by Heather Long
Not happening.
‘Cause dude, ow.
“Trust me, clean shaven vag…it’s a turn on.” She gave me a knowing look.
“I’ll take your word for it.” I trimmed. That had to be enough. Hell, the guys had helped me shave my legs the last few weeks, and no, I wasn’t telling Rachel about that. It had been embarrassing enough the first time Coop offered.
“If you change your mind, let me know.” We were heading for her car, her arm looped through mine. “I know a great lady, barely feel it—well, after the first time. First time kind of sucks.” She made a face. “But I would totally buy you ice cream after.”
Laughter eddied up, and I shook my head. “You are a terrible influence.”
“Lies,” she cackled. “Lies.”
Our next stop on girls’ night out was indeed the mall. It was packed, but we weren’t in a hurry. If anything, Rachel seemed more interested in window shopping.
“Rach,” I asked as we wound through one of the candle stores. The place reeked, but Rachel paused periodically to sniff different ones. How the hell she could tell them apart, I had no idea. All I could smell was everything, and it made my eyes water. “What are you planning to do for the holidays?”
“Eh,” she said with a shrug. “Probably go to my aunt’s house where I have to deal with the cousins and the extended family, including my great-grandfather who is probably the coolest one who will be there. He’s like a hundred and fifteen years old and spry as fuck.” The quirky grin she wore promised me she was only half-kidding. “It’s in Ohio. So there will be snow. And a lot of boring shit and football.”
She made a gagging noise.
“There will also be Mack Morgan to deal with, but Mack and I are like this.” She crossed her fingers. “He’ll happily play my beard for the more conservative half of the family while the other half rolls their eyes at us, and depending on my mood, I might let him get lucky.”
Her beard. That sucked.
Wait…what? I snapped my head around to stare at her, and her shit-eating grin made me glare. “Just checking to see if you were paying attention. Trust me, even if I decided I wanted to check out a dick, it would not be his. He doesn’t like vag. But he grew up there, and gay is a four-letter word. I do know that college has been very good for him.”
All of a sudden, her face turned thoughtful. “What?” ‘Cause that was a dangerous look.
“I don’t know, but I think he’s the only person I know who gets as much dick as you do. Maybe a little more.” The sly smile and twinkle had me groaning.
“Ugh, you suck.”
“Nope,” she said. “That’s the whole point.”
I was still groaning when she dragged me out of the store after buying two candles.
“What are you doing?” Rachel asked as we headed into the game store. It was crowded as hell, so I just shrugged.
“Nothing big. Probably working and hanging out with the guys.”
She hummed and just got in line rather than browsed. I scanned the walls and then looked at the rack of new games.
“I’m gonna go see what they have.” Maybe there was something the guys didn’t have. Good fucking luck with that. Archie had everything, and what few he didn’t have, Jake, Coop, or Ian had surely picked up.
Rachel gave me a nod. “Just stay where I can see you.”
I cut a look over my shoulder at her. Was she for real?
“You heard me.”
Ugh. As much as I wanted to complain about the protective note, it warmed me that she cared enough to snap at me. I studied all the new titles. Three-quarters of which were already loaded on the game system the guys had brought to the apartment. Yeah, I couldn’t buy one of these, not even as a present, because chances were they already had it.
But what about…?
I checked where Rachel was, she still had two more people in front of her, so I headed over to the other wall where they had accessories for game systems. They had the drums and guitar pieces. All the stuff for playing musical band games. I used to think Ian hated them, but I figured out why he didn’t play them. Because he actually knew how to finger a guitar, so it made just mashing buttons a little different.
They had some of the fancier accessories though, including an actual guitar with strings. Would that be better or worse to play on? I squatted down to ease the box out and flip it over so I could read the back. It took a little balancing, because the crowd had thickened in the store. These places were always so tiny. The accessory had a couple of different settings—and apparently, it had also been designed for players who could actually play.
Oh hell yes.
I grimaced at the price. It was a lot. But Ian would love it, and the guys would get a kick out of playing a different set of games. I could get them the regular gaming guitars. The mental math was a kick in the crotch to my wallet. On the other hand, if I got them a couple of games to go with it, we could spend a huge chunk of break just doing this, especially if I got my cast off.
“There you are,” Rachel snapped at me, and I nearly fell over as adrenaline flooded my system.
“Holy shit,” I said, glaring at her.
“I couldn’t see you,” she snarled, glaring right back. “I told you to stay where I could see you. There are too many people in here, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
And my irritation dried right up. “Sorry, I just…” I motioned to the guitar. “I was looking for stuff for the guys.”
Her own expression softened, and she squatted down next to me. “Bubba?”
I nodded. “And then regular ones for the other guys and some music based games. Maybe drums and something else to do the whole band effect.”
“Aww, you could have your very own boy band,” she crooned, and I tipped my head back and stared at the ceiling.
