Page 200 of Game Night: Truth or Dare

Malcolm

Am I trying to get a reaction from Caleb?

Maybe.

But I have to give him credit for his stoic reaction.

“Something tells me tonight will be interesting if we’re starting with Deep Throats at a bar.”

Caleb swallows hard, and for a moment I wonder if I’ve been too forward. He’s kind of shy, kind of awkward, and all kinds of sweet. Perhaps this isn’t what he likes and I’ve just blown my chance at, well, being blown.

“Hey.” I lean closer to his ear. “If I made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. We don’t have to do this. I’m not usually this…forward.”

Caleb turns his head, and our noses practically touch.

“It’s okay, believe me…I want to.”

Shit. My skin tingles at the breathless tone of his voice and his sandalwood cologne drifts into my space again.

“Okay, but…please don’t do anything you don’t want to.”

Time seems to stand still, and the people around us fade away. Caleb leans in and kisses me. It’s short, but it surprises me. That one small taste is all I need to know that this night will be something new for me.

He’s different.

And I’d rush us home right now if I could.

“Sorry, I…I’ve been wanting to do that since I picked you up.”

“Don’t be.” I rasp and reach for his hand again. “I liked it.”

“Here you go, guys. Two Deep Throats. Enjoy.”

Both of us laugh, embarrassed yet also…excited.

“That’s, ah, a lot of whipped cream.” He eyes the pile of white fluff on top of the bitty shot glass. “How do you swallow all that?”

“That’s what he said.” I snort and Caleb gives me side-eye. But there’s something else in those dreamy blues. “Hey, you know you don’t have to.”

He bites his lip before leaning closer to me.

“It’s just…what if there’s a repeat of the taffy cone incident and I’m hurling all over the place before our date even really starts?”

His genuine fear makes him look even younger. Like he’s a teenager being judged for not conforming and I hated those days. Always second-guessing myself and wondering if I’d look cool or blow my chance at whatever it was I was trying to fit into. I don’t want Caleb to ever feel like that with me.

“Well, how about I take care of that for you? Would it be easier for you to just have the whipped cream on its own? Maybe let it melt before you do the shot?”

“Probably.”

Leaning in, I whisper next to his ear. “Trust me and say no any time.”

“I trust you.”

People still jostle around the bar and I slide us down to the end, away from all the orders still coming.

With what I hope is a sexy smirk, I lift one shot glass to my mouth, remove a bit of whip cream with my lips and grab Caleb by the head, pulling him to me for a kiss. There was no need for me to worry if this would make him uncomfortable. He devours me, licking all the whipped cream off with a wild look in his eye.

“Do you want to do that again, or are you okay with the amount of whipped cream left to drink it?”

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