Jamie watched Crystal approach the pool table. Dressed in a low-cut silk blouse, black ankle pants, and strappy heels, she was the epitome of casual sexy. After studying the table for a moment, she bent at the waist and prepared to make her shot. The curve of her ass was quite enticing. So much so that he nearly forgot to pay attention to her shot—and the spectacle The Humiliator would undoubtedly cause.

Except it didn’t.

Crystal hit the ball, and it went exactly where she said it would. The room grew instantly silent.

“What the hell just happened?” Tori said, breaking the eerie quiet.

Crystal peered over at her and shrugged. Then she moved around the table and called her next shot. Which she sank as effortlessly as the first.

“Wait a minute.” Tori stalked to Crystal with narrowed eyes. “Did you swap out your cue?”

Crystal held up the stick and pointed to the black writing. “Nope, still says manky pillock.”

Tori shook her head. “Unbelievable.”

Sean joined her and studied the cue. “What sorcery is this?” he breathed rather dramatically, which drew a laugh from several of the others.

Crystal gave them both a haughty stare. “Maybe Hugh just needed someone to believe in him.”

“Hugh?” Jamie blurted the name the moment he realized what she’d done. “You’ve given The Humiliator a nickname.”

“I’ve given him his rightful name—Hugh the Humiliator.” She clutched the cue like a weapon as she looked around at everyone. “Prepare to be humiliated. Each and every one of you. You thought you could label him. You sought to marginalize him. But no more. Hugh is ready for revenge.”

Silence reigned for a brief moment before Cam burst into laughter. This started a flood of hilarity as everyone cracked up, Jamie included. He moved closer to where she stood. “You should be a writer,” he said.

“You sound like Alaina,” Crystal muttered. “Prepare to lose,” she told Jamie as she turned back to the table and proceeded to knock every ball into a pocket in rapid succession.

As she went to rerack, everyone in the room seemed to collectively shake their heads.

“This is unprecedented,” Sean said. “Tori, I think you guys have to give that cue to Crystal.”

Tori refilled her glass and held up the bottle of whiskey in silent question. Jamie went to get more. “What I want to know is whether the curse is really broken or if The…excuse me, Hugh, has decided to align with just Crystal.”

“Meaning, if someone else tried, it would go back to being horrible,” Sean said.

“It’s a theory,” Tori said with a shrug.

Crystal finished reracking. “That no one is going to test. Hugh’s mine now.” She broke, immediately sending a ball into the corner pocket. With every subsequent hit, everyone moved closer to the table. Brooke kept score, adding after Crystal sank each ball. As she neared fifty, everyone joined in, and when she claimed victory, the entire room broke into loud cheers.

“All hail The Humiliator!” Cam shouted.

“Hugh.” Crystal corrected, grinning. She held Hugh up over her head, and Cam bowed in deference. She brought the cue down and pressed a kiss to the wood.

Watching her lips pucker sent a shaft of heat to Jamie’s groin. For whatever reason, he was digging Crystal tonight in a way he never had before.

Tori held her glass up in a toast. “To Crystal and Hugh’s amazing victory!”

Jamie went to the bar and poured another whiskey for Crystal, then took it to her. “Cheers.” He tapped his glass against hers.

She lifted the glass and took a hearty drink.

“And with that, I need to call it a night,” Kelsey said, setting her glass on the counter. “I think I’ve had enough.”

Luke set his glass down and put his arm around Kelsey. “Let’s catch a ride upstairs.”

“We’ll come with you,” Brooke said, nodding toward Cam.

The two couples said their good-byes and left. Tori loaded the empty glasses into the dishwasher. “We should get home too,” she said, looking at Sean. “Ian will be up early.” That was their young son.

“You guys leaving?” Sean asked Jamie and Crystal.

Jamie probably should’ve tagged along with Cam and Brooke since he lived across the street from them, but the car would be full. Plus, he wasn’t quite ready to leave. “Nah. All you couples are lightweights.”

Crystal clacked her glass against his again. “Agreed.”

Sean chuckled. “Probably. ’Night.” He and Tori left.

