Chapter Eight #4
“How about a new game? Truth or dare.”
Jonesy shifts a little closer to Katie as he always does once he’s had a few to drink. His stance crowds her petite frame.
“What are we? Nineteen? You gonna ask me to make out with you, Caleb? Finally gonna beg for that kiss you’ve always wanted?” Jonesy teases, lightening the tension that has grown thick in the room.
“You know I’m not picky, Jonesy. But I’m sure there’s someone else here you’d rather make out with.
” His eyes flick to Katie, and her face thunders with a rush of red.
It was an unspoken rule in our group. You don’t talk about the underlying sexual tension between Jonesy and Katie.
It has been fifteen years since we all met, and fifteen years that it was painfully obvious that they were meant to be together.
And now, both of them are single at the same time for the first time in years, it might actually happen.
But it’s like kids on a playground. If you leave them to it, they’ll become firm friends, but if you force them to spend time together, then more than likely, they’ll dig their heels in and refuse to play nice.
Sensing the shift in Katie, Mia diverts the attention. “I’ll go first.”
Caleb bares his teeth, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I watch Katie let out a deep breath, Jonesy’s knee gently leaning against hers. She doesn’t pull away this time.
“Truth or dare?” he purrs into his scotch, taking a hefty sip.
“Truth.”
I sit up a little straighter, my grip around her middle squeezing a little bit tighter.
“Have you ever been in love?”
I feel her back stiffen, all softness gone in a second.
Despite this, her face remains neutral. She’s had many hours on placements where I’m sure she’s heard all manner of things.
Every good psychologist has an excellent poker face.
Hence why we have one poker night a year to crown the poker face champion for the year.
“Yes.”
One word, three letters, enough to send me into a tailspin. Who was he?
“Are you in love?” he adds.
“That’s not how truth or dare works, Caleb. Next person?” she deflects. I’ve never wanted Caleb to get his own way more. And by the way he looks at me with a smug look on his face, I’ve played right into his hands. He’s fucking loving this.
“You gonna tell me about that later, sweet girl?” I whisper against her ear.
She stiffens, and I can just make out from the side of her face that she’s sucking in her cheeks.
She pulls her arm out of reach from my trailing fingertips, and it’s as if the temperature of the room drops a few degrees, the air thick with something unspoken.
An error on my part, but I can’t work out what it was.
Maybe the evening has been too much for her, too easy to play the part, and she’s having second thoughts.
“My turn,” Katie says, returning the favor for Mia by distracting us all. “Dare.”
“Kiss Jonesy,” Caleb demands.
“What are we, fourteen years old? Gonna do seven minutes in heaven next?” Katie scoffs.
I use the opportunity to whisper to Mia, “What did I do?”
“Nothing,” she whispers back, keeping her eyes fixed forward.
“I wouldn’t need seven minutes. I’d have you coming in two,” Jonesy says, downing the rest of his drink.
“I’m not kissing you.” Katie scoffs.
“What are you scared of, princess?”
“Don’t call me that,” she snaps, and Mia squirms on my lap.
I widen my legs so she can shift between them.
She slips down, brushing my cock on the way down and fuck, it feels so good.
My hand shifts to my bent knee beside her, my foot up on the couch.
She’s not relaxed anymore, her back ramrod straight, her shoulders tense and high.
It feels like she’s on the starting block and she’s waiting for the gun to go off so she can launch out of her seat and run for her life.
“Tell me what it was so I know not to do it again.”
Her chin dips as she watches her fingers knot together.
“I don’t like the term of endearment you used.”
Sweet girl?
“Can I clarify what it was so I make sure I don't do it again?” I whisper softly.
“Yeah…it was, umm, sweet girl,” she says, as the rest of the room peeks over at us. “I don’t like that.”
“I won’t call you it again, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Is that the only one you don’t like?” I ask.
She nods, finally, twisting to look at me.
“You’re not mad?” she breathes.
“Why would I be mad?”
She pauses, frowning for a moment until her face smoothes out. She’s not going to answer that; her wall is back up now.
Despite my disappointment, her hand curls around the back of my thigh, and she begins to trail her fingers up and down.
It is by far one of the best and worst experiences of my life.
My cock twitches and she looks over her shoulder, her hair as dark as night in this low light.
She smirks, pushing her ass back again. She’s playing with me, her previous anxiety forgotten.
I’m dying to know who hurt her, if only so I could look them up and see someone whose life is destroyed and worthless from having lost her.
Shouting ensues, bringing me back to the present.
“Don't be such a scaredy-cat. Come on, princess, what’s the worst that could happen? We make out, I get to taste that cocktail you’ve been sipping on all night, and then we go our separate ways.
” Jonesy shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I can see the yearning in his eyes.
Katie looks confused, almost upset that she can’t decipher his true intention when really he’s giving her his best poker face yet.
He’s telling the truth and attempting to act like it’s not everything he’s ever wanted.
“God, you guys are so dull. Honestly, just make out already. We’ve been waiting for fifteen years,” Caleb grunts, tired of the show now that Mia and I are out of earshot.
“I’m leaving,” Katie announces.
“You’ve been drinking, you can’t drive,” Jonesy grits out, his teeth grinding.
“Fine, then I’m going to bed.”
She takes off up the stairs, Jonesy following on her heels. “If you think you’re getting the room with the ensuite, then you’re mistaken. I’ve already put my stuff in there!” we hear him yell.
“No,” Katie retorts. “My stuff is in there. Take the single.”
“I’m too big for that bed, and you know it.”
“I know nothing of the sort.”
“Well, I’m sleeping in here. You’re welcome to join me. Finally make good on that dare. Did you just want a little privacy?”
“Eurgh, you’re disgusting,” she screeches, a door slamming and a muffled curse from Jonesy calls out until another door slams.
The living room descends into silence.
Lottie is dozing, her body scrunched into a fetal position on the couch opposite us, her hand gripping her phone tightly.
“And then there were four, or three, if you don’t count sleeping beauty over there,” Caleb says, pointing at Lottie.
“We should get going,” I say, pulling Mia up with me. Despite the excitement of the last few minutes, her cheeks are flushed, and she lets out a big yawn.
“Did I pass?” she mumbles.
Caleb chuckles, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. “Sure did, gorgeous. Welcome to the club.”
Placing my arm around Mia’s shoulder, I steer her out of reach. He smirks, his eyes crinkling around the edges before sweeping his arms under Lottie and lifting her until she snuggles into his chest.
“Goodnight, lovebirds. I’ll put this one to bed and lock up behind you.”
With that, he starts ascending the stairs, and I pull Mia closer to me as we head to the car.
◆◆◆
In her sleepy and slightly intoxicated state, I walk Mia to her door. She fumbles with her keys, missing the lock a few times as she curses.
“You never got to play,” she murmurs, finally sliding the key into the lock.
“What’s that?” I ask, helping her step through the entryway. She slips off her boots and heads straight to the bedroom. I close the door for a moment, convincing myself that it’s only to ensure she gets into bed properly and has a glass of water.
“Truth or Dare.”
“We can play next time,” I say, heading to the kitchen to grab that glass. I check her bathroom for some aspirin and place it on her bedside table.
She sighs, her hand reaching for mine.
“Truth,” I whisper as her eyes flutter shut.
“Why didn’t you tell your friends we aren’t really dating?” Her voice is slurred, full of angst and longing, even when it's clouded with sleep.
She sighs hard, rolling over, her face nuzzling into her pillow.
“I don’t know,” I whisper, dropping a kiss to her forehead before I can tell myself all the reasons why I shouldn’t.