Page 19 of Live, Ranch, Love

“Well, I propose we play a game so we can get to know Red a little better.” Sawyer’s vibrating with excitement, beaming at Aurora. “What do you say?”

He nudges Aurora playfully, making her chuckle. He’s probably exactly her type—just like the pretty boy on her Instagram.

Not that I care.

She says back, “Sure, sounds like fun.”

“Never have I ever it is then!” Sawyer announces and I’m already groaning. Even though Cherry’s always been good at being one of the guys—she’s had to learn to with two older brothers—this is not a game either of us particularly want to play in front of each other. In my mind, she’s still a kid, even if I know that’s naive.

Aurora scoffs, a brow perked accusingly. “God, how old are you guys? I haven’t played that since I was at uni.”

Sawyer leans in, smirking at Aurora as he sips his beer. She mirrors him, leaning closer, eyes narrowed. “Ah, see that’s why we play it, Red. We’ve got more experience under our belt now, so we’ll get drunk quicker.” He winks. “How about the newbie goes first?”

The two of them remain in a stare-off that is too tension-filled for my liking, and Wolfman must clock it because he nudges me with his knee under the table, waggling his eyebrows at me.

I look away, because I don’t really care, and take a long drink of my beer.

Aurora hums in contemplation, then says, “Fine, never have I ever done anal,” and I spit my beer over the table.

***

“You’re all just picking on me now. You’re not playing this properly!” Aurora declares, huffing at me before she finishes the last gulps of her second cocktail.

She wipes a droplet of the cherry drink off her bottom lip with her thumb and I track the movement, noticing how the drink has stained her lips faintly darker.

In Aurora’s defence, we’ve all been throwing in lines like never have I ever been to school in England and never have I ever posted my yoga routine online once the guys found out about her influencer status during one of the conversations that punctuated the game.

My personal favourite, however, was never have I ever used the phrase live, laugh, love unironically from Wolfman who, despite Aurora insisting she hadn’t, managed to track down a video of her saying it from years ago when she first started blogging. I’m not sure I’ve ever cried from laughing so much before, thoroughly enjoying the way Aurora’s face screwed up when she realised she’s a walking cliché.

Though it feels strange to admit, and maybe it’s the beer talking, seeing Aurora come out of her shell has been… nice. She’s actually kind of fun, and she’s fallen into place with Cherry and the guys pretty swiftly. The way her shoulders have slowly eased down, and that she’s stopped flattening down her waves, proves that she’s feeling more comfortable too. Her smile is so bright when she laughs as well, it baffles me how a tiny person like her can radiate so much happiness. Especially when she was crying only a couple of hours ago.

So, yes, we have been picking on her a bit, but it’s all in good fun. Hopefully it’s been a helpful distraction from whatever upset her earlier.

Besides, she’s been goddamn ruthless too with her never have I evers. She’s forced me to relive the time my mom walked in on me and my high school girlfriend going at it, and she uncovered that Wolfman has slept with a mom of a kid on the high school football team he coaches, which even Sawyer and I were clueless about. I thought British people were supposed to be all prudish, but Aurora seems to have no issue discussing our sexual experiences.

“Just because you made it sexual to start with doesn’t mean we all have our minds in the gutter,” I tease, biting down on the strong smirk I’m throwing her way.

Aurora sneers, hazel eyes boring into me. Under the mix of red mood-lighting and glittering fairy lights, her eyes remind me of the hazy morning sun. Or maybe soft bonfire smoke in the evening.

Either way, it’s weird I’m even thinking that.

I haven’t even finished my second beer. Jesus.

Cherry takes her turn, now sipping water as she’s our ride for the night, and because she knows I’ll get worried if she drinks too much with her epilepsy. Luckily, she’s mostly focused on revealing anything she knows Sawyer and Wolfman have done, keeping me as comfortable as I can be.

“Don’t worry, Rory, I’m on your side.” Aurora grabs Cherry’s arm and hugs her tight, mouthing thank you. “Hmm… okay, never have I ever had an orgasm.”

Our simultaneous sharp intakes of breath could be heard from down the road.

“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter, wiping my face and letting out a loud groan. I really did not need to know that about my little sister.

I hate this game.

“What?” Aurora whips her head round to Cherry. “You’re twenty and you’ve never had an orgasm?”

Just as she asks that, Duke arrives at the booth with some more glasses of water, and he almost stumbles. Cherry laughs nervously, a forced smile thrown at Duke before biting down on her lip. The tips of her ears redden as she tucks her hair behind them.

Aurora must struggle to read a room, and my pained face, because then she investigates further. “Haven’t you ever tried a vibrator? I can’t orgasm without one. I can give you some suggestions of my favourite ones if you like.” She pulls her phone out of her pocket.

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