Page 8 of Truth or Dare: A Second Chance Single-Mom Romance

So why is this conversation making me hard?

“Okay, you now,” she says.

“What about me?”

“Truth or dare, Donovan?”

As if truth is even an option right now. “Dare.”

She nods toward the party boat. “I dare you to give them a taste of their own medicine.”

An idea forms. I put down the paper plate and stand up. “Only if you come with me.”

“Obviously, I’m in.” I reach out a hand, and she takes it. Her hand feels so soft in mine.

I lead Kenzi down the dock.

It’s illuminated by dock lights, these big, bulky things that are swamped by moths. We walk slowly down the wooden panels so they don’t creak too loudly.

It turns out to be overkill. By time we get to the Healing Touch, we don’t see anyone on the back—they’ve moved the party to the bow of the boat. We can hear beer cans cracking, music blaring, and rancorous laughter, but we can’t see them…

And more importantly, they can’t see us.

I point to the cleats, which keep the boat tied up to the dock. “You get the ones on the other side,” I whisper to Kenzi. “I’ll take these.”

She sneaks around the side of the boat. I crouch down on the edge of the dock and unwind the thick rope from the cleats. As quietly as I can, I toss the rope onto the deck of the boat.

Kenzi comes back around, crouching behind the lights. “Done!”

I put my palms on the side of the boat. “On the count of three…push.”

I count, and together, we give the boat a hefty push. It doesn’t take much. It’s a still night, and soundlessly, slowly, the boat follows the momentum of our push and drifts out of the slip and into the inky black water.

In the enclosed marina…it’s not going far. But it’s going to give them a hell of a shock when they realize what’s going on.

Which happens sooner than I think.

“Whoa, are we moving, or is it just me?” a female voice hiccups from the bow.

“Run!” I whisper urgently to Kenzi.

We race down the dock, up the bridge, and behind the tall cattails by the pool. The tall grass tickles our ankles. We collide together, and I hook my arm around her to slow her down. “Look,” I tell her.

Between the cattail reeds, we can see the chaos below. The Healing Touch floats around aimlessly and lists toward one of the yachts. There are shouts from the jocks, then shouts from the people on the yacht, and they take out long poles in attempt to push the Healing Touch away before the two boats bump. The Healing Touch starts drifting away from the yacht then…and straight into a mudbank.

I can feel Kenzi’s warm breath on my neck. Her heart is beating so fast I can feel it, tiny thumps against my bare arm. “Oh my God…” she says. “I’m sorry if you get in trouble for that.”

“You kidding?” I tell her. “This is the best night of my life.”

I could kiss her right now.

It’s an urge, tugging on me, my heart strung like a marionette.

I could kiss her. We’re so close like this. Her eyes meet mine, and for a second, I think she’s thinking the same thing.

And then a splash catches our attention. We look back to the boat. Jason and Nick are in the mud now, water up to their waists, trying to push the boat back out. The boat makes a terrible grinding noise as someone tries to start up the engine. Jason King’s swears can be heard all throughout the marina.

Kenzi puts her hand on her mouth and laughs.

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