Chapter Twenty-Eight

Odette

S till clad in my honors cords, I entered Jamie’s horrifying house, my eyes cast downward on her hardwood floor. Jamie offered to host the party for Dominic and me, and I was certain that by the end of the night, I’d have every mahogany floorboard memorized.

Niko walked alongside me to the kitchen, as the rest of my professors—I guess they were just mine now that I’d graduated— my men drove separately. Niko quickly ditched the robes, leaving him in casual jeans and a T-shirt.

“The party has arrived,” Niko jokingly announced when we saw our friends gathered in the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, putting some of his weight on me as he smirked. “The important ones, that is.”

Reesia cringed at him and his boomer-ish humor. “It blows my mind that the youths of today look up to you, truly, Niko,” she sneered. After graduation, he was swarmed by graduating students wanting pictures with him and thanking him for his support throughout the years. To his credit, he was one of—if not the best professors at the university.

“He deserves all the kudos,” I chimed in.

“Bias,” Vincent smirked.

I couldn’t reasonably defend myself in a way that would mean anything to them. Maybe I was slightly biased, but he was my favorite professor even before I knew, slept with, or loved Niko. I shrugged. If you can’t beat them, join them! “Horribly,” I agreed.

Reesia was already making a devilish concoction of fruits, orange juice, and tequila in Jamie’s blender.

Just as the rest of my guys walked through the front door, Reesia held up the blended drunk juice and wiggled it at me. “Want one?”

Before I could answer yes, Aiden interrupted me. “Nope,” he chimed as they rounded the corner.

Pushing my brows together, I eyed Aiden. No? They were controlling in a lot of ways—the best ways, ways that I liked and thought were sexy— Daddyish , if I may. But for him to say I couldn’t drink after graduation was beyond confusing. They never cared when I drank before...

As if he sensed the ick radiating off of me, Aiden turned and shot me a smile. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small bag of candy while walking to me. “The two don’t usually mix well,” he explained mysteriously.

Jamie huffed out a laugh, watching us as she placed bowls of chips and snacks on the counter. “How did I forget about Aiden’s infamous end-of-school-year tradition?” she sang into the open, earning chuckles from the others.

Gesturing for me to take the bag, Aiden analyzed my reaction closely while I inspected it. I’d never actually seen edibles, but I knew what THC was, and it was plastered right on the front, next to ‘ mango flavor’ and ‘ten milligrams each’.

I wouldn’t have guessed that Aiden Anderson, dean of psychology, got high at the end of each school year. It was perfect timing, though. He was off for the summer and had no drug tests for three months. Once I figured out that the candy wasn’t candy , I returned the bag to him.

“Want to try?” He offered. “You don’t have to, but I figured I’d offer before Reesia poisons you—”

“Hey!” Reesia chimed in, pulling the straw she was sipping from her mouth. “One time...” she mumbled to herself and rolled her eyes.

Intrigue hit me. Sometimes, my old roommate and her boyfriend would come back from a party where they smoked weed. From what I witnessed, they giggled, snacked, then promptly fell asleep for hours. It wasn’t anything crazy like what they show in movies. “What exactly do they do?” I asked. Obviously, I knew what they did. But at the same time... not really.

Luckily, I didn’t have to elaborate as Aiden pointed to the bag. “It depends on the person. In general, sativa gets you high—giggly and whatnot. Indica relaxes you. This is a hybrid,” he explained. “I’ll give you half. We’ll wait an hour and see what you think,” he suggested.

“Is ten milligrams strong?” I asked. This was uncharted territory, and I wouldn’t take one without being sure.

“No, I’m taking two. But—”

“But you’re tiny, and he’s a giant,” Niko finished. He squeezed my shoulders before he let go.

“It’s better to start small, especially if you’ve never taken an edible before. They can hit you like a train,” Collin chimed in. Reesia nodded next to him.

I agreed to take half as everyone disbursed around Jamie’s haunted house. Aiden and Vincent took two gummies each, and everyone else had a beer or a glass of Reesia’s drunk juice.

Forty-five minutes had passed, and I still felt as normal as ever—strangely. I didn’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t nothing. Alcohol hit me fast when I drank (almost as fast as it was hitting Reesia and Niko), so I expected to feel something .

Jamie’s stereo system played a mix of rap, rock, and pop music. Reesia and I sat at the kitchen counter as she showed me her and Collin’s wedding photos on her phone. Wyatt and Collin were playing pool just outside the back door as the sun set behind them. Everyone else was at the dining room table, gambling their money away in a Texas Holdem game.

“Awe, I love this one,” I gushed as I smiled at Reesia’s phone. It was a simple, candid picture of her and Collin, clad in a white Vera Wang dress and Armani suit. They were sitting at a table, Reesia glaring over her shoulder at a blurry Jamie in the background, and Collin smiling at his bride—had I ever seen him smile before? I didn’t think so.

Reesia laughed, “It was such a fun night. Wyatt got so drunk that he ended up talking in an accent—”

“Cowboy Wyatt!” I giggled, turning to smirk at Wyatt through the screen door.

He shook his head, denying any cowboy-ish behavior. “There is no ‘Cowboy Wyatt.’ Not that I remember, anyway,” he smirked before taking a swig of beer.

“Drunk Wyatt is my favorite,” Niko smiled, joining our teasing.

“As soon as he unbuttons his shirt, that’s when you know it’s game over,” Dominic added.

“Alright, alright,” Wyatt put his hands up in surrender, pointing a warning finger at me as I started it.

I innocently pressed my lips together, remembering how fun Cowboy Wyatt was. Come to think of it, he hadn’t mentioned what happened between us in his childhood bedroom at all. He said he’d be too drunk to remember, but I didn’t think he meant it. I bet if I timed it perfectly (and we weren’t around other people), I’d be able to make him blush by asking him to check his camera roll.

“How are you feeling?” Aiden asked as he put some chips onto his plate at the counter.

I shrugged. Looking past him at the clock, I saw it’d been over an hour now. “Fine. Maybe I’m immune?” I guessed.

“Nothing at all?” Reesia added with wide eyes.

I shook my head. “Maybe half wasn’t enough—I’m freakishly tall.” Niko said I was tiny earlier, but I didn’t think that was true. I was thin, sure, but I had a deceiving amount of muscle, and they didn’t account for that or my height at all.

