Page 91 of Merry Me
Jordan didn’t hesitate. He pointed directly at me. “That’s a shot for talking back.”
“What?!”
“Make that two.”
I groaned and grabbed two shots off the tray that had appeared out of nowhere. I winced through the first—it was tequila, and not the good kind. It was more regret, in liquid form. But before I could brace for the second, Easton reached over, scooped it up, and downed it like a damn hero.
He gagged. I felt marginally better.
“Thanks, partner,” I muttered.
He grinned, and my heart did a crazy little hiccup in my chest. “Anytime.”
That was happening a suspiciously large number of times since he’d popped out of the woodwork.
I blamed it on the alcohol. Or a heart attack. Anything that didn’t have to do with unresolved emotions over his stupid, perfect face. And personality. And the fact that we’d slept together. And kept sleeping together.
“Nat?” Easton prompted gently.
“Huh?” I blinked. I had apparently just been standing there, staring at him like a lovestruck raccoon.
He laughed softly. “I said, do you want to act, or should I?”
“Oh please,” I scoffed, trying to recover any remaining dignity. “I’ve seen your acting. Step aside, amateur.”
He clutched his chest like I’d wounded him. “I won a Kid’s Choice Award!”
I pretended I wasn’t impressed. Although, I had seen everything he’d been in, and if there was anyone who deserved any type of acting award…it was him.
I couldn’t admit that, though.
“All right, but only because you’re cute,” he muttered, handing me the tiny whiteboard with the prompt and dragging his fingers across mine in a veryunnecessaryway, let the record show.
I pretended that my breath didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. It was a bold-faced lie.
I wobbled my way to the middle of the rink and flipped over the whiteboard: PENGUIN.
Really? I’d spent the last hour waddling like one. This felt like targeted mockery.
I flapped. I wiggled. I made a high-pitched honking noise that would have concerned a few wildlife officials.
I had to take a shot for that since apparently bird noises were against the rules.
Easton narrowed his eyes like he was solving a cryptic crossword puzzle.
“Flightless bird? Angry goose? Weird seal?”
Was he serious right now?Flightless birdwas his first guess?
I flailed harder.
“PENGUIN!” he finally shouted.
I dropped to the ice in victory, arms flung wide.
“Correct!” Jordan yelled. “Winners choose your victims!”
Easton and I pointed immediately at Paige and Levi, who groaned but took their shots, lifting their flasks in a solemn toast.
