Page 35 of The Bully's Dare

“What time should I pick you up?” Jason asks casually. As though he didn’t just have my best friend dangling over the edge of the pool.

I step over in front of him and slide my hands over his chest. His body is rock hard underneath the tight shirt. “Seven,” I tell him. “Don’t be late.”

Then I go up on my tip-toes and lean in. He goes for the bait. Jason bends his tall frame, meeting me halfway, and his mouth nearly brushes mine—

When I shove him. As hard as I can.

Jason hits the water with a splash, clothes and all.

He might’ve won a date with me, but I don’t have to be happy about it.

15

Jason

Mint chocolate chip.

That’s Kenzi’s favorite flavor.

I commit it to memory and pay for our waffle cones.

The local ice cream shop is peach-pink with a walk-up window. There’s an ornate sign out front with the word Ahoy! in bright letters, a ship painted behind the words; the exclamation point, an upside-down ice cream cone.

It’s a warm August night—not oppressive, but nice, the kind of heat that lingers like a good kiss.

Kenzi sits at one of the picnic benches outside of the shop. She’s wearing overalls on top of a tight white shirt, which hugs her curves.

Her heart shaped face is turned towards the sunset, ringlets of dark raven curls cascading down her shoulders.

She’s a vision. I swing my leg over the bench, straddling it, and hand over her ice cream. “Your cone, m’lady.”

“Merci.”

“De rien.”

She gives me a look like she’s annoyed. Then she starts digging into her ice cream, giving me the cold shoulder.

“So are you going to pout all evening?” I ask her.

She shrugs. “I don’t think we have anything to talk about. We have nothing in common.”

“I bet we do. What’s your favorite color?”

“Magenta.”

“Mine too.”

She scoffs. “No, it isn’t.”

“Is this the face of a man who would lie to you?”

She rolls her eyes. But she seems a little softer around the edges. She cranes her neck to examine my cone. “What’d you get?”

“Half butterscotch, half rocky road.”

“You’re a professional.”

“Don’t you forget it.” I hold it out for her. “Want a taste?”

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