Page 30 of Double Dare

I know she likes this guy, and it’s fun to see her all giddy over him, but it ruins it when she gets self-conscious about the sex stuff. She’s a kinky thing, and he deserves to know that. How is he supposed to measure up to her level of kink when she won’t show him she likes it? He’s probably just playing it safe so he doesn’t scare her off. If she doesn’t open up, I’m going to have to drop this guy a lifeline so he can make a move.

Maeve helped me through so much, and now it’s my turn to help her. Whether she wants me to or not.

“Kade!” Jed shouts from the front porch.

I ignore him, taking a swig from the bottle of whiskey I’ve been carting around since dinner. Sometimes I think clearer with an unclear head. He calls my name three more times, so I sit down on the dock with my back to the house to show him I’m not interested.

After a few minutes, he stumbles down to me with a bunch of swears flying. “You’re such a dick,” he says, stepping onto the dock.

“What do you want, man? Leave me alone for a bit, yeah?” I throw a rock into the bay.

“You too drunk to drive?” he asks, sitting down beside me, feet dangling over the edge.

“Yep.”

“Me too. Laken went to our cabin, and now we’re both stuck here like drunk assholes. Probably serves us right, anyway.”

Guilt. “You think we’re dragging her down with our shit?”

“Probably,” he admits. “She’s one of those intuitive people. Like a damn witch or something. You think she doesn’t sense our bullshit?”

“We need to do better then,” I say, taking another sip.

He holds his hand out for the bottle, so I pass it to him. “It’s not just sex. You’re allowed to love her.”

I don’t even know what to say to that. I know I’m allowed to love her, I just never expected she’d love me back. “Sorry I hit you.”

“I hit you first,” he laughs. “We do our best talking while our faces bleed.”

Amen to that.

“Wanna beg Dad to drive us home like we’re fifteen and have no license?”

“Home?” I look at him.

“Fuck off. We’ve shared a tiny ass bedroom our whole lives. Would it really be that weird to consider living together?”

Not before this clusterfuck, but now it’s different because Laken would also be living there and our relationship dynamic isn’t sorted. Still not going to let myself get all hopeful that’ll work out how I want it to.

“I came with you to get your cock pierced,” Jed laughs. “Can’t get much closer than that. Regret not doing it.”

“That ship has sailed for you, bud. Don’t you want a night alone with her?”

He shakes his head and passes the bottle back. “Just come home with me. Stop being a twat.”

“Fine, but you’re asking Dad.”

After Dad made us sit in the backseat like delinquents, he dropped us off at Jed and Laken’s cabin, calling us fools.

We find Laken passed out on the couch with a box of Cheez-Its on her lap, hand still stuffed in the box, blond hair all over the place, sticking to her lips and blanketing half her face. Fuck, she’s a pretty mess.

Before the tension even has a chance to build, Jed walks right up to her, diminishing whatever awkwardness was about to form because we’re both alone with her with a new set of rules for the first time. Thanks to being drunk, we’re not focusing on it.

“Laken.” Jed runs a hand up her leg.

She doesn’t stir.

“Bossy.” I push her hair out of her face. “She is passed the fuck out.” I crash on the couch beside her and Jed practically falls on her other side.

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