Page 59 of Candy Hearts
“I worry about you, Benji,” she said once they were alone.
He rolled his eyes. “You shouldn’t. I’m fine. I’ve got two meddling sisters I love. I have a job I’m great at. A truck that gets me laid. Things are swell.” He did love his sisters and his job, but the rest was bullshit.
“You been withdrawn lately, like a cloud descended on you. That’s why I—”
“Manipulated me into showing up here early in the hopes William would bang the sad from my eyes?” he asked, cutting her off.
She shrugged. “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, not a thought-out manipulation. Anyway, I did it as much for him as you. He needs someone as vibrant as you in his life. Someone to show him what he’s missing by walling himself off. I wanted you to be friends.”
“You are not my madam, Sasha. Don’t pimp me out to your lonely friends.”
She laughed. “Did it work?”
Benji did something he very rarely attempted with either of his older sisters. He lied through his fucking teeth. “I got him to eat pizza and wear pajamas for a whole day, if that counts.”
“It does. Friendship is just as good.”
“Yeah. It is.”
Robin barreled around the corner, surprising them both. “Everything okay?” she asked.
They both nodded.
Robin was wearing an overexcited grin Benji had never seen on her face. “I have an awesome idea.”
“What is it?” Benji asked.
After a few beats of dramatic silence (Robin was amazing at drama—she was Lady Robin after all), she said, “Spin the Bottle.”
Benji was, of course, game, and it was no shocker that Robin had suggested it. She was like the orgy queen. Kissing lots of people was kind of her jam, but he was surprised to find that everyone else was game too. These thirty-somethings were fun.
Once it was established that Benji and Sasha wouldn’t have to kiss each other, they all settled into a circle in front of the fireplace, thereabouts where he and William had fucked two days ago (oops).
Perry gently placed an empty red-wine bottle in the middle of the circle and Sasha passed out champagne. The fire crackled and cast a warm, ruddy glimmer around the room.
Robin went first since the game had been her idea. The bottle landed on Avi. His smile was slightly predatory as she crawled across the circle toward him, her tawny skin radiant in the firelight. They kissed with no preamble.
They seemed very familiar with each other. And with kissing each other.
Benji’s brain exploded. He glanced around the circle. Had everyone here slept with each other? That was kind of wonderful and weird and oddly appealing. Not that he wanted to sleep with anyone here besides William, but he liked that this group was so open with each other.
He suddenly felt young and naïve.
The game continued on with Avi getting to kiss his husband (boring), Manuel kissing Perry (decidedlynotboring), Perry kissing Wren (super chastely), before Wren’s spin landed on William.
Wren said, “For old time’s sake?”
Her kiss was short and smacking. Not sexy at all.
“This group is sort of incestuous, isn’t it?” Benji said.
“Please don’t use the word incestuous in my presence,” Sasha sassed. They both laughed.
“For real, though.” Benji took a slug of his champagne, realizing that he was perhaps a bit tipsy. “Who here has slept together? Cone of silence, I swear.”
Robin shrugged. “I haven’t slept with anyone in this room, but I’ve kissed most of them. I like kissing. Obviously.” She gestured grandly to indicate the whole of their party game.
Wren leaned into the middle of the circle to meet Sasha’s eyes.
