Triple Dare (Sterling Shore 7)

I’m happy for the distraction, even though my heart is still pounding in my chest. Corbin sounds really confident, but it’s not hard to see why. Even I can tell how weak I am right now around him.

Stay strong. Stay true.

“Sounds good to me,” Corbin says, reclining back and moving a hand down to my thigh.

After all the teasing, that hand wields a lot more power than it should, and I inwardly groan at the sensitivity I’m suffering.

“Everyone else in?” Dale asks, still studying Tag and Ash as she continues to beam a bright shade of red.

“Something you two want to share?” Corbin asks them.

“No,” Ash says as Tag laughs and rubs her belly.

“I’ll start,” Britt says, smiling brightly.

Maverick walks back in, surprising us, and Tria looks up at him, confused.

“Thought you were going to a strip club.”

“Jax had to bail, so I figured I’d just come back.”

“Can I dare Maverick to do something?” Britt asks, her eyes lighting up with a hint of mischief.

“What the hell did I walk into?” he asks Corbin.

“Definitely dare Maverick to do something,” Dane says, smiling with his wife as they both help her conspire.

This night might just be the most interesting truth or dare game I’ve ever played.

Problem is, I’m dealing with a set of truths of my own.

***

CORBIN

Ruby is on the verge of breaking by the fifth time I shut the button off, smiling as she whimpers and leans against me. Her breath is on my neck as Dale completes his dare to shave his legs.

“You realize that’s a shitty dare, since he never wears shorts,” Maverick points out.

Ash shrugs, still laughing as Dale pulls up the leg of his pants to prove he did it.

“Do you not wear shorts because of your prosthetic?” Britt asks innocently.

He grins over at her before kissing her head, but he doesn’t answer. He doesn’t have to.

“My turn. Ruby, truth or dare?” he asks, staring down my girl as she tries to get her head away from my neck.

“Truth. I’m pretty sick of dares,” she grumbles, which has me fighting the urge to laugh.

“Okay, truth then. When’s the last time you had a real relationship? I’m not talking about a relationship where you say you’re dating but it’s really just convenient sex. I mean real. When was the last time you dated someone you couldn’t wait to see again?”

Subtle, Dale. Real subtle.

He smirks as he meets my gaze. I know what he’s doing.

Ruby’s brow furrows as she thinks. I can answer it for her if she needs me to.

“I guess… Oh this is going to sound pathetic, but I guess it was Corbin.”

She squirms next to me, acting as though she’s just realized I was the only guy she ever really cared about. At least this helps my cause.

“Seriously?” Rain asks, now acting just as intrigued.

“Yeah,” Ruby mutters, sinking back in her seat. “But we were friends first before we dated, and I always looked forward to seeing him. So…”

She lets her ramble trail off, because it’s a shitty recovery and she knows it.

“Your turn to truth or dare someone,” Britt says, sounding eager to get another turn.

Ruby shakes her head free from the trance she’s in, and she turns to me. I can see she’s about to ask something I don’t want to answer, but I’m choosing truth no matter what.

“Truth or dare, Corbin?”

“Truth,” I say, preparing myself. My eyes lock on hers, and I squeeze her thigh a little. “Ask anything.”

“When is the last time you had sex?” I purse my lips, arching an eyebrow at her. “No triple dares included,” she adds in a low mumble, averting her eyes from mine.

And here I was thinking she was going to ask a hard question. This is perfect.

“Mav, help me out. When was the last time I had sex?” I ask, knowing Ruby won’t believe me.

“Hell, he stopped months ago,” Maverick grumbles, trying to sound upset even though he’s secretly not. “Right about the time she bought the house and made it official she was coming back. I can’t even get him to look at a girl. He might as well have on a damn chastity belt.”

Ruby’s eyes widen on mine, and my lips twitch.

Just as I’m about to deal Britt a new chance at a turn, something crashes outside, and Wren stands up.

“Shit. That dog next door got loose again. Come help me get rid of it.”

Maverick is shaking his head, looking so damn ridiculous. “Not me. I’m not leaving the house looking like this.”

He motions to the dress Britt made him put on, then to the makeup she had him also put on. He looks like the female version of the Hulk, because he’s bursting out of that dress.

“You’re really the ugliest chick I’ve ever seen,” I tell him, laughing as he flips me off.