"Yeah. Of course. You think I haven't experimented since we broke up?" Her voice is confident but her eyes are still apprehensive. She looks to Kit. "That was a lucky girl. Or few girls. Or few dozen girls."
"Were they?" I ask.
She nods. "Yeah, that's quite a man sandwich. And four masterful hands—nobody calls bassists guitarists, but it's a bass guitar so wouldn't it be four guitarist's hands? I mean, that's a great deal." She catches herself babbling and takes a long sip of her drink.
Kit shakes his head. "Guitarists have no rhythm."
She laughs. "Is that right?"
Kit nods.
"Ethan lacking in rhythmic capabilities?" Joel asks. "I can keep a secret, Valentine. My lips are sealed."
"Uh-huh." She clears her throat, shifting back into a poker face. "I believe it's, well, it's someone's turn. How about we go in a circle?"
That means it's my turn. Need to get Violet thinking about how good I can make her feel. There. That's it. I look into her gorgeous green eyes. "Never have I ever had an orgasm in the ocean."
"Damn." She drops a finger.
Joel and Kit do the same.
I look to Joel. "When?"
"Private beach. I couldn't pass up that opportunity." He looks to Kit. "You?"
"Gentlemen don't kiss and tell." Kit sips his OJ, nonchalant.
"Yeah, and what the fuck difference does that make to you?" Joel shakes his head. He looks to Violet. "You buying Kit as a gentleman?"
"More gentle than you are, Joel." Violet laughs.
Joel shakes his head with mock outrage. He turns to Kit. "It's the gentleman's turn."
Kit chuckles. He brushes his mass of curly bangs from his eyes and watches Joel refill his glass. "The King will kill you if you play hungover."
"If I play hungover and shitty. He'll just shake his head at me if I play hungover, miserable, and well." Joel mimes Mal's signature, this is a bad idea head shake and takes a long swig. "But your concern is noted."
"You call Mal The King?" Violet crinkles her nose. "Well, I guess that does sound about right." She turns to Kit. "Out with the questions, Rhythmic One."
He chuckles. He shoots me a watch how much she's drinking look, then he's back to his usual poker face. "Never have I ever insisted my adult friends play a game for teenagers."
Joel keeps his eight fingers up. "You looking at me, what was it you called him, Valentine?"
"Rhythmic One." Her eyes catch mine for a minute, then they're back on Joel's. "Not my finest work."
"This is a perfectly acceptable game for adults," Joel says.
Kit shakes
his head. "Let's call a vote."
"We know how I'm voting." Joel says. "And how you're voting, Rhythmic One. What about you, Valentine? Strong?"
"We're adults," Violet says. "And we're playing. That makes it a game for adults."
Same logic she used to explain her shoes. I have to admit, it holds up. And it's pure Violet. God, there's something about her smile. She's still wearing all her makeup. Her lips are still fuck-me red.
Can't get ahead of myself. Any sudden moves and I'll scare her off. I take a sip of my drink but that only makes my cheeks and chest burn. This is shit vodka.