Page 104 of Playing Flirty

“You do, and he has his tongue wagging every time you walk by. Maybe you two need to release that tension.” She pursed her lips upward in thought. “Clear your minds. I think it’s the only way to figure out if you want to get back together with Patrick or not.”

“I want to, but I don’t think I can. Does that make sense?”

Even though I’d tried to initiate it, I knew that I’d regret it immediately after.

“Because of how much it’ll mean to you?” she asked.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

Neema squeezed my hand as we went down another flight of stairs, this time in silence.

With the lights dimmed low and the room filled with bulky furniture that must have been older than my great-grandparents, the basement had a dungeon-y feel. If I squinted my eyes, I could imagine prisoners and dark smears of blood.

William and Shaun were already seated at a large table decked with roast lamb and vegetables, freshly baked bread, cubes of cheese, and an assortment of drinks.

Shaun pulled out Neema’s D&D set. “Dinner and Dungeons & Dragons. D&D&D.”

She slipped the cape he’d brought along over her shoulders and beamed up at him with a sureness I could feel in my heart. The certainty terrified me. I hazarded a glance at William, who was already focused on me with the very same look in his eyes.

Or was it simply a reflection of mine?

Neema confiscated our phones in preparation for the game. She let loose a loud whistle, and it was officially time to begin.

The game went on for hours, longer than usual since we paused to eat and drink and burst into fits of wedding excitement. Beside me, William stroked my thigh under the table. I lifted my left leg and draped it across his right leg, allowing his hand to wander dangerously higher.

I could barely enjoy my meal. Everything was dulled in comparison to the way he made me feel, and he didn’t even know.

I glanced at him throughout the game, aware of how my body lit up each time he looked my way. I wondered what unattached sex would be like and whether I could keep my heart out of it.

Would that finish the game? Was that the final round?

Would we pack it up and never return?

No.

No part of me wanted to accept that. There was no way that, after we finished it, we’d squeeze all these feelings and memories into a little box on the shelf that we’d forget about. I wanted to play this game over and over. I wanted to play it forever. And I wanted to play it with him.

I only hoped he felt the same way.

When the D&D session eventually ended, Neema handed back everyone’s phones, and I checked my emails while she checked her wedding website—which she’d checked obsessively since the minute it was up and running.

One of my unread emails was from Fun&Games. I dropped my phone on the table, and everyone’s focus snapped up from their own screens.

“Final results,” I managed.

Beside me, William stiffened.

“Do you want me to read it?” Shaun reached for my phone.

I shook my head and pulled it out of his reach. Then I leaned back in the chair and brought my knees to my chest. “I want to read it this time.”

They all nodded.

Dear all,

It is our pleasure to announce the winning board game is… (drumroll, please)…

Kaleidoscope, submitted by Anita Peterson!

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