400Happy 2017! :D
Thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites! :)
Small warning before you proceed: This chapter is much more...suggestive than the previous ones. Nothing explicit though. Just something you can expect when Adrian's the mastermind behind the games ;)
This chapter is the longest one yet. I hope you'll like it :)
Enjoy life today
because
yesterday is gone
and tomorrow is never promised.
~Unknown
Pilot Astronaut Rose Hathaway
"I'm sorry…" I widened my eyes and pouted, holding my joined palms in front of me in a pleading gesture.
Jade eyes narrowed; a corner of her lips twitching up.
"I didn't mean to push you away," I sniffed, resting my chin on my interlocked fingers. "It was just too much, you know. I didn't want to worry you."
"That's no excuse." came the prim reply.
"I know it's not," I admitted, making a guilty face. "I won't do it again, I promise."
Finally, my dear darling best friend smiled; leaning back on her chair next to the large window in the recreation room. Lissa had poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot resting on the table between us but hadn't taken a sip, intent on making me grovel for her forgiveness.
And I did.
After a hour of begging, blackmailing and shedding false tears, Lissa had finally decided to forgive me. After the theatrics in the conference room when I'd announced my condition, Lissa had taken me aside and primly informed me that she'd not yet forgiven me.
Hence the begging and grovelling on my part.
Taking a sip of the now cold coffee, Lissa grinned at me as I observed her.
"See something you like?" she asked slyly.
I narrowed my eyes at her. "That's my line!"
"Oh, I know." She said lightly, a happy glint in her eyes. "I heard you loud and clear."
"That was your fault." I refused to blush as she giggled. "You know that little deck is my private sanctuary."
Lissa waved it away. "It's part of the ship, so it's open for all of us. It's not a suitable place to be doing naughty things to Dimitri."
I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't like that. Dimitri had only arrived seconds before you did. I was just teasing him."
"Yeah," Lissa set down her cup on the table. "You were teasing him."
"Were you always so annoying?" I groused. "It must your beloved Christian's influence."
When she gaped at me, I laughed; glad to have the upper hand now.
"You think I didn't catch all the cutesy stuff between you two?" I asked her, delighting in her tinted cheeks. "I may have been preoccupied but I'm not blind."
Lissa huffed, pouring more coffee into her cup. I declined when she offered me some, never having been one to drink that icky stuff.
"Can I have a cup?"
Tasha stood behind me, smiling tentatively at the two of us. Adrian followed her into the recreation room, waving at us before setting up his drawing board to finish a painting he'd started a while ago.
"Of course." Lissa poured coffee into the cup she'd brought for me and slid it over to Tasha who pulled up a chair and joined us at the table.
"Feeling okay, Little Pilot?" Adrian called suddenly, peering at me in genuine concern from across the room.
"Adrian, I appreciate your concern." I shot him a quick smile. "But if you ask me that one more time, I swear I'll throw you out of the ship."
Adrian laughed as Tasha and Lissa exchanged glances. I loved them, I really did and I was touched by their concern but God, their pity was grating on my nerves.
"So, any exciting gossip to share?" Tasha joked, warming her hands on the cup. She was trying her best to act like everything was normal, especially after I'd shouted at her and Christian to stop treating me so delicately.
I appreciated the effort and in the spirit of bringing things to normal, I decided to exploit the opportunity of having her and Adrian together in the room.
"You tell us, Tasha." I grinned impishly at the raven-haired woman. "You're the one with all the exciting news. Crushes, hook-ups, et cetera, et cetera."
Tasha chuckled nervously. "I don't know what you're talking about, Rose."
"Oh, really?" I jerked my head towards Adrian who was acting as though he was deep in thought as he stared at the lovely, half finished painting of Sietera. But his too straight posture and half cocked head were clear indications that he was listening to us.
"Rose-" Tasha started to speak when Lissa giggled, smothering it the next second when Tasha and I looked at her in shock.
