As I looked at the soft brown hair falling across Rose’s furrowed eyebrows, an idea started to grow. ‘Wait,’ I said. ‘Rose, if you want to keep playing, you can. But I think we need to raise the stakes a little. I propose that anybody who needs to can borrow more chips from the bank, but at the end of five more hands, whoever has the most chips owns whoever has the least. The loser agrees to do anything the winner says.’
‘Like Truth or Dare,’ said Rick.
‘More like indentured servitude,’ said Jake. ‘What happens if you don’t want to subject yourself to this?’
‘No problem,’ I said. ‘You just lose the old-fashioned way, before the five hands are up. Then you’re out. But if you can hold on, you just might win big.’
Jake laughed. ‘Fine,’ he said. ‘I’m in.’
I knew Rose would never catch up in five hands. What I didn’t know was whether she was truly a terrible card-player, whether she had drunk too much to have good judgment, or whether she was now secretly intrigued at the idea of losing under my rules. Pretty soon, only three of us were left. ‘This is it,’ I said. ‘Jake, Rose and me. One of us will own another in just a few short minutes.’
‘Wait a minute,’ said Jake. ‘Maybe we’d better clarify. “Own” for how long? What are the rules?’
‘How about for the rest of the night?’ I said. ‘Until dawn.’
Jake raised an eyebrow. ‘And what are the restrictions?’
‘I guess that’s up to us,’ I said. ‘Does anybody want to place restrictions on the winner?’
I looked around. Rose gave a little shrug and smiled down at her hands. Rick laughed and looked back at me. ‘I’m out,’ he said. ‘Don’t ask me. If Jake’s not scared of you two, you can all go ahead as far as I’m concerned.’
‘Fine,’ said Jake. ‘Sky’s the limit, until daybreak.’
Rose dealt the cards and I slowly picked up mine. Three jacks. I felt my thighs tingle and I bit my lip, trying to hold onto my poker face. We placed our final bets, showed our cards and the game was over; Rose was mine.
‘Jake,’ I said. ‘Thank you so much for having us here for the party. If you hear from Cathy, please let her know we took Rose home with us, and that she’ll be just fine.’
I stood up and took Rose’s hand, leading her into Jake’s bedroom where our coats were tossed on the bed. ‘Rose,’ I said, facing her. ‘You don’t have to do this. I think you should – I think it’ll be good for you – but you need to make your decision now, because if you do come with us you won’t get any more choices for a while.’
She looked at me wide-eyed, and slowly nodded. ‘I lost the game,’ she said. ‘I’m coming.’ She slipped her arms into her soft blue coat and followed me back to the living room.
‘Ready, Rick?’ I asked.
‘Whatever you say,’ he answered with a laugh.
‘No,’ I said. ‘From now on, whatever you say.’ I took Rose’s hand and put it in his. ‘Happy birthday, sweetheart.’
In ten minutes, the three of us were at his large apartment where I poured one glass of wine and handed it to Rick. ‘Sit down, sweetie,’ I said. ‘And tell us what you want. We’re both here for you tonight.’ He took the glass and sat on the smooth leather sofa, leaving Rose and me standing in the centre of the living room. I stepped behind Rose and put my arms around her gently. I was a little taller, but with her boots and my high heels, we somehow lined up just right so I was able to rest my chin on her shoulder. I smiled and winked at Rick. ‘Molly,’ he said, putting his feet up, ‘Would you kiss Rose’s neck?’
‘Yes, please,’ I said. I had never kissed a woman before – anywhere – but Rose looked soft and delicious and I slowly turned my head and touched my lips to her bare white neck. With my arms still around her waist, I felt her body tense slightly, but she didn’t move away from me. I looked at Rick and he nodded.
‘Go ahead,’ he said softly. I brushed my lips against the back of her neck and then kissed her again, just below her right ear. She caught her breath and I licked my lips. I began covering the back of her slightly quivering neck with moist kisses. Looking up every few moments to make sure I was pleasing Rick, I moved slowly around to her front. Rose’s low-cut white T-shirt left an expanse of pale skin available to my mouth, which was gradually becoming hungrier for her as I continued our gentle game. I found the outline of her tiny Adam’s apple, and bent my head to kiss all the way around it. I pointed my tongue and placed it at the inner edge of her left shoulder blade, running it upward to the earlobe. I felt her quiver and wondered how she was feeling.
‘You are beautiful,’ said Rick. ‘Will you kiss her face for me?’ I nodded and moved my lips to Rose’s cheek. It was plump and warm. I kissed again, moving slightly higher, and tasted salt.
‘Are you all right?’ I whispered. Rose nodded and I licked the tear away. She closed her eyes, allowing me to kiss both eyelids. Her soft face was gorgeous and my enthusiasm grew as I covered it with kisses.
‘Her mouth, please,’ said Rick. I hesitated. To kiss a woman on the mouth – I wondered whether I would finally know what men feel when they do that. I looked at Rose’s bright eyes, which sparkled back at me. I placed my lips on hers for a second and then backed off in surprise. Her mouth was so small, so soft. The feeling was completely different from that of kissing Rick or any other man. And I wanted it again, badly. I put my hands on Rose’s shoulders and turned her, to make sure Rick could see both of us. And then I wetted my lips and pressed my open mouth against hers. I nibbled and licked and tasted her sweetness and I felt her respond, pressing her tongue into me. I closed my eyes and kissed again and felt her hands on my waist.
Breathless, I stopped and rubbed my cheek against hers. I was excited by her gentle voluptuousness, and her compliance, but I did not want to hurt her. I turned to look at Rick, who seemed to understand what I was thinking.
‘Rose,’ he said. ‘You are a beautiful girl, and I would love to look at you. How would you feel about that?’ I watched her face. She shivered slightly and then the left side of her mouth curled up into a half-smile. ‘Has a woman ever undressed you before, Rose?’ he asked. She shook her head decisively and then smiled broadly, lowering her eyes in embarrassment. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘I’m going to ask Molly to do this for me, but if you’re unhappy, you just tell me and I’ll stop her.’ Rose nodded her understanding, apparently enjoying her passive role. No one had asked her to be silent, but it increased the sense of mystery for me. Our exquisite toy, willing but shy, was making me eager to see more of her too. I turned to Rick for instruction.
‘Take her shirt off, Moll,’ he said.