Page 61 of The Step Dare

“Weird? Really?” Ash says. “I can’t imagine how that would make things weird.”

That gets everyone laughing, and as it settles, I say, “Now can we just party and get over this awkward bit?”

Everyone’s on the same page, and after a few more jokes, they let it go. Brenner and I grab drinks at the bar before running into Troy and Atlas, who catch Bren with his hand on my ass.

“That’s so cute,” Atlas tells me. “I got taken, and then you had to settle for Brenner.”

I burst into a laugh. Brenner’s pretty damn confident, but Atlas definitely rivals him in the cocky department.

“I’m thinking we wasted a couple of years,” Brenner says. “We could have all been messing around with each other the whole time.”

“What makes you think Taylor and I would have let you join in?” Atlas jokes.

“I know for a fact Taylor would have let me join in,” Brenner says.

Troy growls, reminding me of the way Brenner gets all greedy for me, and then Troy pulls Atlas close. “Well, looks like you all missed the boat because this one’s all mine,” he says before taking a kiss from his man, like he’s marking his territory in front of us.

Brenner and I exchange a look because it’s kind of hot.

As they get caught up in a make-out session, Brenner leans close and says, “You think we’re gonna end up with tattoos of each other?”

We share a laugh.

Atlas has one that saysTroyunder his pec, and Troy hasAtlason his wrist. Because these guys are ride or die for each other.

“It’s hot,” I admit.

“But not really us.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t think messing around with you was really us before either.”

“True,” Bren says with a chuckle. He looks too adorable to resist, and I take my opportunity now that our friends are distracted, wrapping my arm around him and stealing a kiss.

I hadn’t realized just how much I missed it until our lips met, our tongues teasing at each other’s.

And when we pull away, someone steps up beside us, and we turn at the same time to see Dax glancing between us.

“Mmmm-hmmmm,” is all he says. “Saw this one coming from a mile away.”

Brenner leans closer to him. “Pretty confident you saw the coming closer than that.”

“Just so you know,” Dax says, “I’m adding whatever-this-is to my CV.”

“CV?” I ask.

“Oh, you guys don’t have a clue. This slutty gay fairy has powers that bring guys together, apparently.”

I can tell there’s a story there, though knowing Dax, we’ll probably never know what it is.

“Does a slutty gay fairy have a CV?” Brenner asks.

“’Scuse you,” Dax says. “I am notaslutty gay fairy. I amtheslutty gay fairy.”

We all share a laugh.

Really, not just at Dax’s joke, but at how wild and ridiculous this thing that’s going on between Bren and me is.

Still, strange as it is, I know the fun’s just getting started.

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