by Vivian Ward
“Better watch it,” Tom teases us. “She looks like she could fall asleep with you doing that, and if she does, you’re in charge of pulling her on her raft down the creek until we get back to camp.”
We laugh as he takes his hands off of me. I’m not sure what’s gotten into Tom but he hasn’t said a word about the way these guys are so flirty and touchy with me, especially Shawn.
“Oh, I’d take care of her,” his eyes scan my body.
With the way he’s looking at my body, I can’t tell if it’s gotten about 30 degrees hotter or if it’s my body’s reaction to him but all I know is that I’m in trouble.
“I say we get back on the water so we can cook those fish tonight,” Hunter says.
Oh, thank goodness for Hunter.
“Yeah, I think he’s right,” I agree. “Let’s get back in the water.”
Besides, I need something to cool off.
Chapter Seven
Beth
This could end up really bad. I know that we’re supposed to play some drinking games after we eat, but I started drinking soon after we got back to the campsite from our float trip.
Opening my second beer since we’ve been back, I kick back and watch the guys clean the fish that we’re about to eat. I don’t know why I dislike this part of the process so much. I don’t mind watching, it’s the touching the dead fish that I want to avoid.
It kind of goes back to that whole animal carcass thing that I don’t like. It really shouldn’t bother me since I’m a nurse. I’m plenty used to blood and guts, but it’s something about it being an animal that creeps me out.
A shiver runs down my spine as I think about it.
Plus, cleaning fish makes your hands stink, and it doesn’t matter how many times I wash my hands, it’s like the smell doesn’t leave my skin for days. I’m sure patients don’t want someone who stinks touching them, so it’s just best to avoid it like the plague.
Listening to the guys shoot the breeze while they prepare our meal is relaxing. Normally, it’s me who is planning and cooking all of our meals at home, so this is a nice treat.
By the time the food is done cooking, I’ve finished my second beer and crack open a third one that I’ll nurse through dinner.
The guys did a great job with cooking. Everything tastes so good, but it might be due to how hungry I am because I was feeling famished after being out on the water all day. The sandwiches we had for lunch weren’t enough to hold me over.
“You guys did a great job,” I say, stabbing my last piece of fish with my fork. “It tastes really good.”
“That’s because I cooked the fish,” Hunter proudly announces. “My grandpa used to take my cousins and me fishing all the time when we were kids, and he taught me how to cook them correctly.”
“I think he did fantastically,” Tom compliments him. “These are really good. I guess my baked potatoes in tin foil dull in comparison, huh?”
“No, they’re good, too,” I nudge him with my elbow. “You’re the best damn potato maker I’ve ever known. See?”
I take an enormous bite of potato and shove it in my mouth. Chewing it, I think I might not ever be able to stop and quickly realize how dry potatoes are.
I may never swallow this thing!
“So, are we still on for some fun after we finish eating?” Shawn asks, directing his question towards Tom and me.
There’s no way I can answer with the wad of dry potato I’m still trying to chew, so I look to Tom to respond for both of us as I bob my head up and down.
“Yeah, I think so,” Tom says laughing at me. “I mean, I can answer for me, but Beth will have to speak for herself.”
I playfully smack him, and everyone laughs.
A few minutes later when I’m finally able to swallow my food, I wash it down with the rest of my beer.
“Real funny,” I say to my husband. “Yes, we’re still on for tonight. Actually, I was thinking about it, and maybe we could play some cards while we drink?”
“We can do that. Grab your cards, and we’ll start getting everything set up over here.”
I tap Tom’s shoulder as I walk behind him and nod my head for him to follow me.
“Ok, we’ll be right back. I’ll go grab some more beer,” he says, following my lead.
“I don’t want to get so drunk that either of us has a hangover tomorrow,” I say as we gather our stuff to take over to Hunter and Shawn’s campsite.
