I sigh. “Fine. I’ll play.” I walk out into the living room and sit down on the couch, curling up next to Ryan. He sips his whisky and grins at me. James joins us next, sitting in the chair at the end of thecouch.

“Okay then,” James says. “I’ll start. London, truth ordare?”

“Of course you start with me.” I sigh, pretending to be annoyed. “Truth.”

“Lame,” Ryan says, but James purses his lips a bitthoughtfully.

“Okay,” he says slowly. “Which of us do you like the best? Out of allfive.”

I stare at him and Ryan perks up, grinning huge. “Really fucked up question, man,” he says. “I loveit.”

“I can’t answer that,” Isay.

“Then you forfeit, and you’ll take a penalty.” James has a wicked gleam in his eye and I can only imagine what the penalty is going tobe.

“No, I mean, I can’t answer because I don’tknow.”

That’s the truth, and I can tell the guys aredisappointed.

“There’s no way you like us all equally,” Ryan says. “Well, except the twins, Iguess.”

James laughs. “They’re not exactly the same. You’ve seen that,right?”

“Of course,” I say. “But it’s the truth. I like all of you equally. It’s…weird.”

“Yeah,” Ryan says. “It is weird, but I also don’t believeyou.”

“How can I prove it toyou?”

He shrugs a little, glancing back atJames.

But James isn’t really smiling. He’s watching me closely, and it surprises me for a second, how deep his scrutiny is. Finally, he nodsslowly.

“I believe her,” hesays.

Ryan laughs, not sure if he’s kidding. “Forreal?”

“Yeah,” he says. “I do. I don’t know why, but I don’t think she’slying.”

“I’m really not,” I say simply. “It’s strange, but I don’t think of you guys only as individuals. I mean, of course you’re all important individually, but it’s the whole group that makes it all…special.”

Both of the guys watch me. Finally, Ryan sighs. “Well, fuck me,” he says. “I believe younow.”

I grin at him and hit his arm. “Okay, dickhead. Truth ordare?”

His grin returns. “Dare.”

“I dare you to kissJames.”

Ryan rolls his eyes. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” I say. “You guys are always so careful not to touch while we havesex.”

“We’re not gay,” Ryan says simply. “But I’m also not afraid to kiss a man. It’s not a bigdeal.”

“Come here then, big boy.” James grins and Ryan gets up and kisses him on thelips.

“Oh, come on!” I say. “That was sochaste!”