Aiden placed the other half of the gummy in front of me. “Give it about another half hour,” he suggested.

Setting it to the side, I nodded. “How are you feeling?” I asked, noticing the whites of his eyes were slightly pink .

He flirtatiously winked at me. “Fantastic.”

“Gag,” Reesia deadpanned, jealousy in her tone.

“It’s never gonna happen, Reese,” Aiden assured before returning to the table with his snacks.

She cocked an eyebrow at me. “Oh, it’ll happen.”

“What’s ‘it?’” I questioned.

“You. Me. Making out. Preferably topless with lots of fondling—”

“It’s kinda creepy that you’ve thought about this,” I dismissed.

She leaned back in her chair, swirling her drink as she daydreamed. “In a perfect world, it happens during winter in France—I was a big fan of you speaking French, by the way.”

Feeling eyes on me, I glanced behind me at Niko. He was shooting daggers at Reesia. She knew it, too, because she had a shit-eating grin as she spoke.

“Cari?o, come be my good luck charm. Get away from that predator,” he smirked.

“Look how scared he is,” she snickered in delight.

Rolling my eyes at both of them, I popped the second half of the gummy in my mouth before sitting next to Niko at the table.

Two hours later, the sun had disappeared entirely. We were all sat at the table, playing a shockingly competitive game of poker. I was undoubtedly feeling something now.

My entire body felt light as air, and I was incredibly warm, like a fluffy heated blanket wrapped around each limb. I kept having to remind myself that I had bones and body weight. I felt so strange—like gravity was trying to push me up into the air, not pull me down. Hence, the one-handed grip on the seat of my chair that kept me from floating off like a helium balloon.

Besides the peculiar feelings all over my body and brain fog, I felt fine! I was having a great time; we all were. We were equally determined to win—although we still hadn’t agreed on what the winner got. They all put in 20 dollars in the first game and played for money. The second, Jamie had a slice of leftover cake from a well-known bakery that everyone loved, and they played for that. Now, I was pretty sure we were just playing for bragging rights, the biggest reward of all in this group of cutthroat competitors.

“How the hell did you win again?!” Jamie roared. “That’s three in a row, Cupcake,” she folded her muscular arms as I gathered the chips into my pile.

I smiled. “Just lucky.”

“Are you hiding cards? Lift your other hand,” she accused.

Smirking, I lifted my hand from my chair and wiggled my fingers at her, showing my innocence. Without my anchor, I felt myself start to lift off the chair. My heart sank, and I panicked, quickly slapping my hand back down and gripping the seat. “Woah,” I panted.

It was quiet for a moment before everyone, including me, broke out in laughter. “What was that?” Dominic asked. “Finally feeling it, Darling?”

“I swear to God I almost floated away,” I giggled.

Wyatt glanced under the table at my hand before he cutely covered his mouth to hide his laugh. “Is that why you’ve been playing one-handed?” he asked between laughs.

I nodded with wide eyes. “If I don’t, I’ll end up up there,” I pointed to Jamie’s portrait-covered ceiling. “With the naked people,” I whispered.

Jamie and Vincent were in fits of laughter, clutching each other as they tried to catch their breath.

Aiden’s chuckles died down, and he gave me a comforting smile. “You’re not going to float away, I promise. You can let go.”

Mister know-it-all clearly didn’t know everything. I scoffed. “I actually will.”

“Try it,” he suggested.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Slowly, I hesitantly let go of my anchor. My body felt like it was lifting again, but Wyatt held my hand before I could grab my seat. I widened my eyes, shocked that I wasn’t moving, let alone floating. I felt like I was, though. “I feel really bizarre.”

“Quick break?” Aiden announced as he got up from his seat and walked towards me.

“Good, I need to pee,” Reesia said as she stood and beelined for the bathroom.

Aiden held his hands out for me, “Come sit outside with me?” He gestured to the back door.

My transfer from Wyatt’s hand to his was quick—so I wouldn’t float away. “Just don’t let go, or I’ll be in the sky,” I whispered.

“Why are you whispering?” He whispered back with a smile.

As we walked to the back door, each step felt like I was on the moon. “I don’t know,” I giggled.

“The first time Aiden ever had to trip sit me, he told me my teeth were falling out...” I heard Jamie deadpan. “Look at that big ‘ol softie now.”

I smirked as we got further from the house. Well, she wasn’t me. Aiden would never intentionally freak me out like that.

“What’s that look for?” He squeezed my hand.

I widened my eyes. “Why? Do I look stupid?” I rushed out.

“Impossible,” he shook his head. “You look incredibly smug. Why?”

I hugged his arm as we walked. “Because you’re nice to me,” I blinked up at him.

He lifted his brows at my answer before pulling me down to the pool’s edge with him. “Sit,” he ordered. He grabbed my ankles and put them in his lap while taking my heels off. “Put your feet in the water,” he said before dangling his over the edge, too.

Listening, I lowered my feet into the cool water, wiggled my toes, and swayed my legs. The resistance of the water reminded me that I had bones—it felt amazing.

“Better?” He asked.

“Mhm,” I nodded absentmindedly. Not caring if the ground was a bit dirty, I laid on my back, looking up at the sky as I continued gently kicking my feet. “This isn’t what I imagined what being high would feel like,” I admitted.

“Tell me how you feel,” he insisted, lying beside me.

Giggling to myself once, I tried to think of the words to describe how my body felt without sounding crazy. “Really warm, specifically like Dominic’s bed before the sun comes up—you know how his hugs feel—”

“No,” Aiden chuffed.

Tilting my head, I watched him out of the corner of my eye. “You’ve been friends for over a decade and never hugged?”

He shook his head. “Definitely not. Dominic doesn’t like it when people touch him. Haven’t you noticed?”

Come to think of it, besides brief handshakes, the only other people I’d ever seen touch Dominic were Wyatt’s nieces and nephews—little kids who were using him to climb on and roughhouse with. He was incredibly careful with them. Maybe Aiden was halfway wrong. Maybe Dominic didn’t like to be touched by other adults—with the exception of me.

The corner of my mouth lifted into a grin before I turned to face him fully. “He loves it when I touch him,” I said.