“Agreed, but I would like to have some fun,” he says. “I haven’t said anything to you about this yet, but this might be the only camping trip that we get to go on all summer.”
“Why? We always go camping.”
“Work, babe. This summer’s going to be a busy one. We’ve got enough contracts lined up to take us clear through the end of October. Depending on the weather, the work we have could take us even longer, and you know how that goes.”
I do, too. Sometimes he gets so busy that we can only squeeze two or three camping trips in throughout the summer months, but only one? This summer sounds like a long, boring one for me.
“That sucks,” I say. “Let’s make the best of it, though. I wish you would’ve told me sooner.”
“I know, but I didn’t want it to be the focus of the whole weekend. Forget that I even brought it up because I don’t want it to ruin our night. We should get back to Shawn and Hunter before they think we’re trying to bail on them.”
“Okay,” I say as I grab the cards, a bottle of tequila that I brought with us, and the salt. “Do you have everything in the cooler? The beer, lime, etc.?”
“Yep, let’s go.”
All of the booze are lined up at the end of the table. We’ve got Jack Daniels, Wild Turkey, rum, tequila and plenty of beer. Probably more than enough beer to get a weekend of college kids off to a great party.
Wanting a slow start, I open a beer because I started drinking a few hours ago but I’ve also eaten, so the food has helped soak up some of the liquor that’s in my system.
Judging by the looks of the alcohol at the end of the table, it looks like we’re in for a partying night, but I don’t want to get completely wasted.
“Let’s play some Rummy or Texas Hold ‘em,” Hunter suggests.
“Ugh, I don’t feel like playing either of those,” I say. “Remember, I’ve already had three beers, and if we’re going to be drinking, I don’t know if I want to do anything that includes counting and betting on shots.”
“We could play 21. What about that?”
“Hmm,” I say taking a sip of my beer. “This is number four.” I hold up my can. “I really don’t think counting will be my strong suit tonight.”
“We could play Between the Sheets,” a dirty grin tugs at Shawn’s lips.
“Or how about some High-Low?” Hunter says. “It’s an easy enough game, no counting and if you get it wrong, you have to take a shot.”
“A shot of what?” I ask. “I want to get all of the rules clarified before we start so I know what I’m up against before I agree to anything.”
“Whatever you want,” he says.
I look over to Tom to see what he thinks.
“Fair enough,” Tom nods. “But let’s play in teams. You know, just to make things more interesting.”
We all look around at one another and seem to unanimously nod in agreement.
Hunter gets up to stir the fire while we settle how things will be done with the card game.
“How about you and me are on one team,” Shawn says to my husband. “And Beth and Hunter are on the other team. Every time a team loses, they have to take a shot.”
“Wait. Why can’t Tom and I be on a team together?” I ask. “He’s my husband.”
“That’s exactly why you can’t be on a team together. What if you two cheat?” Shawn laughs.
I look over at my teammate and he shrugs his shoulders.
“I’m not one to cheat at cards, but old Beth, here….,” Tom teases.
“Whatever!” I p
rotest. “I do NOT cheat when I play cards. Hell, whoever plays against me tonight will clearly have an advantage,” I hold up my beer can, displaying proof.
“We’ll do good. I don’t like to lose,” Hunter reassures me.
“Yeah, you’ll do real good,” Shawn teases.
I don’t know why but I have a feeling I’m about to lose my ass off in a simple game of High-Low.
Half-way through the deck and three shots later, I’m really feeling the effects of the alcohol. I was buzzing pretty good when we started playing but these shots are what’s going to do me in.
But I’m enjoying the radio while we play cards and am having quite a bit of fun.
“Hunter,” I tease, slurring my words just a bit. “I thought you were supposed to be good at High-Low? How can we both suck at this game so much?”
A giggle escapes my lips as I raise my beer and take another drink. I think I’m more lit than I’d like to believe but it’s all in good fun.
“I can’t help it!” he laughs at me. “Those two are cheating,” he folds his hands behind his head in frustration.