“Yep, my own boy band, and I’ll be their personal groupie.”
“Pfft, you’ll be the lead singer, and they can be your backup boys.” She elbowed me and then handed me the two huge bags she’d been lugging. “Do you want to get this now?”
“What—you didn’t have anything when you got in line!” I stared at the big bags.
“I know,” she told me smugly. “I had them pull my stuff ahead of time because it’s a zoo in here. Come on, what am I carrying?”
I pointed out the different pieces and she stacked them up, and then we snagged three different games and a couple of spare controllers for when the guys broke something. Because boys.
Back in line, I bumped Rachel with my hip as she stood uncomplainingly with all my crap. “Thank you.”
“Yep,” she said. “But you can buy the pretzels.”
Oh. Pretzels. “Deal.”
My bank account wept after I paid for all of it. So much for the money I’d made this week, but at least I had the job, and now I had something fun to go with the kind of goofy gifts I’d gotten them.
We made our way out to the big fountain where Rachel set me up with our stuff, and even though I was supposed to pay for the pretzels, she went and got them. When she was back and we were both getting cinnamon all over ourselves eating the oversized hot pretzels, I asked, “What do you want for Christmas?”
“Nothing,” she told me. “Or whatever you want to get me. I’m not picky.”
I groaned. “I need a little more than that. I could get you a book of poetry…” She made a buzzer noise like we were on a game show.
“Strike one,” she teased, then took a bite of her pretzel and eyed me.
The problem with Rachel was she really didn’t talk about herself. I chewed my own pretzel as I sifted through various memories. Music was a given, but we liked a lot of the same things, and she had an almost exclusively digital collection. We didn’t always buy whole albums, just the songs we wanted. Books were the same way, and books could be cool presents.
Hmm.
A flicker of a memory tickled the back of my mind, and I grinned. “I have an idea.”
“What would that be
?” Rachel eyed me curiously.
“Not saying,” I said with a grin. “But I think what I have in mind will work.”
Rachel liked art. Sketches. Painting. Crafts. But it wasn’t something she advertised. She used to be really good at it.
“Fine, then I won’t tell you what I got you either.” Her smug little grin just made me laugh.
“You know you don’t have to get me anything.”
She mimed her fingers talking. “Your mouth is doing this. But I’m not listening. Now, you up for more shopping, or do I need to take you back to your boys?”
I eyed the stacks of bags around us, then stared at her. “How much more shopping do you have?”
“I have eighteen cousins,” she told me with a straight face.
Holy shit.
“Exactly.”
“More shopping it is.”
We actually made a side trip out to her car to drop off the first round of stuff. Then a second round. Somehow, I got shanghaied into trying some stuff on, including snow jackets—why did they sell those in Texas?—and a snow suit because I was the same size as her cousin. I had to admit, the outfits were cute. By the time we finished, the mall was closing and the guys were blowing up my phone. Rachel cackled as she sent them a text, and I stared at her.
“What did you do?”
“Told them if they kept bugging you on my time, I would keep you overnight.”
I snorted. But my phone stopped blowing up and hers started.
She was still laughing as she started the car. “Feel better?” she asked, giving me a side-long look.
“I do,” I admitted. I really did. Even though tonight was my normal date night with Archie, he hadn’t protested in the slightest when I headed out with Rachel. Even told me to have fun. “Thanks.”
“Anytime,” she told me. Then, as we were heading back to my place, she said, “You know, you could tell me who has the biggest dick if you wanted to make it up to me.”
“You don’t care about dick,” I said with a groan.
“Nope,” she agreed. “But you do, and I want to know you have all the dick you need.”
I was still laughing when we got to the apartment, and Rachel helped me get the giant bags inside without them seeing what was in them. Course, she did that by telling them I was exhausted and hurting.
Bitch.
Five Sleeps
Archie: I have a car picking us up to take us to the airport. It’s an early flight.
Jake: When are we planning on telling her?
Bubba: I still can’t believe Rachel got her to shop.
Coop: Rach is good. I wanna know how you
bribed her into doing it.
Archie: Told her no way she could pull it off.
Jake: LOL
Coop: Yeah, I see that.
Archie: Anyway, car picks us up early at Frankie’s.
Takes us to the airport. We’re flying first class, early flight.
We have a car waiting for us on the other side.
Jake: We renting one?
Archie: I would, but they prefer drivers to be 21.
So I hired a service. We’ll have a car whenever we need one.
Bubba: Holy crap, man. I wanted to help pay for this…
Archie: Nope. My treat. The lodge will be stocked.
Jake: Lodge, so your grandfather came through?
Archie: Yep. We’ll be close to good skiing.
But we’re also going to have privacy. The staff will
give us space.
Coop: The staff.
Jake: …
Archie: You guys want the details or
do you want to be asses?
Bubba: They can do both. Keep talking.
