Author's Note: This is for the Dare You to Write challenge on LJ so I figured I'd post this here too!

Let the games begin

The bright red box was begging her to bring it upstairs to play but she knew everyone would hate her for it. With a soft smile at the box, she ignored the feeling in her gut, grabbed it, and hurried up the steps. Before she had even come up out of the basement, he stood in the doorway, blocking her way and smirking.

"No way!"

"Nathan…" she whined, pouting, pulling the puppy dog eyes and bit lip bit.

"Hales…," he groaned and shook his head vehemently. "Nuh uh, no way."

"Please…it's my favorite game."

"That's because you win every time!"

"Not every time," she whispered softly.

"Only if Luke plays with us!" she gasped in indignation.

"I always beat Luke and I will tonight," she said confidently.

"Wrong Scott, Scott and we're not playing," he teased.

"You always beat me," Haley tried but to no avail all her persuasion techniques were failing, her husband was not to be swayed tonight. He took a swig of his beer and Haley let out a heavy sigh. "I love this game," she said lowering her voice to a seductive growl. "And if we play…I will make it worth your while…"

"No," Nathan said firmly and she quickly scooted herself closer to him leaning up against his chest, her breath hot on his neck.

"You sure about that?" she whispered again as her free hand traced up his chest her nails digging in as she heard him groan softly.

"If I don't play will you do this to me, anyway?" he breathed out as he struggled to keep himself in check, trying not to get Haley's mind games in his head.

She shook her head as she stood on her tiptoes and met his lip in a quick kiss, with only a tease of her tongue leaving Nathan panting for more. "Nope," she said making the P pop. "Couch for you, mister," she condemned as she peppered kisses down his collar bone.

"Haley…." Nathan groaned at her and she knew he was getting to him.

"Please, Nate?" she asked softly. "Pretty please?" she fluttered her eyelashes, her nails digging in to his chest, again.

"God, Haley," he blew out.

"You know you want to play with me…" she whispered and Nathan wished he could just take her right then and there, but knows he can't with their guests in the room next door.

"I do…in bed," he said quirking a brow at her and hitching his head in the direction of the stairs. Haley giggled at him and shook her head.

"We have guests."

"So? They won't care!" he protested.

"They'll throw a hissy fit and you know it. So can we play it, please?"

"I hate it."

"I know you do but I hate watching ESPN, but I do it. I hate doing your laundry full of disgusting basketball gear, but I do it. I do a lot of things I hate for you, Nathan Lee Scott, so will you do this one," she pressed her lips to his once again "thing" she nipped at his lips "for" her lips trailed down his collar bone "me?" she questioned and he groaned, his head hanging down, allowing easier access for Haley.

"I hate when you use sex as your poker chip," he murmured.

"I know you do, baby," Haley hissed out as he laid a claim on her neck as she arched into him.

"Sure you can wait until after?" he questioned.

"I'm a tutor…I have limitless amount of patience," she revealed with a smirk as he pulled her closer to him. "And I'm married to you," she teased. He used his one free hand to squeeze her ass and she gasped. "Nathan!"

"Is that limitless amount of patience running out….say about now?" she shook her head.

"We're playing," she said.

"No, we're not."

"Nathan, no sex for you!" she whispered pulling away from his grasp. It was difficult with one hand but she extracted herself from him and put her hand on her hip.

"You're incorrigible. And now, I'm going out and playing my favorite game without you because you're being a jerk," she hissed out and took a few steps away from the door. Knowing he was in the doghouse he quickly put his beer down and grabbed her wrist, whirling her around to face him. "Nathan," she warned but he ignored the warning and pulled him to her.

"Do you really want to play?" he questioned, looking her straight in the eye.

"I really want to play," she said, putting emphasis on really.

"Let's do it, then." Haley let out a squeal and popped a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "That's all I get?" Haley grinned and pushed her closer to him. He leaned down eagerly as she met his lips in a kiss full of passion and swirling tongues. For a moment, Haley almost forgot about the game until her hand lost all strength and melted just like the rest of her body was doing. No one could kiss like her husband could and he was damn proud of it.

