Triple Dare (Sterling Shore 7)

“Even though it was going to ruin me, I was willing to let you go. It’s what you wanted. It’s what you needed in order to move on. I wasn’t going to give you that last box after I stopped to think about it. Then I talked to Krysta, and… fuck. I couldn’t do it. So I asked her to get you to go through them, because it was easier than coming over and baring my soul. You’d trust the honesty more from those boxes than you would from my lips. And I asked her to let me know if there was any hope at all for you and me. If so, to give you that last one.”

He motions to the box I’ve only started going through, and I take a shaky step toward him.

“What does this mean?”

I pick up the paper I just read, and he takes it when I hand it to him. The barest of brushes exchange between our fingers, and I almost lose my footing just from that.

He reads it, and he sighs.

I got drunk, took a plane to New York to visit Ruby, then turned around and left as soon as I got there because she was with someone else. She’s dating someone again. I can’t believe I bought that damn thing and actually planned to give it to her. Then I saw her with him, and I remembered she wasn’t mine because I ruined it. I don’t even fucking deserve her. I should have stayed home.

His eyes move to the small velvet box that I’m gripping tightly in my hand, and he puts the piece of paper back down.

“I bought that over two years ago.” He rolls his eyes. “I thought it was a sign or something because I found it in a jewelry store when I was looking for something to get Rain for her birthday. Jewelry stores I go to don’t usually have things like that. It’s a ring piercing. A ruby ring piercing. I thought it was fate or some shit.” He groans and scrubs his face. “Maybe I do watch too damn many chick flicks.”

A smile tugs at my lips, and he shakes his head before looking at me again.

“I took some shots of liquid courage, went to New York, and you had company. It was either bribe him or kill him. He didn’t look like the type who could be bribed, and I didn’t think you’d forgive me for murdering your boyfriend.”

Like the morbid freak I am, I laugh a little at that. Corbin takes a step closer, slowly closing the distance between us.

“Look in the box, Ruby. Under the piercing.”

Confused, I open it up, and I pull the beautiful ruby red gem out. Corbin puts his hand out, offering to hold it, and I gingerly place it in his hand. Again our skin touches, and that tremor runs through me.

I tug the plush holder out, revealing the bottom, but there’s a napkin—an old napkin—folded up. Tears spring to my eyes when I unfold it, because I realize it’s an old drawing of mine. Even though I’m not sure from what or when.

I notice the bottom of the box says I triple dare you.

“Obviously the triple dare was for sentiment. Not for real,” he says under his breath, sounding embarrassed.

I’m confused for a second, but then I stare at the drawing a minute longer and realize exactly what it is.

“I drew this when I was eighteen,” I whisper, looking up at him in disbelief.

His eyes are on mine, holding my gaze like he’ll never look away.

“You said if you ever got married, it would only be once… It’d be as permanent as a pink tattoo. You said a permanent marriage gets a permanent ring, and you designed that just to show me what it would look like. I was eating, you were drinking coffee, and I watched as you drew your own wedding band tattoo.”

Shaking and feeling a little dizzy, I slowly look back down to the napkin, trying to process.

“So this is…”

He holds out the ruby piercing again, and he waits to speak until my eyes meet his.

“I got just drunk enough to say to hell with everything and attempt to propose. But then, as always, I pulled back. I’m tired of holding back. This is me telling you I’m not going anywhere ever again. You get all of me, and I’ll tell you everything. You’ll come first… You always have. I’ll just learn to show it better. Because that’s where I fuck up.”

Yeah… Heart not beating.

“I’ve always been in love with you, Ruby. Despite what you might think. You’re the first girl I ever noticed, the only girl that ever mattered, and the last girl I deserve. But, even though I don’t deserve you, I still want you. Hell, I fucking need you. Now I want a chance to prove it.”