Page 38 of I Choose You

“What’s it going to be then?”

I damn near swallow my tongue when she says, “I dare you to kiss Mackenzie.”

I blink. On the outside, I’m calm. On the inside? I’m raging with hesitancy.

Jesus fucking Christ.

She wants me to put my mouth on Mackenzie’s and…kiss her?

Best and worst idea I have ever heard.

It’s clear the thought of kissing me grates at Mackenzie. “W-what? No.” She shakes her head vigorously, the strands loosening from her bun whipping back and forth. She focuses on her bottle of beer. She lifts it to her face but lowers it before taking a sip. She does this two times as Layla’s eyes ricochet back and forth with heightened interest.

There’s a sly smile on her face.

What a little pot stirrer.

She knows exactly what the hell she’s doing. My pulse quickens at the thought of tipping Mackenzie’s head back and pressing my mouth to hers. My work schedule allows little downtime, so I can’t recall the last time I’ve been with a woman, but fuck—I bet her lips are soft. I bet they’d fucking mold against mine perfectly.

Layla wears a cunning expression, a glowing smirk growing on her face. The four of us have been sitting in a daze for the last thirty seconds, each of us waiting to see how the dare plays out.

Truth is, I’m the most curious.

At the other end of the living room, Luke’s eyebrow arches in inquisitiveness, and I ignore whatever message he’s trying to send via twin telepathy. He started this mess. There’s no turning back now.

“You heard me,” Layla presses. It’s like she didn’t even fall on her ass a minute ago or consume a shitload of alcohol tonight. I think we’re all learning that she can be unpredictable. Alcohol clearly makes it worse. “Go on. Kiss her or claim your shot.”

Mackenzie is quick to answer for me, and it’s the very reason I decide that Layla’s dare doesn’t sound half bad.

“He’ll take the shot. Isn’t that right, Mase?” Her stare bounces between Layla and me. She goes as far as to reach for the bottle of vodka on the side table and begins filling the tiny shot glass in preparation of me failing my round.

My eyes crawl up her body, and I think about what it would be like to make a move after all these years. This is only a silly game of truth or dare, but it might be the only chance for an opportunity like this. To know what it would be like to have her in my arms, my mouth on hers, her tongue in my fucking mouth.

Fuck it.

“I’ll take the dare.”

Mackenzie’s eyes nearly bulge out of her sockets as I get to my feet. Out of my peripheral, Layla turns to look at Luke, then whips her head back in our direction. My palm unfolds, and I reach out for Mackenzie’s hand, her fingers shaky and trembling.

A stressed laugh comes from her when I gently pull her to her feet. “Mason, you don’t have to do this.”

Oh, but I do.

If only she knew how many times I’ve thought about a moment like this and then made the thought evaporate. Apprehension pools in the hazel underneath her lashes, letting me know how sobering of a moment this is. She went from laughing and smiling to silently panicking. Can’t say I blame her. I’m a fucking mess, too, but for an entirely different reason.

I give her hand a squeeze, asking if what’s about to happen is okay. I’d hate to cross a line she wasn’t comfortable with. When she squeezes my hand back, it’s the approval I need, and my stomach skyrockets in anticipation.

My other hand finds her hip, and I tug her toward me softly. The only thing I can focus on is her, the clothes that I would love to fucking shred that cover the arches and valleys of her body, the aroma of the lavender soap she washes with. Her stare burns into mine and makes me hotter.

Luke and Layla fizzle out of the room as if they never existed.

A whisper of a sentence falls from my lips when she blinks and visibly recoils. “Don’t overthink it.”

It’s stupid to say because I am on the extreme side of this, where all my fantasies morph together, and suddenly, my future includes her by my side every damn day.

A breath lodges in my throat. Then, my lips dive to sweep along hers.

My dick stirs to life in my pants, jump started from the alcohol and revved up from our close proximity. Hot blood races through my veins, pumping in and out of me as I glide my tongue along her pillowy lips.

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