Aiden looked at me pointedly. “Don’t we all?” He looked back up at the sky. “Behave, Doll.”

Feeling slightly naughty, I giggled before I propped my head on my hand to look at him. “Warm, weightless, floaty,” I continued in a sultry whisper. Finding his leg in the water, I ran my foot slowly up it. “Not ‘I just came three times and have a dick in my mouth’ floaty... it’s more like gravity doesn’t work,” I crudely explained.

His red, intoxicated eyes darted to meet mine as he slowly shook his head. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

I could see a bulge forming in his jeans, but I didn’t point it out. I nodded, “A little. Is it working?” I played dumb.

“You know it is,” he let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s cruel, really; what are you hoping to accomplish in the next five minutes before we have to go back inside, Doll?” He turned to face me, mirroring my propped-up position.

Waves of confidence washed over me as I grabbed his hand and placed it up my dress, high on my thigh. “Feel how wet I am,” I urged, spreading my legs for him.

He glanced behind us at the house. “You won’t be embarrassed if they see?” He challenged.

All thoughts of embarrassment or caring were nonexistent as I shook my head. It wasn’t like they hadn’t watched me get railed before. “I’ll keep watch,” I promised, floating my lips above his.

“Jesus Christ,” he moaned against my lips as he kissed me. His hand slithered up my dress until it was flush against my panties. My body ignited in a way that I’d never experienced before. Every touch seemed to ripple through me in waves of pleasure. My skin was hot and sensitive—and I wanted to take full advantage of it and them.

Just as he plunged his tongue into my mouth, I felt his giant finger dip into me, and I shuddered against him. “Holy shit, you’re so fucking—” he let out a moan that was almost a whimper of desperation. “So wet,” he finished.

Breaking away from our make-out, I moaned as he pumped two fingers into me. “You’re throbbing around my fingers, Baby,” he praised in a smoky tone.

“Don’t stop,” I whimpered. I needed this with every bone—or lack of—in my body. It was more important than breathing. “Please,” I added, wanting to stay in his good graces.

“You watch the window and let me worry about giving this pussy what it wants, yeah?” He ordered.

My breathing was labored as I looked over my shoulder. I didn’t know where everyone was, but they were out of sight—luckily.

Aiden buried his head in my neck, licking and kissing the tender area. “Fuck,” I practically cried out, looking down at where his hand disappeared under my dress. His wrist was moving viciously, bringing me dangerously close already.

After drooling over the movement of my dress and his wrist, I turned back to the house.

There, behind the screen back door, stood Reesia. Her eyes were locked on us—on me, actually. Her arms were to her sides, her eyes gleaming as she grinned back at me.

To my surprise, I didn’t even flinch, blink, or think twice about her catching us. I only cared about Aiden’s lips against my neck and his skilled fingers ripping an orgasm out of me. It must have been the edible because I should have cared.

Perhaps if it were Vincent, Collin, or even Jamie, I would’ve gotten shy and stopped.

Instead, I held my finger to my lips, gesturing for her to keep quiet. Her smirk deepened as she pretended to throw a key behind her.

“You’re making a fucking mess in my hand, Babydoll. Did Niko not get you off well enough earlier?” Aiden husked against my ear. “Or does being high make you insanely horny? ” He taunted.

“The... the second one,” I panted, trying to keep quiet.

My mouth dropped open, and I felt my eyes glaze over (more than they already were) as I came. It was pathetic how quickly Aiden worked it out of me, but I was also convinced my body had a mind of its own.

My thighs squeezed Aiden’s hand, and I gripped his wrist, my legs shaking as pleasure took over every nerve, every thought.

It was at that moment, watching Reesia watch me, that I knew with absolute confidence that it was real. Every time she flirted, all the comments she’d made, and how much she wanted me— it was real. While she was definitely hamming it up to get under Niko’s skin, all her jokes had truth to them. It made me feel slightly naive that it took me until now to realize it.

“You’re so hot, Odette,” Aiden rasped, withdrawing his hand from under my skirt and lifting his fingers to my lips.

All thoughts of Reesia faded quickly as I eagerly sucked his fingers clean. He curled his fingers against my tongue, pushing down on it. The kill switch— as if my brain wasn’t already fogged enough. I moaned around his fingers, entranced in how electric his eyes were in the moonlight.

It should be illegal to be as handsome as he was.

“It’s going to be a long night,” he groaned while taking his fingers away from me. It was still early in the evening, and we had no excuse to leave other than wanting to rip each other’s clothes off. It would be hours before we were home.

Aiden glanced up at the house for the first time, and my heart thudded as I followed his eyeline. Reesia wasn’t standing in the window watching; she was casually mingling in the kitchen with the others who’d returned—as if she hadn’t seen anything.

Before I could even contemplate if I should tell him about Reesia watching, he began to stand. “Come on, you little nympho. Before you get both of us in trouble,” he joked.

I took his hands, and he pulled me up. I flinched, feeling like I was going to float away again, especially with him practically hoisting my limp body off the ground. “Woah,” I gasped as I found my balance.

He chucked at me, grabbing my shoes before we padded barefoot with wet legs across Jamie’s large patio.

Somehow, Aiden’s fingers didn’t fully satisfy me. I didn’t know what was happening to me, but my every thought was of Wyatt, Niko, Dominic, or Aiden thrusting into me in every position. My heart had been pounding like crazy for the past two hours—that heartbeat was everywhere. I’d already had to go to the bathroom three times to clean myself up—I was drenched.

Every part of me wanted some kind of relief; whether it was their tongues, fingers, or dicks, I didn’t care. Even my mouth was desperate for attention. I had a cup full of ice that I was slowly emptying, plopping a small cube into my mouth one at a time. It was refreshing my scalding body and occupying my mouth.

Reesia still hadn’t mentioned what she saw, ignored me, or behaved any differently than her normal bubbly self. At first, I had my suspicions that she was plotting, but I guess she truly threw the key to our little secret away.

Niko, Reesia, and Aiden were the only three left in the never-ending poker game. I lost about 30 minutes ago—too distracted to pay attention to anything but the monster between my legs.

