Chapter 2

When I heard that, my mind went blank.

There were only two guys to choose from.

One was Yara's boyfriend, Keith, and the other was...Yara's dad, Luis.

I could feel my cheeks burning as I sneakily glanced at Luis.

Dressed in a black turtleneck, Luis sat with an easy grace to my left, his physique, broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, clearly the result of regular workouts.

However, what really got me was how he sat: so straight and firm that the prominent outline impossible to miss.

It sent me into a bit of a panic.

"Come on, Nicole! You took the bet, now stick to it!" Yara was pushing me, and with no way out, I reluctantly faced Luis.

"Mr. Charlton, may I...may I sit on your lap?"

Luis just gave a silent nod and patted his thigh.

Feeling utterly mortified, I slowly moved over, lifting my skirt slightly, and perched on his lap.

"Ugh…"

His thigh muscles were rock-solid, making it quite uncomfortable.

Yara kept the time, and I sat there stiff as a board, too scared to even twitch.

His legs felt like they were cast in concrete, so hard it was almost surreal.

With my face all red, I did not dare meet Luis's eyes. However, then he leaned in and murmured in my ear, "Nicole, relax... I'm not going to bite..."

His words only made my heart race more.

I was so uncomfortable that I involuntarily wriggled a bit.

That got a reaction out of him, and he let out a low grunt right above me.

"Mmm... Nicole, try not to move..." Luis said, his hand firmly steadying me by my waist.

The heat from his palm seared through the fabric, sending a wave of sensitivity through me that left my legs feeling like jelly.

"Mr. Charlton... Please... Not on my waist..."

Embarrassment flooded me, and I was shaking so much I thought I might cry.

Those five minutes dragged on forever.

As soon as it was over, I grabbed my dress and bolted like a scared rabbit.

Looking back, I caught Luis's gaze; his build was impressive, and he watched me with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Thankfully, Yara had not picked up on our awkward exchange.

The game kicked off again, and I silently begged that it would not land on me this time.

However, fate was cruel, and the bottle spun right back to me.

Yara was smiling. "Nicole, lady luck's with you tonight! Don't forget to buy a lottery ticket for Christmas tomorrow!"

I felt a lump in my throat, but steeled myself to draw another card.

The card's challenge was clear.

[Give a piece of your intimate clothing to any guy here.]

Keith, who had been quiet, chimed in a bit too eagerly, "A bra, your panties... either works!"

Yara shot him a look that could kill. "Mind your own business, Keith. Stay out of it!"

Deep down, I knew Luis was my only option.

I was there to be Yara's wingwoman, after all.

Luis watched me with an unreadable expression, casually swirling his wine.

"Yara...can we maybe switch it up?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Luis's response was firm, saying, "Nicole, you've got to stick to the rules of the game..."

Trapped, I hesitantly slid my hand under my collar. With practiced ease, I reached behind and unhooked my bra.

Freed from its confines, my skin glowed pale in the dim light.

The impact hit me with a pang of empathy.

My cheeks blazed so hot, I thought they might bleed. With trembling fingers, I drew my camisole from beneath my collar and handed it to Luis.

"Is...is this okay now?"

I was mortified, desperate to vanish into thin air.

Luis's hand, large and unyielding, gripped the delicate white lace of my camisole, his fingers occasionally stroking it.

"Keep going, keep going..." Yara said, launching into another round of the game.