Jamie turned to Crystal and caught her frowning at her glass.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“At the risk of sounding like a lightweight, I think I should stop with the whiskey.” She went to the bar and set her glass down.

Jamie followed her and tossed back the rest of his drink before depositing his empty glass on the counter. “Bummer. I’ve still got at least an hour left in me.”

She cast him a sly smile. “I didn’t say I was done. I’m going back to beer.” She reluctantly leaned Hugh against the bar before looking over at Jamie. “Want one?”

“Sure.” He watched as she pulled down a couple of pint glasses and filled them from the tap. “Are you going to sleep with Hugh tonight?”

She laughed, a deep, dusky sound that fired the sexual hunger that had been thrumming in the background of his body all evening. “I might.”

He was suddenly quite jealous of Hugh. “First he gets a kiss, then he gets to share your bed? Lucky pool cue.”

She arched a blonde brow at him as she slid his pint glass over the bar to him. “You’re a flirt.”

“Not typically. But what can I say, you’ve inspired me.”

She rolled her eyes, smiling. “I don’t buy it for a minute.” She picked up her pint glass and Hugh and went to one of the leather couches where she sank down and sipped her beer. She leveled a knowing stare at him. “I think you are a flirt, and I think you just tell women you aren’t.”

He moved to the couch opposite hers and sat down, propping his feet on the coffee table between them. “Not true. It’s not as if I never flirt, but you make me sound like a player. That’s my brother. Or was until he met Brooke.”

“That’s right.” She set Hugh perpendicular to the floor and spun him in her hand. The erotic images that innocent movement sparked made him shake his head. “So you aren’t a player?” she asked.

He took a healthy drink of beer to clear his mind of lust. “Nah. I don’t have the social skills. Too much of a book nerd.”

She stopped spinning Hugh and leaned him against the couch beside her. “Not me. I always got in trouble for being too social. You’d never hear anyone accuse me of being a book nerd.”

“Never?”

She shook her head before sipping her beer.

“Are you sure?” he asked, thinking that he was feeling particularly flirty. “When you drink after a ‘never’ question it usually means you have.”

Her brows flew up her forehead and her lips curved into a sultry smile. “You mean ‘Never have I ever.’”

He shrugged. “We played it as ‘I never.’”

She settled back against the couch, cradling her pint glass. “Okay, then. Never have I ever been called a book nerd.”

“So we’re playing?” In his experience, this game typically got dirtier and dirtier as it wore on due to the quantity of alcohol being ingested. Except he was already quite tipsy. Or maybe even drunk. Was she?

“Why not?” she said. “Your turn.”

“Do I have to keep it clean?”

She laughed, and that low, husky, sultry sound flowed over him. “You are such a flirt.”

“Never have I ever been called a flirt.”

When he didn’t drink, she sat forward and let out a whoop of laughter. “Liar! I just called you a flirt!”

He grinned. “I guess you did. My bad.”

“You have to lose a piece of clothing as well as take a drink.”

He nearly spat out his beer but managed to swallow it. “What?”

“If you’re caught in a lie, you have to remove a piece of clothing. Those are the rules.”

“I’ve never heard of that. I think you’re just trying to get me naked.”

Her gaze was steely. “Let’s go. One item.”

Part of him wanted to argue, but the other part—the one that wanted to see her naked—urged him to just take off his damn shoes already. He pulled his feet from the table and set his glass down. He kicked off his shoes and put his feet back up. “I’m assuming both shoes are one item. I’ve played strip poker before.”

“Yep.” Her eyes narrowed seductively. “Never have I ever been hungover on New Year’s Day.”

He waited for her to drink and when she didn’t, said, “I call bullshit.”

She gave him an innocent stare. “It’s true. I’m really good at holding my liquor.”

He still wasn’t buying it. “How will I know if you’re lying?”

“You just want me to take off my clothes.”

He recalled the curve of her ass as she bent over the pool table. “I do, in fact.”

With those four words, the heat in the room seemed to rise.

Without breaking eye contact, she reached down and pulled off her strappy heels.

“You did lie,” he said.

She put her bare feet on the table across from his and wiggled her toes. “No. My feet hurt.”