“Are you okay?” Wyatt asked me for the fourth time in the last hour. I thought I was hiding my issue decently, but obviously, my guys knew when I was hot and bothered. The others probably thought I was high as a kite (which wasn’t untrue). I was convinced that getting off, just once, would solve my problem. Just one.

“Mhm,” I hummed with a smile, my intoxicated gaze fixated on his plump lips.

“That’s your third cup of ice, and you’re flushed. Do you want to go outside and get fresh air?” he offered while running his hand through my hair.

Wyatt was so sweet. Little did he know that my every thought right now was about jumping his bones.

Everyone was too occupied with their own conversations to listen in. A sick thought—an opportunity—came to mind, and I nodded eagerly. I held out my hand for him, not trusting my bones to hold me up or gravity to keep me down.

He chuckled before taking my hand and walking to the front door.

“You good?” Niko called behind us, looking slightly concerned for me.

“Like a train,” Collin mumbled to himself, referencing what he’d warned me about earlier. If I had known a whole gummy would have such a strong effect on me, I probably wouldn’t have taken the second half. Or maybe I still would have. My body felt amazing, and that was only an issue because our friends were around.

Wyatt and I both nodded. “It’s just a little warm,” I dismissed. They really didn’t have to worry—I was fine—just stupidly horny.

Walking hand in hand, I basked in the coolness of the spring night breeze. Usually, I was not too fond of the cold, but it felt rejuvenating—like the ice cubes. “I feel very whimsical,” I announced while swinging his arm.

“I can tell,” he chuckled as he held his arm up and twirled me. “How has today been?” He asked.

He was asking about Charles—I knew that, but a part of me felt heartless. I hadn’t really thought about him all day. He was gone, and I was okay with that. “I’m okay. I was really happy to see your parents at graduation,” I stopped walking when we were behind Aiden’s truck. “And Tony and his family,” I added. “It made me realize that Charles wasn’t my only family, you know?” I rambled. My eyes widened, and my cheeks flushed. “Is that weird to say? I’m not saying that your parents are like... mine or anything! But—”

“It’s not weird,” he said soothingly, instantly calming my overthinking. “I don’t mind sharing; they’ve got enough love to wrap the earth a few times over.”

He leaned against the door and shrugged. “You know, I tried to talk them out of coming to save you some embarrassment. But after seeing you smile—your real smile, not the fake nervous one—I was glad they came too.”

It was even more heartwarming that they’d shown up on their own accord—uninvited by Wyatt. “I don’t think they could ever embarrass me. It just means that they care enough to show up—let alone be the loudest ones in the crowd,” I laughed.

He laughed with me before cringing. “Just don’t tell them that because they’ll show up to everything and try to embarrass you—trust me,” he widened his eyes as if recalling a memory.

“I look forward to it.” I wrapped my arms around him and looked up at his handsome features. Delicious. “You have a slut in your phone,” I deadpanned, drastically changing the subject. My mind was too fuzzy to think of a smoother transition, and I didn’t feel like wasting time.

Wyatt’s eyes rounded for a moment before he chortled once. “What?” He grinned.

“Look at your camera roll, Cowboy,” I pushed. Reaching into his pocket to grab his phone, I was incredibly unsubtle about brushing my hand against his dick.

He cocked an eyebrow, intrigued and confused at the same time. “What did you do?” He speculated, catching onto my eagerness.

My only response was a smug grin as I looked to the side innocently.

Slowly looking away from me and at his phone, he clicked the screen a few times before his eyes widened to the size of saucers. “What—where is this?” He stammered over his words as he quickly looked over his shoulder, ensuring no one else could see his screen.

Giggling, I held my hand over my mouth as he scrolled a few times and zoomed in. A few seconds later, his attention shifted back to me. “That’s my bedroom at my parent’s house,” he realized.

“Mhm,” I nodded sarcastically. “Cowboy Wyatt!” I sang. “Do you not remember at all?”

He shook his head. “Trust me, I would’ve remembered this—this was my idea?” He interrupted himself.

“I didn’t take much convincing,” I said, tangling my hand in his curly locks, twirling the hair that touched the back of his neck. My other hand ran down his front, feeling his abs through his button-up. “Maybe I could jog your memory?” I flirted.

To my satisfaction, Wyatt seemed flustered, caught off guard by my eager invitation. His focus shifted between his phone and me as if his mind was in a battle with itself over which me to give his attention to. Pressing my lips to his neck, I felt his body shudder under my fingertips. “What has gotten into you?” He bit back a moan. “I thought you weren’t—” he let out a throaty breath as I grabbed his dick through his jeans. “Feeling good...” His phone was forgotten as I felt his hands grip my hips, pulling me closer to him.

With my clit pulsing, mouth watering, and hips pushing forward, I quickly unzipped his pants. His dick was inflexible and heavy in my hand, veins throbbing under my touch. “I feel excellent,” I mumbled against his skin as I stroked him. “But I need you so badly it hurts— it’s all I can think about.”

Palming my ass as his hands passed it, he pulled my dress over my hips, leaving me in my soaked panties. Testing his own curiosity, he dipped a hand between my thighs and slid a finger along my panties, instantly coating his finger in the never-ending arousal. He twitched against my palm, and I smirked.

“Let me ride it,” I pleaded, pulling him from his jeans.

Something tightened around my throat, and I was jerked back away from his neck. I whimpered at the jolt and stared up at him with glossy eyes. It took me longer than it should have to realize my honors cords were still dangling around my neck—now being used as a collar. Wyatt’s firm grip on the rope and darkened eyes weakened my knees.

No bones.

My heart quickened as I stumbled, remembering the lack of bones and gravity to keep me stable. “Woah,” I panted. Finding my blitzed actions funny, he smirked before helping me stabilize myself again.

“Is that really what you want, Baby?” He cocked an unsympathetic brow, and I knew Hyde was out to play. “You’re acting like quite the little slut right now, and I’ll treat you like one. See, our friends in there still think you’re timid and innocent,” he moved the cords quickly, now pulling me towards him in a swift movement. “I swear to God, I’ll make you limp back in that house, legs shaking, sweat on your body, dripping my cum. Is that what you want?” He whispered the question, lips dangerously close to mine.

Without a second of hesitation, I nodded. I really didn’t care as long as I got to get off.

