Page 23 of Crimson Promises
Whooping and hollering traveled from inside the house. A few duos of guys stepped forward, puffing their chests out and talking smack.
Connor turned towards me. “Ben, you can pick our challengers.”
I was about to choose two guys wearing shirts that hadThing 1andThing 2scrawled across the front in bold lettering when the quarterback and his football-throwing friend made their way to the table. Peeking around, I noted Aurora did not accompany him. I should check on her, but I wasn’t sure I would get this opportunity to humiliate him again.
Nudging Connor, I jerked my chin toward the douchebag and his friend. “Them.”
“Alright. Ladies and gents and others who may not identify as either, our challengers have been selected. May they not feel the stench of embarrassment too much after the conclusion of these games.”
The dude acted like the ringmaster for gladiator games at the Coliseum.
“While these two need no introduction, please welcome ACU’s finest football team members: quarterback Riley Jones and running back Derek Wild.” Cheers erupted across the party. Someone even stuck their ass out the window on the second floor.
I clenched and unclenched my fists.Well, this just got a whole lot more interesting.
Connor pointed to the other end of the table. “Sirs, if you could make your way to your battle stations.” Derek winked at the lip-filler girl from earlier this evening. Finding a new object of her affection didn’t take her long. Once Derek and Riley were in position, Connor continued. “Just a moment briefly to summarize the rules.” He looked into the crowd, beginning to gather around our table.“Because we all know there are some cheaters up in here.”
I scanned the crowd. Still no sign of Aurora.
“According toPong University, a very trusted and reliable source, I may add, declares the following:
“1. Both players from each team must have taken a shot before the other team can shoot.
“2. The ball can bounce many times and then go into the cup, but it should be avoided because your opponent’s hands may swat away the bounce shot.
“3. Rearrangement refers to when the arrangement of the cups is changed after a shot is made. Each team is given only one rearrange. It may be called only after both players have taken their turn at throwing.
“4. When a shot is made and it spins around the edge of the cup, players are allowed to blow the ball off its path and out of the cup.
“Anyone who disagrees or has any issues with the rules can suck my balls and fuck right off. We’ll flip a coin to see who goes first. Since Ben and I are the reigning champs, you guys call it.” Connor fished for a quarter in his cargo shorts.Reigning champs? I raise a brow but Connor is too busy being the center of attention to notice.
He flicked the coin toward the other team. Riley caught it in midair. The crowd oohed.
“Call it,” Connor ordered.
“Tails,” Riley said while looking me directly in the eyes.Angelfucker, indeed.
Riley flipped the coin onto his hand and winced. “Heads.”
Connor pumped his fist in the air. “What do you wanna do, buddy? Offense or defense first?”
“Let’s shoot first.”
With one curt nod, Connor handed me a smooth orange ping pong ball. He looked back at me, tipping his head towards the table.
“Go ahead,” I said. Connor didn’t know I’d walked this earth for hundreds of years, and while I wasn’t playing beer pong for the entire time, I may have dabbled before.
Ever the entertainer, Connor went for a trick shot. Bending his right elbow around his back, he shot from the left side of his body. The cup sailed easily into a cup. He bowed. “And that’s how it’s done, folks.”
Connor walked towards me and clapped me on the back. “You’re up.”
I extended my body in a lunge, ready to shoot, when Riley snickered. “Is this guy doing aerobics, or are we playing beer pong?”
Attempting for an understated vibe was my original approach. Fuck that. I turned my back to the table. Aurora hovered at the edge of the threshold of the kitchen and backyard. She froze when my eyes claimed hers again. I winked at her and threw the ball directly into the center cup behind me. Connor exploded into a jump.
“Holy crap, Ben.” He lowered his voice. “You’ve been holding out on me, making me doubt your skills.”
“Naw, man, I’m a little rusty.”