I had no clue that Lissa knew about Adrian and Tasha.
Looking at our surprised faces, Lissa giggled again; holding her hands up to cover her mouth but her eyes shone with deep amusement. "I'm sorry, was it meant to be a secret?"
I exhaled and leaned back so that my chair was balanced on its hind legs. "For someone who's so innocent, you sure know all the secrets."
Lissa shrugged and Tasha turned to look at Adrian who had given up feigning ignorance.
"Didn't expect this from you, little cousin." Adrian told Lissa glibly before looking at Tasha with a dry look. "I told you, Tash. Nothing stays a secret for long."
Lissa nodded, throwing me a look. "The six of us shouldn't keep secrets from each other."
Adrian smirked mischievously, no doubt catching Lissa's reference to Dimitri and I as a couple. "You're right, Liss. There should be no secrets between us. If there are, it should be revealed immediately.
Tasha frowned up at him, then shot me a sidelong look. "Are you sure all secrets should be revealed, Adrian?"
"Of course," Adrian answered lightly, twirling his paintbrush in the air. "I have a fantastic idea to accomplish that."
"God save us." I muttered and Adrian playfully pushed my chair forward, towards the table.
Barely stopping from landing face-first onto the table, I straightened and punched Adrian's arm rather hard.
"Children, please behave." Lissa told us sternly as Adrian rubbed his arm, muttering under his breath. "Now, Adrian. What's your idea?"
Scowling, Adrian moved away to stand next to Lissa. "You're the only one who appreciates me, cousin."
"That's not true," I interjected, smirking at Tasha. "I'm sure Tasha here appreciates you quite a lot. In bed."
Both Tasha and Lissa flushed while Adrian grinned unabashedly. "You wanna get in on the appreciation, sweetheart?"
"No thanks," I deadpanned. "I'm not into threesomes."
Tasha looked absolutely mortified but Lissa- sweet, innocent Lissa- burst out laughing.
"Too bad," Adrian flirted shamelessly. "With that smokin' body-"
He was cut off by a new voice that was low and deadly. "You better not continue that sentence, Ivashkov."
Adrian gulped and turned around to look at a stone-faced Dimitri.
"Meaning no harm, brother." Adrian said as he inched away to hide behind Lissa. "No harm at all."
Dimitri's face didn't lose its sternness but I could sense his amusement.
Tasha looked between me and Dimitri with a slightly sour look on her face. We hadn't really declared that we were together but we might as well have, especially after the way he'd held me in the conference room yesterday, after my announcement. No one had commented on it except Lissa but I could tell that they, at the very least, suspected that something was going on between us.
"I'm just trying to help," Adrian pleaded his case as Dimitri came over to stand behind me. "The course to our mysterious blue planet has been charted so we don't have much work for the next three months, until we arrive at the new planet."
"That's true," I acknowledged.
"So, my idea is to have fun." Adrian proposed. "We all need a break from the gloom and doom of the past few months-"
Tasha's eyes were fixed on Dimitri's fingers which were lightly rubbing my shoulders. I felt a sudden pity for her when I watched her eyes fill with pain. She wanted someone who could never be hers…
Did she resent me?
I remembered the way she used to flirt with Dimitri, looking for any excuse to be close to him. She'd dropped numerous, unabashed hints that she wanted him. How must it feel to have all that thrown back in your face when you see the object of your desire look at another like that?
Did I just refer to Dimitri as an object of desire?
Well, he was…
Frankly, I could see why she'd want him that badly; now that she knew that I was the reason she couldn't have him, what would she do, if anything?
Did Adrian feel that way too?
No, I decided. He'd long ago insinuated that he knew how I felt about Dimitri. He might have been flirty but he was never as pathetic as Tasha-
Okay, that was very unkind of me.
But I really didn't appreciate someone lusting after Dimitri.
