Page 22 of The Christmas Exchange

“I don’t know,” he said with starlight twinkling in his eyes. “You seem a little hesitant. I think you might be afraid to see where this goes.”

I straightened my shoulders. He was baiting me, challenging me. And I accepted his challenge head-on. “I’m not afraid. I’ll even be the first to pick truth or dare.”

Julian studied me, not even looking at Miles. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

Miles laughed loudly. “Yep, she’s definitely afraid.”

My nostrils flared and I let out an exasperated sigh. “How does it work with drinking?”

“Who knows, who cares. Drink at your own leisure.” He paused while taking a sip of his own vodka. “You owe us a truth, sweets.”

I pursed my lips before taking a large gulp. I resisted the urge to cough as I swallowed it down. “Fine. Go ahead.”

“How long have you wanted Julian and me?”

Goddamn him.

If I chickened out and didn’t answer, they would never let me live it down. I was already backed into a corner, so there was no point in trying to run. They were both staring at me like I was their prey. Even if I tried to evade, even if I tried to run, I wasn’t sure I’d get very far.

“Since I was, like, fifteen.”

“Damn, that’s specific,” Miles said while Julian also spoke, “That long?”

I looked back and forth between them, not bothering to answer their questions since I already spoke my truth. I wasn’t required to answer anything else they asked for this turn. “Okay, my turn.” I paused and turned to look at Miles. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare,” he said with a smirk. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from him and I couldn’t help but smile back.

And then I realized I didn’t have a good dare. Everything seemed so juvenile and so immature. We weren’t kids anymore. Our truths and our dares had significantly shifted. We were headed down a dangerous road.

We were already too deep into this, there was no turning back now.

“I dare you to kiss me.”

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

Miles closed the space between us, his hands finding my waist as he pulled me flush against him. A fire was burning in the depths of his blue irises. Holding on to my waist with one hand, he lifted the other to cup the side of my face. He dragged his fingers along my jaw before hooking one finger under my chin. He tilted my head back.

“This kiss is our first kiss, sweets. That last one didn’t count.”

I laughed softly just as he pressed his mouth to mine. His lips were soft and tentative as he moved them against my own. He didn’t move with hesitation. There was nothing but confidence behind the way he kissed me. And then there was a shift. It was as if it wasn’t enough for him. His hands were suddenly in my hair, pulling my head back farther while mine fisted the front of his shirt.

His tongue slid along the seam of my lips and a breath escaped me as I parted them. He tasted like vodka as he deepened the kiss. I held on to him, letting him steal the air from my lungs as his tongue danced with mine. I wanted more. I wanted everything he wanted to give me.

And then he abruptly pulled away, leaving me completely breathless as a smirk pulled on his lips.

Our gazes were locked for a moment. Flames burned brightly in his eyes. My chest rose and fell with every ragged, shallow breath that escaped me. My eyes slowly moved from his to Julian’s and all the air in my lungs left me in a rush.

He was watching the two of us with darkness dancing in his own eyes. He stared through me, directly into my soul. I involuntarily shivered as I found myself frozen under his gaze.

“Truth or dare?”

Julian didn’t move. It didn’t even look like he was breathing. “Dare.”

“I dare you to kiss me too.”

The corners of his lips twitched but he stayed silent. He didn’t mutter a single word as he moved closer to Miles and I. He slid his hand around the back of my neck and pulled me toward him as his mouth claimed mine. He was different than Miles. He was just as I remembered.

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