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Actually, I’ll kiss anyone I want but him.
“What’s the goal? And the rewards?” I ask Briar to distract myself from the image that, of course, decides to invade my mind—me and him close, eyes full of meaning and wonder, and…
Jace hates me now. I don’t like him that much either.
I still remember what his lips felt like that one time I was insane enough to steal a kiss from him.
“The goal is to have fun,” Briar says, “and the reward is to see your date squirm. How does that sound?”
I crack my knuckles. “Excellent.”
Jace huffs, and when I look at him, his scowl tells me everything.Don’t think I’ll be the only one squirming.
“I take it these are the fire, then?” I point at a circle of shot glasses surrounding the cake. Red liquid already rests in the glasses, giving off pungent, spicy vibes.
“Yup,” Link says. “Hot sauce.”
This makes it clear why Juliette and Shane wouldn’t play. They’re sitting right behind Link and Briar. Juliette’s eyes are on us, her face miserable. I may despise her for what she’s doing to Jace, but I still feel bad for her. I can relate to her on a small level. She came here to have fun, but she can’t eat anything and a stranger ruined her night with a careless comment.
“Let’s get this going!” Briar claps her hands. “And remember, you can’t nope out of anything. If you’re in the circle, you play.”
Everyone cheers. I brace myself. I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy food, but I’ll take anything but the kiss. Anything.
The bucket moves around clockwise. Altogether, there are seven couples. I witness what happens for all prompts but the truth. Cake is eaten and thrown, and as impossible as it may seem, my mood lifts. I can’t wait to get my hands on the bucket and torture Jace. He sits on my left, so I get to decide his fate first. Yes, I know I’ll be paying for it right away, but I’m ready.
The bucket gets into my hands, and everyoneooohs. I wiggle my fingers through the sticks. Jace’s eyes narrow. He’s obviously thinkingDo your worst. Okay, then.
I slide out a stick. Cake. Yes! I drag over a plate and lift it to my shoulder level.
“Do it, do it, do it,” everyone chants.
Jace smirks.
I aim the plate at his face, but Jace throws his hand toward the cake, slides his fingers under the plate, stealing it from my grip, and sends it far onto the lawn.
“Hey!” Link protests. “That’s cheating.”
“I agree.” I stick an angry finger into Jace’s chest. “Cheater.”
“You had your chance. My turn.” He takes the bucket and pulls out the first stick he touches. “Truth.” It’s the first truth so far.
“Oh, sorry,” Briar chimes in. “This one’s a little different. For truth, anyone in the circle can ask a question.”
Jace drops the stick in front of him. “In that case, free for all.”
I was wrong. I’d rather kiss him a thousand times than show these strangers any of myself.
“I have one,” says a guy with curling blond hair. “Your name is Laurel Halifax. Are you Vincent Halifax’s daughter?”
It could be my levels of emotional exhaustion, or the fact that I’ve heard this question so many times my eye twitches whenever it comes up, but I snap. “Yes. The Fox is my father. And you know what? I’m sick of being asked that. Is being his daughter the only thing that defines me?”
My response stuns half the gathering into silence. The other half chuckles. Lounging on a settee by the doors to the house, Hal flips me a high thumbs-up. I grin back at him, feeling liberated.
“Pass the bucket,” Briar urges. “We’ve got to keep this moving.”
Jace offers the bucket to the next person without looking. His eyes are on me, entertained.
Hot sauce shots are chugged in earnest, and cake keeps flying. On my next turn I draw another cake prompt for Jace. He tosses it aside again even though I tell him to hold still.