Coming back to myself, I realized that I'd been creepily staring at Tasha who was staring at Dimitri. Lissa's eyes were on Adrian who was still talking.
What was he talking about?
Not wanting to alert the others about my clueless state, I nodded when Adrian finally paused.
"You're right," I told him, out of the blue. "Great idea, Adrian."
Tasha nodded, tacking on a smile but I was sure she'd not listened to Adrian anymore than I did.
Adrian beamed at me and Lissa threw up her hands in exasperation. "Of course you'd agree with him."
I looked around for a clue about what I'd just agreed to. Adrian had said that he'd had an idea and I'd impulsively agreed. What was wrong with me?
Lissa huffed and shook her head as Adrian jumped up and left the room to 'prepare'.
Um, what?
I turned to look at Dimitri who was looking at me with great amusement.
"You have no idea what he said, do you?" he asked, trying not to laugh when I shook my head cluelessly.
Lissa gaped at me. "You didn't even hear his idea but you agreed with him?"
Tasha raised her hand guiltily. "I didn't hear him either."
Lissa sighed and shook her head before standing up. "I'll make sure that he doesn't go overboard."
Dimitri agreed and Lissa left quickly.
"Overboard with what?" Tasha asked just when I demanded, "Tell me what we agreed to!"
Dimitri chuckled when I pinched his hand that was resting my shoulder, impatiently asking him to talk.
"Ladies." Dimitri paused, looking entertained as he glanced between the the two of us. "I believe you agreed to be a part of Adrian's game night."
Three hours later...
"Come on, Dimitri!" I tugged on his arm, trying to get him out of the chair.
Dimitri arched an eyebrow, looking amused.
"Will you come or not?" I asked finally, annoyed at his inability to move.
"No, I will not." He replied, going back to reading one of those damned westerns of his.
"'No' is not an option." I informed him, frowning when a tiny smile crossed his face. "Come on! Get your ass out of that chair!"
"So charming," Dimitri muttered under his breath.
I kicked the leg of his chair in frustration. "Get up!"
"Rose, you're wasting your breath." Dimitri said; oh, so kindly with his eyes still glued to the book.
"Fine." I crossed my arms and walked a few paces backward. "Don't come. Sit here and enjoy your stupid book. I'm going to enjoy every second of your absence."
"I'm sure you will," he said absentmindedly, turning a page.
"It's game night!" I exclaimed, throwing up my hands. "We get one night to enjoy in the middle of all this gloom and doom but no, Dimitri Belikov prefers to sit in a corner and read-"
"-it's much more enjoyable," he retorted.
I stared at him for moment before shrugging. "Fine. Have it your way. Don't play the games with us."
I turned around walked over to the door of his room, muttering just loud enough for Dimitri to hear: "I'm sure Adrian's planned many super-fun games, maybe even spin the bottle. God knows the man's always waiting to get close to me. Maybe he's not so bad, after all. Maybe I'll enjoy kissing him."
"Oh, you will, will you?" Dimitri muttered from behind me.
I turned to shoot him a wink. "It'll be a nice change."
Laughing, I quickly left the room.
A fleeting glance backward told me that Dimitri was not pleased…at all. Knowing that there was no way Dimitri was going to stay away now, I silently congratulated myself on a job well done.
"Hey guys!" I greeted as I entered the audio-visual room of the ship, Dimitri right on my heels.
"Finally!" Adrian exclaimed, flinching when I hit the back of his head as I moved to sit beside him on the floor.
Christian shot Dimitri an indecipherable look. "How did you get conned into this?"
Dimitri sat down beside me, folding his long limbs in one graceful motion. "The same way you did, I imagine."
Lissa giggled when Christian shot her a mock glare.
"Alright, settle down people." Adrian called, raising his hands. "Any questions before we officially begin?"
Tasha raised her hand. "What exactly are we playing?"
Adrian smirked. "We're going to play three games, selected by Rose, Lissa and yours truly."
I snickered. "Oh, you'll all love the game Adrian has chosen."
