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“I don’t know. It just seemed like the kind of thing she’d do for a laugh, but she claimed one of the others was hers, so who knows?”
“We should’ve just stuck with Truth or Dare or something.” I groan, running a hand through my hair and stifling a yawn.
“Are you tired?”
I shake my head. “Not too tired, no.”
“Truth?” he presses, stepping toward me again.
“What if I wanted a dare?” I tease, poking his stomach.
He grabs my hand, holding it still, and I swallow. His warmth is so overwhelming and comforting it makes my whole body tingle.
“I’m tired,” I admit, “but I’m scared if I go to sleep, I’ll see it—see her—again.”
He slides his hand up my arm slowly, releasing a slow breath through his nose. Then, both arms come around me, and he pulls me into a hug. His chin rests atop my head as he holds me, saying nothing at all.
Somehow, it’s exactly what I needed.
Cool tears collect in my eyes, and I fight against them with everything in me. If I cry, my tears will soak through his shirt, and he’ll know. I can’t let him see how fragile I am. I won’t survive it.
“Your turn,” I whisper, pulling back and pretending to scratch my cheeks as I brush my tears away. If he realizes that’s what I’m doing, he’s kind enough not to mention it.
“My turn?”
“Truth or dare?”
“We’re not actually playing that game.”
“Oh, no. You don’t get to back out now. Truth or dare, Memphis?”
“Truth,” he says finally.
I think for a moment. I’d been counting on him choosing a dare instead. Finally, I turn to lean back against the island and stare at him standing next to me. “What happened with the other person you were attracted to?”
It takes him a long time to answer. “Other person?”
“You said you don’t hire people you’re attracted to because it hasn’t worked out for you in the past. Why? What happened?”
“Oh.” He turns, resting his back against the island, too, so we’re shoulder to shoulder. “There’s no real story. My parents hired someone before Mary, and we had a short thing. It ended awkwardly for everyone, and she left. Lesson learned.”
“I’m sorry.” I nudge his arm with mine.
“Don’t be. It wasn’t serious. I just…learned to never mix business with pleasure.”
The wordpleasureon his lips sends a zing of electricity through my body. I study him, trying to read his expression in the dark room. He opens his mouth, and I wait for what he’s going to say next. I shouldn’t be feeling this way about him, whatever way that is. It doesn’t make sense to me. And yet, it’s the only thing that does make sense.
“Your turn,” he whispers, turning slightly so he’s facing me.
“Truth.”
“Why are you still down here?”
I swallow. “What? Because I’m talking to you, obviously.”
“That’s the only reason?”
Every atom in my body is alive with electricity and adrenaline, my skin buzzing as we move closer together. “What other reason would there be?”
