“Oh, the rule book makes it way harder than it should be. Once we start, it will be obvious. Everyone grab a player.”
At first, there’s a lot to take in, but by the second round, we’re laughing, making up stories to go along with the scary things we encounter as we build the world’s worst house – structurally. Roman’s discovering the basement one room at a time, all by himself, while Gunner and Nick keep arguing about where to put rooms on the first floor, and Holden and I are making dead ends and impossible trails of rooms on the top floor.
Gunner puts on some ‘haunted house’ music as we play and Roman only gets up to get the pizza.
Of course, as soon as we start eating, the second phase of the game kicks in. Someone betrays us and tries to suck us all down to hell.
“What the fuck!” Gunner demands, glaring at Nick. “I should have known this!”
“It’s random!” Nick insists.
“No fucking way. You rigged this. You’ve played before.” Gunner hisses.
I lean over to Roman, putting my hand on his thigh. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Anything Bambina.”
“Get the hell out of the basement quickly. I don’t want any self-sacrifice going on.” I kiss his cheek.
He laughs but ends up dying after doing half of what we need to do to stop the house from melting into hell. Gunner yells a victorious Fuck you when he also gets two, which means Holden and I just have to manage one.
I get the book, complete the spell, and we win, thwarting Nick. Gunner reads from our book, setting the scene for our victory … while standing on his chair. I nearly fall out of mine in giggles.
“Rematch!” Nick demands. “I’ll put you on your ass, Gun.”
I realize we’ve spent four hours playing. The pizza box is empty, there are plenty of empty beers, and I haven’t thought about Valerie at all. It’s been a success. Gunner calls Nick a bad loser, and then we clean up. We end up playing poker together until Holden gets a phone call. Apparently, work still has to be done.
He kisses me softly and takes half the beer bottles to the recycling. I watch him leave and look to the guys. “Why do I feel like you’re all about to go back to work?”
“We’re not,” Gunner says. “It’s a weekend, there’s no reason-” His phone goes off.
He groans picks it up and huffs. “Miles, we agreed that ….. oh. That is different. Okay.” He ends the call and motions to Nick. “We have to take care of some things.”
“Do I need to-”
“You, need to stay right here with me and finish that beer.” Roman orders.
I narrow my eyes. “You know what’s going on, don’t you?”
“Unfortunately, I do. That businessman we told you about – the one who’s an ass – he’s coming even though we didn’t invite him. Since he’s a shareholder, we have to play nice.”
“He’s not staying here,” I say clearly.
Roman kisses my forehead. “Would that bother you?”
“I’d have to wear pants! I’d wear turtlenecks! It would bother everyone.” I insist. “He can get his own damn hotel and pay for it with his own money. Assholes don’t get nice things.”
“You’re a vicious little thing, aren’t you Bambina?” Roman rubs across my bottom lip with his thumb.
It sends little sparks of pleasure and makes me hum as my lips get all over-sensitive and eager. My tongue traces his finger and he draws me close to kiss me hungrily. His tongue claims my mouth as he threads his fingers through my hair.
I groan and leave my chair for his much more comfortable lap. Roman strokes down my back until he manages to grab the hem of my dress. With one tug, I feel the A/C prick my skin just before his big hand comes down on my bottom.
I gasp at the sting and whimper. “What was that for?”
“Do you want a specific citation?” He asks, before swatting me again, “or do you want to be a good girl and take your punishment tonight instead of on date night?”
“Why do I feel like you’re going to spank me and not fuck me?”