Adrian inclined his head, ignoring the sarcasm. "My game will be kept a secret-"
"-why?" Christian interrupted. "I can only imagine how horrifying your brain child will be. We should probably skip your idea."
"Don't worry, Chris." Lissa soothed as Adrian glared at him. "I've done my best to…um, neutralize it."
"That's one way of putting it," I muttered, imagining Dimitri's reaction to the game.
"So, are Rose and Lissa's games a secret too?" Tasha asked.
"Well, mine is-" Lissa was cut off by Adrian.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" He announced grandly, looking around with a smug smile. "Welcome to the first edition of the Klasana game night-"
"-hopefully the last edition as well." Dimitri said under his breath.
I elbowed him and Christian snickered.
"Let the games…begin!" Adrian declared with a flourish.
"Coming back to the point," I said firmly, making sure that everyone was paying attention. "Why don't we begin with a simple game of 'would you rather'?"
"Boring." Christian mocked in a sing-song tone.
I smirked at him. "Tell that to Lissa. It was her idea."
Christian quickly turned to look at Lissa who was already glaring at him.
"The idea might have been hers but the questions are mine." Adrian said, grinning wickedly.
"The punishment for not choosing either option is forfeit, isn't it?" Dimitri asked hopefully.
I scoffed. "Not a chance, Comrade."
"Yeah, Belikov." Adrian smirked at Dimitri. "There's no forfeit. If you'd rather not answer, then you'll be forced to..."
"Yes?" Dimitri asked warily.
"-do an entire month of cleaning chores." I finished, resisting the clap my hands wickedly. "You can't do any of your usual duties. Moreover, no solid food for a month."
Dimitri cursed under his breath as we all laughed, save Christian who looked like he'd swallowed a lemon.
"Let's begin!" Tasha said, a little too brightly.
Lissa stood up and collected the bowl containing the pieces of papers that had questions written on them.
"I hope the questions are not too gross," she said as she deposited the bowl in the middle of our circle.
"I wouldn't do that," Adrian shook his head innocently.
"Adrian..." I warned.
He smirked and added with a wink towards me, "they're just slightly flirty."
I rolled my eyes.
"Hey! Instead of each person picking their own question, we can have the person next to them pick and ask it." Tasha suggested.
"Yes because that's not too embarrassing," Christian said sarcastically.
"She's right," I told him. "It's more fun that way."
"You pick first then." Christian retorted.
I shrugged. "Okay. The piece of paper I pick will have the question that Dimitri has to answer."
Dimitri rubbed his forehead, looking apprehensive when I picked up one of the piece of papers and looked at it.
Immediately, I burst out laughing.
"What is it?" Adrian asked eagerly.
"It's the perfect question for Dimitri," I told him, holding the paper close to my chest to stop him from peeking. "This is hilarious!"
Dimitri shot me a look.
"Okay." I grinned at Dimitri, relishing the question. "The question is: would you rather have your thoughts broadcasted so that everyone will always know what you're thinking while you're thinking it or never be allowed to wear clothes but keep your thoughts to yourself?
"What kind of question is that?" Dimitri asked indignantly as everyone laughed, finding humor in the fact that Dimitri was an insanely private person who hated the thought of others hearing his thoughts.
"You need to answer it," Christian told him.
Dimitri rolled his eyes. "I'll rather have my thoughts broadcasted than forsake my clothes."
"Are you sure?" Adrian asked. When Dimitri nodded, Adrian smirked and said, "Why don't we turn that into a real life situation? Tell us what you're thinking right now."
Dimitri looked at him seriously. "I'm thinking about how wonderful it'll feel when I finally punch you."
Adrian reeled back as we all collapsed in laughter.
"Next question," Adrian said hastily, gesturing for Dimitri to pick up a piece of paper. He did, reading it with a straight face before turning to Christian. "Would you rather give a lap dance or receive it?"
