The Lost Boys (37 page)

“Come on, Tris. Play with your friends!” I said, brushing my lips lightly near to his ear.

I could almost feel his heart thumping beneath my hands while the boys mocked him. He tried to hide a shiver that ran through his body as my fingers played over his large chest, and a small grunt escaped his throat. He was so uncomfortable with me that close, that I think he agreed just to get the hell away from me.

“Fine! I’ll play.” He hissed, getting off the couch like it was on fire, or something. I could see Tiffany giggling from her seat on the other side of the table.

The game got going and we all made our best poker faces, trying to win the first round of the game, but to no avail because of Harry’s lucky streak. He won, making everybody at the table groan loudly.

Harry looked around the table, smiling, trying to decide who he was going to choose for the first strip session. I was sure he was going to pick me, but he grinned evilly at Josh while he pointed an accusing finger at him. “Josh, my man, payback’s a bitch! It’s your turn to taste your own medicine! Let’s see how you feel naked!” Josh smiled kindly and took his shoes off. “Harry, only you would pick a dude to strip with two gorgeous girls playing!” he said, chuckling. Tiff and I blushed a little. Josh was such a charmer. The next round Tiffany won, and pointed at me.

“You’re the one whose idea this was! Not so funny any more, huh?” she teased, mocking me, but she was just helping me speed things up in the game. I gave her a mean smile while the boys made catcalls.

“Dude, wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a cat fight here tonight? Can you imagine Joey and Tiff in a messy tangle, rolling on the floor? That’d be so hot!” Josh said, provoking Seth again and preparing to get punched. But Seth only stared at Tiffany and me with a dreamy expression on his face.

“Seth!” Tiff shouted, slapping him on the arm. “You are totally imagining the scene in your head right now, aren’t you? You boys are such pervs!” she scoffed with a glare.

“All right, everybody! There are NOT going to be any cat fights here today, so settle down,” I bellowed, laughing at all of them. There was a series of ‘awww’ and ‘maaan’ around the table from all the boys.

The next two rounds Harry won again, and everyone groaned. He picked Josh again, and Josh had to take off his socks and shirt. I was fairly used to seeing Josh shirtless, because of M.A. classes; he always ended up without a shirt there. But his bare muscular chest was always a sight to behold, nevertheless. Tiff stared at his pecks and put on a dreamy face, making Seth nudge her in the ribs, a heavy scowl on his face.

“What?” she asked, all innocent. “I was just imagining you and Josh arm wrestling naked in here …”

All the boys made disgusted noises at that, and I laughed loudly. Then I happened to win the next round. I looked at my boys, a dubious expression on my face. “Hmm, which one to pick … which one … Can’t be Seth, I already see him naked all the time in my room,” I teased. Tiffany looked at us wide-eyed, and Tristan looked equally surprised.

“No! You
do not
!” Seth shouted in panic. “She’s just kidding, Tiff! I don’t … Joey, tell her, for God’s sake!” he pleaded, shifting on his seat.

“I’m just joking, Tiff!” I said, chuckling loudly. “I don’t get to see him even without his socks off!” I said, laughing. Tiff relaxed and smiled contently at Seth, who let out a sigh of relief.

I looked around and decided to make Tristan a little more jealous. I pointed to Josh for my pick for the round. “Sorry, Josh. Let us see those pants off.”

He smiled and winked at me. “Always wanted to see me in my underwear, haven’t you, Gray?” he teased, and took off his pants, while everybody cheered at him. He was wearing a pair of black cotton boxer shorts. He looked really good. I tried hard not to stare as he undressed, but I took a quick few peeks whenever I noticed Tristan looking my way.

Next couple of rounds Josh won, and he pointed vindictively at me both times. “What goes around comes around,” he teased, waving for me to start stripping. I smiled at him and took my shoes and socks off. Then next round Harry won again. Apparently, watching me take my shoes off brought Harry’s priorities back on line, and he picked me to strip this time instead of Josh.

I had come prepared and was wearing a sexy new black lace bra. Everybody on the table kept cheering and whistling loudly while I took my shirt off. I didn’t dare to look Tristan’s way. Oddly enough, the boys’ catcalls didn’t make me nervous, but just the thought of Tristan looking at me made butterflies clamour inside my stomach. When Harry won again the next round, the only thought occupying his red head at that moment was the one where he got to see me naked. He pointed at me with a half-giggle, half-smirk, and the boys cheered like crazy. I took off my jeans, revealing matching panties. I then bowed to the table of my clapping friends. Then Tristan stood up with a seriously disgruntled face and excused himself, heading to the bathroom at the far end of the rec room. He looked livid with jealousy.