The box dropped, making a loud noise and Haley tried to pull out of the kiss to pick it up but Nathan was having none of it.

"They're like dry humping in here, Jesus!" the shrill voice of Brooke Davis broke into their blissful silence. "Get a room for God sake's. No, don't…Haley…I'm bored!" Haley grinned as they ended their kiss and Nathan grumbled, loudly.

"Bitchy Brooke…great." Haley shot him an admonishing glare as she leaned down to pick up the box. "Can you turn?" Nathan asked quietly as he leaned down and picked up his beer.

"Excuse me?" Haley questioned him.

"Turn sideways and pick that up, please?" his head cocked sideways and Haley couldn't help the grin that was creeping up her lips.

"Are you checking me out, Mr. Scott?"

"As always," he said with a broad grin and Brooke groaned.

"Good God, will you get your asses moving? Save me from the brooding ones, puhlease!" Brooke whispered loudly and dramatically. Haley grinned.

"Are Peyton, Jake, and Luke being too much for you?"

"Just a bit. I love them all to pieces but really, I can only take so much brooding! And Lucas gives me enough of that to last a lifetime! Honestly, you'd think they'd cheer up a bit but never…brood, brood, brood and then there's Tim with that girl…who can't keep their paws to themselves, kind of like you two…" Haley laughed and Nathan grabbed her arm and made her turn as she picked up the last of the box's remnants.

"So what have you two been up to?"

"I wanted to play this," she said indicating the box.

"A game!" Brooke squealed as Nathan made a quiet comment causing Haley to blush and Brooke to groan.

"Nice ass."

"Nathan, stop!" Brooke admonished before the words shot out of Haley's mouth. "You'd think after fifteen years and three kids you two would stop acting like newlyweds but you never stop."

Haley and Nathan simply shrugged. "She's hot," Nathan explains as if it's the simplest thing in the world and Haley nodded her agreement for him.

"He's insatiable," she says with a slight frown and a chuckle from Nathan rumbles up.

"I'm insatiable? What about you? My little sex fiend?" Haley once again blushed as she hip-checked him.

"Will you cool it?" she hissed swatting at the hand that has reached out to grip her hip and pull her to him.

"Guys, focus here, please," Brooke begged. "The seven of us never get to hang out with Luke and I out in California, Peyt and Jake down in Georgia and you guys in North Carolina! These two weeks in Maine are the only time we can hang out so puhlease stop doing what you do every single day of your lives and come sit with us?"

"Not every single day," Haley says slowly and mid-swallow of his beer, Nathan almost chokes with laughter at the glare Brooke shoots them. "I mean, when Nathan has road trips…it's kind of hard."

"I give up!" Brooke says throwing her hands in the air and heading out to the deck. Nathan's still chuckling to himself as Haley shrugs.

"It's true…now come on, Nate, let's go play."

"We were already playing," Nathan said huskily, sending shivers down Haley's spine.

"But we're not playing your favorite game."

"That was my favorite game…foreplay," he winked and Haley shook her head at him.

"Will you please behave?"

"I always behave."

"Nate," she warned.

"Okay, no more sexual references, I swear but game on, Scott," he said, breathing hotly on her neck before letting her go and strolling out to the deck.

"Argh!" Haley let out an aggravated groan but hurried behind him, anxious to play her favorite game.

"20 bucks, please," Brooke commanded from each member of the group and they all collectively groaned.

"What did you bet on?" Haley questioned, plopping herself into a seat directly across from Nathan.

"What you guys were up to. Everyone figured you had gone to the bedroom by now but not me," Brooke grinned broadly.

Haley blushed prettily and sighed. Since their second wedding the entire group had spent every second they could either discussing or betting on Nathan and Haley's sex life. Even after all these years…the talk of sex was uncomfortable for her and she still blushed. She loved having it, oh did she, but talking about it, not so much. She made a face at Nathan who simply laughed.