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he laughed at my quick response, an evil grin on his lips. “Weed has quite the effect on you—I almost feel bad,” he tilted his head to the side. “Now that I think about it, it’s obvious how horny you’ve been the whole night,” he teased, placing a small kiss against my lips, taunting me as he pulled the Cords again, putting more distance between us. “You folded two winning hands—probably too engrossed in your own dirty fantasies to pay attention. And the ice cubes... needed something for your slutty mouth to play with?” He rasped mockingly. “To think I was about to tell Aiden you couldn’t handle edibles. And here you are getting off on it,” he shook his head in an attempt to humiliate me.

“Aiden knows,” I confessed. The giggle that followed was unexpected and out of my control. “I came on his fingers by the pool,” I said quietly, my voice high as I tried not to giggle at the memory.

Wyatt pushed his head back and smirked. “Is that so?”

I bit my lip to hide a smile and nodded bashfully.

“You had Niko before graduation, Aiden by the pool, and now you want me? I’m assuming Dominic’s your next victim—”

“Can I ride it now?” I interrupted. His embarrassment tactics weren’t working; if anything, they only encouraged me. “I’m dripping down my thighs. If we talk any longer, I’ll make a puddle,” I squeezed his dick, remembering I was still holding it.

His hand tightened around the cords, adding pressure to my neck. “Watch your bratty tone, got it?” He scolded.

My lashes fluttered at the harsh tone, and I squeezed my legs together. I quickly nodded, not wanting him to deny me for his own sick fun—because I knew he would. “Please?” I asked politely. “Sit down?” I gestured to the paved ground beside the truck that hid us from the house.

Biting my lip, I watched as he sat on the ground, pulling me with him by the makeshift bondage tool around my neck. Delight flowed through my veins as I placed a hand on his solid shoulder, steadying myself as my other hand positioned his tip at my entrance. “Need help?” He asked, enjoying the view of me on top of him.

Softly shaking my head, I smiled. “Believe it or not, this isn’t my first time,” I joked, struggling a bit to align him—I was very slippery.

He leaned his head against the car and looked up at me adoringly. He reached between us and moved my panties to the side. “Maybe this will help,” he suggested.

I pressed my lips together, fighting giggles. How did I not realize? “Oh... maybe I need a little help?” I requested. I was beyond clumsy, courtesy of the edible.

Lifting his eyebrows, he nodded in agreement before grabbing himself and probing my hole. “Don’t hurt yourself, Baby,” he cautioned.

Lowering my hips, I moaned as he filled me. Each cold piercing rubbed against me perfectly. My knees scraped against the ground, but the discomfort was massively ignored as I ground down on Wyatt.

“Feel better?” He questioned, his eyelids slightly hooded as one hand tightened around the cords and the other groped my breast through my dress.

My whole body was covered in goosebumps of pleasure. I felt him everywhere, and I came before I could comprehend what was happening. It was a small orgasm, but it shook me just the same. My body tensed on top of him, and my grinding slowed.

His eyes widened as I hid my face in his neck. He chuckled once, letting go of the Cords and running his hand up my back. “That may have been a world record,” he quipped gently. “Why are you embarrassed?” He pulled me away from him, looking at my beat red face.

“That was... fast,” I panted.

He laughed, “You weren’t lying. Who needs foreplay when you can take an edible and get a body high?”

I rocked my hips again, blissfully watching his eyes roll back and a groan rip through his throat. “You feel so good.”

This was exactly what I needed for hours as I mentally edged myself at that dining room table. All my dirty thoughts were coming to fruition.

My movements were slow, much slower than I intended, but the rubbing sensation was perfection. Wyatt clearly wasn’t bothered by my slow grinding either.

I yelped out as he slapped my bare ass, surely leaving a red handprint. The after-burn melted into my skin like lava, radiating heat between my thighs.

“You’re squeezing the life out of me,” he rasped. “Sensitive?”

My pace quickened as I craved another release. “Yes,” I whispered, leaning back as I rode him. Looking up at the black sky full of stars and a bright moon, I let myself zone out. Pleasure cascaded through me as the sky got bigger. If Wyatt weren’t gripping my hips, guiding me, I would have sworn I was floating amongst the stars. I was in them.

“Are you seeing this?” I asked in a daze.

“Whatever you’re seeing, I guarantee my view is better than yours,” he grunted.

Slowly pulling myself back down to earth, I straightened, leaning on my knees again. He glanced down before he let go of my hips and held my knees, shielding them from the rough ground.

A stupid, giddy smile spread across my lips at the thoughtful gesture. “Are you close?” I asked, feeling his dick twitch and his teeth pulling at his bottom lip.

“Do you want me to be?”

I could’ve stayed like this all night, but my once light and airy body felt heavy as my legs grew weak. “Come with me?” I purred.

“Fuck,” he growled. In an effortlessly swift movement, he pulled me into his chest before standing. He sat me on the truck’s hood, never disconnecting from me as he took over. Thrusting into me relentlessly, I came instantly—he didn’t.

“Wyatt!” I choked out, caught off guard by the change of pace. “I’m—oh shit,” I covered my mouth with my hands. If I didn’t, I’d scream.

“Yeah, I didn’t think you were done,” he wrapped my legs around his waist, giving him leverage to go deeper. “You’ve got a few more in you, don’t you, Baby?” He cooed cruelly.

“Don’t stop,” I pleaded through ragged breathing.

Fabric tearing was heard, and I widened my eyes, looking down as he ripped my panties from my body. “These are in the fucking way,” he murmured while stuffing them in his back pocket. “Play with your clit,” he ordered. “Show me how much you wanted this.”

Propped up on one elbow, I reached between us, finding the swollen, tender bundle of nerves and circling it. Between the two sensations, I came quickly again, so intensely that no sound came out. My stomach muscles tensed as I writhed underneath him.

“That’s it,” he rasped. “Christ, you’re making a mess.” Suddenly, he pulled completely out of me, leaving me empty. I whined at the withdrawal but didn’t have time to question it as he grabbed my hands and pinned them to my sides. He crouched down before burying his head between my thighs, plunging his tongue into me.

My mouth dropped open, and staying quiet turned impossible. My thighs squeezed around his head as his attention switched to my clit. A deep moan rumbled through his chest as he sucked and licked it.

