Truth or Dare: A Sweet Romantic Comedy Collection by Laura Burton (free ebook reader for ipad txt) 📗

“You want the truth?” I put my legs down and scoot over to him. “Well, here it is.” I suck in the air between my teeth and hold my breath for a second, building the courage I need to do this.

“Cameron James, I’ve had a crush on you since high school. I’ve loved our friendship, but I’ve always wanted more. Seeing you with other girls, kissing other girls, I hated it. You were mine. At least… in my head.” I avert my eyes and blush. But Cameron rests a finger under my chin and lifts my head to meet his gaze again.

“You’re right,” he says in a voice so low; it rumbles against my eardrums. “I am yours. I always have been.”

My breath hitches and it takes all of my resolve not to squeal with excitement. This can’t be real. How have we made it all these years without having this kind of talk?

I dated guys to make Cameron jealous. I wanted to make a move on him, but I was always worried that he didn’t see me that way. Was he doing the same this whole time?

Cameron picks up my hands and plants feathery kisses over my knuckles.

“I know your parents want you to be with a lawyer…”

I clench my jaw. My parents. He’s worried about what my parents will think.

“All they’ve ever wanted is for me to be happy,” I say, squeezing his hands. “And I’m happiest when I’m with you. They know that.”

My parents love Cameron almost as much as I do. Once they know I’m in love with him, I’m sure…

“And I don’t want to hold you back from your dreams,” Cameron continues, breaking into my thoughts. I frown at him.

“Why would you be holding me back?”

So, this is why Cameron hasn’t made a move all these years.

“I want you to achieve everything you've ever dreamed of, but I’m happy here in New York,” Cameron says, rubbing the back of his neck. My frown deepens. “So am I,” I say, but Cameron gives me a wry look. As if he doesn’t believe me.

“I’m serious,” I say, starting to get annoyed. How can he just decide he’s not good enough? Don’t I get a say in this?

“Cameron, I want to be with you. I want to make a life with you,” I say. I hold his face between my hands and look him firmly in the eye, just in case he thinks I’m not being honest. I refuse to blink, daring him to argue with me. But his troubled expression vanishes into a grin.

“Okay. Then I guess there’s only one thing left to do,” he says, propping me up on his lap again.

“What?”

“Seal it with a kiss?” Cameron asks. Just like that, we're both laughing and all of my irritation has faded away. Then I move in for the sweetest kiss of all.

“I love you, Holly,” he whispers against my lips.

Even though we failed to complete the dare, and now we’ve got to go skinny dipping in the freezing Hudson river, it was worth it. I succeeded in the most important challenge of all.

I got out of the friendzone with Cameron.

And that’s all I need for my happy ending.

THE END

Epilogue

Michelle

The plan is coming together perfectly. Debbie and Mark are together, blissfully in love. Holly and Cameron have faced their true feelings for each other and embraced whatever obstacles they might have to face in their relationship.

It would have been great if they actually carried out the dare. But the result is just as I expected.

So, I’m calling it a win.

Now, it’s my turn. I was going to go last, but an opportunity has presented itself that is simply too good to pass up.

At the next party, I stand in front of everyone, grinning like a fool as I dip my hand into the jar of papers.

I shuffle them around to add suspense. But in reality, it doesn’t matter which one I choose. The challenge is set, and all of the papers are the same.

“Okay, Jonah. This one is for you and me,” I announce. The rest of the gang lean in, keeping quiet. But Jonah blinks at me blankly as if he’s watching paint dry.

Or maybe he sees right through my act and knows that I’ve planned all of this to a tee.

Probably the latter.

“Our dare is…. don’t fall in love.”

“What?” Debbie screams, almost spitting her drink down her silk blouse. Holly and Katia look at me quizzically, and the guys in the room look at me like I’ve announced the Earth is flat. Well, all guys except one.

I know Jonah. Getting him to fall for me is going to take more than a kiss or getting locked in a room together.

Since he got his heart broken last summer, he’s put iron-clad walls up around his heart. And he’s determined to never get hurt like that again.

So a chance with this guy is gonna take some reverse psychology. His broad smile widens.

“What do we have to do?” he asks, sitting up straight. I grin back, happy he’s taken the bait.

“We’re going to a couples’ retreat in Hawaii this weekend. We’ll have to pretend to be in a relationship, but here’s the kicker: we can’t fall in love for real,” I say.

“Oooh,” Katia and Debbie say in unison. Ryder shakes his head with a laugh, then looks at his laptop again. Meanwhile, Jonah shrugs nonchalantly.

“Piece of cake,” he says. “A weekend in Hawaii? I could get on board with that.”

“Trust Michelle to give herself the best dare,” Holly mutters to Katia, who nods. I ignore them and turn back to Jonah.

“Are you serious? You think you can stand pretending to be my boyfriend for a weekend?”

“Michelle, I’ll be whoever you want me to be in Hawaii,” Jonah says, raising his eyebrows at me. We laugh.

“Alright then. Bring on the challenge. We’re not going to fall in love in Hawaii!

Dare Number Two: Don’t Fall in Love

Michelle and Jonah’s story.

Michelle

Mom says I’m an over thinker. Dad prefers to use