Page 264 of Devil’s Disciples

“I wasn’t manipulating you,” I lied.

“And, I’m not manipulating you now.”

“You are, too,” I argued.

“Manipulation is tricking someone into doing something. I won the grape tossing contest fair and square. You tried to claim you damned near choked to death, hoping I’d get the food out of sheer pity. I agreed, but only if you’d suck my cock later. You agreed to the blowjob offer, because you wanted my company on the ride to China-Go. This deal is as legit as the day is long. Zero manipulation.” He snatched his keys from the end table. “You ready to go?”

It sounded pretty legit.

I nodded. “I guess so.”

On the way to the door, I had a brainstorm.

“How about when we get home, we have a contest to see how many peas we can pluck out of the fried rice using chopsticks? If you lose, you lick my pussy.”

He opened the door. “Sounds good. What do I get if I win?”

There was no way he could win. “Two blowjobs,” I said.

“One tonight, one tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

I stepped through the door and onto the stairwell, all but tripping over a box that had been placed in front of the door.

He nodded toward the Zappos box. “What the fuck is that?”

I pushed the box inside the door with my foot. “New pair of Chucks. My old ones are getting raggedy.”

“What’s it doing up here?” he asked.

“The UPS guy always comes up the back steps. He knows I sit back here, and he likes to chat. I think he feels like he’s kicking it with a celebrity.”

He nodded, and then pulled the door closed. “So, do we have a deal?” he asked. “Chopsticks tricks for blowjobs?”

“You haven’t been practicing, have you?”

“Nope,” he said.

I laughed. “You’re going to lose. You can’t use chopsticks for shit.”

“What’s the punishment, again?”

I locked the door. “Licking my pussy.”

“Damn it,” he said. “Looks like you’ve manipulated me again.”

I paused and looked at him, confused as to who was manipulating who. Truth be known, I think Porter was manipulating me into manipulating him into having hot sex. But, he was doing so willingly, and knowingly.

Which, in my mind, meant that I was the one being manipulated.

I shrugged it off and followed him down the stairs, wondering if I could ever win at anything with him.

Anything at all.

98

Ghost