While he was there, I took the opportunity to step away from the game table.

“So, guys, I think I’ll call it a night!” I said to a group of very disappointed boys.

“What? You’re quitting?” they all asked in unison.

“Yeah, I am! I have to draw the line at undergarments, here!” I said, chuckling. “I’m not going to risk losing next round. Harry will probably win again and I’m not taking anything else off!”

They all protested vehemently, and then Tiffany came up with the most brilliant idea of all time. “Joey, why don’t you stay and play some more with us? We all promise not to pick you to strip any more, right, guys?” she said looking at the boys. “Plus, it will be hilarious if we don’t tell Tristan about this deal! He’ll freak out so much thinking that his, um, half-sister’s at risk of being naked here.’

Everybody laughed, finding Tiffany’s idea indeed very entertaining, and they all agreed to play along. When Tristan got back from the bathroom, everybody had a straight face on. I sat back and called out for another round.

“You’re still playing?” Tristan asked, surprised. He’d thought I was going to quit for sure now I was down to my underwear.

“Yeah, sure! I like to live dangerously!” I said, winking at him. “And it’s not like I have a boyfriend or anything like that.” I shrugged nonchalantly.

He clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists. Sam and Harry giggled quietly as we started playing again, and I could see that Tristan was doing his best to win this round. He didn’t want the chance of someone else winning and picking me to strip again. But, what a shocker (and note the sarcasm), against all odds Harry won again. I think he cheated somehow; it wasn’t possible for someone to win all the time like that! He grinned at me quite evilly, but before he could open his mouth, Tristan stood up abruptly and walked over to me with a murderous frown etched on his face.

“That’s it. Game over for you, miss!” he said, picking my clothes off the floor and grabbing me by the arm. Everybody cracked up laughing like maniacs at Tristan’s outburst. Of course, most of the boys thought it was Tristan being a protective big brother, but I rejoiced knowing there was nothing brotherly about his outburst. I smiled and waved a quick goodbye at everybody, while I let myself be dragged out of the room by a furious Tristan.

He pulled me angrily with him halfway down the corridor outside, before stopping and tossing me my clothes. “Here! Put these on,” he ordered menacingly. He scowled at me, waiting for me to get dressed. I usually don’t appreciate anyone ordering me what to do and bossing me around like that, but his stare was making me really self-conscious, and I was suddenly very aware of being almost completely naked in front of him.

“Fine!” I snapped, grabbing my clothes and putting my shirt back on. When I tried to shove one leg into my jeans, I lost my balance and stumbled backwards. Tristan grabbed me firmly by the arm before I could fall, making me tumble into his arms. The direct contact with me under such revealing circumstances made him bristle and get even more worked up.

“Good God! I can’t believe you! Stripping off like that!” he snapped, pushing me away like touching me had burned him somehow. “What’s the matter with you? Have you no decency?” he spat out, disgusted.

I yanked myself angrily away from his grasp and headed back to our room. He followed me warily. “What the hell is the matter with you?” I hissed as soon as we entered our room. “You’re the one embarrassing me in front of all my friends here! What’s your problem?”

“You shouldn’t be mad, I’m just looking out for you. I promised your mother I’d look after you,” he said, more calmly.

I snorted loudly. “Yeah, because you’re only doing this out of the goodness of your innocent little fucking heart!” I spat out at him. I saw him twitch when I cursed. I knew how much he hated it, and I was glad to throw as much swearing as possible in his face!

“Exactly,” he agreed, pretending he didn’t get my sarcasm. “What would your mother think, seeing you behave like this?” he added reproachfully.

“She would think I was having a great time with my friends before you came in and ruined everything!” I retorted mockingly.

He just raised an eyebrow, a smug expression on his face. “Come on, Joey. Just calm down and go to sleep, and you’ll see I’m right about this when you wake up tomorrow,” he instructed me.

“Fine! I’ll go to sleep, then!” I shouted, taking my shirt off and tossing it hard at his chest.

