Page 24 of Dream Lover
Our challenge todaywouldn’t start until later this evening at the hotel bar. Rebecca hadn’t told us what it would entail, but I was taking advantage of my free time at the poolside lounge. It was supposed to be a vacation, after all.
Some of our group was hitting the Blackjack tables and other areas of the casino. Thankfully Rebecca wanted to gamble, so I’d been spared her annoying presence for a few hours at least. Conner was planning on doing laps in the pool while I soaked up the sun. This worked for me.
I had picked up a black string bikini from the gift shop along with coordinating sunglasses and a floppy hat, just because. It fit like a second skin, and I felt really hot in it. Of course, my ample behind was on display, but there wasn’t much to be done about that.
Conner sat shirtless on the lounger next to me in black and gray board shorts with his back facing me. “Care to rub some sunscreen on me, buttercup?” He looked over his shoulder with a wink.
“Of course.”
The pleasure was all mine. I accepted the lotion and squirted it onto my palm before warming it up between my hands.
The memory of the day before played through my mind.
The intimate massages we had given one another brought all that desire coursing through my veins with vengeance. My breasts pressed against his shoulder blades as I rubbed the sunscreen down his thick, muscular arms, wanting nothing more than for him to cage them around me and have his way with me in one of the cabanas.
He thanked me with a sexy as hell grin then dove into the pool. I kicked back on my lounger and watched him for a while before I dozed off. Exhaustion from the week was setting in, and I needed a nap. Even Conner’s gorgeousness couldn’t keep this woman awake.
I awakened to water droplets plopping onto my skin. I looked up to find him shaking his hair over me like a dog.
“Hey!” I cried out even though the water felt good on my heated skin.
“You up for a game of chicken against Paula and Daniel?” he asked as I looked out to the water with Paula waving at me to get in the pool.
“Sure.” Getting to sit on Conner’s shoulders would be the highlight of my day.
* * *
Dressedin a black top that haltered around my neck and scooped low in the back and jeans that made my ass look great, I slipped on my peep-toe black heels and set out for the bar on Conner’s arm. After our day at the pool we came back to the room and had a nap where he held me, before showering and doing a light dinner at the hotel restaurant.
The bar was closed down to the public, and we had the place to ourselves outside of the bartender who was prepping shots of tequila for everyone and lining them up on a tray at the end of the bar. He was a thin balding man with colorful tattoos that spanned the length of both arms.
“Tonight will be the most fun. I hope you have strong stomachs and can handle your liquor. Put your tolerance to the test. Who can hold your liquor and accept the hand fate deals you? Find out with this challenge.” Rebecca was being playful and tolerable for once. My brother was smiling, and I was hopeful that all of us were going to have a good time.
“Everyone knows how to play quarters, right?” Drew questioned.
Conner took a stool and pulled me between his legs. “How much can you drink before you get shitfaced?”
“We’ve got this. I wasn’t just good at playing quarters in college. I was the reigning champion.” I smirked.
“God broke the mold the day he made you, Quinn Landis.” Conner’s lips grazed my neck. Shit. I could feel him all the way to the tips of my toes. The night was full of possibilities and promise.
The bartender got the shots ready to go on a nearby playing table, and Drew got the game started. “Everyone know the rules? I’m going to give them to you anyway. The object of the game is to get your quarter in the glass on the first bounce. If you miss, then you gotta drink up. To make this more interesting it’s guys versus girls. The team to drink all their tequila first loses. Everyone ready? Let’s do this.”
“This should be a couples challenge,” Rebecca said on a pout.
“Babe, come on. Let’s just have fun. Everyone is here and having a great time. I want to do it this way.” It made me happy to see Drew stepping up and taking charge for once. I had to admit it surprised me in a very good way.
“Fine, whatever. I’m going to pick some songs. Come on, Laura.” The two of them pushed off to the jukebox.
“Quinn and Conner, you’re up first,” my brother announced.
“Prepare to drink up, honey,” I taunted him and tossed my quarter, sinking it into the shot glass on the first try, my arms flying up in a goal gesture.
He smirked at me and lifted the shot to his lips. This was going to be fun. I was playing it cool, but part of me hoped that by the end of the night Conner and I would be tipsy enough to stop beating around the bush and make a move. We hadn’t kissed since the massages, and I was going crazy.
I lost on my fourth try.
Paula was the next to take a shot then Carley. Rebecca beat Drew, and Bruce beat Laura. Things were not looking good for us girls. It was up to me to take out Bruce. I sunk my quarter easily, and he cursed under his breath. Conner was back up, and the determination on his face was so damn sexy I lost on purpose.