Back arching off the truck, I pressed my core further into his face. “I’m gonna cum again,” I warned as tears streamed down my cheeks. In response, he groaned and flicked his tongue faster, pushing me over the edge.

My scream came out cracked and screechy as I tried to suppress it. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I panted as he pulled my ass to the edge and plunged his dick into me again, continuing right where he left off. “Wyatt—”

“One more, Baby,” he dismissed. “You can do it, just one more. I want you to cum when I say so. Can you do that for me? Be my good girl?” He panted as he thrust into me.

My vision blurred as tears of pleasure pooled. I nodded, but no words came out. Between the orgasms and edible, I was beyond ‘floating.’ I was in fucking outer space.

“Three...” he began the countdown. My core clenched as I focused on the ridges of his piercings, hitting my G-spot with every thrust. “Two...” I cried out as he twitched, and I felt his hot cum spill into me. “One!” He whimpered, and I finally let go, letting my final orgasm rip through me.

My legs went limp, as did my other limbs. I was beyond satisfied, also tired... and hungry. I stared up at the stars, catching my breath. “So pretty,” I mumbled to myself.

I sucked in a breath as he pulled out of me. “Everything feels so strange right now,” I ran my fingertips up my arm, feeling the rippling tickles. “I feel everything so much... more,” I rambled, my brain feeling heavy and fogged.

Wyatt pulled my dress back into place and tucked himself into his jeans. He stood between my legs, watching me watch the stars. His hands ran up and down my dress-covered chest and torso, following the line in the middle of my tummy to the valley between my breasts. “Do you want to go back inside? We can stay out here for a little longer,” he asked softly.

I shrugged, indifferent to either option. “There’s snacks inside,” I thought aloud.

Wyatt chuckled. “Feeling peckish?” He pulled me up until I sat on the hood, resting my elbows on his shoulders.

Bobbing my head, I dramatically nodded. “See, this I expected,” I giggled. “The hornieness, not so much,” I jokingly cringed.

Bringing his thumbs to my cheeks, he gently wiped underneath my eyes. I probably had mascara stains and dried tears. “If it helps, I don’t think we expected it either,” he grinned. “Everyone reacts differently.”

I zoned out as he attempted to make me look presentable again. His eyes were so pretty... and he had tiny freckles right on the bridge of his nose. The sun must have brought them out in the past week because I hadn’t noticed them before. With how often I ogle over them, I would’ve noticed.

“Can I tell you something?” I whispered.

His attention shifted from my cheeks to my eyes, and he nodded. “Anything.”

I don’t know why the thought popped into my head or even the exact moment I noticed it. “I know you’re not lactose intolerant,” I tattled. It wasn’t something I really paid attention to, but it was clear that he’d lied to make me feel more comfortable on the first day I met them. “You can stop sneaking.”

His brows lifted in surprise as if I hadn’t caught him putting a splash of half-and-half into every cup of coffee for the past three months. “I thought I was doing a pretty decent job at pretending,” he remarked with a boyish grin.

Scrunching my nose, I slowly shook my head. “Not really. I think you’re the sweetest person ever, you know?”

“Ever? Out of all the people?” He exaggerated, poking fun at my high ramblings.

“I do!” I laughed. “Drugs and brain fog aside, I’ve always thought that.”

The front door to the house opened, making my heart hammer as I flicked my head in that direction. “It’s Aiden,” Wyatt comforted immediately. I don’t know why my heart kept jumping like it was, especially considering anyone could’ve come out to see us chatting. “I texted him to bring out some napkins,” he explained.

“Good call,” I nodded, still feeling his cum dripping out of me. I waved to Aiden as he approached with a smile and shook his head.

“Why am I not surprised?” he teased, pulling napkins from his pockets and handing a few to Wyatt and me. “You’ve been gone for twenty minutes—not so subtle,” he winked.

“Hey, did you lose the game?” I changed the subject. He wouldn’t be out here if he were still in.

He nodded. “Niko counts cards,” he deadpanned.

“Does he? Or did he outplay you, mind reader?” I tilted my head at him.

Wyatt lifted me off the hood, setting me on my wobbly legs. “He absolutely does,” he agreed with Aiden.

Wyatt quickly cleaned the mascara off my cheeks as I managed the rest of the mess. “You broke my panties,” I scolded, feeling the bareness under my dress.

“They weren’t serving much purpose anyway, Baby,” Wyatt bantered.

I held both their hands as we walked back to the front door. “Besides the obvious, how are you feeling, Doll?” Aiden asked.

“Starving,” I chirped, making them both laugh.

Once we got back inside, I snuck off to the bathroom immediately, properly getting rid of any evidence of what happened. When I rejoined the group—walking in slow motion for some reason—I was met with expected teasing and innuendos. It was all in good fun, and again, I would have been embarrassed if it was possible to care.

Instead, I just smiled and waved them off. Besides the initial jokes, no one seemed to care about Wyatt and I sneaking off to fool around. Given the people in the group, I wasn’t surprised.

Niko and Reesia seemed to be fighting for their lives in the never-ending game. They had an equal amount of chips, and given their mutual love-hate relationship, they were talking a lot of smack.

I didn’t feel like sitting alone and wanted a better view of Niko to see if he was actually counting cards, so I boldly took a comfortable seat in Dominic’s lap. His big arms immediately wrapped around me, pressing me to his body like he hadn’t seen me for days and missed me.

One of his hands rested on my thigh, the other against my tummy while I casually peeled and ate the clementine I snagged off Jamie’s counter.

“So, boss,” Vincent started from my side. I lifted my brows in intrigue. “Do you have any plans now that you own the Whitlock companies?” He pried.

“I’m not your boss,” I corrected quickly, giving myself time to think of a response. I honestly didn’t know where to start. I knew nothing about owning a business, let alone several hotel chains, investment firms, and a chemical manufacturing company.

Rita Thumborn and I had several phone calls over the past few days, scheduling meetings with the heads of each company. I was overwhelmed by it and felt more than inadequate for the job.

“I’m meeting with the big shots in the next few months... other than that, I don’t know the first thing about any of this. My degree is in engineering ,” I admitted.

Nodding in understanding, he thought for a few seconds before pressing his lips together. “Does that mean you’re susceptible to suggestions?”

