Page 46 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

“More clothes means more chances to win,” Gwyn clarifies. She rises onto her tiptoes and bites his earlobe. “Or lose, since the sooner we get naked, the sooner we can go upstairs.”

Tukani chuckles then plants a loud smacking kiss on her cheek. It’s more playful than sensual and eases a bit of the tension in my chest from Theo’s close proximity. I take a sip of my drink, and Tukani looks at me, lifting his chin while giving me a come-hither stare. “Ya know, if you’re interested in the Tukani Tsunami, there’s plenty to go around.”

“Tukani!” Gwyn smacks his bare chest––hard––and I nearly spit out my drink.

“Ouch.” He rubs at the spot with a frown and tugs her back to his side. She melts almost instantly while Depp rolls his eyes and finishes setting the table up for Strip Pong.

“When the opposite player gets a ball in the cup, do we drink and strip?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Depp answers. “Theo, you’re on this side.” He tilts his head toward the opposing team and adds, “Tukani, you’re with Burrows and Blake.”

“Ooo, a threesome.” He lets Gwyn go and stumbles to our side of the table. “I’m game.”

The scent of whiskey taints his breath as he smacks a kiss to my cheek, the same way he did to Gwyn’s less than two minutes ago. My nose wrinkles, but another laugh slips out of me. Seriously. Who is this guy?

When he tosses his arm around Burrows and me, swaying on his feet, I purse my lips. “Really, Depp? ‘Cause this is fair?”

“You and Burrows haven’t been drinking, and Burrows is Beer Pong champ. I’d say it’s an even game. Now, line up.” He rubs his hands together. “Let’s get this party started.”

15

BLAKELY

Three rounds later, I’ve already seen Tukani’s penis and Gwyn’s boobs. Apparently, she thinks bras are overrated, and once she’d slipped off her shirt, Tukani dragged her to the hot tub like it was his last night alive, leaving Burrows and me against Depp, Austin, and Theo.

Well, for a minute anyway.

Austin sucks ass and dropped out once he’d been stripped to his underwear, while Depp struts around in nothing but a pair of jeans with a sliver of gray boxers peeking from the waistband.

Burrows’ little trick about playing sober has done wonders for me, though. So far, I’ve only lost my shoes and Apple Watch. But Burrows? Well, the poor bastard has been matched up with Theo, leaving him with about as much clothing as Depp. Less, actually. Only a pair of dark gray boxer briefs are standing between me and my first official introduction to the man’s junk.

Not that I haven’t enjoyed the view.

Theo, however, is still fully clothed. Well, almost. Burrows managed to get Theo’s left shoe added to the pile of discarded clothes, but that’s it.

Apparently, he’s as sober as I am.

And just as competitive.

I’m not sure why Burrows keeps choking anytime it’s his turn to play, but he has. Then again, maybe he wants to lose. Maybe he wants me to see him naked. I peek at his massive shoulders and bulging biceps. If that’s the case, his plan is working.

“Depp!” Theo yells. My attention snaps away from Burrows and toward the opposing team. Theo’s gaze is dark as he stares at me, slapping a ball into Depp’s hand.

Depp rolls it between his hands and winds up to throw it. If it lands in a cup, I’ll be in my bra and jeans. If it doesn’t, I’ll get to keep my shirt for another round and have a chance to knock off his pants. I gotta give him credit, though. He’s definitely buzzed. But the guy’s still pretty coordinated considering how much stale beer he’s had to swallow so far.

With a deep breath, a very serious Depp tosses the ball onto the table. It misses the cups on my side, bouncing onto the grass as the crowd around us cheers and groans simultaneously.

“Close, but no cigar,” I note, grabbing a Ping-Pong ball from the grass a few feet away.

I rub it against my jeans as Burrows cheers, “Come on, babe.”

“Yeah, come on, babe,” Depp taunts, framing his hands on the opposite side of the table as he leans down and tries to throw me off.

The pet name caresses my skin like sandpaper. Part of me wants to lie to myself, insisting it only irked me when Depp mimicked Burrows. But the truth is, I’m not sure how much I liked it coming from my date, either. It feels…off. I’m not sure if it’s because of Theo’s hard stare or my own reservations. Regardless, I don’t think I like it.

Then again, now isn’t the time to overanalyze something as trivial as being called babe. I have a game to win, and a hockey player to destroy.

“Someone’s excited to get naked,” I note.

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