Christian scratched his head, apparently giving it a serious thought while Lissa blushed. Adrian and I, however, were busy laughing mostly because of the stoic way in which Dimitri had read such a question.
"I'd rather receive one, thank you." Christian answered, avoiding Lissa's eye.
Adrian hooted and I turned to Christian. "Why are you thanking Dimitri? He's not going to be the one who'll give you a lap dance."
Dimitri shot me an exasperated look. Christian rolled his eyes when my comment prompted more laughter.
"My turn," Christian said, picking a piece of paper. He turned slightly green as he read it. Clearing his throat, he read it out loud: "Would you rather commit to a serious relationship that has no promises for the future, or have a friends-with-benefits arrangement with someone who wants to marry you after they sow their wild oats?"
He glared at Adrian when he finished and said: "You don't have to answer it, Lissa. It's too inappropriate."
"That's the point, Ozera." Adrian retorted dryly.
"Come on, Chris." Tasha said, "Lissa has no problem answering it, right Lissa? It's just a hypothetical question, after all."
Lissa agreed, looking away from Christian as she thought over her answer.
Dimitri leaned closer to me and whispered, "this game is crazy."
I rubbed his back soothingly. "It's fun."
He scoffed. "Answering such inappropriate questions is fun?"
I chuckled, nudging his shoulder with mine. "Yes, it is. Now, shush."
"I think I'd rather have a serious relationship," Lissa declared.
Christian's eyes widened. "Really? Even if there's no future to it?"
Lissa looked at him gravely. "We don't have a promise of a future, do we Chris? None of us here do. So, I'd rather have a serious relationship instead of fooling around with a promise of marriage."
I sighed as the atmosphere in the room grew sober.
Really, what did we expect this game night to be? All fun without any mention of our perilous situation?
It was bound to come up sooner or later.
Dimitri's hand on my own stopped me from dwelling on our problems. Or rather, my problem. Going by Lissa's logic, I should be living it up when I could. Who knew when Cotopa would claim me for its own?
I should be enjoying my life.
But how could I, stuck here as I was, millions of light years away from home? A home which was growing worse and worse…
No, thinking about it would be like digging myself into a hole. I'd already fallen in once and I was determined to never do that again.
"Wow," Adrian whistled softly, breaking my thoughts. "I had no idea that the question would cause so much tension. Break it up, people! Lissa, pick a piece of paper."
His words did the trick.
Lissa perked up as she picked one, smiling on reading the question. "Be naked in Antarctica or wear a snow suit in the desert?"
"Wow, that's tough." Tasha laughed. "Hm…I think I'll go with naked in Antarctica. I'd rather freeze to death than die in a heatstroke."
"Really?" Christian asked in surprise."At least you'll have your clothes on in the desert and you'll die with some dignity."
Adrian snorted. "Clothes are overrated."
We all stared at him.
"What?" he asked defensively. "They are!"
"Tasha, pick up a damn chit before he start to explain his point," I commanded, leveling a glare at Adrian.
"Right you are, Rose." Tasha picked up a piece of paper and read, smiling evilly as she looked at Adrian. "It's the perfect question for you, Adrian. Would you rather lose your sex organs forever or gain 200 pounds for the rest of your life?"
"Gain the weight, of course." Adrian replied nonchalantly.
"Of course!" Lissa and I echoed together.
"My turn!" Adrian eagerly picked up a piece of paper to ask me a question. "Okay, Little Pilot. Would you rather-" he looked up to shoot me a smug smirk. "-have a threesome with your best friend and your partner, or watch your partner have sex with a stranger, who you will never see again?
"Eww!" I clapped my hands over my ears, Tasha and Lissa chorusing their disgust along with me. Even Christian looked disgusted. "What sort of sick bastard are you?"
"Hey!" Adrian said defensively. "I made this game fun. Now, answer the question."
"No freaking way!" I shuffled away from Adrian, bumping into Dimitri as I did. "I'm not answering that."