"So, Hales," Peyton spoke up. "What are we doing?" Haley grinned broadly. "Luke and I used to play this game all the time!" she said excitedly as Luke rolled his eyes.

"We're way too old for Ouija Board, Hales," Haley shook her head.

"Not that and besides I know you still play it! Brooke told me," Luke gasped and shot a dirty look at his wife.

"No, no SCATTERGORIES!" she said excitedly, clapping her hands. She plowed on, ignoring the silence. "Sorry it took so long…I had to find it and then convince Nathan to play,"

"What did you promise sexual favors?" Peyton questioned and Haley groaned. Nathan smirked in his wife's direction causing the whole group to laugh.

"What did you promise him?" Tim asked eagerly and Haley wrinkled her nose.

"Tim!" Nathan said hitting him in the head.

'Thank you,' Haley mouthed at Nathan, shooting him a grateful smile; he simply shrugged and waited for the game to begin.

"Okay, so here's how we play…" she was about to begin her spiel but Jake cut her off with a friendly grin.

"Haley, we wind up playing this every year we're up here, for the past five years not to mention all the times in college and then studying for SAT words…" the group groaned remembering Haley's intense drills during SAT season. Scattergories had been among her favorites to use.

"It helped," Haley protested.

"For you and Luke," Nathan mumbled under his breath.

"I heard that, Scott!" Haley said, giving him a menacing glare but failing miserably as a grin flickered across her lips. She opened the box and began passing out clipboards, paper, pens and the cards while placing the timer and die in the middle of the table. As everyone got comfortably settled into their competitive positions Haley grinned gleefully.

These gatherings in Maine, once a year were fabulous, she was so glad when Nathan had made it into the NBA that he had suggested getting a summer place, somewhere away from their place in North Carolina, to get away from his fame, his team after all was the Charlotte Bobcats, Haley had immediately pounced on the chance. They had bought a moderately sized cabin on the Belgrade Lakes and every summer they went up with their kids, and the rest of their old Tree Hill gang and their kids. The kids tired out much earlier than their adults and now it was their fun time.

She took a sip of her wine and cranked the timer so it was to zero. She rolled the die and it landed on 'Q' amidst the groans of her cohorts, Haley grinned widely, winking in Nathan's direction.

"Let the games begin," she said ominously and the whole group immediately cracked up, but sobered up as they eyed Haley's hand inching to the timer.

"They've already started," Nathan said lowly with a smirk and a wink, causing the group to burst out into another round of laughter but the moment she hit the timer, they sprang into action mode.

It was about the third round and thus far Nathan was keeping pace with the rest of the group, even Haley, much to her befuddlement. She finished scribbling her answers so the entire sheet and watched Nathan with his furrowed brow and look of utter concentration. She loved how into it he became, even as much as he protested at it he loved playing anything. The drive for winning was in him; he smirked and mumbled to himself how awesome he was at an answer that obviously tickled his fancy. She smirked as an idea formulated in her brain. Her foot was already resting on his chair, so if she moved it just slightly…she could significantly throw off his game. She slowly but surely moved her leg tantalizingly close to him, but no close enough. She scooted in slightly and the instant her foot made contact with him, he immediately shook his leg, assuming it was just an itch but as it progressed further up his leg, his frown deepened in annoyance and Haley desperately wanted to laugh out loud but she held it in. Her foot was tracing circles inching closer and closer to her intended target. He began squirming trying to get out of her reach but it was hopeless. He shot her a glare to stop but she simple shrugged in confusion.

He couldn't focus on the words in front of him that much he knew. He hated it when his wife pulled out the big guns and the whole night had been full of them blowing up in his face. He hadn't wanted to play this game, but she had convinced him…he had been playing pretty well but now…he couldn't think straight as Haley's foot was driving him insane. It felt good, real good, but not if he was trying to beat the pants off his wife. She sure did love to play dirty; he smirked, thinking of what he could tell her about that later.

