Page 25 of Dared

“You ruined nothing. Drink this water.” I helped him to sit up, and he obediently drank from the glass before collapsing back down again with another groan.

“I made you leave.”

“You didn’t make me do anything, and I don’t care that we left early. We had a good time, didn’t we? We did everything we wanted to do. You got me to show off my new dance moves.”

“Yeah.” He buried his face in my pillow again. “Can you lie with me? The room’s spinning, and I need to hold on to something.”

“Okay. Let me get the light.” I tugged off my jeans and T-shirt and turned off the lamp. I opened the curtains just enough to allow a bit of light from the streetlamps to filter in, so Leo could see what he was doing if he needed to get up or was sick or anything. Grabbing a clean T-shirt, I pulled it over my head and then carefully climbed onto the bed, trying not to jostle Leo. When I was settled next to him on my back, he shifted positions, curling into my side.

“Thank you.”

I curled my arm around him. “Anytime. You’d do the same for me.”

“I would.” He yawned, unsuccessfully attempting to burrow his head into my shoulder muscle. “Finn?”

“Yeah?”

“I think Millie might want to kiss me. Would…would you be able to teach me how?”

Everything stuttered to a halt. I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe.

“Finn? I dare you.”

Fuck.

“Ask me again when you’re sober,” I said eventually, but he was already asleep.

I lay awake for a long time.

11

Iburied my face in my arms. “I’m never drinking again.”

Finn’s dad chuckled. “We’ve all been there. Eat this, it’ll help.”

Raising my head, I cautiously eyed the plate in front of me. Bacon, eggs, and HP sauce sandwiched between two thick slices of white bread. Okay. One bite. I could do this.

One bite turned into two and then three, and by the time I’d cleared my plate, I was feeling much better. That came with a side effect, though. Now I could think properly, the memories of last night were rushing back.

I couldn’t believe I’d propositioned Finn in my drunken state. Daring him to dance was one thing, but daring him to kiss me? That was a line I shouldn’t have crossed, and now I’d made things awkward. We’d barely even spoken this morning. Finn was already out of bed by the time I’d woken. He’d appeared tosort me out with a towel and change of clothes so I could shower and directed me to come downstairs for breakfast when I was ready, but that had been the extent of our interactions. It felt like there was a new distance between us, and it was one I’d put there with my thoughtless, drunken words.

That meant we needed to talk, and I was already dreading it.

“Another cuppa?” Finn’s dad asked.

“No, thank you. But thanks. For all of this,” I said, trying to swallow around the lump in my throat. This whole family had become important to me, and I didn’t want to lose them.

He studied me, frowning, and then he reached forwards, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Leo, I hope you know that we all consider you to be partof our family. I’m just doing what I’d do for my other sons, and you don’t need to thank me for it.”

“I-I know. Thank you,” I said again, trying to convey everything I meant with my words. I wasn’t sure how I’d managed to get so lucky.

A smile spread across his face. “Alright. You’re welcome. Now, you can do me a favour. Go and have a word with Finn, would you? He seems a bit out of sorts this morning, and I’m sure you’re just the person to cheer him up.”

“Um.” I licked my lips. “Yeah. I’ll try.”

“Good lad.” He squeezed my shoulder and then stepped away, and I took that as my cue to leave.

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