He laughed. “Okay. Never have I ever worn heels.” He sipped his beer.

It was her turn to laugh. “Why?”

“Halloween party when I was in London. Some other guys and I went as the Spice Girls.”

Her eyes widened briefly, then grew animated. “Oh my God, I loved them. I was a total dork when I met Victoria Beckham a few years ago.”

“Nice. I suppose she’s just one of the multitude of famous people you meet. Probably every day.”

She half laughed, half snorted. “Not so much. I mean, yes, I’ve met lots of famous people, but not every day. Especially not here in Ribbon Ridge.”

He gave her a pointed look. “Except Alaina Pierce is your best friend.”

“And Kyle Archer is your brother-in-law. Or something.”

Jamie thought about that. What was he exactly? “Half-brother-in-law, I guess? And he’s not exactly A-list. He’s just a celebrity chef.”

“Who’s up for Iron Chef in a couple of months. That’s nothing to sneeze at.”

Jamie supposed that was true. “It’s your turn.”

She gave him an enigmatic half smile. “Never have I ever met Russell Crowe.”

When she didn’t drink, he wanted to call foul again. “How can that be?”

“You think that because I’m Alaina’s assistant, I’ve met everyone working in movies? They’ve never done a project together, and we’ve never run into him at an awards show or industry event. Bummer too, because Gladiator is one of my all-time favorite movies.”

“Me too. But damn, that ending guts me every time.” He cocked his head to the side. “You keep saying things you haven’t actually done. Are you trying to avoid drinking? If you want to stop, we can.” If she truly had a record of no New Year’s Day hangovers, he didn’t want her to break her streak.

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll drink next time.” She winked at him. “Your turn.”

“Never have I ever been to a party with Prince Harry.” He drank.

She pulled her feet down and sat straight up, leaning forward, in one fluid, whiplash movement. “Shut. Up.”

“Well, not with him, but I met him. Nice bloke.”

“Okay, that is way better than any famous person I’ve met.” Her gaze softened. “Is he as tall and gorgeous as I think?”

Jamie chuckled. “I have no idea. How tall and gorgeous do you think he is?”

“Super gorgeous.” She slid him a glance that clearly said, duh. Propping her feet back up, she settled into the couch once more. “And he’s six inches taller than me. And nine months older. In other words, we’d be perfect for each other.” She sent him another look, this one full of self-mockery. “I’ve been planning our wedding since I was ten. Just ask Alaina.”

“Well, it seems you ought to meet him, then.”

She bolted upright again. “You could make that happen?”

“Probably not. Sorry. Anyway, I think he has a girlfriend now.”

She slouched back with a dejected sigh. “I know.”

“I’m six-one,” Jamie said, recalling the prince was maybe the same height or just slightly taller. “Not nearly as good looking, though.”

Crystal tipped her head to the side and studied him. “You’re no Prince Harry, but you’re cute.”

“I’ll take that. Your turn.”

“Let’s see… Never have I ever made out with a celebrity.” This time, she took a drink.

“You going to kiss and tell?” When she shook her head, he prodded for more information. “Just making out?”

She peered at him over the top of her glass. “How naughty do you want to take this game?”

Her sultry look heated his body once more. “If you recall, I was all for the stripping part. In fact, there’s been a disappointing lack of that.”

A smile teased her lips. “I see. Honestly, if it wasn’t so cold out, I’d suggest a dip in the hot tub. I think that’s uncovered at least.”

“Can it be too cold if the water is over a hundred degrees?”

“Good point. But I don’t have a suit.”

“Neither do I. Never have I ever gone skinny dipping.” He sipped his beer. “In a hot tub.” He drank again. “With a hot blonde.” This time he didn’t drink but simply stared at her in open invitation.

She pulled her feet from the table and rose from the couch. “There are towels in the locker room. Give me a head start.” She turned and padded toward the gym.