Startled, he uncrossed his arms, watching my shirt land at his feet. “W-what are you doing?” he stammered, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

“What do you think? I’m taking my clothes off so I can go to bed! Or do you want me to sleep in these uncomfortable things all night?” I said, taking my jeans off now. “If that’s all right with you, sir! Wouldn’t like this to be reported to my
mother
!” I scowled and tossed my jeans at his chest too.

Then I stopped, panting hard, and glared at him. He stared back for a couple of seconds, then turned to his bed, grabbing the first shirt he saw on the bed and tossing it over to me with an upset look on his face. “Here, cover yourself up! What’s up with you today? Taking your clothes off all the time!” he grunted, turning to look to the wall by his side.

“You’re the one excessively concerned with being righteous, Mr. Prude!” I shouted, and turned my back to him, taking my bra off and slipping his shirt on. That new bra was killing me! New clothes sucked! Sexy clothes sucked more! Tristan sucked more than anything!!

“There!” I shouted again. I didn’t care any more if people could hear us fighting. They could all go to hell! And Tristan could go to hell with them!

I looked down and realized he had tossed me his favorite blue T-shirt. It was way too big for me, hanging to the middle of my thighs. The fabric of the shirt was really soft, light and slightly cold to the touch. And it smelled of him. I cursed silently. Like I was going to be able to sleep now, with this shirt smelling like him! Just freaking fantastic!

“Are you fucking happy now?” I shouted at him, walking over to the head of my bed. He looked at me with a mean look in his eyes. Then he started to walk in my direction, with a vengeful purpose in his stride. I gulped. Maybe I should have shut the hell up. He looked so scary that I took a step back … Had I finally made him snap, but in the wrong way?

“Stop cursing, Joe,” he said quietly, in a menacing whisper. It wasn’t a request. “You know how much it upsets me,” he growled. He freaking growled at me!

That made me snap out of my wimpy, feeble state of mind. I will not be threatened
or
growled at! I’m not scared of anything or anyone!

“Yeah? Make me! I can take you without breaking a sweat, pal!” I snapped at him, but I knew I was pushing my luck.

He took another step closer and I stepped backwards involuntarily, bumping into the wall. There was nowhere left to run. The corner of his mouth curled up in a victorious smirk. “Not scared, huh?” he jeered in satisfaction.

I squinted my eyes. Was he making fun of me? So he thinks he’s all big and strong, and mean, and I’m all scared! I’ll show him! I flared my nostrils, like a raging bull seeing a red flag. Then I leaned the remaining inch closer to his face without breaking visual contact.

“Asshole. Fuck. You,” I said through gritted teeth. He didn’t like me cussing? Take that, then! Right in his prudish twentieth-century face!

“So. Damn. Stubborn,” he replied in a hoarse voice while he grabbed my wrists and held them against the wall. I didn’t have time to snap anything back at him, because he pushed me against the wall and kissed me.

He freaking kissed me!

I was so shocked, I didn’t respond at first. Although my mind was still in a shocked state, my mouth seemed to be a faster thinker, because it responded to Tristan of its own accord. Before I knew it, I was kissing him with the same eagerness and passion that he was kissing me. I wasn’t thinking straight any more; everything was a foggy blur, like I had been drinking gallons of alcohol all night. I could hardly breathe as he devoured me. I could feel every inch of him pressed against me, hard. I could feel how badly he wanted me right then, the urgency, the complete need. God! His lips were so soft, and he tasted so sweet … His hands were snaking below my – his – T-shirt, making my thoughts melt beneath the heat of his fingertips. I wanted him to touch me everywhere, an urgency filling my whole body, but I knew there was something that needed to be done, to be said … What was it? The plan … to make him crack. He needed to confess!

I pulled my lips away and struggled to think straight. “Tris … please, stop,” I gasped.

He grunted in protest, breathing heavily against my neck in short labored gasps.

“What are you doing? Didn’t you say we can’t be together?” I asked in a trembling voice.

He buried his face in my hair, trailing deep hard kisses on my neck, trying to avoid my eyes. “Yes. No. We can’t,” he replied, and his voice sounded strained, heavy with desire.

“So why are you doing this?” I whispered, though I couldn’t stop running my fingers through his hair, making him shiver and press harder against me. His lips on my skin were scorching! He licked all the length of my neck and stopped at my earlobe, nibbling and biting it softly, making me whimper in pleasure.