “Taylor, truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

She purses her glossed lips in disappointment but reads him the question anyway. “Have you ever cried during sex?”

“No.” He answers at the same time that Christian and Salem both give a resoundingyes.

“Fuck off, nuh-uh!”

“Yes, huh.” Salem studies her acrylic nails, glancing up at him slyly. “When you first got out of the hospital in high school, remember? In my parents’ basement? Christian was there, he remembers.”

Taylor scowls, eyes finding mine before he looks away. “I’d just recovered from surgery. I was in pain.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Fresh guilt forces me to swallow, recalling how I never went to see him. He’d been nearly beaten to death by his father, and yet I’d ignored him for four months. Anger quickly steals my breath when I think about what his father did to himfor years, and no one noticed. Not even his best friend, from what I can tell. He’d been so good at hiding it.

“Fine, whatever, Salem’s turn.” He takes the phone from Arya. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth. Obviously.”

Tapping the phone, he reads the question before grinning. “Have you ever been caught masturbating?”

Her eyes narrow into slits as she leans forward to pour a shot of vodka into her glass, prepared to drink instead of answer, but Logan pipes up next to me.

“Yes.”

Taylor and I whip our heads toward him quickly, followed by Salem, who bares her teeth at him and hisses. Actually,hisseslike a cat. Jesus.

She snatches the phone and turns angrily to Matt. “Truth or dare, Matty. Let me guess, dare. Right?”

He laughs, nodding enthusiastically despite the way Xed is watching him intently. “You know it.”

“Read the last text message you received out loud.”

The smile drops from his face, something peculiar crossing his features when he shifts his eyes to Xed before pulling out his cell. He stares at it for a long moment before clearing his throat and reading the text. “Hannah is so happy, babe. I’m so glad you let me take her for a whole night. She’s having so much fun watching Peppa Pig.”

“Bull-fucking-shit,” Xed snaps suddenly, scoffing. “She doesn’t even like Peppa Pig.”

Matt responds quickly, face going red. “Yes, she does. Sometimes.”

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