"Rules are rules, Rose." Adrian sang.
"It's just a hypothetical question, Rose." Tasha, hiding a smile. "Just answer and be done with it."
Was she trying to make me uncomfortable?
"Hypothetical, my foot!" I mumbled, looking between Dimitri and Lissa. Oh, God! Gross. A threesome with Dimitri and Lissa? Or, watch Dimitri have sex with someone else? A someone that my mind pictured as Tasha..
Oh, God.
No way was I answering this.
"I didn't take you for a coward, Rose." Adrian goaded. "Come on! Choose one."
Lissa looked sympathetic…but Dimitri did not. His expression was blank but his eyes clearly said, 'I told you so'.
Why hadn't I listened to him? Noo, I wanted a game night.
"Not so fun anymore, hm? Dimitri whispered in my ear.
"Fuck you, Belikov." I muttered menacingly.
He chuckled softly; no doubt because his imagination wasn't running as wild as mine. If it had, he'd have pictured exactly what I was picturing and would have been grossed out as I was.
"Time's ticking, Hathaway." Christian said mockingly.
They all seemed to have overcome their initial disgust and were enjoying at my expense.
An idea struck me abruptly.
Smirking at my own genius, I turned to Adrian. "I'll take the first option."
Silence.
Everyone looked at me in shock.
"A threesome, Rose?" Christian asked in disbelief.
"You're lying," Adrian stated. "There's no way you'd choose that option if this was real."
I shrugged carelessly. "I so would."
Lissa and Dimitri exchanged glances.
Lissa seemed puzzled, maybe even a little nauseous when suddenly, pieces fell into place for her.
"Only you, Rose." She said out lout, smiling fondly.
I preened. "Of course. Don't underestimate the amazing Rose Hathaway."
Everyone looked between us in confusion.
"What is it, Lissa?" Christian demanded. "Tell us!"
I met Dimitri's eyes, seeing the confusion in them as he tried to figure out what I meant. As I watched, comprehension dawned on his face with his lips pulling up in a reluctant smile.
I beamed at him as he shot me a glance filled with both exasperation and affection.
"Rose logic indeed." He said under his breath.
"What's going on?" Adrian demanded loudly.
"Nothing!" I said, just as loudly. "I picked an option. Let's continue the game."
The others started debating about whether to consider my answer valid or not.
But I had other problems.
When I'd scooted away from Adrian, I'd ended up incredibly close to Dimitri. I didn't want to move away, not really but I knew the others would soon say something about it.
Dimitri made the decision for me when he lightly rested his hand on the small of my back, leaning down to whisper, "that was some quick thinking there."
"I know." I smiled at Lissa when she caught my eye. "Did you really expect me to choose either of the options?"
"I should've known you'd come up with something like that."
By 'like that', he meant the rationalization behind choosing the option of having a threesome with my best friend and partner. At first glance, it might appear as if I'd chosen to hypothetically sleep with Lissa and Dimitri together but that was not so. The way I saw it, Dimitri was my best friend before anyone else. He was also my 'partner', so to speak. Technically, I'd not chosen a threesome at all. Get it? He was both the best friend and the partner and so where was the question of a threesome?
"What choice did I have?" I asked Dimitri. "I couldn't exactly choose between sleeping with you and Lissa-" I shuddered. "-or between watching you have sex with Tasha."
I felt bile rise up my throat while voicing it out loud.
Dimitri's brow furrowed at my words. "Tasha?"
"My substitute for stranger," I explained, looking away to focus on the said woman who was shooting us glances. "I don't think she's all that happy with our proximity."
"She'll deal with it." Dimitri said off-handedly.
"Settle down, people." Adrian called, raising his arms. "Rose, we've decided to consider your answer."
"How gracious of you," I muttered.
"Let's continue the game." Lissa said enthusiastically, pushing the bowl towards me.
