Triple Dare (Sterling Shore 7)

The second we get to the back room, I shut and lock the door. Maybe I can convince her with a replay of last night.

“Corbin, I don’t think—”

Before she can finish that statement, I’m pulling her to me and shutting her up with my mouth on hers. She moans and struggles, trying to move away, but I pull her closer until she’s suddenly tangling her fingers in my hair, roughly tugging me to her, and kissing me back.

Drawing her closer to me, I start moving us back, looking for a hard surface to take her against—cabinet, table, wall… I’m not picky. She tastes so damn good and feels so damn right against me.

Something scatters to the floor when a rolling table gets in our way, and it’s like the noise shatters the spell for her. She rips herself away from me, and I curse as she actually runs behind an island counter, putting it between us like a buffer. Where was that counter when I needed a hard surface?

Crossing my arms over my chest, I just stare at her with a little pity. I mean, seriously. This is pathetic.

“Really think that’s going to keep us separated for long?”

Her scowl is always cute, and I think I like it as much as her smile. I’ll get back to you on the smile, since it doesn’t look like she’s going to be smiling any time soon.

“We cannot do this. Especially not here,” she whisper-yells.

“Then let’s get out of here and go somewhere we can do this,” I counter, eyeing her as a smile starts to play on my lips.

“No!” she yells, then winces before lowering her voice and repeating, “No,” in a whisper.

Is she really pointing a finger at me like I’m five and she’s a teacher?

Fuuuck. I really don’t need naughty teacher thoughts going through my head right now. I’m already in pain just from kissing her.

“You should go,” she adds, now pointing toward the door like that finger wields some power.

All she gets is a yeah-right look.

“We need to talk about—”

“No we don’t,” she interrupts, a hint of panic in her eyes.

Fuck that. “Ruby, last night was—”

“A colossal mistake.”

Rolling my eyes, I continue. “I was going to say epic. We should—”

“Damn it, Corbin! I triple dare you to forget it. It. Never. Happened.”

Apparently she’s going to be more resistant than I planned if she’s doling out a triple dare.

She still looks like she’s on the verge of panicking, like she’s desperate to make sure I accept the triple dare.

It did happen. I guess I’ll just have to figure out a way to make it happen again. She can’t use the same triple dare twice, and next time, I’ll make sure she doesn’t want to forget.

“Fine,” I tell her, acting as though it’s no big deal when secretly I’m envisioning grinding nails to dust. “But don’t think that means you get to avoid me. You’re still under a triple dare from me to attend all social functions. I’ll see you tonight when we all go to Silk.”

I turn to walk away, but she’s quick to react to that.

“You’re going to make up pretend outings? That’s abusing a triple dare,” she growls.

“It’s not pretend,” I say with a smile I don’t feel, but I sell it as I look over my shoulder at her. “It’s been planned for a while.”

I leave before she can argue further, and I try not to crush my phone in my hand when I pull it out to dial Maverick. He answers just as I make it back outside to my car.

“Did ya get lucky?” he asks, sounding distracted.

He asks that a lot, so I don’t think he actually suspects anything. “We’re meeting at Silk tonight. Help me get the word out.”

“Yes, sir,” he says in a militant, mocking fashion.

“And, Mav, if Ruby asks, this has been planned for a while.”

He laughs, probably gearing up to say something smartass, but I hang up before he can. Ruby has a little surprise coming to her just for pissing me off.

CHAPTER 16

RUBY

Bo pours another drink, and I feel a little sorry for her. At least her issues are distracting me from my own. Then again, Bo’s weird family and weirder family issues makes my family almost seem normal.

“So the breakup was bad?” I ask.

She sighs before taking a long swig off the straight vodka.

“He cried like a baby, and I almost cried for him. He kept acting like they were in love. I know Bora; there’s no way she ever let him believe she was in love with him.”

“You do realize your sister should be breaking up with her own boyfriends instead of sending you to do her dirty work. She’s not a teenager anymore. When is she going to grow up?”

I almost ask Bo when she’s going to stop enabling her as well, but I bite my tongue. Bo’s too damn sweet to ever stand up to her bully twin.