“Dude, no worries.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “You were standing up for my girlfriend. How can I hold that against you?”

“Thanks, C-man,” Romeo said, but he still sounded distraught. “You got all the ink off, right?”

“Yeah. I covered that painting with some old-school Renaissance varnish before I sold it. That shit is bulletproof. It’s as good as new.”

“Are you sure?” Romeo obviously felt terrible.

I didn’t feel like explaining that the painting was now a total write-off because Tiffany was insane and her dad had never paid. I really didn’t care, but it probably would’ve bummed Romeo out to know. “Seriously, dude. It’s fine.”

“Thank you, C-man.” Romeo gave me a fist bump.

“Whoa!” Samantha cried.

Me and Romeo turned around to see what the fuss was.

Kamiko was having difficulty walking, even with Madison and Samantha helping.

I immediately went to help, but before I got there, Brandon swept Kamiko up into his arms and carried her. Compared to him, she looked like a small child.

“Don’t puke on him, Kamiko,” Romeo warned.

“It’s okay,” Brandon said confidently. “I think she’ll be fine.”

“Okay, puke away!” Romeo joked tiredly. It had been a long night for everyone.

When we got to my car, Samantha offered to sit in the back so Kamiko could have easy access to the window in an emergency.

“You don’t have a barf-bag in the glove box, do you?” Samantha asked.

“No,” I smiled.

After we all climbed in, Brandon gently lowered Kamiko into the front seat.

“Look at her love eyes,” Romeo snickered.

Brandon looked slightly embarrassed. I couldn’t tell if he was into Kamiko or not. He was usually inscrutable when it came to the ladies, with the exception of Samantha, where he’d made himself crystal clear from the start. Who knows, maybe Kamiko would grow on him. She was pretty damn cute.

“Good night, everybody,” Brandon said. “And happy New Year!” He slapped the roof of my Camaro as we drove off.

I smirked to myself.

If this year was going to be a happy one, I was going to need all the help I could get.

SAMANTHA

We made it back to my apartment shortly before sunrise. Kamiko was passed out. Christos picked her up out of the car.

“Where do you want her?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said. “Romeo? Are you okay to drive?”

“Uhh,” Romeo said nervously.

“You guys better sleep here,” I said.

“Okay,” Romeo said reluctantly as we all walked up the stairs to my apartment. “But only if I get to sleep with Christos.”

“As if,” I said while unlocking my door. “He’s sleeping in my bed.”

“Perfect!” Romeo said, “you can share the couch with Kamiko while Christos shares your bed with me!”

“Down, Romeo!” I said. “It’s my apartment, and I decide who sleeps where.”

Romeo rolled his eyes. “Fine. Party pooper.”

While Romeo and Christos took turns in the bathroom, I changed into a t-shirt and boxers.

“Christos,” I asked, “can you pull out the bed in my sofa while I help Kamiko use the bathroom? I’ve got extra sheets in my closet.”

“Sure,” he answered warmly.

“Gaaaah,” Kamiko moaned as I walked her into the bathroom.

Kamiko managed to pee on her own, but I stood watch in case she accidentally slipped into the bowl while flushing and we never heard from her again.

The sofa bed was all made up when I led her out of the bathroom. I sat her on the end of the mattress. Romeo took her shoes off while I pulled her dress over her head. Since it was Romeo, I never thought twice about him seeing her in her underwear. Christos, on the other hand, waited in my bedroom, I think out of politeness.

I removed Kamiko’s bra and slid one of my t-shirts over her head before putting her to bed.

“Nnnnn,” she said when her head landed on the pillow.

I put the wastebasket I kept beside my desk for paper trash next to Kamiko’s side of the bed.

“You’re on puke patrol,” I said to Romeo. “If Kamiko needs to hurl, you need to help.”

“It would be my honor,” he said, tucking in one arm while bowing in a courtly manner. He hung his jacket and pants over the back of my desk chair. While standing and bouncing on one leg, he pulled his skinny jeans off one leg at a time, turning each one inside out. “I forgot how tight these are.” He rolled his eyes. “The things I do for fashion.”

As he lifted up the corner of the covers, he gave me a serious look. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to sleep with Kamiko?”

“What do you mean?”

“I might try to take advantage of her in the middle of the night. Maybe it’s safer if the boys sleep with the boys, and the girls sleep with the girls.”

I folded my arms. “No, Romeo,” I smiled.

He crawled into bed and I shut out the lights.

“Fine, Sam. But don’t blame me if you’re torn from your slumber by Kamiko’s plaintive cries for help.”

“I think Kamiko will be fine,” I said. “But I better lock my bedroom door, for Christos’ sake. You better not try anything,” I warned.

“How about a three-way?” he whispered hopefully. “You won’t even know I’m there. I’ll be in the back, if you know what I mean.”

“No, Romeo! You’re crazy! Now go to sleep,” I pleaded before closing the bedroom door behind me.

Christos was already lying on my bed, stripped to his boxers. His tattooed arms were folded casually behind his head. My bedside lamp shone on him invitingly, casting dramatic shadows over his ripped muscles in the near-darkness of my bedroom. His abs suggested that now was a good time to lick them, no matter how late it was.

“Hello,” I purred.

He chuckled. “Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on Romeo? I mean, can you blame him for lusting after me?”

I smirked. “I’m going to be hard on you, if you don’t stop talking about Romeo.” Seized by newfound confidence, I crawled onto the bed on all fours and dipped my head, licking my way around his abs, loitering around his navel for awhile, which made him moan. I licked my way up his chest, then stopped at a nipple and nipped it with my teeth.

“Mmmm,” Christos moaned.

I suppressed my giggles as my hair pooled over his chest. I reminded myself Romeo and Kamiko were in the next room.

“I heard that,” Romeo said in a low voice from the living room.

I froze in place, the tip of my tongue touching Christos’ nipple.

“Please, Sam?” Romeo begged. “Can I at least watch?”

Christos and I burst out laughing.

“Quiet, you guys,” Romeo said sternly, “I can’t sleep with all that racket.”

I rested my head on Christos’ chest. “We’re going to sleep now. I promise, Romeo.”

“Awesome. I’ll wait until you’re snoring, then I’ll sneak in like a butt bandit. I’ll even be wearing one of those little black bandit-masks with the eyeholes.”

“Good NIGHT, Romeo!” I said.

“Uuuuugh,” Romeo sighed. “Fine. See you guys in the morning.”

“Sorry, no New Year’s nookie for you, agápi mou,” Christos whispered sarcastically.

“That goes for the both of us,” I taunted before kissing him on the lips, turning off my lamp, and snuggling up against him. “I’m sure we’ll have ample opportunity later.”

“You mean for that pageant you talked about hosting?” I heard a smile in his voice.

“Yes,” I said. “It will be a very exclusive event. Only the two of us are invited.”

“Mmmm,” he said, “I like the sound of that. If you hear me moaning in my sleep, you’ll know that’s me dreaming about it. Good night, agápi mou.”

“Hey, no fair! How am I supposed to sleep now that you put that idea in my head?”

“You’ll figure it out.” He kissed my cheek and stroked my shoulder. “I’ll be right here. Wake me if you need anything.”

Christos commenced softly fake-snoring.

“You so suck, Christos.”