Page 20 of Sexploration

“Wanna play a drinking game?” he asks, standing as I place the drinks on the table.

“A drinking game? What kind of drinking game?”

Lord, I haven’t played a drinking game since college. Which wasn’t that long ago for one of us.

Don’t go there, Josie.

“We each take a shot. The first one to flinch or cough loses.”

“This doesn’t feel like fair play, mister. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a shot of tequila.”

“Josie Mitchell, are you backing down from a challenge?”

It’s odd to hear someone call me by my maiden name again. But I suppose I’ll be a Mitchell again soon enough. No way in hell I’m keeping Tommy’s name. I’ve always hated being Josie Jones.

I sigh. “What does the winner get?”

He reaches out and hooks a finger into one of my belt loops, tugging me closer. “Anything they want.”

“What if I want a million dollars?” I retort, my eyebrows lifting.

“I guess I’ll have to go rob a bank.”

A smile breaks out across my face. “Fine. I’m in.”

He hands me a shot before grabbing one for himself, clinking his glass to mine. “Cheers!”

I take the lime off the rim and throw back the shot back. It burns like hell as it trails down my throat, the tart taste making my lips pucker. I pop the lime in my mouth, but not even the citric juices provide enough relief to keep the grimace off my face.

August, however, doesn’t react at all, his handsome face staying smooth. He places his glass back on the tray, a victorious smile lighting up his steely eyes. “That wasn’t even close.”

“You cheated,” I whine, swatting his chest.

“Don’t be a sore loser, gorgeous. I won fair and square. But... I tell you what. We’ll play again, double or nothing.”

I quirk an eyebrow. “All right, you’re on.”

He hands me another shot, and we go through the process once more. With the same results. Turns out, tequila doesn’t go down any easier the second time around.

“Fuck,” I rasp, slamming down the glass. “That shit is nasty.”

He smirks. “I won again, and I’m ready to cash in one of my wins now.”

“Oh, yeah? And what is it that you want?” My words are breathy, my pulse racing.

His hands land on my hips, and everything around us fades into the background as his face moves slowly toward mine. My lips tingle with anticipation, the fear I’m feeling outweighed by this burning need.

I’m done trying to put this fire out. Let it consume me.

Cool disappointment settles over me when his lips find the shell of my ear instead of connecting with mine, but his whispered answer quickly heats me right back up again. “I want to take you home. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

AUGUST

Josie hums with satisfaction as she takes another bite, her eyelids falling, and my dick twitches. Even watching her drunkenly eat cold lasagna is a freaking turn-on. I’m seriously questioning my life choices at the moment. She was ready to let me kiss her back at the bar, ready to let go of whatever’s been holding her back. But that’s not how I wanted it to go down—in some bar, giving people a free show.

The Uber ride home was quiet, the backseat filled with tension. I was sure I’d played my hand all wrong, that her walls were going back up. Thankfully, by the time we got home, she was much more relaxed, all giggly from the liquor coursing through her veins. She stumbled up the stairs to change then wandered to the kitchen for a snack.

Now, she’s sitting on top of the island, eating last night’s leftovers directly out of the pan in a pair of pajamas with cherries on them. It might be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. She’s truly the woman of my dreams.

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