“Yes,” I breathed out in relief. “Besides the obvious lack of diversity and blatant sexism in partners and employees... I know nothing about what else needs changing,” I ranted.

His smirk grew as I rambled. “So you do have a plan,” he pointed out. “That’s actually a great start—assuming you’re terminating certain partnerships off the bat, there will be new opportunities for additional—better—partnerships that will be more profitable. A few suppliers have already asked if you’re looking to rebrand.”

He was right. The first thing I planned on doing was cutting off all business ties to men like Lestat. The business profits would take a temporary hit, but Niko ran the numbers, showing they’d hurt much more than Whitlock Enterprises. I needed to do it even if it was a bad business move. I couldn’t live with myself if I had to work with any of those pigs.

“It sounds like you just offered your expertise,” Dominic joined in.

Vincent’s smile reached his red eyes. “Whatever you need, Kid,” he said. “It’ll take time, but you’ve got a lot of people rooting for you.”

It brought a great deal of comfort knowing I’d have Vincent’s support and someone to go to for advice who I trusted. “Thank you.”

“It’s not that serious. One of you just lose!” Wyatt groaned. “It’s one in the morning,” he added, waking me up.

My eyes shot open, darting around the dining room. I didn’t know when I zonked out, but I was still in Dominic’s lap at the table. When Wyatt and I came back inside, it was nearly midnight, so I’d been out for at least half an hour.

Dominic kissed the side of my head, realizing I woke.

“You could forfeit,” Reesia suggested with a snarky upturn of her mouth.

“And let you win?” Niko shot back. “The stakes are a little too high for giving up—thank you,” he dismissed.

“Stakes? Did you bet on something?” Wyatt questioned.

I thought they were playing for bragging rights.

Jamie gasped. “That’s right! You two were outside when they negotiated,” she announced excitedly.

“Negotiated?” I repeated. “What are you playing for?”

“Don’t worry about it; she’s not winning,” Niko huffed, clearly frustrated that they were still even.

“You sound scared,” Reesia smirked. Turning her attention to me, she smiled. “If he wins, I promised never to flirt with you again. When I win, I get to make-out with you for a whole minute while he watches,” she explained innocently.

My mouth dropped open as I shot daggers at Niko. “ You agreed to that?!” I asked in disbelief. I didn’t particularly care about kissing Reesia; it wouldn’t mean anything. But I was beyond shocked that Niko would even consider those terms.

“What are you fucking around for? Win,” Wyatt badgered.

Counting cards in a two-player game of Texas Holdem wasn’t helpful—there weren’t enough cards to count. They were both playing on luck. It was anyone’s game.

“Working on it,” Niko waved Wyatt off. “Also, I didn’t agree right away,” he defended. “I’ve got a chance to end the constant flirting that drives me up the wall—of course, I took it,” he said like it was obvious. His accent turned slightly more Spanish than it usually was. He was worried...

While Niko struggled to defend himself, Reesia was applying lipgloss, quietly grinning to herself.

She was much more intelligent than she let on. More than that, she was disturbingly skilled at manipulating others to get what she wanted.

“This could go on forever,” Aiden said, sitting up in his seat. “I propose one more round, all or nothing. Both of you go all in with the cards you’re dealt,” he suggested. “So we can go home,” he added.

“What if I get bad cards?” Reesia scoffed. “That’s stupid.”

“No,” Niko shot down.

“What’s the worst that’ll happen? They kiss?” Dominic sighed while eyeing Niko.

Niko widened his eyes and laughed humorlessly. “Uh, yeah!”

“I’m not into girls, Niko. She’s not going to steal me,” I promised. I knew that was what he was so worried about. There truly wasn’t a chance.

“Neither was I... until I kissed a girl,” Jamie shot Niko and me a coy smile.

“Shut up, Trix! You’re not helping my case,” Reesia snapped in a hushed tone.

“Let’s vote,” Aiden cut in again. “All in favor of all or nothing,” he put his hand up, as did everyone else in the room besides Niko and Reesia, who looked utterly defeated. “Great!” Aiden clapped his hands. “I’ll deal.”

“Really?” Reesia crossed her arms at Collin for voting against her. She flashed her wedding ring at him and pointed to it. “Does this mean nothing to you? What happened to solidarity?” She playfully pouted.

Collin lifted his brows. “She said while desperately trying to make-out with another person with whom she isn’t united in holy matrimony.” He glanced at the diamond, then back at her for emphasis.

She shut her mouth quickly and nodded in defeat. “Touché,” she turned back to the table. “If I lose after all my hard work, I’ll—”

“I’ll deal with the tantrum,” Collin assured. “Go ahead and deal the cards, Aiden.”

Shifting in Dominic’s lap, I watched in anticipation as Aiden shuffled the cards several times before dealing each of them two cards.

On cue, they quickly looked at their cards before making faces, dissatisfied with their hand. Reesia’s shoulders fell as she showed the cards to Collin, who simply nodded at her. Niko stuck his tongue in his cheek while rolling his eyes and setting the cards face down.

“Either you’re both the worst bluffers in the world, or you actually have bad cards,” Vincent smiled hugely. You might as well turn them face up; you’re both all in.”

Reesia practically threw her cards on the table, showing a three and a nine... oof.

Niko flipped his cards around, too, revealing a seven and a two. Ouch. “ You suck at dealing,” he sent Aiden a sharp look.

The jab rolled off Aiden’s shoulder as he quickly burned and turned until there were five cards, not giving them a chance to react as each card was played.

A three. A queen. An eight. A three. A three.

My eyes widened, looking back at the three next to Reesia. What were the chances?! She just won with awful cards! Meanwhile, Niko had absolutely nothing—not even the suits helped him.

“Four of a kind takes the win,” Aiden announced expeditiously.

Reesia was still momentarily before she hollered a laugh, throwing her arms in the air. “Yes!” she shrieked. She jumped out of her seat and didn’t stop jumping as she clapped her hands in excitement. “I won!” She pointed at Niko. “You counted cards for half the game, and I won!” she bragged.

Niko was still looking at the cards on the table, dumbfounded. “I can’t count cards; I don’t know why you all think that,” he mumbled absentmindedly.

Liar .

Dominic tightened his grip around me. “Your bet is void if Odette doesn’t want to make-out with Reesia,” he announced.

