Page 82 of Study Buddies

My middle school self would’ve said dare, but I didn’t want to put her on the spot to come up with one. “Truth.”

She tilted her head to the side as she thought it over, and as always, I couldn’t stop staring at the way it made her glossy hair swing back and forth. What the fuck was wrong with me? Thanks to her, I was never going to be able to date a woman with short hair again.

Finally, she smiled. “What makes the difference between an okay kiss and a really good one?”

“That’s easy. Who you’re sharing it with.”

Kyle rolled his eyes at my answer, but Tori seemed to like it.

“You go next,” Kyle said to Lucas. They’d known each other for over five years and still didn’t use each other’s names if they could help it. Yep, we were one big, happy family.

“Truth or dare?” Lucas asked Tori.

“Truth.”

He thought for a moment. “What’s something a guy does that makes you melt?”

“Ooh, interesting.” She smiled, like one of her future students had just raised his hand to ask a good question. “There are lots of things, but… well, sometimes if a man looks at me like I’m the only person in the world, even if we’re in a crowded place…” She trailed off, a slightly embarrassed smile on her face. “Especiallyif we’re in a crowded place.”

“Good answer,” Lucas said. There wasn’t much doubt why he liked it—he basically always looked at Tori that way.

“Truth or dare?” she asked him.

“Dare,” he said, to my surprise. Maybe he was afraid that Tori would ask him something he wasn’t ready to admit to.

The gleam in her eyes showed she was ready for it. “Sometime this week, I dare to you to give me another foot rub.”

Kyle sat up straighter. “Anotherone?”

“It’s a deal,” Lucas said, and he returned the smile Tori beamed at him.

We all turned to Kyle.

“Ladies first.”

Tori studied him, and I could almost hear her brain cycling through the possibilities. Twice she started to ask something but stopped each time. Finally, she said, “This is hard.”

Kyle smirked. “Maybe because you’ve been asking me questions non-stop since you’ve met me.”

“That’s what good tutors do.” Lucas bristled.

“Not the kind she’s been asking me.”

Tori smacked him on his arm, and that seemed to help her decide. “If you had to make out with one guy on your baseball team, who would it be?”

If she’d hoped to embarrass him, it didn’t work.

“Baxter,” he said. Then he shrugged. “He’s the second best-looking guy on the team. Do I need to tell you who the best-looking one is?”

She shook her head, a smile on her face. “Not unless that’s the question you’re going to ask me.”

“You haven’t told me if you want to choose truth or dare yet.”

“Truth.”

Smart woman.

Except Kyle looked pleased with her answer. That couldn’t be good. It suddenly dawned on me that it was no coincidence that he’d chosen to go last.

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