Page 44 of You're so Bad

“No,” she says, giving me the look of someone who has not yet been subjected to her grandmother’s Kahlua.

I nod. “Carry on.”

“Anyway, I told her the reason it tasted strange was because Nana had used tap water as the base, and fluoride carries a flavor because it’s slightly toxic.”

“No shit,” I say, impressed.

She frees her smile, nodding to another couple who quickly look away. A woman calls her name and waves, pointing excitedly to the empty station next to her. Shauna waves back, then goes for an abandoned table in the corner. Cold. I like her that way, but I steer her away from the empty table. I look around until I find an open craft station next to a couple of giggling women who’re acting like they’ve already sucked their way through a couple of high-gravity beers. One of them’s got long blond hair, and the other’s a brunette.

They might be just the ticket. We have to be “persuaded” to let our little friend, Bean, out to play. If we get very lucky, these tipsy ladies might even do the deed for us.

When I beeline for them, Shauna shoots me a dagger gaze, like she thinks I’m moving us because I’m hoping one of these chicks will get drunk enough to give me a blow job in the bathroom.

“Amateur,” I whisper to her. “It’s all part of the plan.” I give her a quick rundown of my idea as we mosey toward the table.

“You said you don’t make plans.”

“I’m a good liar,” I told her. “You should know that.”

I said it in a teasing way, but I also meant it. Mostly. Based on her tight-lipped expression, she seems to get that.

It was a stupid move given I want to get on Shauna’s good side…except I’m very aware that I like her more than I should. It’s a good idea to give both of us a reality check.

“You know these women?” I whisper.

“No. They’re probably a couple of Bianca’s replacement friends.”

As if anyone could replace her.

We reach our destination, and I set Bean’s crate and my beer down on the table. Shauna does the same with her drink but pauses to take a gulp first.

“Oh. Em. Gee,” the brunette says, turning to her friend and then the crate. “Is that akitten?”

I give Shauna a pointed look. She shakes her head slightly, the smallest of smiles on her face.

“Yes, this is Bean,” I tell the woman. “But we made a promise not to let her out, you get me?”

“Oh, I get you,” her blond friend says, giving methat look.

“This is my boyfriend,” Shauna says pointedly. “Andmy kitten.”

I give her the big, shit-eating grin that’s gotten me into plenty of trouble, then bend my lips to her ear and ask in an undertone meant only for her, “You don’t want anyone else to touch your pussy?”

She shoves me so hard I nearly bump into the brunette.

Someone clears her throat over a microphone, and then Bianca, the Queen Bee of Pompoms and this here party, says, “Who’s ready to make some balls?”

“This girl,” I call out, pointing at Shauna.

ChapterThirteen

Shauna

Leonard and I are in a competition over who can make the biggest pompom. Mine looks like a basketball, so I think I’m winning. In contrast, the one Bianca made up front looked more like a grape, or maybe a shriveled raisin—big compared to your conventional pompom, sure, but it’s got nothing on ours.

She didn’t know the rules of the game we were playing, so it shouldn’t make me feel as victorious as it does.

The two women next to us stopped working on their pompoms several minutes ago in favor of another round of beers. One of them seems to have her eye on the bartender, who keeps pointedly flashing his wedding ring at her, and the other is obviously into Leonard.

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