Jamie was familiar with the layout of the Archers’ party-central lower floor: full bar, pool table, state-of-the-art movie theater, world-class wine cellar, Rob Archer’s home brewery, gym, and locker room that led out to the pool and hot tub. He’d spent many a day and night here from the time he’d been in elementary school. His body thrummed with anticipation as he forced himself to be patient. After about three minutes—he couldn’t stand to wait any longer—he stood and went to the gym, passing through to the locker room where he saw her clothing neatly folded on the bench that was fixed to the wall. He stripped off his shirt, nearly popping a button in his haste, and tossed it toward the bench. It missed and fluttered to the floor as he pulled his jeans off and threw them, along with his boxer briefs, in the vicinity of his shirt.

He pulled a towel from the cupboard and wrapped it around his waist before making his way outside. The frigid air hardened his nipples and summoned goose bumps along his flesh.

The hot tub was under the patio that led off the great room upstairs. Crystal had left the lights off, unfortunately.

“Took you long enough,” she said.

“And here I thought I was maybe rushing.” He stepped to the tub and flicked a glance toward her towel near the edge. “Did you leave the lights off on purpose?”

“Seemed the appropriate thing to do.”

“For privacy or to set a mood? It’s an important distinction, I think.”

“You make a good point. I did it for privacy, actually.” Her response was a jab of disappointment. “Anyway, I thought our ‘mood’ was rather set.” There was just enough light from the house for him to see the artful arch of her brow.

He dropped his towel and stepped into the hot tub, welcoming the steam and almost too hot water enveloping his body. As he sat across from her, she allowed her gaze to rove over him.

“Damn, you’re ripped,” she said with a touch of reverence that banished any residual chill from the January night air.

He inhaled deeply, welcoming the humidity into his lungs. “I started lifting weights here, actually, when I was ten. That’s what happens when you have three older brothers—you have to be sure you can defend yourself. I liked it, so my parents bought me my own weights, and it’s just part of my daily regimen.”

“I like to kickbox.”

“That sounds pretty badass. So together we could pretty much take on anything.”

She looked out toward the sprawling backyard and the forested area beyond. “What, like Sasquatch?”

He chuckled. “Maybe. Probably only deer out there, though. Maybe a stray bobcat or coyote pack.”

“Is that all? Well, I’d rather not have to kickbox a passel of wild animals if that’s okay.”

“I think we’re safe. Worst thing I’ve ever seen here is a skunk.” He’d been a kid, maybe eight years old. “It doused Cam and Hayden, while Luke and I laughed at them.”

She laughed as she stretched her arms out and skimmed her palms over the water. Jamie tried to make out her breasts beneath the water, but it was too dark.

“We left our beers inside,” Jamie said. “How are we supposed to finish the game?”

“And we’re already naked, so we can’t just do the stripping part.” She sighed. “I guess we have to call a draw.”

“Bummer. Things were getting interesting.”

She continued dragging her hands over the water. “Hmm. Truth or dare?”

Oh, he liked her. He had the sense she was the sort of woman who took what she wanted and didn’t play games. “Truth.”

“When’s the last time you had sex?”

His cock, already on its way to full arousal, went rock hard. “October. I think.” He mentally counted. “Yes, October. Your turn—truth or dare?”

She didn’t immediately answer and when she finally did, it surprised him. “Dare.”

He’d planned to ask her the same question she’d asked him, and wondered if she knew it and had chosen dare to avoid it. “I have to think about this for a second,” he said. His cock was trying very hard to rule his brain and very much wanted her to show him her breasts and maybe tug on her nipples while doing so or really go for broke and dare her to kiss him.

Ultimately he was able to rein in his libido and start with something a little tamer. Hopefully they’d work up to the other tantalizing things. “Show me what you sound like when you have an orgasm.”

Surprise flashed in her eyes. “I thought for sure you’d ask for a kiss.”

“I considered it. And I still might.”

“To clarify, you just want me to make the sounds, not actually have an orgasm?”

Oh hell. Was she asking what he thought she was asking? The idea of her masturbating across the hot tub was enough to make him stroke his hand along the length of his cock. But just once. He was far too close to the point of no return. Who was he kidding? He was getting off tonight, one way or another.

He put his arms up along the edge of the tub, both because the heat was getting to him and he didn’t trust himself not to grip his erection and show her what he sounded like.

