Page 57 of If You Dare

“Yeah, I do,” Wes agrees. “Especially because I’m about to eat half of it.”

“Good,” I whisper. “I actually don’t like cotton candy.”

Chloe lets out a horrified gasp, even though I hoped she wouldn’t hear me. “Who doesn’t like cotton candy?”

“Crazy people,” Luke says, the two of them leading the way.

Once they’re safely out of hearing range, I ask Wes, “Can you just eat it for me?”

He flashes a wicked grin. “I’ll eat whatever you want me to eat.”

My cheeks burn, and I shove the cotton candy into his hand. Now I can’t stop thinking about Wes pulling me away to a dark, private corner and kneeling before me, his tongue between my legs.

We hop on every spinning and swinging ride we can until Chloe complains that if she rides one more, she’s going to puke pink, even though she’s the one who insists on hitting every ride.

When we reach the row of carnival games, Chloe spots a stuffed duck and challenges Wes to compete with her for it.

“Aren’t you supposed to win a goldfish?” Luke asks.

“All out of goldfish,” the bearded carnival worker informs us in a monotone.

Chloe and Wes shout and groan as they toss ping-pong balls, failing to dunk them through the tiny rings. These are the moments when it’s painfully obvious that they’re brother and sister. Other than their vibrant blue eyes, they couldn’t look more dissimilar. But that competitive streak runs in the family.

“I really like her,” Luke admits to me, his hands buried in his pockets. “Wes won’t like it because no one’s good enough for his little sister, but I know he’d rather her date me than any of the other assholes on the team.”

“She likes you too.” I know she wouldn’t mind me saying so. She’s made her attraction to Luke obvious. Knowing her, she’s already told him exactly how she feels. Hell, she was probably the one to ask him out. And she didn’t even need me to dare her to do it.

Chloe is the kind of girl I’ve always wanted to be but never had the guts to try.

Until now, maybe. Being her friend has made me believe I can do anything. I can finally write that book. I can flirt with a guy as out of my league as Wes. As long as I have Chloe by my side, I can be brave.

“I know you’ve probably already gotten this from Wes, but if you hurt her, Iwillkill you.”

Luke gives me an easy smile, as if he knew this conversation was coming. “I’d be more worried about her hurting me. I’ve been trying not to scare her off by coming on too strong, but Chloe’s pretty much the girl of my dreams.”

My heart squeezes, so unbelievably happy for my best friend.

“Violet!” Chloe calls. “I need you to tap in for me.”

Wes flashes me his heart-stopping grin. My stomach flips.

I take Chloe’s spot beside him. “I’ve got a deal for you, little flower,” Wes murmurs in my ear. “Winner gets to come tonight.”

“What—”

But Wes is already tossing ping-pong balls at the rings, Chloe screaming at me from behind to win.

Did he really say what I think he did? I’m not sure if he meant it or if he just wanted to fluster me so I would lose.

Either way, I’ve never been more motivated to win a game in my life.

I grab a ping-pong ball and toss it. It bounces off the ring with aclink. Before it hits the ground, I’m tossing another.

It sinks through the hoop.

Behind me, Chloe screams and cheers, jumping up and down.

“It’s three to win the duck,” Wes reminds her.

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