"Amara and Zesai," Kieran called out.
Zesai and Amara jolted upright on their pillow, like someone had dumped cold water on them.
The weed had fogged their heads, dulling the edges of everything, and they'd completely spaced out on the fact that they were part of this game too.
Now it hit them, hard. They were supposed to kiss. Each other. In front of everyone.
"Shit, Mom, what do we do?" Zesai whispered, his voice low and panicky, his blue eyes darting to her. His hands fidgeted in his lap.
Amara sat frozen, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. Her mind spun, sluggish from the weed, trying to claw its way to a plan, but nothing stuck. Her green dress shimmered as she shifted, the fur coat slipping off one shoulder, her chest rising fast under the tight fabric.
"Come on, come on," Kieran said, popping up from his spot next to Brielle. He stepped over pillows. He reached down, grabbing Amara's hand and yanked her to her feet. She stumbled a little, her heels wobbling, and Zesai scrambled up after her, brushing off his tux pants. Kieran gave them a nudge, herding them into the spotlight at the center of the room.
They stood there, facing each other, the bright light blinding them to the crowd. Amara's ponytail swayed as she tilted her head up, her blue eyes locking onto Zesai's. His bow tie was crooked, his face flushed, and his hands twitched at his sides like he didn't know where to put them.
"Hey, get moving or you're out!" a guy shouted from the shadows. The crowd murmured, restless.
Zesai took a shaky breath and stepped closer. His hands, trembling, slid up to Amara's arms, fingers brushing her bare skin where the coat had fallen away. He pulled her in slow, wrapping his arms around her waist, the green silk cool against his palms. She leaned into him, her boobs pressing soft against his chest through the tux jacket.
Amara watched his face come closer, his lips parting slightly. Then they met, his mouth warm and firm on hers. She let out a soft moan, barely audible, as her son kissed her. The room melted away, the hoots, the candles, the weed smoke all gone. It was just them.
Zesai's heart slammed against his ribs, blood roaring in his ears, his head spinning like he'd chugged a whole bottle of high alcohol wine.
He opened his mouth wider, and her tongue slipped in, slowly at first, then bold. It brushed his, wet and hot, and he pushed back, their tongues tangling, fighting to taste more. His hands tightened on her hips, fingers digging into the dress, pulling her closer.
The crowd broke out, whistles piercing the air, hoots bouncing off the walls but neither of them heard it. They weren't thinking about the audience, about the game, about anything but the heat building between them.
Zesai's tongue swirled around hers, hungry, and she matched him, her lips sucking gently, then harder. Their bodies pressed tight, her boobs squishing against him, his hips shifting just enough to grind into her.
No hands wandered under clothes, no groping, just a kiss but the raw want pouring off them hit the room like a shockwave. Everyone felt it.
The timer dinged, sharp and loud, but they didn't stop. Zesai's hands slid up her back, tracing the coat, and Amara arched into him, her breath hitching.
Their mouths stayed locked, tongues still dancing, bodies swaying like they couldn't peel apart. The room heated up, couples on the pillows started kissing too, soft moans rising. Hands slipped up dresses, fingers sneaking into panties, fabric rustling. Six guys shifted, hard-ons straining against their pants, outlines clear in the dim light.
"Alright, alright, time's up, you lovebirds," Kieran said, laughing as he jumped up. He stepped into the spotlight. He tugged them apart, breaking their kiss. "Still got a few more pairs to go."
Zesai stumbled back, his lips tingling, wet from her. Amara swayed slightly, her coat slipping further, one hand brushing her mouth like she could still feel him there.
They sank back onto their pillow, side by side, bodies buzzing. Their chests heaved, breaths coming fast and ragged, and they trembled with excitement, shock, something deeper they couldn't name. That kiss had lit them up like nothing ever had, wrong as hell but feeling so right, so easy. They stared at the empty spotlight, silent, waiting for the next couple to step up.