Finally the timer popped and Haley's foot stopped the ministrations, causing his brain to thank god but his heart was going into triple time. He breathed a sigh of relief and Haley smirked. He looked at his list dismally seeing he had only got a chance to answer less than half of them. He wasn't going to be playing nice, no more.

As the group went around the room saying out loud their choices, some groaning at their similar choices, others commenting on good ones but Nathan nearly yelled out in frustration when he read the next one on the list. 'Athlete'…worst of all the letter was N. The others named off ones such as Nomar Garciaparra and others, Nathan wasn't mentioned. They asked Nathan and Nathan was quiet.

"Nate?" Haley questioned the smile on her lips wide and triumphant.

"Didn't have one," he says slowly and the whole table gasped out loud in shock. Of all people to not put someone for athlete…Nathan was not the choice, now Brooke or Haley that was a different story. "I was distracted," he muttered and Luke shot him a concerned look at his lapse in memory, his own name began with an N, how stupid could you get?

"What about you, Hales?" Luke questioned and Haley grinned.

"Nathan Scott."

"That wasn't very fair, Haley," Nathan murmured, loud enough for the group to hear.

"All's fair in love and war, baby," she shot back blowing him a kiss. It was so on.

The next two rounds went by without any revenge on Nathan's part. However, round five began and Nathan knew it was time to make his move. He glanced at the sheet and filled in all he could before he focused his eyes completely and totally on her.

Haley squirmed in her seat as she felt his stare land upon her. She expected it to let up as he worked on his sheet but it was not going away. Then she felt it and jumped. His arm had reached under the table and his fingers were lazily tracing circles along her thigh. This round was looking to be totally shot. She had scribbled one thing before this whole thing had started. She tried to move his hand off her leg so she could at least make an attempt to salvage this round but Nathan was not giving up. She had messed up a round of his; he was just doing the favor back. Payback was a bitch, she groaned at his ministrations and her lost round finally giving up and closing her eyes, letting her senses go on overdrive with Nathan's teasing hand. She nearly moaned out loud but then the timer popped and Nathan's hands immediately left her leg causing her to crave him even more. They went through the first one and everyone including Haley revealed her answer, it was the same as Peyton's so no point. They continued and Haley admitted her most embarrassing flaw.

"I don't have anything else," she mumbled.

"What was that Hales?" Nathan questioned his eyes sparkling as she glared at him in contempt.

"I don't have anything else!" Once again, the entire table looked shocked. Nathan chuckled lowly and smirked at her and she pouted. Realization dawned on the table and they all burst out into another gale of laughter with Lucas shuddering.

"Next round!" Haley announced. "I'm kicking your ass, Scott," she warned, pointing a finger at him.

"Bring it on," he threw right back.

"Oh I am."

"That is not a word!" Nathan complained in annoyance. He was doing great, for once and if that word truly was a word Lucas would have the lead with Haley and Nathan trailing by one point.

"I agree with Nathan," Haley said nodding her head vehemently. By now, Peyton, Jake, Brooke, Tim and his current 'flavor of two weeks' (as they had begun calling her as the years passed with new girl after new girl up in Maine) had given up playing for trying to place because obviously the game still meant something to the ultra-competitive Scotts.

"What do you guys say?" Haley asked, looking for input around the table.

"Luke, sweetie, are you making words up again?" Brooke questioned with a small grin at her husband's cheating ways.

"Brooke, it's a real word!"

"What is it?"

"A four letter word with the letter a…." Nathan explained.

"Ares," Haley deadpanned, disbelief written all across her face.

"Aries is a five letter word, Lucas!" Brooke hit him on the arm. "So you haven't been reading my horoscope? Liar!" she hissed out.

"Brooke…not Aries…A-R-E-S,"

"Prove it," Nathan commanded with Haley loudly voicing her agreement.

"Okay, I will," Lucas whipped out his palm pilot. Nathan and Haley exchanged a look of surprise at his weapon of choice. Nathan and Haley leaned forward waiting for him to say it didn't exist. "The god of war."

