Page 12 of The Shared Game

“Thanks for helping me. That was fun.” She gave him a smile that suggested she was up for much more fun.

I wasn’t taking another chance. Whether he noticed that smile or not, I didn’t care. Whether he acted on it or not, that was up to him. I wasn’t missing my shot.

“That was fun. But how about we play something else? Something a bit more… forbidden”

Aaron looked at me like he got it. This was the signal I’d told him about before Paisley arrived. This was my move. He remained silent and let her push things forward.

“Oh? What do you have in mind?” She handed her cards and playing piece to Aaron, who dutifully packed it all away with the meticulous attention to detail of a man focusing on one thing to avoid something else. I couldn’t blame him. My idea was going to push him way out of his comfort zone.

“There’s a deck of cards.” I nodded toward them. How about high card, low card?”

“A little luck-based and boring.” Paisley shrugged. “What are the stakes?”

“Yeah, how is high card, low card going to compete with an entire island being slowly submerged, Kevin?”

I held their gazes. This was it—time to push things up a gear.

“Loser each round takes off an item of clothing.”

I sauntered over to Aaron’s shelving unit, picked up a deck of cards, and immediately began shuffling. Not a word from either of them. It wasn’t shock that left them speechless, though. I could see the cogs in their heads whirling as they sized up what they had to lose and gain, and what their chances might be.

“I’m up for it. Although I’m at a major disadvantage.” Paisley finally broke the silence. Aaron gave her a puzzled look. “I’m wearing way less clothing.”

“Scared we’ll see everything too soon?” I shuffled the cards and held her gaze. It was a challenge and an offer—a dare for the three of us to have a memorable night.

“No. Just that there might be some house rules.” She straightened up, never one to back down.

“Such as?” Aaron asked. His voice was small and worried, but he hid it as best he could.

“How about only the winner doesn’t take something off?” She parried.

“That would speed up the nudity.” Aaron mused like a mathematician contemplating a problem.

“True.” Paisley’s suggestive curl of her lips and blunt statement said it all.

It was on.

Seven - Paisley

Was I leading things, or was Kevin? With all the fun I was having, I had kind of lost track.

I’d arrived intending to direct the evening. To take charge and decide how far to push this strange chemistry between us. I’d even tried to come up with some rules for our imaginary game ‘pleasure town,’ but had quickly given up when I realized I had no idea how to engineer something like that.

From the moment I set foot in Aaron’s home, it was clear that Kevin had an agenda of his own. The fact that it aligned with my own was perfect, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t throwing me for a loop. A bit. Not enough to throw me off my game, and certainly not enough to make me lose sight of my goal: one, or both, of them balls-deep inside me by the end of the evening.

Now this. A game that seemed entirely luck-based, but who knows what he’d do to come out on top. I decided to call him out.

“And how do I know you haven’t stacked the deck?"

“I’ll let you shuffle, if it makes you feel any better about your impending nudity?” He handed me the deck.

“Your impending nudity.” I made sure to include them both with my roving eye. “I’m very lucky when it comes to games of chance.”

“Let’s find out.” Kevin was as cocksure as ever as I slid him a card.

I hated that I found it a turn-on, but something about his confidence pushed me to match it. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a situation… well, like the one I was currently in.

Aaron held his card to his chest. Literally clutching it like it was a life ring. He either had a terrible one or was so nervous about losing clothing that his eyes held nothing but fear.