Yin Shou smiled.

He then stood up straight, walking pa.s.sed her in his boxer shorts. From her angle, she saw his print and flushed.

Xue Teegan walked away to find her sisters until Long Huojin, and Yin Shou returned fully clothed.

They were sitting in the living s.p.a.ce when Yin Shou sat down in an armchair lazily. Long Huojin found a spot next to Xue Guangli and placed an arm over her shoulders.

"We could use some drinks. Right Jin?" said Yin Shou with a sly smile.

Long Huojin didn"t respond, but Yin Shou had already narrowed his gaze on Xue Teegan and said, "I will have a scotch. But you can get whatever the others would like."

Xue Teegan offered him a cruel smile before she took everyone"s requests and got them drinks. After all, she lost the bet.

"Do you want me to do anything?" Xue Guangli asked Long Huojin.

Long Huojin shook his head, "No. But it will be fun watching Yin Shou and Teegan."

Yin Shou rose to get a card game as Xue Teegan returned with a tray of drinks. Yin Shou set down the card game on the table and began to drink, as did the others.

After feeling refreshed, he said, "We"re going to play "Who"s most likely.""

"I love that game!" Xue Guangli said eagerly.

"All right. For those who don"t know the rules of the game. All you have to do is vote for the person the card most likely applies too. Whoever gets voted the most has to take the shot," said Yin Shou.

"All right," said Xue Teegan. "Sounds simple enough."

Yin Shou picked up the first card, "Who"s most likely to snitch on their friend to avoid trouble from the police?"

"Xue Liena," they all said simultaneously. Xue Liena took the shot as it was a majority vote.

"Who"s most likely to have the lowest standards when it comes to selecting a partner?" Yin Shou asked.

"Xue Teegan," they all said. Xue Teegan let out a slight gasp before taking her shot of alcohol.

Yin Shou selected another card. "Who"s most likely to be a bottom during s.e.x?" he asked.

"Yin Shou!" said the others. Xue Teegan choked out a laugh that nearly had her tumbling over on the floor.

"Hey!" said Yin Shou. But Xue Teegan couldn"t stop laughing until her eyes glistened with tears.

"I am a top!" he pleaded for himself.

"What"s a bottom?" asked Xue Liena after sipping her drink.

Xue Guangli: "..."

Xue Teegan: "..."

Long Huojin: "..."

Long Bolin: "..."

Yin Shou: "So who"s going to tell her?"

Instinctively, Long Bolin reached out to cover her ears, afraid that Yin Shou would say something frivolous. And he shot daggers at him with his eyes, saying "don"t you dare."

Xue Liena stared at all of them innocently with her beading eyes, waiting for an answer.

"Let"s get to the next card!" Suggested Xue Teegan. They presumed the game, and because of how drunk they were, some of them ended up on the floor or stumbling across the room.

The sun was setting when Xue Guangli found Long Huojin sitting against the windowsill. She could hear the night-calling insects from the opened window as he smoked casually. She sat in front of him and leaned over as if she was crawling.

Long Huojin gave her a side-eye glance before taking the stick from his mouth and placing it between his middle and forefinger. He then reached out to put the cigarette in between her parted lips. Xue Guangli"s cheeks hollowed as she inhaled, watching his eyes, as he gazed at her lips.

Xue Guangli could see the desire in his eyes, the longing and want. It stunned her. She wondered when did he start looking at her like that?

The thing between them was still relatively new, and she wasn"t sure what to call it; she wasn"t sure how she felt entirely. Can she admit she loves him? Xue Guangli could feel it, rooted somewhere in her heart. But she was afraid to say anything out loud.

For now, just having him look at her like that, was enough to satisfy her.

Xue Guangli could see Yin Shou and Xue Teegan arguing over something. But Yin Shou towered her by nearly a foot, so it was easy for him to tease her.

Xue Guangli frowned after remembering something.

"Why haven"t you asked me to do anything?" she asked Long Huojin, pouting.

Long Huojin exhaled some smoke and chuckled. "Come closer," he said. Xue Guangli leaned in; her hair masked his expression like a curtain.

"I can"t ask you to do the things I want around them..." he glanced over at the others, and Xue Guangli reddened. She then understood what he meant.

She stood up, taking him by the hand, pa.s.sing the others while they were distracted to go to his room for some privacy.

Yin Shou found Xue Teegan sitting outside on the steps of the front porch watching the nightfall. He wondered where she went after doing dozens of things for him, such as getting snacks, making his drinks, and fanning him against the warm weather.

Without glancing up, she said, "The bet is done. The day is over."

Yin Shou smiled. "I didn"t come for more requests."

Xue Teegan t.i.tled her head back to see him. She was wearing a shawl again, but it barely covered her shoulders, defeating the purpose of wearing one. She smiled, taking his breath away as she shone her white pearls.

He took a seat next to her.

Xue Teegan took out a lighter; the flame lit the cigarette as she inhaled it.

"Smoking is bad for you," he said.

Xue Teegan exhaled, and white smoke filled the s.p.a.ce between them. When it dissipated, she held a smile. "And you care about my health?" she asked.

Yin Shou flushed. "N-no," he stuttered.

Xue Teegan smiled. Her long red-brown hair cascaded past her shoulders, curled at the ends. "Then why are you here besides to lecture me?" she teased.

"I"m not here to lecture you. It"s your choice, and I won"t ever do anything to stop you from doing anything you want. I just...I do care about you," he admitted.

"Good," she said. She then extinguished the cigarette. "I stole it from Long Huojin"s pack when he left it on the dining table. I don"t really smoke that much," she said.

Yin Shou chuckled. "There you go again Teegs. Always messing with me," he said with a broad smile. "Just like in high school."

Xue Teegan looked at him with a curious brow. "Oh?" she began. "And was I horrible back then?"

Yin Shou scoffed. "You were torturous. Practically every man pined after you and fell at your feet. You were the prettiest girl in school." After realizing what he said, Yin Shou flushed. He then glanced away because he realized he was a dumba.s.s for what he said.

"Shou," Xue Teegan called.

Yin Shou turned with red cheeks. But Xue Teegan was looking at him with a serious expression.

"I"m going to be straightforward. I find you attractive, but I don"t f.u.c.k my friends. So maybe we should end this flirtatious game," she said.

"Got it," he said disappointed.

"I don"t get involved in committed relations.h.i.+ps," she continued.

"Me neither," said Yin Shou.

"If we get involved...you won"t fall in love with me?" she asked.

"No," he responded.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Xue Teegan approached him slowly, leaning in close to his face. She grabbed his chin to look into his eyes. "I think this will be a mistake," she said.

"A big one," he admitted. And like that, Xue Teegan kissed him hard. Yin Shou met her kiss, desperately. He dominated by leaning in, and tasting what he had been yearning for all these years.

She began to roam her fingers over his clothes. She undid his collar, grabbing onto it as if she was holding onto rope, lifting herself from falling. He grabbed her thighs and lifted her on top of his lap, sliding his fingers onto her bare skin underneath her dress.

Xue Teegan tightened her grip around his shoulders and kissed him fervently until they were dazed.