"Shut up!" exclaimed Haley. "Let me see," she grabbed the palm pilot out of his hand and groaned. "It's good."

"Lucas, you suck," Nathan muttered.

"Not as much as you, little brother," Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Get on with this so I can beat Lucas's ass in this game,"

"Me too," Haley chimed in and so they continued the game.

The game was in the midst of round ten when the patter of little feet came into the room demanding attention from the entire group.

"Mommy," she whined. Haley's hand stopped the timer, calling for a time-out.

"What's wrong, baby?" Haley questioned getting up from her seat and giving her oldest girl a hug.

"I can't sleep," she whispered.

"Poor girl," Haley consoled, crouching down and hugging her.

"Did you try counting sheep?" Nathan smiled softly while watching two of his three favorite girls in his world.

"I reached a hundred million," she said proudly as Nathan smiled to himself, knowing she could only count up to fifty at this point of her childhood.

"Is Char sleeping in your room?" Nathan grinned more broadly at the thought of their dog Charlotte (named after the Bobcats of course).

"Him and Ms. Pancakes," she said solemnly.

"What about Mr. Waffles?"

"He's with Kev and Liv…so it's okay,"

"Then what's the problem, Bri?" Nathan questioned and she shook her head in confusion.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed, not realizing he had been in the room as well, her eyes for the moment had only been on her mother but she was a Daddy's girl at heart.

"Why don't you go sit in Daddy's lap for a while?" Haley suggested. Nathan eyed his wife warily, knowing what she was up to.

"You know what Briana?" Nathan questioned. "Why don't you sit in Mommy's lap?" he suggested and Briana looked bewildered from parent to parent. She whimpered and both of their competitive drives bit the dust. Nathan scrambled out of his seat and picked Briana up and headed back to her room with Haley hot on his heels. "You guys are mean," Bri complained of her parents.

"Sorry, babe…Mommy and Daddy just get a little too into the game," Nathan said with a half-laugh.

"Like you and basketball?" her small voice questioned as they entered her room.

"Like me and basketball," he confirmed, laying her down in her bed while kissing her on the nose.

"Now, how can I solve this sleeping problem for you?"

"Where's Char?" she questioned. Nathan whistled and their beautiful border collie came running and curled up on Briana's bed.

"There she is…anything else sweetheart?" Haley asked stepping in from the doorway.

"Sing," Briana begged. "Both of you," Nathan groaned and Briana giggled. "Please?" she asked pulling the puppy dog mode, perfected from Haley's coaching no doubt and just like her mother, he fell for it.

"Hush little baby?" Haley questioned and Nathan nodded in affirmation before taking a deep breath, Haley had somehow cajoled him to sing to her in her early years and ever since Bri was a sucker for it and Nathan fell for it every time too.

"Hush little baby…don't say a word," Haley began softly and Nathan shortly joined in.

"Momma's gonna buy you a mockingbird

And if that mockingbird don't sing

Momm's gonna buy you a diamond ring

And if that diamond turns to brass…"

They sang the song and slowly but surely Briana Scott drifted off to sleep with a smile upon her face and Charlotte curled up on her feet. The happy parents quietly slipped out and headed back to the game.

"Game on!" Nathan whispered loudly, hip-checking Haley. She glared and hip-checked him right back, they laughed and hurried back to their spots to let round ten finish and the last two.

"Count up your score everyone!" Haley called out excitedly nearly jumping out of her seat in glee. Nathan rolled his eyes at his wife's eagerness but he was just as excited and couldn't wait to get out of this room and have his way with her. He was relieved that the game was over but he was pretty proud of himself. He had kept on pace with Haley and Lucas while Brooke and the rest of the group had given up.

Everyone sat counting up the last of their scores. Everyone shared theirs Tim and his girl had the most dismal scores possible with Brooke coming in a close third to last. Peyton fared slightly better and Jake settled for fourth place but then came placing the Scotts.