I’m not sure if it’s the backward baseball cap that he’s wearing or the way the moonlight is casting shadows off of his face, but he looks sexy. Actually, they all do.
Or maybe it’s the liquor.
Any way you slice it or dice it, I’m a lucky lady to occupy such good looking company tonight.
“We’re not cheating. I think the problem is your partner,” Tom says to Hunter, nodding in my direction. “She’s a lightweight.”
“No, I don’t think that’s it,” Hunter leans forward. “The problem is Shawn. He knows how to count cards.”
My jaw drops when I realize that Hunter’s telling us the truth. Shawn and Tom haven’t had to take any shots tonight and Shawn’s been doing all of the betting.
“Wait a minute!” I say, hiccuping. “You mean to tell me that you knew he could count cards?” I ask Tom.
“No, he just told me to let him do the betting. I didn’t know why but we were winning so I didn’t question it.”
All three of them burst into laughter.
“But to make it fair, we’ll all do a shot right now,” Shawn says.
“No, that’s not fair at all,” I wave my finger in the air. “You should be ashamed of yourselves. You all knew I was doomed from the get-go. Two shots, each.”
I hold my fingers in the air, effectively forming a peace sign before turning the peace sign sideways and swiping them along my eyes as I start dancing to the music.
“Two shots and then we’re even,” Tom says, laughing at me when I almost fall backward.
The men take their two shots when Shawn seemingly has the best and worst idea I’ve heard all night.
“Let’s play Truth or Dare!” he says.
Chapter Eight
Beth
Sitting around the campfire, the four of us are deciding who should go first when I finally say that I will. At this point, what does it matter? I just want to have fun.
“Okay,” Hunter says to me. “Truth or dare?”
I think about it for a moment, and I’m not sure I’m brave enough for any dares.
“Truth,” I choose.
“Truth, huh?” Shawn pipes up. “I knew you’d take the easy way out.”
When I start to smile, I notice that he winks at me. I look over at Tom who’s watching Shawn, and he has a smile plastered on his face.
He totally saw Shawn wink at me and is smiling? What the hell?
“Be quiet,” Hunter says to him. “Okay, Beth, you chose Truth. Tell us the last thing you lied to Tom about.”
“Ohhhhh,” Tom says. “Yes, Beth. Tell us the last thing you lied to me about.”
Shit.
“All right,” I clear my throat and turn to Hunter. “I see you like to play dirty.”
“Just a little,” he laughs and winks at me.
I look at Tom. Surely, this time he’ll say something about both of them flirting with me—not that I mind, but he does, right?
Tom says and does nothing. He just keeps grinning away, and I can’t believe it. Part of me is shocked, and part of me is excited. I kind of like these bronze gods hitting on me.
“The last thing I lied to Tom about was how much money we have in the bank,” I turn to him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to lie, but I had to lend Kelly some money.”
I can tell that he’s surprised. We’re always honest about our finances and never hide anything from each other, so I know he’s a little shocked by this.
“Money for what?” Tom asks.
“She just needs a little help this month. She’ll repay us, don’t worry.”
I will him not to ask anymore and plead with my eyes. I don’t want to see his reaction when I tell him that Kelly’s little boyfriend, Kenny, has developed a heroin addiction and that he pawned all of her deceased mother’s jewelry.
Or that right before he pawned all of her mom’s jewelry, he stole checks from the back of her checkbook so that she wouldn’t notice the missing checks and wrote them out to himself and cashed them at her bank. So by the time she found her mom’s jewelry, her checking account had already been cleaned out and she couldn’t pay to get any of it back or even put gas in her car.
I got it all out for her, put gas in her car, and bought groceries for the week for her. I’m always the one saving her ass, and she’s always the one ditching me. If I didn’t love her like a sister, I wouldn’t do any of this shit for her, but I do because she doesn’t have anyone else she can turn to and our 20-year friendship should count for something. Right?