“Uh, I meant just the sounds.” His voice was deep and lust filled. He cleared his throat. “But, you do whatever you need to do.”

“Okay.” She fixed her gaze on his and drew her hands in toward her chest. Her fingers delved beneath the surface of the water, but not too far. He could just make out their movements as they teased her breasts. “Just giving myself a little motivation.”

Desire, hot and consuming, pulsed through him. Then she opened her mouth and moaned, a low, excruciatingly sexy sound that nearly drew a similar groan from his throat.

Her eyes slitted as she panted. “Yes. Oh yes.” She cupped her breasts, and they rose above the water, her skin wet and glossy in the meager light.

Jamie licked his lips as he worked to keep his raging lust in check. She was going to wreck him, and they’d just started.

Closing her eyes fully, she leaned her head back against the edge of the tub. Her mouth dropped open. “Yes, yes, yes.” She moaned louder and longer, then sharp cries punctuated the air. If he didn’t know better, he would say she was coming right now. Could she do that by just touching her breasts? He didn’t doubt it, not when he felt so damn close himself.

The cries dropped into a deep, guttural groan. She gasped, and her eyes flew open.

Her hands came up to the sides of the hot tub, mirroring his pose. “How was that?”

It took everything he had not to surge across the hot tub. “The most erotic thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Thank you.” She sounded flattered. “Your turn. Truth or dare? And I really hope you aren’t going to be a disappointment and say truth.”

Not a fucking chance. “Dare me.”

“Well, it seems like I should go with the kissing thing. But with a caveat. You can’t touch me other than our mouths.”

That sounded difficult, especially in the water. But he’d take what he could get. “Over there?” he asked.

She nodded, taking her hands down and turning on the seat.

He floated over and sat down beside her, angling himself toward her. “No touching at all?”

“Just your lips on mine.”

“Tongue?”

She shrugged. “Up to you.”

Oh, there’d be tongue all right. He leaned in and kissed her, bringing his mouth against hers and teasing her lips. Closing his eyes, he gripped the edge of the tub with one hand and flattened his other palm against his thigh, all the while telling himself not to touch her.

She kissed him back, her lips moving and playing with his. He licked along the seam of her mouth, and she opened. Then her tongue met his, and all bets were off. He pushed his palm into his flesh and clutched the edge of the tub as he relaxed his jaw and swept his tongue into her mouth. He thrust forward and retreated, coaxing her to do the same. Not that she needed it. She met him stroke for stroke, lick for lick. He withdrew slightly, slowing things for a moment and using his teeth on her lower lip. She gasped into his mouth then let out a softer, quieter version of the groan she’d demonstrated before.

His blood fired with need and his hand lifted from his thigh. Just before he touched her, he slapped it back down. Her mouth opened, and she went on the assault, ravaging him with her kiss. He didn’t know how much more he could take.

Her hand clutched the back of his neck and he pulled back, opening his eyes. “You touched me,” he said. “Seems like there should be a penalty.”

Her gaze was dark and hooded. “Name it.”

“Well, obviously, I get to touch you.” He saw the acquiescence in her eyes and the subtle nod of her head. “But I get to choose how.”

She sucked in a breath. “Yes.”

Oh man. There were so many things he wanted to do to her. And maybe he’d get the chance. But right now, he wanted to feel her heat, and he wanted to make her come so that she could make those noises for real.

He took his left hand from his thigh and found hers. Trailing his fingers upward, he slipped them between her legs. “Here. Unless you tell me not to.”

She turned on the seat so that her back was against the side and opened her thighs, giving him complete access. “I want you to.”

Blood surged in his cock as his fingers slipped into her tight channel. She cast her head back against the tub and closed her eyes. He kissed her neck, his lips and tongue dancing over her flesh. He pumped his finger into her, slowly at first, then gathering more speed. He added his thumb to her clit and pressed between strokes. She clutched at his back and lifted her hips from the bench.

“Oh God,” she cried out, followed by a series of moans. He kissed her, taking her incoherent sounds into his mouth and working her with his hand.

