Wicked Games
Page 26

For some reason, that made my face flare bright red, and I averted my eyes as Lana’s gaze widened on me, then flicked back to Dean, then back to me again.
The last of the food was divvied up, and Dean and I watched as Lana and Leon made short work of the remaining sausages and cheese. When the food was gone, Lana licked her fingertip and retrieved every crumb from the bag, and we laughed at the sight. Strangely enough, that small bit of food bonded us, and there were smiles on all of our faces by the time Lana finished up and gave one final sigh.
“Why don’t you guys go and grab some more water?” Lana suggested. “Abby and I will stoke up the fire.”
Leon gave Lana a meaningful look and then turned and clapped Dean on the back. “Sounds good to me. You want to show me where your well is, just in case?”
“Just in case of what?” I retorted, but Lana linked her arm in mine and began to drag me back to camp. I cast a helpless look at Dean, but he winked at me and clapped Leon on the back, and they left camp. They headed down the beach, their heads together in discussion. Dean’s hands waved as if he were measuring something, and I guessed that the conversation was all about food. Figured.
Lana seemed rather quiet as she prodded the fire, but that wasn’t so unusual. I slunk down on one of the logs that passed as a bench and sighed. Already I missed the beach house.
She cast a sly glance over at me. “So how was it?”
I propped my chin up on my fist and grinned. “The reward? It was really nice.”
“No, I meant sleeping with Dean. How was it?”
I sucked in a breath, not expecting that. Had we been so obvious? We weren’t holding hands when we got off the boat, and it’s not like we’d kissed each other. I thought we were being fairly normal in front of them. “I’m not sure what you mean,” I began.
Lana snorted at my hedging. “You blush every time you look at him now. And he looks at you like you’re his property. He didn’t look at you that way before. Wasn’t hard to guess.”
“Nothing happened,” I protested.
“Was there alcohol? I’d have guessed that the producers tried to set up a romantic interlude. Easy to do when you’re drunk.”
I clamped my jaws shut and refused to answer, staring hard at the sorry fire. Lana still couldn’t make a fire quite like I could. I took one of the sticks and adjusted the heavy log on top to allow more air to get to the coals beneath.
“Oh, Abby,” she said in a disappointed voice. “He’s playing for two million dollars, girlfriend. Don’t make more of this than it is. He’s just using you because you’re a vote for him.”
“That’s not what it was like,” I said stiffly. A small, angry part of me was horrified that she’d even think that I was stupid enough to fall for something like that. Or worse yet, that no one could possibly be interested in me for me, just for what I could do for him. She hadn’t been there. “You don’t know Dean like I do.”
Her smile was wry and a bit sad as she came to sit next to me on the log. She nudged me with her elbow. “So tell me, then. Tell me what you know about him that’s different from what I know.”
My mouth went dry. “He doesn’t have a girlfriend—”
“That he told you about,” she interjected smoothly. “Guys will say anything to get laid.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “Why am I bothering to explain anything to you? You’re determined to think he’s a sleazeball and I’m an idiot, right? So it doesn’t matter what I say at this point.”
She grabbed my hand and dragged it back down, then squeezed it to get my attention. “Hey, hey. I’m just trying to be the big sister looking out for you.”
“That’s ironic,” I said in a sulky tone. “I probably weigh double what you do.”
“And you’re about a foot taller,” she agreed.
A smile touched the edges of my mouth and I buried my head in my hands. “Oh god, I hope I didn’t make a stupid mistake. I really, really like him.”
“If he’s half the guy you say he is and you like him, go for it.” Her tiny hand patted me on the back. “I could be wrong about this kind of thing. You never know.”
I desperately hoped she was.
“Besides,” she continued. “Look at it this way. As long as you’re sucking his dick, you’ll have his vote if he makes it to the jury before you do.”
“Lana!”
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” She chuckled and gave me a hug. “Man, who’d have thought that your team would be the one to hook up? I totally did not call that.”
“Me either,” I agreed, shaking my head. “It just kind of happened, you know?”
“That’s usually how things go,” she agreed, digging her toes in the sand next to my own. “I’m not going to say anything to Leon, though.”
Relief shot through me. “Thanks.”
“Nothing to it. I’ve pulled him into our little alliance, but as far as he knows, Will isn’t part of it. It’s just you, me, and Dean. Now we’re four strong, but Will is with us. And when we get to the merge, we’ll have control.” Her eyes gleamed in a predatory way. “And we can pick them all off and waltz right to the millions.”
 
 
Chapter Ten
 
 
When we first got stranded, I kept thinking about my next meal. Now all I keep thinking about is when I get to touch Abby again. I’m starting to hate when the others come over to our campsite.—Dean Woodall, Day 18
 
 
Something about Lana’s calculated chess moves through the game bothered me, but I kept quiet. When she drew Dean aside and told him her plan and he was equally enthusiastic, I kept my fears to myself. Maybe I was just being a chicken—but something about pulling in so many people bothered me. Perhaps because I was afraid that the more people in our alliance, the less valuable each member was. Still, you had to make big moves to get to the end, and Lana was definitely making some smart moves. I had to admire her for that.
Dusk fell and eventually Lana and Leon moved back to their own campsite, waving at us until the darkness swallowed them up.
No sooner did they leave than Dean grabbed me and pulled my body against his, his mouth hot on my own. “Thank Christ. I thought they’d never leave.” His hands slid to my ass, cupping it and pulling me against him.
Well, at least Dean and I were on the same page. My worries momentarily put aside, I wrapped my arms around his neck and drew him down to me, licking the edges of his mouth. He tasted slightly salty this time, tangy with the sea around us, and bits of sandy grit rubbed between our bodies as we pressed against each other.
And then I winced as I watched a fat mosquito land on my arm. I jerked away from him, slapping at the creature. “God, I wish we were back in our cabin.”
“Are you kidding? This gives me the perfect chance to oil you up,” Dean said with a grin. He took my hand in his and led me around the campfire into the bushes, where he’d hidden our prized bug repellent. As he leaned over, I caught a perfect view of his lean, tight ass and slapped it.
Dean jerked back up, surprised.