"What's gotten into you?" I asked her curiously, taken aback by her enthusiasm.
She smiled. "I'm having fun, that's all."
Adrian high-fived her as I picked up a piece of paper and read it before turning to Adrian.
"Why don't we disregard the order? Ask a question to anyone you like, as long as all six of us get a question in this round."
When my suggestion was accepted, I looked at Christian with a smirk. "So, Christian. Adrian asks-" Adrian coughed but I ignored him. "-would you rather a girl wear lingerie or just be completely nude?"
Adrian started laughing, rolling on the floor at the sight of the blush rising up Christian's face.
"Rose!" Lissa chastised.
"It's not my question," I defended myself. "Adrian framed it. I just chose Christian as a target for this question."
Tasha laughed, leaning towards Christian. "What's your answer?"
"Yeah, Chris." Adrian said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "I'm sure Lissa would like to know."
Lissa reached over to pinch Adrian's arm.
"You go, girl!" I cheered at the sight of Lissa's kitten claws coming out.
"That's mean," Dimitri told me when Christian spluttered, looking anywhere but at Lissa.
I narrowed my eyes at Dimitri. "Be glad I didn't ask you that."
Dimitri smirked and looked away. "It's an easy question for me."
I gaped at him but before I could say anything, Christian mumbled, "I choose...well, um…I choose-completely nude."
"Good choice," Adrian approved.
Rolling my eyes, I pushed the bowl towards Dimitri.
He sighed in irritation before picking up a piece of paper. His eyes widened as he read it before those delicious lips turned up in a half smile.
His eyes found his target.
Adrian.
"Would you rather-" Dimitri paused, looking up from the paper to shoot Adrian a amused look. "-dress up as a sexy librarian or exotic dancer?"
Adrian gaped at Dimitri in shock. "Those options are for women!"
We all laughed when Dimitri shrugged calmly. "You wrote these down. You have to answer it."
"Imagine Adrian as a belly dancer," I suggested, much to the mirth of the crew. "In those sequined dresses and feathers-"
"As much as I hate to ruin your fantasy," Adrian said with a smirk. "I'll go with sexy librarian."
"Minus the sexy part, you mean." Christian remarked.
"I'd rather not be considered sexy by you," Adrian shot back.
"Break it up, boys.' Lissa held up her hands for peace before gesturing to Christian. "Your turn, Chris."
Christian opened the piece of paper and looked around for his next victim. For some reason, his eyes zeroed in on his aunt. "Tasha, would you rather have sex with your cousin in secret or not have sex with your cousin but everyone would think you did?"
"Good one," I told Adrian in genuine appreciation. This one was tough. And gross. But then again, all of Adrian's questions were gross.
"Why am I your unlucky victim?" Tasha questioned Christian.
He smirked. "Because this so called cousin of yours would be a relative of mine too. I can imagine the family gatherings full of-"
He trailed off, eyes clouding in sadness at the thought of his family.
We all sobered up, thinking of our loved ones back on earth. I leaned slightly so that my shoulder touched Dimitri's, seeking comfort in his presence.
"I think I'll choose the second option," Tasha said, faking a smile to lighten the atmosphere. "Let everybody think what they want. I'll know the truth, won't I?"
Lissa nodded, reaching to pick up a piece of paper.
Unfortunately, her victim was me.
"Rose," she said sweetly. Adrian and Christian leaned closer in anticipation, perhaps sensing it was something scandalous. "Would you rather…"
She trailed off meaningfully.
"Just spit it out," I said impatiently.
"Would you rather do it in the backseat of a car or on a secluded bench in a park?" she asked in a rush.
I looked at her in shock as Adrian and Christian guffawed, no doubt entertained by the look on my face.
I didn't even want to look at Dimitri at the moment.
Face flaming, I reached over to punch Christian's arm.
"What was that for?" he whined, rubbing his arm.
"For corrupting my best friend," I said with a glare. "Before you, she'd never have chosen me as her target. Definitely not for such a question."
