Chapter 2 #4
"I see you've weighed the consequences, so why haven't you kissed some woman already and gotten it over with? You're running out of time."
"I know, but I wouldn't feel right about going through with it."
"You'd rather streak across the quad?"
"Of course not." His scowl was even more pronounced than a moment ago.
"So why don't you feel right about kissing a stranger?"
He looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "I’d be forcing myself on someone. That’s sexual assault. I could be court martialed if my CO found out. And my mom would box my ears for being so disrespectful to a woman."
"Oh. That's definitely worse than streaking." Grace's heart melted a little when Damon mentioned his mom.
"You could always lie and tell Howie you kissed a stranger?"
"No." He shook his head vigorously. "Honesty is important to me. Besides, I have to send Howie a selfie of me and the woman I kiss after I've checked the box."
Grace had met her share of men who said the things they thought a woman wanted to hear, whether it was true or not. Knowing that honesty was important to Damon made him even more attractive in her eyes.
"I'm not going to do either." Damon twisted his chocolate wrapper into a tight line. "But Howie won't let this go. So, I've got to figure out a way to convince him to change the consequence. Knowing him, it will end up being something else equally undesirable."
Grace hated the idea of Damon, who had been nothing but kind and respectful, having to grovel to a supposed friend whose joke felt conniving and vengeful. There was nothing funny or entertaining about putting your buddy's career on the line.
"Have you learned your lesson?"
"What?" Damon's head jerked up.
"Have you learned your lesson about making stupid bets?"
"Hel— I mean, absolutely!"
"We're not exactly strangers anymore. I mean, we've exchanged names, I told you my hopes and dreams, and you've shared all the stupid things you've done with me.
" She motioned to the walls surrounding them.
"Not to mention the fact that we have the shared trauma of being trapped in an elevator. " She was rambling.
Was it nerves? Or was she trying to convince herself she knew him well enough to kiss him?
It's not like I'll see him again once we get off this elevator.
That thought made it easier to consider going through with it.
Damon locked gazes with her. "What are you saying?"
She pulled her water bottle from her bag to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. Then she faced him and squared her shoulders. "You can kiss me."
"What?" His eyes widened. "You don't have to do that. Like you said, this whole thing..." He circled his hand through the air. "Has been traumatic enough. The last thing you need when this is all over is to feel like some jerk took advantage of you."
Grace's heart melted a little more at his words. She'd been taken advantage of before, and Damon certainly wasn't giving off those kinds of vibes.
"I'm giving you a chance to put the whole bet with Howie behind you. You don't want it? That's your problem." She tried to act nonchalant. "Good luck figuring out how to convince Howie to give you another consequence that won't jeopardize your military career."
"Wait." Damon scratched his neck. "I want this whole ordeal over, but.
..are you sure? I mean, when you tell your children and grandchildren about that time you got stuck in an elevator, I don't want you to have to admit you felt forced to kiss some stranger just to save him from humiliation and a court martial. "
"Oh, believe me, when I tell this story, I will never admit to kissing a stranger." She wagged her finger.
No one knew about the first time she kissed a stranger in an elevator as an adolescent, except her friend who was there to witness it. And the guy she kissed of course. No way would she ever admit to doing it as an adult.
Damon set the candle on the other side of him and shifted closer to her. Then he rubbed his palms over his jean-clad thighs.
"Okay. Well..." Cool and calm Damon suddenly appeared nervous and insecure. "Um...we should probably take a selfie first." He pulled his phone from his pocket and promptly dropped it.
Grace almost burst out laughing again, but the sudden swarm of butterflies in her stomach made her feel a little nauseous. Or was she anxious? Excited?
No, I'm just doing him a favor. I'm not kissing him because I want to.
She leaned toward him for the picture, but then straightened, distancing herself a little. This was his punishment for making a stupid bet; may as well make him work for it.
"It doesn't need to be like a deep kiss or anything. But Howie's going to want details, so it probably needs to be a little more than a peck on the lips." The words rushed out of Damon's mouth in a single breath.
"Of course. Because if I ever did tell someone I kissed a stranger in the elevator, it should at least be a kiss worth talking about."
"Right." He sucked in a deep breath then chuckled. "No pressure or anything."
"Damon?"
"What?"
"Just kiss me."