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“How do we decide who gets to pick first?” Theron eyes the strings like there’s a conspiracy against him.
“Just pick a fucking string,” Oliver grumbles. “Let’s get this ridiculous task over.”
Theron gives him an annoyed side-eyed glare but picks a string. Gabe is next. Then Jimmy. Carson, Clay, Tom and Stefan follow. Russell and Oliver are last, drawing strings with pained expressions and I bite my lip against telling them they need to decide one way or another. If they’re in, they’re in. If they don’t like it, they should just butt out. Having them grudgingly involved isn’t going to be good for anyone.
The string that’s left behind is mine, and that’s fine. I’m a big believer in fate. Whatever will be will be. The men stand around me, holding strings, trying to work out who’s got the best one. There’s not an obvious difference, so it takes a while for everyone to work out where they stand in the lineup. Stefan whoops when he realizes he’s got the longest string. As it turns out, Russell has the shortest, which is a big relief. The rest of us work out our numbers and then the strings are tossed into the trash.
“Who’s going to tell Allie the order?” Oliver pushes his hand through his hair, leaving finger-lines of stress.
“I think it’s best if we don’t,” I say. “Less weird anticipation that way. We just tell her who’s next when it’s the right time.”
“You mean, after each of us is done?” Trust Theron to make it sound like we’re embarking on something unpleasant that involves work.
“When each of us has given Allie an awesome experience,” Tom says, as though he read my mind.
Oliver turns away from the group and makes his way upstairs. Theron’s eyes follow, suspiciously. “You don’t think he’s going up there to tell her she needs to change her mind?”
Stefan places his empty cup into the sink. “He won’t do that,” he says with certainty. “He might not be sure about this, but he believes in free will. Allie gets to make her own decision.”
“Treat her good,” Theron says. “You’re like the warm-up, dude. The fluffer. Don’t wreck this with any weird, kinky shit.”
“What makes you think I’m kinky?” Stefan grins.
“Dudes your age have done it all. You need to add some weird shit to your repertoire just to get off.”
Stefan snorts with laughter. “I’m not that much older than you,dude.”
“Old enough.”
“So, what’s the deal with this? Are we all keeping what we do to ourselves or is everything up for discussion? I mean, I’m not usually a kiss and tell kind of guy. What happens in the bedroom stays the bedroom and all that, but this isn’t exactly a standard situation. You guys know more about my dick than any other man ever has. And this whole thing is about sharing.”
“I guess we should leave that part up to Allie. She’s going to be there for it all, so it’s not like we need to discuss it in the open unless she wants us to.”
“Maybe we should compare notes, though. You know…aim to make it the best for her it can be.” Stefan scans the group for responses, and receives a mixture of nods, shrugs and grimaces. It kind of blows my mind how different the men’s attitudes are, even though we all signed up for this assignment.
“Let’s see what Allie says and how you get on.”
“Oh, I’ll get on just fine. Don’t you worry.” Stefan stands straight, puffing out this chest and we all laugh.
“I can see this turning into some kind of weird fucking contest,” Gabe says, rubbing his thick beard.
I dump my string on the counter and stretch my arms above my head, craving to run even more now. “I’m going to go grab my sneakers,” I say. “Then I’m hitting the sand if anyone wants to join me. But first, I’m going to update Allie, okay?”
A murmur of approval follows me up the stairs. The music from Allie’s room spills through her open door and into the hallway. When I knock, she tells me to come in and turns the music down immediately. I let the door swing open and stand in the doorway, bracing one arm against the jamb.
She’s sitting at the desk, computer open, hair tied into a messy bun and bikini swapped for a cute hot pink tank and shorts set. She has a pen through her hair, holding it in place, and a pair of the cutest librarian glasses I’ve ever seen. “Jonas?”
“Yeah. We’re all set. I just wanted to let you know. Stefan’s your first…” I pause, racking my brain for the right word. “Candidate.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks for letting me know.” When her eyebrows raise and her lips part, I can’t work out how she’s feeling.
“This still what you want?” I ask, needing to make sure before I leave the house that everything is in order.
“Yeah,” she says. I expect her eyes to lower, but she holds my gaze, and that confidence is what makes me sure.
“I’ll see you later, then. I’m going for a run.”
She smiles, her pretty eyes lighting up like fire embers. “See you later.”
