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

I do not understand at all. My stomach drops as I watch her disappear behind a door. Then I throw my head into my hands and sigh, willing my stiff muscles to calm down. I want to hold her and never let go for as long as I live. I need her.

Maybe she worries that what we have is just physical. That things between us can never last? I need to convince her that I’m in this for the long haul. That I’m hers. If she’ll have me.

Please, let her have me.

Debbie

“Michelle, you have to let us out,” I whisper into the phone. Michelle laughs.

“What’s going on? You sound breathless.”

I am breathless. My lips are numb and my mind is racing. Mark was kissing me. Grabbing me. Tasting me. It was all too much to handle. Then he wanted to shower with me? I can’t take it. The temptation is too strong. There’s no way we’ll make it to morning without taking things too far.

“You two made out, didn’t you?” Michelle’s knowing voice cuts into my thoughts. My stomach clenches as the chatter in the background dies off.

“What!” I hear Katia exclaim. She knew about the kiss. But I insisted it was a stupid mistake and made her promise not to breathe a word to anyone. As far as she is concerned, I hate Mark. And I’ve always hated Mark.

Funny how fine the line is between hate and love.

“Let me talk to her.” The line crackles then I hear Katia’s voice loud and clear. “Do you need us to get you out? Are you okay?”

“I’m hiding in the bathroom,” I whisper back as I fumble with the faucet to turn the shower on.

“What happened? It’s not true is it? You didn’t make out with Mark?” Katia does little to hide the repulsion in her voice. My silence seems to do all the talking, and she makes a noise of disgust.

“Debbie!”

“Hey, I’m a grown woman. I can do what I like,” I say defensively.

“Why are you hiding in the bathroom?” Michelle’s back on the phone again.

“I don’t know what to do. He wanted to join me in the shower.” The words sound so much more scandalous out loud than in my head. Michelle hums knowingly.

“I’m so glad you two managed to smooth things out. And I’m impressed, it’s only been a few hours.”

I swallow hard and grin to myself.

“How did you know?”

“I saw you two by the lake when I was getting drinks. Last summer. And the way you would react when he entered the room. The ridiculous over-the-top act about how much you hate him was just such a giveaway.”

“So, when you said this dare would change our lives…?” I ask, catching her train of thought.

“What better way to get you two back on track than to lock you in a basement?” Michelle says simply.

Well, it did work.

“Thanks Michelle,” I say warmly.

“So… do you want to forfeit the dare?”

And go skinny dipping? Yeah, no thanks.

“No, on second thought it’s okay. It’s going to be morning soon.”

I hang up the phone and take a steadying breath. Then, I decide I might as well take a shower. Better make it a cold one.

Mark

The door clicks, and my neck cracks as I turn my head to look at Debbie as she re-enters the room. Her hair hangs below her shoulders, wetting her shirt. And her fresh face is slightly red, now free of make-up.

“Hey you,” I say, patting on the bed. While Debbie was in the shower, I took the opportunity to convert the couch into a bed. She eyes it warily, chewing her lip in a way that has me hot under the collar again. “I promise I’ll be a gentleman. I just want to talk.”

With amusement, I notice a slight look of disappointment wash over Debbie’s face as she lowers herself on to the mattress.

“I want you to know, that I believe you can achieve whatever you want,” I plant my hand on her shoulder. “The problem is, I don’t think you’ve really thought about it.”

Debbie shrugs my hand away and crosses her legs.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you took Philosophy. And during the many nights the gang have been talking about their dream jobs, you didn’t join in. Is it really a surprise that you’re not where you want to be? You don’t even know what you want.”

Debbie tucks her hair behind her ear and looks down sheepishly.

“I guess I never thought about it like that,” she says admittedly. “I just expected… something to happen after graduation.”

“So, you know you don’t want to work at Bed, Bath and Beyond for the rest of your life. Do you know what your dream job looks like?”

Debbie shrugs again with a chuckle.

“It’s dumb.”

“Tell me. I want to know,” I insist. I’m fighting against some very strong urges to throw her on her back and ravish her on the bed. I need her to know I can be there for her emotionally, more than physically.

“Well, I guess I pictured myself doing seminars and traveling. I want to see the world. I want to understand different cultures.”

“I’ll take you wherever you want to go.” I grasp her hands in mine and look deeply into her eyes. “I believe in you, and I promise to have your back.”

Debbie’s eyes tear up as she looks back at me.

“I think I misjudged you,” she says. Her voice is shaking. “You’re really just a care bear underneath that cocky, alpha-male act, aren’t you?”

No one has called me a care bear before. I smirk at her.

“Want to know something I love about you?”

Her eyes widen at the sound of my words, and she gives a nod. I clear my throat. “I love how when I’m holding you, I feel like I’m home. So, we can travel. It doesn’t matter where. Because as long as you take my hand, I’ll be right where I’m supposed to be.”

Debbie bites her lip with a grin.

“So, you want to do this?” she asks