“We’d better get started snacking, then.”
He handed them back to her and went to the kitchen. “What are you drinking?”
She wrinkled her nose, tossing a couple cheese balls in her mouth. “What’s the least yucky beer you have?”
“I actually bought something special for my favorite lightweight.”
“I’m not a lightweight,” she protested. “I just don’t like beer.”
“I know. Voila.” He held up a bottle with a woodpecker on it. “Hard cider. Still alcoholic, but much sweeter. Without, you know, being one of those stupid flavored wine drinks. It was supposed to be for tomorrow,” he said with a teasing grin. “You know, the actual day of my party, but I guess you can have it early.”
“Aw, thank you. You’re the best.”
Soon they were settled on his sectional with the pizza between them, and a dumb 90s comedy series streaming on TV. And yes, she was eating pizza, because she’d already downed an entire bottle of cider waiting for it to arrive, and she needed to soak up the alcohol. The cider tasted so much better to her than beer, because she had a sweet tooth. It didn’t make her feel as bloated as beer, either.
“I love this stuff,” she said, as Steve brought her a second bottle.
“Good thing you don’t have to drive home.” He paused at the window on his way back to her. “Doubt you’ll get there on the train tonight, either. It’s really coming down.”
“Is it?” She joined him at the window, and yes, it was snowing like crazy. “Does this mean I’ll have to sleep over on your epic couch?”
“You’re welcome to my epic couch anytime, but tonight, yes, it’ll probably be necessary. I don’t want to lose you in any snow drifts. At least we have plenty of food.”
She smiled at him. “And cider. I’m loving the cider!”
“Just don’t love it too much, you lightweight. If you pass out before the games start, I’m going to be pissed.”
* * *
After a couple episodes of the TV series, they got bored and moved on to video games, then to a few heated rounds of Go Fish.
“This is okay,” she said, after she won for the third time. “But not as raunchy as the card games we usually play at these parties.”
“You need more people for the raunchy card games. Plus, I don’t want you to feel weird, you know? With just you and me here.”
His words surprised her. She never thought about Steve in that way. Well, she did now and again, because he was huge and hot and sexy, but he was also lovable and non-threatening, like an oversized puppy.
“I don’t think things can be weird with you.” She leaned back on his couch and stretched her legs. “Except that out of all the guys in the quartet, you and I hang out the least. Which is sad, right? Because you’re the most fun.”
“I’m surprised you’d say that. Well, I mean…” He stretched his legs too. “Considering your side-hustle adventures with the other two guys. From what I’ve heard, you have a lot of damn fun.”
“My ‘side-hustle adventures’?” His suggestive teasing brought a blush to her cheeks. “Okay, now you just turned things weird. Thanks a lot.”
He stood and went to the kitchen. “Where are those cheese balls?”
“They’re here, dumby.”
She picked them up from the coffee table as he returned with another beer and another cider…her fourth, now. Could that be right?
“Damn, Steve, you’re going to get me drunk.”
“Like you don’t always get drunk at the pajama parties? That’s why everyone wants you on their team for alcoholic poker.”
“Ugh, I just realized we can’t play alcoholic poker!”
It seemed like reason enough to gulp a few giant sips of the maybe-fourth cider. Steve started pounding cheese balls and she did too, because it didn’t seem very nice to make him eat them alone. “What were we talking about before the cheese balls?” she asked.
“Nothing.” A pause. “I don’t remember.”
“Oh, my side hustles with the other guys.” She narrowed her eyes. “Do they talk to you about me? Share all our private business?”
“No, not in a rude way, but I know when they’ve been with you. They treat you differently in rehearsal the next day.”
“They do not.”
Even as she protested, she thought back, wondering if it was true. She and Ethan had a pretty strong emotional connection, especially after one of their perverse rope scenes. As for her and Jonathan, she noticed him being a little extra-bossy after he’d dominated her, and given her a zillion orgasms, the way he preferred to do. Actually, maybe she acted a little different…
She took another sip of cider, then said, “Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. You know, that I bang the other guys? Things just kind of progressed that way.”
“It doesn’t bother me, I promise.” He threw a cheese ball at her, and she felt it stick in her hair. “Even if I was jealous, Rube, I wouldn’t subject you to…” His voice trailed off.