Page 90 of Ten Hammers

Maybe I’ll wait on the s’mores.

“Don’t worry,” Cruz says. “I solemnly swear not one of us is going to watch you eat a hot dog and think about what you look like giving a BJ.”

“I don’t solemnly swear shit,” Diesel says with a chuckle. He winks at me.

I blush, and blow on the weenie to cool it down. Then I say, “Hey, Deez,” and when he glances at me, I chomp down on it, taking a huge bite.

“Nothing you can do will turn me off, baby,” he promises, winking at me again. “That I will solemnly swear.”

Axel nods. “Ditto.”

Goodness, but they look even more gorgeous in the firelight.

As is Hammer tradition, the games begin after we eat. Axel proposes we play Truth or Dare, which I’m eager to try now that we’re adults.

The rules to our relationship have changed since we last played, so the rules of the game should change, too, right? There are bound to be plenty more truths and dares for us than ever before, and I can’t wait.

Unfortunately, we’re too stuffed with s’mores to do anything that requires us to move, so our game ends up being more truth than dare. And it’s surprisingly more PG than not.

“What was your favorite memory from one of our renos?” Diesel asks.

“Oh, that one is easy,” Cruz replies, even though technically it was Axel’s turn to answer. “The Lennon house.”

Cruz remembers every reno we ever did and can tell you not only what season it was but what episode, and the first names of each family member and the ages of the kids when we redid their house. He still keeps in touch with many of them.

“That was the first time I saw Winnie look comfortable on camera,” he explains.

The smile he gives me is sweet and genuine and I get goosebumps.

The truth portion of our game goes on like this a while longer, and I find I don’t mind. I’m wrapped up in nostalgia and Axel’s strong arms, both warmer than a blanket. And I’d be happy to keep the night just this sweet and cozy.

That is until Axel raises my hand up to his mouth and brushes my knuckles with his lips. “This has been nice… now, who’s up for some dares?”

And the mischievous gaze he gives me is enough to take my body from cozy-warm to too-hot and flushed.

I definitely am.

Chapter 33

Winnie

It’s Diesel who speaks up first.

“Let’s make it Dare or Dare,” he suggests.

“Dare or Dare?” I ask, raising a brow.

Diesel grins. “It goes like this. You offer up two dares, and the person you’re daring has to take one of them. Then they offer up two dares to the next person. But here’s the catch—one of their dares has to be the dare they didn’t take for themselves. And this goes on.”

Cruz snickers. “You just made that up, didn’t you?”

“Well, yeah,” Diesel admits.

“No, wait,” I jump in. “It sounds like fun. But there are four of us, so why don’t we make it Dare or Dare or Dare or Dare?”

They all look at me like I’ve inhaled too much smoke, but I’m really liking this idea, now.

I hold up a hand. “Hear me out. I’ll give Diesel four dares. He takes one, and the next three pass along to Cruz. Then the next two pass along to Axe. Then the dare none of you took becomes the dare I have to take.”

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