Page 68 of Twisted Truth

“Yeah, not the same answers for us this time. Where are your houses?”

“Saint-Tropez, Tuscany, Malibu, Aspen, and Montreal.”

“Oh, so just a couple, then.”

He smirks. “Just a couple. Next question: what’s your favorite way to celebrate your birthday? When is your birthday, by the way?”

“It’s July eighteenth. And . . . I don’t know. A dinner with friends and family, I guess. Maybe a little get together if people could make it.”

“If people could make it? Good god, you even try to people please on your birthday. No big, lavish party? No big vacation plans?”

I laugh, rolling my eyes. “Living in New York leaves very few pennies to my name once I pay all my bills. Lavish parties or vacations aren’t in my budget.”

“They are now.”

I tap my chin thoughtfully. “I guess they are, aren’t they? But still, spending time with my closest people would still be my preference. And you?”

“Same, actually. I’ve had enough large, lavish parties thrown in my honor that they’ve sort of lost their luster. I don’t mind them once in a while, but not all the time. However, after spending some time with family and friends, I would gift myself a good vacation.”

“And where would you go?”

“To one of my houses. Or somewhere new. Whatever I wasfeeling at that moment. What about you, if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”

“Scotland. But also anywhere, really. I’ve mostly just traveled across the US. I’ve been to Canada for dance retreats a few times, and I went on a trip to Spain, Portugal, and Italy with Zahra. But mostly my world travel is pretty low.”

“Looks like we’re going to have to change that, Ms. Hale.”

“I look forward to it, Mr. Langford.”

“I think it’s time to move on to the truth or dare section of the evening,” he says, leaning down onto his side. “But seeing as we have already shared plenty of truths, we should skip straight ahead to the dares.”

“You sound eager, Mr. Langford. Did you have a particular dare in mind?”

“I wouldn’t mind a live reading of your recently read book.”

“I don’t have the book with me.”

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s already downloaded onto my phone.” His devious smile is back in place.

“What?”

“That’s what I was doing a minute ago. You gave the book such a rave review, how could I resist getting my own copy?”

“You did not.”

“I most certainly did. Now, back to the game. I will search some key words, and we’ll see where the book takes us. Shall we?”

He types something into his phone as I hold my breath.

His eyes light up, and he grins like a madman. “Yes. There are seventy-two entries for ‘cock.’ So, those are some good options.” He types again. Then he bursts out laughing. “There aresixty-nineentries for ‘pussy!’ What are the odds? I think we’ll start there.”

Oh, god. I’m mortified and laughing so hard that I fall over on the bed. “You haven’t dared me,” I say through my laughter, trying to sit up.

“You are right. We must follow proper truth or dare protocol. Ella Hale, I solemnly, double dog dare you to read page one hundred eighty-two of this book, out loud, right now.”

He holds out the phone, and I take it, slapping my palm to my forehead and running it down my face. How the hell am I going to get through reading this out loud?

“‘She was breathless, eager,’”I start, but I break into giggles and have a hard time getting it together. I take a long breath. “Okay, I can do this.‘Her pussy was wet and waiting at the sight of his perfect, swollen cock. He stroked’. . . I can’t!” I cry out, laughing so hard tears start to form in my eyes. There’s something about reading smut in silence versus reading it out loud. Speaking the words to another person, especially an attractive man, makes me giggle like the awkward preteen I felt like at dinner.