Her nails dug into his shoulders, and he felt her muscles tighten around his fingers. She pulled back and let out a deep, keening moan that made her fake orgasm pale in comparison.

She was panting, and he realized he was also breathing hard. His cock ached for completion.

When her breathing slowed, she opened her eyes and fixed on him. “Do you have a condom?”

Did he? “Maybe in my wallet.”

“There’s probably some in the bathroom down here.” She kissed him hard and fast. “That was amazing.” She pushed up from the seat and stood, water sluicing from her body. He got a good look finally—from her incredible breasts to her flat stomach to the flare of her hips. She was curvy and athletic, with clearly defined muscles.

She climbed from the tub and grabbed her towel, but not before he got a tantalizing view of her ass. Looking down at him over her shoulder as she wrapped the towel around herself, she curved her lips up. “You coming?”

“I sure as hell hope so.” He bounded out of the tub and picked up his towel, following her inside.

They’d barely crossed the threshold before she turned and slid her arms around his neck, kissing him with wild abandon. He turned with her and pressed her against the wall next to the door. She dropped her towel as he brought his hand between them and cupped her breast, squeezing her hot, damp flesh. She arched into him and he pulled his lips from hers, dropping his mouth to her nipple and dragging his tongue across the hardened tip.

She thrust her hands into his hair, tugging at him. “Yes.”

He sucked on her, teasing her nipple and stroking her flesh with his fingers. With his other hand, he cupped the back of her neck, anchoring himself against her.

“Jamie.” She sounded breathless. So damn sexy. “Condom, please.”

Reluctantly, he left her and went to his jeans, rifling through the pockets until he found his wallet. Opening it, he dumped the contents before looking at her in abject disappointment. “Don’t have one.”

She went to the bathroom off the locker room, and he heard drawers opening. A moment later, she came back with a wrapper between her fingers and a gorgeous, victorious smile. “Now, where do you want to do this?”

“Anywhere you want. I’d go for the fucking wall right now.”

Her gaze dipped to his erection. “I can see that.”

She raised her eyes to his face. “Okay, there’s the wall, that rather pathetic bench behind you, the couches in the other room, the movie theater, the wine cellar—there’s a good counter in there if memory serves, or we could be boring and use a bed.”

Right, Derek’s bedroom was down here. Jamie pondered his choices, but quickly decided his brain was too lust addled to think clearly. He stalked toward her and took the condom. After unwrapping it, he slipped it over his cock. Then he backed her against the wall and kissed her, his tongue spearing into her mouth as surely as he meant to spear into her sheath.

He put his fingers against her, feeling her wet heat. Damn, she was sexy. He clutched her thigh. “Put your leg around my hip.”

She did as he said, and guided his cock inside her. Pleasure washed over him as her muscles welcomed him and squeezed. He wrapped his hand around her other thigh, lifting her and pinning her between him and the wall.

He looked into her eyes and began to move. “I thought we could start this way.” He gripped her ass as he stroked inside her.

Her eyelids fluttered but didn’t close. “God, you are so strong.”

“Just wait until I carry you into the other room.”

Her gaze fixed on his for a moment. “You can’t do that.”

“Hold on tight.” He pulled her from the wall and walked from the locker room.

She clasped her arms around him, gasping. “You are so fucking strong.”

“I told you—I’ve been lifting weights for seventeen years.”

“Shit, you’re twenty-seven?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Never mind. Just shut up and kiss me.”

He happily obliged, taking her mouth with his lips and teeth and tongue. Steering her over to the wine cellar, he found the counter she was talking about. It was lower than a kitchen counter, just perfect for what he had in mind. Setting her on the edge, he pulled his mouth from hers. “How’s that?” he asked.

“You’re not moving.”

“Not yet. You’re greedy.”

“I’m horny. And I thought you were too.”

“Honey, that doesn’t even come close to describing what I feel for you right now. This is the hottest, craziest, best sex of my life.”

She blinked at him, her gaze hazy with desire. “How can you say that yet?”

He caressed her breast, his fingertips pulling on her hardened nipple and coaxing a moan from her throat. He grinned and thrust into her with devilish intent. “Because we’re just getting started.”