Page 44 of Daring the Hockey Player
"I will answer that if you order me a stiff drink," Amber says and gestures toward the bartender.
"Can't do that," I say. And boy, do I ever want to get her tipsy and hear every dirty detail about her experimentation phase in college because I'm a guy, and my cock is as interested as I am.
"Then I can't answer you," Amber says shyly. "But I've never kissed a guy or a girl. And the other stuff was okay but not great. So, I guess you could say I was curious."
"And now you're curious about guys?" I ask.
"I've never really had a guy into me," Amber says. "The ones I crushed on, it was unrequited."
I press my lips together and think about her statement for a minute. Amber is young, innocent, and naïve. She's probably had tons of guys interested and was just unaware because of her lack of experience.
She lets out a shaky breath. "Will you be my first kiss?"
"No," I say, and I hate myself for turning her down. "It should be with someone you like, not just a friend."
I'm pretty sure she does like me, and I feel like a complete ass for turning her down, but I can't do this with Emerson's sister. Kyler would never forgive me for breaking Amber's young heart.
"I dare you to kiss me," she says, staring up at me, hopeful.
"We're not playing truth or dare," I say. I learned my lesson with that game the last time. Mostly because she dared me to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, and that would have been a setup for disaster. Knowing she hasn't had her first kiss, I don't want to be the guy taking it from her at a bar.
She deserves to be wined, dined, and then taken home and dropped off with a goodnight kiss. I'm not that man. I know my dick, and we'd both want more from her.
"But we could? I thought you never backed down on a dare," Amber says.
She's right, I don't, but I didn't agree to this pop-up game of truth or dare that she's decided to spring on me. "We're not knee-deep in a game of truth or dare," I repeat.
"You never followed through on the last dare," she counters, pinning me with her stare. "I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl in the room."
I exhale a heavy sigh. "You don't want me to do that, Amber."
Her brow pinches, and she purses her lips. Is she worried that it's because I think there's someone prettier than her in here? Because there isn't anyone else. I have eyes only on Amber Ryan.
My fingers graze the jersey that she's wearing. My jersey. I grab the hem, tugging her closer against me. "Why did you change into a Bruisers jersey today?"
"Some dipshit spilled beer on me between periods," Amber mutters. "I'd have bought another Ice Dragons jersey, but the line was too long."
"You just like riling me up," I say, staring at her, trying to figure her out. Amber is a mystery. Even with all of her cards out on the table, I still can't figure her out.
"Do you want to get out of here?" she asks. "Doesn't seem like my sister and your brother are leaving anytime soon."
Normally, when a girl asks me if I want to get out of there, it implies going back to her place or taking her to mine for a romp.
But that's not what I have in mind for Amber.
ELEVEN
AMBER
"It's beautiful,"I say, staring across the city as we stand on the roof of his apartment complex. There's a flower garden, with string lights giving off a romantic vibe and a speckling of stars across the night sky. The city makes it hard to see too many stars, but it's still quite beautiful.
Does he bring all the girls he dates up here before inviting them back to his place?
I shiver, and Jasper notices. Removing his leather jacket, he drapes it over my shoulders.
"You're going to freeze," I say, glancing at him as he comes to stand beside me.
"I'm plenty warm."
