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“Everything’s an adult game if you just take off your clothes,” Gavin suggests, his voice dry, giving nothing away. Except the fact that the words he’s said give everything away.
Oh, Gavin, I can see right through you. And I can help.
“Is that your way of telling us something, mate?” I ask as I move my gingerbread pawn around Lollipop Woods, settling on an orange space.
He shrugs, but his gaze strays to Briar once more with something like longing in his eyes. “I was just saying I bet that’s how it’s played.”
What a fantastic answer of a non-answer. And I know exactly what play to make now.
38
SHOW-OFF
Briar
Tonight, there’s been a certain ease between Rhys and Hollis and me, but also a delicious tension as to how the night might unfold.
But when it comes to Gavin, I have no clue what’s next or how Hollis and Rhys are going to figure out the third man.
Gavin has made the occasional remark, like the naked Candy Land one, but otherwise he’s been quieter than usual. When he flips a card and moves three spots to an orange space dangerously near Candy Castle, he then clears his throat and looks my way. “When do you start writing the column?”
He sounds a little awkward, like he’s not entirely sure what to say to me. But it’s an easy enough question to answer, and I can do my part, too, in helping Gavin feel comfortable. “I started it earlier today before my brother came over.”
“And what did you decide makes for a good boyfriend?” Rhys asks as he lifts his glass of wine and takes a drink.
“A good boyfriend listens,” I say, remembering chatting with Rhys on the walk this morning. “But a good girlfriend should too,” I tell him. Rhys’s eyes spark, like he enjoys the memory too. I turn to Hollis by my side. “Making plans that she likes and sticking to them.”
“Hell yes, Pretzel,” Hollis says, then like the bold, outgoing man he is, he drops his hand to my thigh in front of everyone. My skin tingles from his touch.
Words gallop away from my brain for several seconds. Once I wrangle them, I nod toward Gavin, locking eyes with his hazel ones. “And a good boyfriend helps her with work.”
He swallows roughly, looks down, then back at me. “Glad I was useful.”
“Aww, did our guy help you?” Hollis asks.
“A leg on my tripod broke, so he played the role of the tripod.”
Rhys hums knowingly. “Just like when we helped save the cat.”
My smile brightens at his analogy. “Yes! Exactly.”
“Seems you’re good at that, Worthy,” Rhys says to his friend on the floor. “Playing a critical part in a group project.”
I sit up straighter, putting two and two together. This is how they keep their eyes and ears open? By dropping subtle hints? I purse my lips to contain my excitement. My thrill, too, at the way they’re both playing their part as they lay the groundwork.
The Englishman unapologetically slides an arm around my shoulders. That’s quite welcome, this kind of twin affection, even if they’re showing off that they get to touch me.
Or maybe because they’re showing me off. Because they’re enjoying me. Because they’re having fun for me. Since they know I want this.
They’re not doing this for themselves. But once again, for me.
It’s heady.
Like they promised earlier, they’re doing the work. They’re letting me surrender.
As we take the next set of turns in the game, Hollis touches my thigh, Rhys my shoulder, and Gavin the gingerbread pawn, landing first at Candy Castle. “I win,” he declares.
But it sounds like a hollow victory. The other guys hardly seem to care. Hollis is busy languidly stroking my exposed leg, while Rhys threads his fingers into my hair. The board game is meaningless to them. They’re playing the game of pleasing me.