“Okay, you’re up next,” Hunter breaks up the silence by grabbing Tom’s attention. “What do you say, Tom? Truth or dare?”
He studies me for a second longer and finally chooses a dare. I knew he would, though. Tom would rather you dare him to do stupid stuff than choose truth. He’s never been one to admit things—not that he keeps secrets from me. At least, none that I know of.
“Dare, huh?” Hunter strokes his chin as he thinks of a good dare for my husband. Snapping his fingers, he says, “I’ve got it! I dare you to kiss your favorite body part on Beth.”
Does he not realize that we’re exhibitionists and that’s why we were so loud in the tent last night?
“Oh, big dare,” I snort and start laughing.
But I stop laughing when Tom’s knees hit the sandy dirt in front of me and his finger slides inside my already too small bikini bottoms and pulls them to the side.
Hunter and Shawn are staring at my exposed pussy and being the exhibitionist Tom and I are, he puts me on full display for them. Freshly shaved for our camping trip, they can see everything.
I look down between my legs and I can see myself glistening in the moonlight. I only thought I felt wet when I was sitting there playing cards with them.
I guess these guys—all of them—turn me on a little more than I’d care to admit.
The small button that is my clitoris is peeking out under the hood of my clit and it’s just aching to be touched. With the amount of blood flowing to it, I can almost feel it throbbing.
Looking at my husband, I silently plead with him to make me come just seconds before his head dips between my legs and he intimately kisses the lips of my pussy.
As quickly as he pulled my bikini bottoms to the side, he pushes them back into place but I wish for him to still be between my legs, eating my pussy.
I look up at Shawn and Hunter, and I can see the shock and delight written across both of their faces. They’re just as turned on as I am.
Before any of us has a chance to speak, Tom wraps my hair around his hand and grabs the back of my head. Pulling my face close to his, his teeth crash against mine as he kisses my lips and our tongues begin to dance.
Tasting my sweetness on his lips, I inhale deeply and kiss him passionately as I’m unable to get enough of my taste. I’ve always loved how I taste on Tom’s lips but tonight, everything tastes better and I
can’t stop craving it.
Like a starved woman, I’m eager for more and frantically return his kiss, cupping his face with my hands. I can tell that it’s been two days since he shaved by the amount of stubble beneath my fingertips.
Every time Tom shaves, I sit beside the bathroom counter and watch him. He often laughs at me and asks why I like to stare at him while he shaves, but I never have an answer. It’s just something that I like to do. For some odd reason, it makes me feel like I connect with him and somehow brings us closer together.
Breaking our kiss, he sits back down and straightens his shirt.
“Real hard dare,” he tells Hunter.
He might act all calm and cool but I know what that kiss just did for him because it did the same thing for me. It makes both of us want more—and not just because of how the kiss was but because it was in front of people. That’s the part that makes it even more exciting.
I don’t know how the hell he’s acting so nonchalant. I’m ready for more—a whole let of a lot more. While Hunter asks Shawn if he wants to choose truth or dare, I look down at Tom’s crotch and I can see the bulge.
I knew it!
“I’ll be like Beth and choose truth.”
I breathe a sigh of relief when he chooses truth because I don’t know if any of us could handle another dare right now.
“All right, truth,” Hunter says, folding his arms across his chest. “Do you think Beth is hot?”
Shoot me now.
Shawn looks over at me and a huge grin appears on his face as he arches his eyebrows.
“Oh yeah,” he nods. “Tom’s a very lucky man.”
“Thank you,” Tom says, taking a shot.
“That looks good,” I say. “Let’s all do a shot before we do another round of Truth or Dare.”
Tom doles out a shot of tequila for each of us and the four of us pound them down.
“Okay,” my husband says once the tequila’s gone and there’s a mound of lime wedges on the center of the picnic table. “Since Hunter did the asking last time, it’s my turn to do it next.”