Lucas had quietly admitted his score and Nathan immediately lit up like a Christmas tree.

"I beat you!" he called out happily. "And I thought I could just beat your ass in athletics but I guess in brain games too," Lucas protested but Nathan had beat him by one solid point. Haley then shrieked with glee for she had beaten them all. Nathan by three points and so Haley burst out into a happy dance, as always, so the group hardly missed a beat.

And so, once again her favorite game, played once a year with these friends was finished with. She sighed sadly, the happy dance having ended and flopped back into her seat. Everyone began making their plans for the morning. Nathan smirked at her and she nodded her head slightly. The next game was going to be even better, she knew and so she winked at him and Nathan stood up nearly knocking the table over in the process.

"You'll have to excuse us everyone. We have some games to play,"

With a wiggle of his eyebrows, he rounded the corner of the table as everyone wondered what Nathan was talking about but it became obvious as he scooped Haley up and rushed out of the room.

"Use a condom!" Brooke called out. "We don't need another Scott kid running around!" the rest of the group cracked up at this comment as Haley shrieked her indignation and Nathan chuckled.

He climbed up the stairs and nearly dropped her in the process as she enticed him into a searing kiss. He almost tripped on the stairs, causing an onslaught of giggles from Haley.

"Shush," he warned kissing her on the nose. "I don't want any interruptions, Mrs. Scott,"

"Never, Mr. Scott," she gasped out and they finally made it to the bedroom.

"Finally!" Nathan said with a groan. "No more big words, Hales, ever again. Now it's time to play my favorite game,"

"It's one of my favorite games too, baby," she purred as he lay her down and crawled on top of her.

"Making love with me?" Nathan questioned softly as Haley's eyes met his full of unadulterated love.

"Of course."

"I love you," he swore as he stared down at his beautiful wife.

"I love you too," and she met his lips for another kiss as he started to unbutton the buttons on her blouse.

"I love that game," Haley chortled as she lay in bed, curled up in Nathan's arms, spent from not only the intense round of Scattergories, the adrenaline rush from winning and the as always, mind-blowing sex with her incredibly handsome husband.

"Which one?" Nathan teased, his hands skimming the naked skin of her back. Haley pondered this as her fingers massaged his abs.

"Both," she said with an impish grin before pulling him into another kiss.

"Me too," Nathan mumbled and she pulled away, gasping. "You didn't do too bad either, mister…second place! That's my boy," Haley said proudly. "I think my big vocabulary is finally rubbing off on you but wait a minute…OH. MY. GOD!"

"What? Haley are you okay? Do I need to call an ambulance?" she shook her head, giggles bubbling up.

"Did you just admit that you liked Scattergories?"

"Never," he swore.

"You did! Nathan likes Scattergories!" she says loudly in triumph.

"Shh…" Nathan said clamping a hand on her mouth, not wanting to wake up the kids or any of their friends, if they did, they'd never hear the end of it. Haley grinned from behind his hand.

"Did you just try to bite me?" he asks pulling his hand away from her mouth and wiping the drool of his hand. She giggled and shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Hales!" she giggled again.

"You admitted you like Scattergories…makes me kind of excited,"

"Oh yeah, how excited?" he asked huskily.

"Now, wait…why do you love Scattergories?"

"Because I love seeing you do well at something. Yes, you have singing and you love it, you have tutoring and you love it, you have being a mom and you love it but you never get to win games like I do and I love seeing you win because you get crazy happy when you do…just like me plus, for the very first time…I beat Lucas at it!" he said with a grin, kissing the side of her mouth.

"Well, Mr. Scott," Haley drawled out. "I do believe I can convince to participate in a win-win situation that makes the both us crazy happy?" she questioned with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"And what kind of situation would that be, Mrs. Scott?"

"Oh, I think you know," and so they fell into another passionate kiss and the night faded into early dawn, but neither noticed, too caught up in the game of each other, the game of love.