Page 49 of Truth or Dare

“I’m Tessa,” the sister with the ombre reached over and shook my hand. “That’s Lisa. Wicked stepmother.” The two girls laughed.

Lisa gave me a nod but she didn’t smile. A waiter and a busboy came over with another table and put it against our table.

“Fuck,” Dare muttered. The three girls sat.

“Sorry, man. She got it outta me,” Eddy said.

I looked at Eddy and then to Dario. He rolled his eyes and drank the balance of what was in his wineglass back.

The waiter came by to fill their water glasses.

“Wine for me,” Tessa said and then her eyes got bigger, “What the heck, Dare? Are you…are you in jeans?”

“Holy shit, he is! Cranberry juice for me,” Luc said and then glanced to me. “No vino. I’m nursing. It’s been years since I’ve seen you in jeans, Dare. What happened? Drycleaners closed?”

Dare rolled his eyes.

“Just some sparkling water’s good,” said Lisa.

“She’s preggers,” Luc added, looking at me.

I smiled and said, “Congrats” to Lisa and took a sip from my wineglass. She gave me a smile but it didn’t touch her eyes. I felt a little self-conscious.

“So…” Luc said, looking at Dare, “How’d you two meet?”

“None of your business,” Dare answered with an eyebrow raised at her in warning.

Luc looked at me and rolled her eyes.

“Awe c’mon. Is this a first date, third date, what?” She looked at me when her brother didn’t answer. His jaw was clenched.

I laughed nervously and sipped my wine.

“It’s a none-of-your- business, you pain-in-the-ass date. We need to go, actually. You done, baby?” He looked at me.

My body tingled at the endearment and that he’d referred to it as a date. I had only had a few bites but had already gotten my fill on the appetizers and the bread. Besides, he clearly wanted to go.

“I’m good,” I answered and wiped my mouth.

“Get someone to wrap that up?” Dario said to Eddy. “She might want that for breakfast tomorrow.” He winked at me and I couldn’t help but smile huge, eyes locking with his. His smile spread wide, too. Damn, he was hot.

Luc cleared her throat. “Okay, so you’re to the breakfast-planning part of the relationship…”

My eyes darted to her.

“Sorry, Angel, darling. Our brother tries to keep his love life private,” she rolled her eyes, “We don’t do private in this family. We haven’t had the pleasure of seeing anyone he’s dating in a very, very long time so we had to barge in and check you out.” She looked to her brother. “She has the sisterly and stepmotherly seals of approval… from what we can tell. Right girls?”

“Right,” Tessa answered.

“Definitely,” said Lisa, which was odd since she seemed like she meant it but that didn’t actually go with the looks she’d been giving me.

“Gee, thanks a bunch. Your approval means everything.” Dare rolled his eyes.

His two sisters laughed as he got to his feet, reached into his wallet, and dropped several bills on the table. “Dinner’s on me,” he said this to the girls and then he gave Eddy a chin lift.

“You wait for the food; I’m getting a smoke, all right?” he said to me.

I nodded. He leaned down and kissed my forehead, making me tingle all over, and then left the building.

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