Following the Rules

Chapter 26

This was a very bad idea. Normally, I enjoyed those, but not now, not here, not with them. The business was at stake. My families reputation was at risk. If I lost what little control I'd been holding onto this whole time, it would all be over. All of the planning, the yawn--worthy dates, the time we spent together, it will all have been for nothing.

I held a hand up when Kaylee took a step towards me in the bathroom that had begun to feel too small. "Hold on a second."

"We've already wasted enough fucking time." She complained.

My back hit the door when I rushed to put more distance between us. She had her hands on my shoulders before I could protest again. The fight I'd had in me died on my tongue and never made it past my lips.

Her hands were firm, but soft. They curled around my shoulders, holding me securely.

My heart was in my throat, my eyes locked on hers. They were brown, like mud, like chocolate. She only held my gaze for a second, then her lips were on my neck. I would have stumbled, if not for the door keeping me in place. She was warm. I couldn't stop myself from reaching for her. I had to touch her. Feel her.

My hands found her waist, the bare skin that peeked out between her shirt and jeans. They felt good there, it felt right, which is exactly how I knew it was wrong. But I couldn't bring myself to do anything, to speak up, to push her away. Not when her lips were on my neck, kissing, sucking, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin before nipping at it. The only thing I could do was hold in my groans of pleasure. Hold her tighter. Imagine all of the things I could do to her in this bathroom.

Her waist pressed into mine. I don't think it was intentional, more like subconscious.

"Per favore." My eyes rolled back as I prayed for strength.

"That should do it." Kaylee said. Her voice was small and quiet. She wouldn't look me in the eyes when she backed away from me.

Toni was already looking at me when I finally managed to drag my eyes away from her best friend. I regretted not schooling my features sooner. She'd seen how much I enjoyed that. Maybe she even knew that I would have taken it a step further, if it'd been my choice.

"Let's get the fuck out of this bathroom," Kaylee said, shoving past me to open the door. She raced out of here like the bathroom was on fire.

Toni tilted her head, observing me with a curious look in her eyes.

I put a blank mask in place, offering her my hand. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, accepting my hand.

I glanced in the mirror right as we turned to leave. There it was. The mark that Kaylee left. I kept telling myself that my body would have reacted the same way if it'd been Toni. I was a bundle of fucking nerves because I'd gone so long without the physical aspect of a relationship. But it was a lie, and deep down, I knew it. Toni was a good girl. Sweet, innocent. I wanted to be attracted to her, I just couldn't force it.

We walked in silence back to the basement. My eyes sought out Kaylee, as if it was a natural reaction when I entered another room. She was back on the couch, a plastic cup in hand. Fletcher was beside her, resembling a little puppy that was being denied a juicy bone wrapped in bacon.

"There they are!" Weston said happily. "We were beginning to think you fell in."

"Is that a hickey?" Greg asked. He leaned closer eagerly, looking back and forth between us.

Toni smiled proudly when Penelope stared in disbelief. She pulled me down beside her on the couch, wrapping her arm possessively around mine.

"What have you been up to while we were gone?" I asked, clearing my throat when I noticed how deep and husky it sounded.

"These idiots are trying to start a game of truth or fucking dare." Kaylee said darkly. Again, she didn't look at me. Even when I knew she could feel my eyes on her, she avoided contact at all cost.

"Actually.." Fletcher corrected. "We simply suggested truth or dare, but I happen to like your version a whole lot more."

She gave him an odd look, like he'd just told her he'd been dropped on the head as a baby.

"As it is tradition, we'll start with the newbies." Orion said smugly. He leaned back in his armchair, his gaze trained on Toni. "Truth or dare, Toni."

"Don't pick truth," I whispered quickly into her ear. "They'll ridicule you for the rest of the night."

Her face turned a light shade of pink. "Dare."

Orion's eyes sparkled with what could only be wicked delight. "I dare you to let me blindfold you."

"That's it?" She asked, surprise.

"While you allow someone of my choosing to make out with you." He finished.

Nope. No. This was not cool.

I shot him a dark look.

He waved it off, like this was all part of his plan and I would thank him for it in the end. "Well?"

"I--um--well.."

"She's a prude, of course she won't do it." Penelope said, voice dripping with pleasure.

Something in Toni's eyes changed. Hardened. She stood up and walked to the wooden desk chair that Orion pulled out for her.

"Hold on a second--" I said, starting to stand.

He held a finger up to his lips, gesturing for me to be quiet. Corine, his sister, handed him a white blind fold.

"It's okay, I want to do this." She said confidently, her voice only wavering slightly.

I didn't believe it. Not even for a second.

Orion was gentle tying the blind fold over her eyes. When he was finished, he walked over to me grinning. At least.. I thought he'd been walking to me. Instead he crouched down beside Kaylee and started whispering in her ear.

Her eyes darted over to Toni, who sat patiently waiting in the chair.

For the love of fucking God, don't tell me he just asked her.