Lissa and Adrian laughed while Tasha looked entertained,
"Well then," Christian winked at Lissa. "I'm glad I corrupted you, babe."
"Yeah, yeah, enough with the mush." Adrian said before looking at me. "Answer the question, sweetheart."
Rolling my eyes, I thought over my answer while trying my best to ignore Dimitri's warmth against my back. I did not need more embarrassment. It was bad enough that I couldn't stop picturing Dimitri and I in a car, or a park bench, naked and-
I really needed to rein in my imagination.
I tried to look unaffected as I said, "maybe a car. More comfortable, you know."
Lies.
I didn't know why but there was something about a secluded park bench-
"A car may be more comfortable but there's less space," Adrian said intelligently.
I stared at him. "I'm not having this conversation with you."
Christian laughed. "I agree with Rose, though. A car's better."
"Any day." Tasha said, nodding her head.
"Why are we discussing this?" I asked, scandalized that they'd picked up the discussion. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded it if not for my imagination which was currently picturing a car and us and-
No! Shit, get a grip!
Dimitri's presence, his scent, his warmth was suddenly prickling my skin. I wondered vaguely if he'd guessed the direction of my thoughts. Is that why he was quiet?
What would he say if he knew some of my fantasies?
Tasha picked Lissa as her target, since it was only her and Dimitri at this point and she wanted to spare her poor dear Dimka the awkwardness, I suppose.
Whatever.
"Would you rather have sex with a person that your partner hates? Or, would you rather your partner have sex with someone you hate?"
Lissa didn't even take time to answer. "I choose the second option."
Yeah, that was Lissa. She wouldn't want to increase her lover's suffering, even hypothetically.
I wonder what I'd chose…
Adrian smirked as he picked up a piece of paper, looking like he was enjoying having a certain degree of power over Dimitri.
Instinctively, I leaned closer to Dimitri to whisper, "Brace yourself, Comrade."
It was in the very next second, when I took in Dimitri's wonderful aftershave, that I remembered why I'd been avoiding looking at him or even acknowledging his presence.
Damn hormones.
Damn my stupid wild imagination.
Oh God, what would Adrian ask?
"Would you rather-" Adrian said with a relish. "-do it in a car or secluded park bench?"
"Wasn't that my question?" I asked him.
Adrian shrugged in reply. "I don't know how the paper ended up back in the bowl but I don't care. This is the question Belikov has to answer. Rather fitting, isn't it?"
I glared at him.
Things were bad enough without his insinuations.
"How's it fitting?" Christian asked, puzzled.
Tasha changed the subject for some reason. "Just answer the question, Dimka."
I swallowed, still not looking at Dimitri.
On one hand, I wanted to hear Dimitri's answer so that I could tease him later but on the other, I did not need more fuel to fire my fantasies.
Since everyone was looking at Dimitri curiously, I figured I should do the same to not give rise to suspicions, even though almost everyone knew about us.
Sort of.
Dimitri's eyes were on Adrian but, as though sensing my gaze, he turned his head to lock eyes with me.
Something passed between us at the moment, something warm and powerful and magnetic…
"I'll go with Rose's choice," he said softly.
I looked away quickly as my breath hitched.
There was something in the way he'd worded that sentence, something that lurked in those beautiful eyes that told me that he was not exactly telling the truth.
Perhaps he agreed with my choice…not the one I'd said out loud but the one I'd mentally chosen.
What did that mean?
All I knew was that I was finding it hard to breath. It felt like a fire was burning in my veins and there was nothing I could do to put it out.
"Well." I exhaled shakily, dumping all slips of paper into the bowl. "That's that. Let's move on to the next game, shall we?"
AN: Okay, I know it's bad but it's still the longest chapter so hopefully, you'll all be able to forgive me _/\_
So, what did you think about this chapter? Liked it? Hated it? Let me know in a review :)