Page 18 of Naughty Nicky

She shakes her head. “The hotel staff saw, though. And I was staying there for five more days. They gave me weird looks every time I walked through the lobby. I wanted to die.”

“At least it wasn’t posted on the internet.”

“Thank God! I am sure it’s out there somewhere, but it’s not viral. And I am kind of grateful I never made it as some big influencer, or else I am sure it would have gone viral.”

“I’ll make sure to steer clear of you anytime you have spicy food. Don’t want to get a shit spray.”

“It’s not funny.” She pouts.

“Yes, it is.” I laugh. “I can’t imagine walking three blocks with shit dripping into my shoes.”

She scrunches up her nose in a way that I should not find adorable, but I do.

“Well, if you think that’s so funny, then I deserve to learn your most embarrassing story.”

“You’re the one that chose truth, not me.”

She lets out an exasperated sigh. “Fine then. Truth or dare?”

I don’t even hesitate. “Dare.”

“Another dare?” she says with a slight hint of disappointment on her face. I know she wants to get something personal from me. “Really? Even after you got so grumpy over the last one?”

“Hit me,” I say, since I would much rather do something stupid again than have to spill my secrets to her.

“I dare you to put the Santa suit on that you were wearing earlier, with no shirt underneath, mind you, and run around the outside of the house in the snow.”

“No absolutely not.”

“Oh, why not? It will be so fun.”

“Why? You want to gawk at me shirtless?”

Her cheeks turn pink, and she looks away from me before turning her sudden embarrassment into a laugh. “Why would I want to do that?”

“Maybe because I saw the way you were looking at me earlier.” I grin at her. “I knew you wanted to see me naked in the flesh.”

She stutters as she tries to come up with an answer. “I-I…well, ugh, no…that was—that’s not at all what happened.”

I take a long drink of my whiskey and set the glass down on the coffee table. “But I guess I did agree to this stupid game, and I said dare so I may as well…” I trail off as I stand and walk down the hall to my bedroom. I don’t miss the look on her face as I walk by, pure lust etched all over it.

6

PENELOPE

Isuck my bottom lip into my mouth as I watch him walk toward his bedroom.

Am I doing this to embarrass him? Maybe.

Am I doing this because I want to see those Adonis abs in the flesh? Absolutely.

Let’s just say the whiskey is getting to me. Not that anything will happen between us. I mean, this game of truth or dare is not going to turn into us stripping and making out. It’s just the two of us. It would be weird if I said I dare you to kiss me, right?

I shake the stupid thoughts from my head wondering if I should switch to water when Nick walks out of the bedroom in that damn Santa suit. I try to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. I saw that picture of course, but that has nothing on seeing him in person. I thought maybe it was just good contrast or the way the light and the shadows played on his skin, but no. He one hundred percent has a six-pack etched by the gods. No wait, maybe that’s eight.

Is that what he does up here in the middle of nowhere? Put on Santa suits for some strange reason and do crunches? Maybe if he chooses truth at some point, I will ask.

“Do you need a napkin?”

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