Niko grinned, his eyes hooded as he glanced at Reesia.

Reesia sighed, “You’re going to play the consent card?” She turned her attention to me. “Please?” She cheesed. “I won fair and square,” she added, blinking up at me with her giant eyes.

For Niko’s sake, I really should have said no. But I owed her one—more than one—because she’d been there for me since day one. She was the one who got Dominic to admit he thought I was pretty. She tipped me off about BDSM, laughed about our trauma, and was genuinely the first real friend I’d ever had. Plus, she didn’t mention anything about Aiden and me by the pool.

At the very least, I could make-out with her for 60 seconds. “I’ll do it,” I agreed. “But for Niko’s sake, you have to stop the flirting. Deal?” I negotiated my terms.

“Deal!” She quickly nodded, agreeing readily.

Niko opened his mouth and closed it several times as if trying to object. They were both getting exactly what they wanted... more or less.

“This is thrilling,” Jamie mumbled as she lightly elbowed Vincent.

“Very entertaining,” he nodded.

The peanut gallery...

Reesia began walking around the table toward me. “Stay sitting. You’re tall, so standing will be weird,” she decided while practically skipping to me.

I was still high, and my lack of embarrassment was very present. I didn’t care that we’d be making-out in front of everyone. Truthfully, I wanted this to be over so we could go home and sleep. I was exhausted.

“Dom, be a pal and let me know if you feel anything on your thigh. I’m hoping for a heartbeat of some sort,” Reesia joked.

“Reesia,” Collin gently scolded, shaking his head as he chuckled at her antics.

Niko leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. “No hands, Reese,” he warned in an icy tone.

Wyatt set his phone on the table with a 60-second timer. He seemed almost as annoyed as Niko. On the contrary, Dominic and Aiden looked amused, not bothered by sharing me at all.

“Pucker up, buttercup!” Reesia sang as she planted herself in front of me. I laughed at her giddiness as she leaned in.

Oh shit, this is happening.

Her lips were on mine in the flash of an eye—literally—I didn’t have enough time to close my eyes before she planted one on me. I guess we weren’t wasting any time!

Gaining my composure back, I closed my eyes and kissed her back. The room was eerily quiet, and it was slightly unnerving to feel everyone’s eyes on us.

Her lips were incredibly soft, plump, glossy, and tasted like vanilla. The intoxicating scent of her signature perfume made the kiss feel feminine. Not only that, but her movements were slow and gentle, lacking the eagerness with which she skipped up to me.

It was... nice? Incredibly different from kissing my men. Not better, not worse. Just softer.

When our lips parted, and our tongues touched, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a dance. That was exactly what it felt like our tongues dancing harmoniously. There was no harshness or fighting for dominance. It was incredibly equal.

I stood by what I said earlier. I was straight, I wasn’t into girls... but now that I was making-out with a beautiful woman—I understood the appeal. Was this what they felt whenever they kissed me? It was dreamy and melodic, and the innocence of it was sexy.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly turned on at the newness. Breaking Niko’s ‘no hand’ rule, Reesia caressed the side of my jaw as she deepened the kiss.

Dominic hardened under my ass, gripping the side of my thigh under the table. I wasn’t the only one who found the tenderness of our movements sexy...

Kissing her was enchanting but strangely unsatisfying. I kept waiting for her to actually make a move and kiss me like she meant it. We were too in sync and too timid to initiate something more. She felt the disconnect, too, like she was waiting for me to dominate the kiss.

It dawned on me that Reesia and I were both incredibly subby , as Aiden liked to put it. We were used to someone else being authoritative, controlling the kiss—we preferred it and craved it.

Our kiss was nice... but not at all my style or hers. It made me miss the controlling roughness and confidence of my guys.

As if she’d had the same realization, she quietly laughed against my lips, making me giggle as we pulled away from each other. Wyatt’s timer still had ten seconds on it, leaving everyone confused.

“What’s funny?” Niko asked with rounded eyes.

“Nothing,” Reesia and I answered in unison. It would be too hard to explain that we just weren’t compatible.

“Did you survive, Niko?” Aiden teased.

Niko held up his middle finger to his friend. “I hated every moment—”

“Stand up,” Jamie challenged, calling him out.

“Nope,” Niko immediately rejected her request, laughing once at himself. “Ready to go home?” He clapped, changing the subject from his hidden boner.

“Odette,” Reesia stuck her hand out for me to shake in the name of sportsmanship. “Always a pleasure,” she joked.

Matching her energy, I shook her hand. “Well played.”

“That’s it?” Jamie narrowed her eyes at the two of us. “Am I missing something? You fawn over her for months, and you’re over it just like that?”

Reesia casually nodded. “I promised I’d stop flirting,” she explained. It was partially true. What they didn’t know was our secret discovery. It was safe to say that I wasn’t exactly Reesia’s type—it just took a make-out session for her to realize it.

“Ready to go?” Aiden asked our group, looking determined to go home. It’d been a long day, and it was late. Far too late for his fragile age.

I smirked at my thoughts and nodded, along with everyone else in the house.

Holding Dominic’s hand, he led my boneless, gravity-defying body outside, where we thanked Jamie and said goodbyes to our friends—already making plans for next time.

Niko, sober enough to drive, took his car with Aiden to keep him company. Dominic and I sat in the backseat of the truck as Wyatt drove.

I curled into him, closing my eyes, ready to find Cat and cuddle him once we got home. With the weather warming up, he’d been adventuring outside more often.

“I’m curious,” Dominic began gently. “You’re a big fan of kissing but didn’t seem into it with Reese. Why?” He pried.

The most straightforward answer was that she wasn’t them. I wasn’t stupidly infatuated with Reesia or anyone else besides them.

Lifting my head from his shoulder, I gently held the collar of his shirt, bringing his head down to me. I kissed him once, loving the feel of his mouth on mine. I loved the slight taste of whisky on his lips and the gruffness of his 5 o’clock shadow against my skin. I pulled away once his kiss had washed away the memory of Reesia’s lips.

“Because none of you would ever wear vanilla-flavored lip gloss,” I answered softly.

His tired, hooded eyes brightened as he smiled down at me as I nestled my head back in his neck and closed my eyes.