Page 41 of Rejected Mate

As I stood holding barrels, I turned to see how badly we were failing but realized we just might win this thing. The other couples had slowed down. After three barrels, it was up to the female to do more than watch and clap, and few seemed able to be of real assistance. The vampires were strong, but the heavy barrels kept falling, and there was little the females could do to help at that point.

Ares came and set the fourth barrel down. “Get on my shoulders,” he ordered.

Oh, so that was his plan. I didn’t argue this time, just nodded, took a deep breath, and started climbing him like a tree.

It didn’t take me long to realize this meant my lady parts were going to be resting on his broad shoulders and that his hands were going to have to grip my thighs to keep me in place.

When I was settled, he awkwardly turned his head to one side to look at me. As our eyes met, he slid his large hands from my shins to my knees and up my thighs. Two matching shivers of pleasure ran up my legs and collided right at the apex.

“You okay?” he said, holding me steady. Even though I couldn’t see him well, I knew that smirk was back on his lips.

“I’m okay,” I said, trying to breathe evenly and ignore my gutter-worthy thoughts.

Except he wasn’t about to let me. The entire time, his plan had been to place me right where I was. His hands slid further back and cupped my butt.

“Careful, you’re sliding.” He tightened his hold and pulled me closer.

Holy piggyback ride!

I gulped and threaded my fingers through his hair as my spine tingled. The strands of his dark mane were silky soft and made me think of our heated make-out session in his room.

“Ready for the barrel?” He asked in a suggestive tone.

What barrel was he talking about?

C’mon, Wren, get your mind out of that bottomless gutter.

“Twenty seconds,” William shouted.

“Yes,” I said breathlessly.

It was now or never. Do or die.

Ares made sure I was balanced, let go of me, lifted the barrel up with both hands, and raised it over his head for me to grab.

I could do this. It was a piece of cake.

And we would win too. No one else had four barrels stacked. The highest were Loba and Henri at three, and she was just starting to copy our idea of climbing her companion.

“You can do it, Wren.” Ares’s hands wrapped around me to keep me steady.

If you win, it’s you and Ares in a suite all night. Alone.

I broke into a nervous sweat and set the barrel in its place.

“Five seconds,” William called.

All night. Alone.

“Four.”

Ares. Me.

“Three.”

Could I handle that?

“Two.”

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