Archie: The staff is there to facilitate, but it’s basically
the five of us and that’s it. We’re going to have a live tree delivered.
There’s also going to be one just like the one we put up at her place.
Jake: I know we’re packing Frankie. Do
we pack the presents she already put under the tree?
Archie: Nope, Jeremy is going to ship everything up
when he comes to pick up the cats. He’ll also have someone in
to deep clean the master while we’re gone.
Bubba: So, we just add our stuff
and he ships that up, too?
Archie: Yep. Jere will get it there.
I also arranged for a couple
of skiing lessons. I’ve been.
Jake: I know how.
Bubba: Ditto.
Coop: Never been. Never seen more
than like four inches of snow that melted the
next day. She’s going to lose her mind.
Archie: Good. Now, last bit of
business…
Jake: LOL Business.
Archie: The lodge has several rooms.
We’ve all been sleeping with her, so I’m making
sure she gets the largest, but I think we should each get
our own rooms.
Bubba: Because we’re all going to want
our own time.
Jake: Definitely.
Coop: So a schedule?
Archie: Yes and no. I want options.
I like having her to myself some nights.
Jake: Agreed.
Bubba: Fair.
Coop: So, last question.
When does the screaming orgasm count begin?
Chapter Fifteen
Leaving on a Jet Plane
The last day before holiday break was always a half-day. This year, it also served as an unofficial senior skip day. The principal had announced no seniors would be reported if they didn’t come to school. Unsurprisingly, my phone blew up with texts from Jake, Coop, and Archie.
Archie: Skip day!
Coop: No brainer.
Jake: Freedom, Baby Girl.
I bit back a grin and cast a glance over at Ian, who had his own phone in his lap. He’d rolled his eyes and snorted, but we both skated through math class without paying a lot of attention. The last few days before the holiday were such a waste. The only things really happening this week were class ring and Letterman jacket pick-ups.
Since I was getting neither, no skin off my nose.
Coop and I went out to do deliveries in the evening when I’d pulled a longer shift than normal. I’d finally gotten the cast off earlier that week, and the doctor wanted me to take it easy. I had exercises to do, but he didn’t think I’d need actual physical therapy. We’d revisit it in a few weeks. Best news he could have given me, really.
Even better was the make-out time with Coop. I never thought I’d be the girl in the backseat, but we made it work. With the guys all waiting for us at the apartment, the alone time wasn’t going to happen there. It took a little wiggling, and Coop slid on a condom before we had a chance to talk about the rest.
I needed to talk to them still, but then he was in me and I was riding him, and fuck, I just forgot the rest of it. At least it made cleanup simple. I didn’t think the guys would notice, but Jake took one look at me when we came in and grinned. He insisted on helping me shower, even if I didn’t need the help, and that turned into a much louder set of orgasms that left me shaking.
No way to hide the fact I’d screamed. For his part, Jake just grinned at me as he helped me wash up. Thankfully, neither Archie nor Ian said a word until we were getting ready to crash. They kicked Jake and Coop to the pallets on the floor and climbed in with me.
It was hysterical and a little embarrassing. I never thought I’d get to sleep, but I was out in minutes after they settled hands on me…one on my waist, the other on my hip. Ian snuggled against my back, while I pressed a hand to Archie’s chest, right over his heart. He traced a heart pattern on my hip, and I smiled as the cats picked their way onto the bed and found their spots.
That was all I knew until Archie nudged me awake at way too fucking early in the morning. “There cannot possibly be sale shopping today,�
� I complained, curling up tighter and pressing my face into the pillow. Seriously. I was sleepy. It was dark. We didn’t have school, and it was warm and toasty in the bed.
Why did we have to get up?’
“C’mon, Angel,” Ian coaxed as someone tugged away my blankets and he lifted me up and out of the bed. I blinked bleary eyes at them. Why the hell was everyone dressed?
“What is going on?”
“You’ll see,” Archie told me, looking far too awake, and his expression practically radiated smugness. I adored him. I really did.
But I would cheerfully punch him in the nose right now because I also liked sleep.
“Coffee,” Coop said, holding out a disposable to go cup. “Hot, fresh, and sweet. Just like you.”
My scowl was not sweet, but he’d brought me coffee, so I let that protest go, especially when he dropped a kiss on my lips.
“Drink the coffee,” he teased. “Clothes are laid out for you. Something comfy and warm. Car will be here in thirty minutes.”
“Fine,” I agreed, more interested in the coffee than anything else. Jake turned to make the bed, and the cats were staring at us in varying levels of disgust. Well, two of them, anyway. Tory had vanished back under the bed.
I downed a big gulp of the coffee. It was just the right side of not scalding my tongue, yet perfectly hot. Ian guided me over to where they stacked my clothes as Coop made short work of the pallets. Archie had vanished, oh wait, there he was. He’d come back with coffee for everyone else. I took another swallow before shimmying out the boxer shorts.
