Page 112 of The Last Session

“Of course.” He’d had a few glasses with dinner, too, and now his dark eyes gleamed. “I’m sure we’ll all go to bed soon. I’ll get a few hours of sleep.”

It struck me that we were similar, Jonah and I: hard workers. So hard on ourselves too. We cared too much. Did too much. No wonder we turned to alcohol to relax.

Around the fire, Moon played her drum and Sol sang and strummed his guitar. This time he played fast classic rock songs, and Grace pulled Jonah up to dance. He moved his shoulders, glancing at me with an embarrassed grin, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Karen grabbed my hand, lip-synching and shimmying. No Catherine or Steven. I tried to remember when Catherine had left, but then Grace appeared—when had she gone?—with a bottle of whiskey.

This I knew I definitely should not drink, but that trickster energy reared up.Just a few sips. It’s okay.Jonah’s eyes met mine as I took a pull, and something in his expression made my stomach taut. I handed him the bottle, as if daring him. He kept his eyes on me as he drank.

After, Moon had led us to the hot tub to the beat of her drum. She dropped it to shuck her clothes. The rest of us followed suit; no hesitation this time. Jonah hopped in the tub fast but was watching me as I pulled off my shirt. It felt sexy, illicit, for him to see me. For everyone to see me. No longer did I care. After all, I knew these people! I’d known them for thousands of years, apparently. The ridiculous thought made me giggle.

You’re getting drunk, Thea. No more whiskey.So I abstained—Good job—but then Moon disappeared and came back with bottles of white wine: my favorite, cold and tart. Sharing the bottles felt like a bookend to the pineapple juice from two nights before. Sol told more funny stories, but I could barely concentrate with Jonah next to me. He was so close the energy vibrated between us.

I was making this up, whatever attraction I was sensing. I had to be. But then Jonah’s hand found my leg, just above my knee, and squeezed.Desire shot up through my belly. I looked at him; he was nodding at Sol. But then he glanced at me and smirked.

Was this really happening? I had the vague sense of needing to plan how I was going to get Jonah back to my yurt. But then we were following Moon and Sol back to their room to listen to records. Grace and Karen disappeared somewhere along the way, because it was just the four of us in here. I was in my wet underwear and bra, wrapped in a thick blanket, sitting on Moon and Sol’s bed. Jonah was beside me, clothed but damp, and we were passing a wine bottle—another red, this time—back and forth.

I was beyond stopping. That trickster part of me had shifted into outright defiance:Stop being such a good girl. Stop being a martyr. Just enjoy yourself for once in your fucking life.

Sol had put on soul music and Moon was dancing around the room topless, in just her underwear. She’d clearly been a dancer or a gymnast; there was something natural about her movements. I felt like I was watching a cabaret show, at least until she danced up to me and grabbed my hands.

“Thea, come on!” Her accent was stronger than ever. I smiled as I imagined confronting her about it right now. Of course, that would stop the party, full force. Mikki should be the one to out her, anyway.

I threw off the blanket and joined her. Normally, I felt awkward dancing, but this time the music—and the alcohol—made it easy to let go. Sol sang along, rolling his shoulders. Jonah watched me from the bed, his eyes burning.

“Come on!” I beckoned to him. “Come dance!”

He shook his head, smiling. Moon danced over to him, in between his legs, giving him an impromptu lap dance. I glanced at Sol, but he just swooped in, slipping an arm around my lower back.

“Hi!” He grinned, our faces suddenly close together.

“Hi.” In my blurry state, it felt like dancing with Pastor John. Were they the same age? Maybe they had the same birthday too!

He leaned in, breathing into my ear. “You’re so sexy.”

Sol’s words were both surprising and not.

“I think I need more wine.” Uncertainly, I broke away, looked at Jonah. Moon was now leaning down and kissing him.

What was happening? Moon pulled away and looked back at me.

“Let’s do this right.” She pointed to the door. “Thea, stand there.”

I went to the door. Confusion mixed with so many other sensations: excitement in my chest, fear in my gut, a pleasurable ache in my groin.

“You too.” She pulled at Jonah’s hand, and he got up and stood next to me.

“How was it, Thea?” Moon asked as Sol walked up behind her, slipping his arms around her belly, kissing her neck. “When you walked in on them. Who was on top?”

My mouth gaped open. “Huh?”

“The pastor and his wife.” Moon reached up and caressed Sol’s cheek. He slipped a hand into her underwear.

Should we leave? I wanted to ask Jonah, but he was gazing at Moon. ShouldIleave? I wasn’t sure I could find my way out of the mazelike castle in this state.

“Um. He was on top.”

Jonah pushed the bottle into my hand, and I automatically took a swig.

“Should’ve guessed.” Moon laughed. “Well, we’re going to switch.”

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