Triple Dare (Sterling Shore 7)

I roll my eyes while grabbing my purse.

“Bo?” he asks, surprised when he sees the blushing girl on my bed. She straightens, and I feel sorry for her when she tries to speak.

“Ye—Yes.” Poor thing has a stutter on one word. At least she understands part of the reason why I’m a wreck around him.

“I wasn’t expecting you. Glad you’re in Sterling Shore with Ruby.”

“I convinced her it’s the place for a thriving business,” I say, alleviating Bo, who mouths “thank you” to me.

Corbin turns his back, looking in the mirror as he adjusts his tie. Corbin Sterling in a suit… Yeah… Fuck bad boys. Boys in suits are way hotter.

Bo’s eyes are wide as saucers when I turn back to her, and she mouths, “Holy shit,” to me.

I know what she means. He’s way hotter than he was when we were first in college. And she hasn’t seen him since the early days of college.

“Are you going to spend all night primping, or can we get this over with?” I muse, arching an eyebrow when he starts messing with his hair.

“Fucking short hair takes longer to fix. Unbelievable.”

That has me laughing, and he turns to wrap his arms around me, kissing the top of my head.

All those wild, riotous and conflicting emotions assault me, and I don’t know whether to tense or melt against his touch.

“Really. Lose the gloves. The dress is hot, but the gloves… not so much,” he says before running a finger up my arm, touching the slight bit of skin the shawl and gloves don’t cover.

“I can’t lose the gloves, because your mother won’t shut the hell up if I do.”

“Good. At least she’ll be focusing on you and not me. Do you realize how long she’s been on my ass to cut my hair?”

I beam up at him, batting my eyelashes all innocent like, and he narrows his eyes on me.

“Evil,” he mouths, and I start laughing.

He smirks before threading our fingers together, shaking his head at my gloves, and starts pulling me out.

I sit down the second he opens the door for me.

“This might be the worst triple dare yet.”

He laughs as I stew in my misery, already working on a plan to ditch this thing early. Maybe I could fake an illness? I could so force myself to puke if necessary.

“Stop plotting,” Corbin says, grinning as he drives us toward his parents’ house.

He knows me too well.

“You can stop pouting too,” he adds, laughing when I glare daggers at him.

“Just wait until my next triple dare.” Yeah… I totally sound like a surly teen right now.

He grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together, and I stare at the connection. Hand-holding was once one of my many boundaries, but like so many other times, he has slowly crossed that line until the rules become pointless.

I have very few boundaries left in place, because I keep letting him step over those lines. It’s my own fault that I’m in my own personal version of hell right now.

CHAPTER 10

CORBIN

I hate these parties. I hate this tie. I hate smiling at people who just want me to invest with them.

But I still love my life. I’d love it a little more if Ruby was in it the way she’s supposed to be.

I guess I’ll have to settle for having her the only way I can. I’m just glad she’s finally home, even if it does leave me feeling constantly teased.

“Why do they keep calling you banana girl?” Ruby asks Bella, and I fight back a laugh.

Bella just rolls her eyes. “Because Wren Prize is an ass with a big mouth. And he needs freaking bells.”

Wren bursts out laughing before bending over and burying his face in the crook of his girl’s neck, smothering some of the sound.

Ruby looks confused, but I like the look on her, so I don’t explain things.

Bella shakes her head then turns up what’s left of her champagne.

Raya and Kade are all over each other tonight, and I’m half afraid they might just fuck here in front of everyone.

“What’s up with those two?” I ask, lifting my brow in disbelief when Kade’s hands go to Raya’s ass.

This isn’t exactly the bar scene.

Tag turns to see them, laughs, and faces me again. “The wedding plans were moved back. Again. Margaret has to find a bigger venue. The Capperton clan… I mean… um… the Drivel clan… is huge. And they all want to come to the wedding. It’s been a mess, and Raya and Kade have been arguing a lot. Arguments turn into hot sex.”

If I got hot sex every time I argued with Ruby… Fucking hell.

I shift uncomfortably, suddenly needing something to hide my damn crotch. Ruby’s ass grazes the front of my pants, pushing up against the proof that I want inside her, as I pull her to be in front of me, careful not to let her feel what’s going on.