Page 70 of A Forever Love

“They pay me pretty well, thank you for your concern. But the heels are gifts from Clem.”

“Ah. I should have guessed. Do you have something to drink, or should I get us something?”

Merida gathers Miss Sparkles into her arms, showering her with kisses, and that simple act catches my heart. How many other girls wouldn’t care about their pet’s fur getting all over their new dress?

“I definitely don’t have anything as special as what’s in your bar.”

When I return with a bottle of chardonnay, the balcony door is open, and Merida has illuminated the space with fairy lights. After grabbing two wine flutes from her kitchen, I step out and find her curled up on the couch, Miss Sparkles by her side. The cozy environment makes me forget for a second that there are perhaps too many candles for a small balcony, creating a potential fire hazard.

“You look beautiful.” The words escape my lips, and just for tonight, I don’t want to keep them to myself.

“It’s not me. It’s the night,” she replies with a smile, her gaze fixed on the breathtaking Cherrywood landscape. From this vantage point, we have an unobstructed view of Lake Cherry surrounded by mountains. The streetlights reflect on the calm water, and the absence of anyone else at this hour gives the scene a stillness that resembles a mesmerizing painting.

But my eyes are only on the girl before me. I move closer to Merida, and like the sweet kitten she is, Miss Sparkles leaves and settles onto a corner ottoman.

I pour drinks into two glasses, and Merida leans in, reaching for one, but I playfully swat her hand away. “I’m curious about the game you participated in tonight.”

“You want to play the drinking game?” Her eyes gleam with surprise as she glances back and forth between me and the bottle of chardonnay. “But that’s silly. I mean, I already know everything about you.”

“That’s not true. I could’ve done something really exciting in the last four years while you were away.” I maintain a deadpan expression.

“Like?”

“Maybe I was secretly moonlighting as a nude model, or perhaps I enjoyed the company of a sugar mama.” Watching her jaw drop, I fight back a chuckle.

“Holy crap! Were you?” She practically leaps in her seat.

“Play the game, and you’ll find out, mittens.”

“Bring it on, sugar boy.”

“Tell me the rules of the game.”

“The game is called Truth or Drink. We each get five questions, and you must either answer or take a drink. But here’s the catch, you can’t drink more than three times. That means you’ll have to answer at least two questions. Got it?”

I nod. “You go first. Ask.”

“Did you moonlight as a nude model or as a sugar baby?” Merida’s eyes flicker with mischief, the candlelight reflecting in them.

“Those are two questions, mittens.”

“Okay, okay. Did you moonlight as a nude model?”

I pick up the glass of wine and take a sip.

“What the heck? Why would you not answer? That’s the whole reason I’m playing this game.” She crosses her arms over her chest.

I chuckle. “My turn. What’s the most unusual place you’ve ever made out with someone?”

If Merida is taken aback by my question, she conceals it well, opting instead to reach for her glass of wine. “I’m definitely not going to answer that,” she declares, finishing her drink and setting the glass down on the table with an audible thud. “Will you once again pass?” she mutters, her tone laced with irritation.

“I thought you were a better sport.” The furrowed lines on her forehead refuse to fade. Leaning in closer, I gently run my fingers over them, coaxing her to relax. “Go ahead,” I whisper. “Ask. I’ll tell you.”

Merida swallows, and I feel an undeniable magnetic attraction pulling me closer to her, making it nearly impossible to divert my attention elsewhere. She hesitates for a moment, taking one shivering breath, then another, before finally asking, “Um, were you ever involved with a…sugar mama?” As she finishes her question, her cheeks have already turned a fiery shade of red.

“I don’t enjoy giving up control, both in and out of the bedroom. So, no,” I reply, lightly tapping her nose before leaning back. “My turn. Do you get turned on while reading those porn scenes in your books?”

“What? What kind of question is that?” Merida’s voice is nothing but a squeak, and she quickly pours herself a drink, downing it in one go.

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