Page 32 of Revelation

“She’s normally not so shy, I swear,” he says.

“Come on, Stubborn Kat,” Will says. “What else is on the list? We’ve got dragons, YOLO, girlfriends that didn’t work out, and what? I’ve got two so far—I’m hoping to rack up some more points before the night is over.”

I put my head on the table and bury my head with my arms. “Make it stop,” I mumble.

Will laughs.

“Come on, guys,” Henn says. “Make fun of me for a while, as usual. How ’bout I dance for you?”

“Oh, yeah. Let’s make Henny dance—my favorite thing!” Reed says, suddenly giddy. He bangs on the table. “Dance puppet-boy, dance!”

Henn grumbles.

“We’ll definitely have to hit my club after dinner.”

Everyone agrees.

“But back to Kat’s list,” Will says. “Come on. What else is on it, Stubborn Kat? I bet I’ve got at least some of the stuff on the list, whatever it is.”

Josh grabs my hand and kisses it. “You’re not gonna tell him?”

I shake my head. “I’m never gonna say anything about anyone’s tattoos ever again, as long as I live.”

Josh grins and looks at Will. “Barbed wire on your bicep—or a tribal band, unless you’re an Islander. Stubborn Kat was very specific about that. You got either of those, man?”

“Fuck no. I agree with Stubborn Kat on both. And yet, right now, I wish so bad I had both so I could pull up my sleeve and see the look on her face.”

Everyone laughs at the thought, even me.

“Me, too,” Josh says, squeezing my hand. “I never thought I’d be bummednotto have barbed wire.”

“Hey, it’s never too late, Faraday,” Reed says, laughing. “We’re in Vegas, after all.”

“There you go again, Reed,” Josh says. “Trying to get me inked with something stupid.” He sips his drink. “Well, lucky for me, I’m not gonna get drunk tonight, or I’d probably do it.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Henn says. “Barbed wire would be too stupid even for you, Josh.”

“Bite your tongue,” Josh says. “There’s no such thing as a tattoo that’s ‘too stupid’ for Josh Faraday—not if you ply me with enough alcohol and double-dare me, anyway.”

“Oh, we know, Mr. ‘Welcome to the Gun Show,’” Reed says.

Josh, Henn, and Reed burst out laughing.

“‘I double-dare you,’” Reed says, apparently re-enacting something—and all three guys laugh again, shaking their heads.

“You’re a Neanderthal, Josh,” Henn says.

Josh sips his drink happily. “I really am.”

“I take it you’ve got a tattoo that says ‘Welcome to the Gun Show’?” Will asks, incredulous.

Josh nods.

“On your arms, presumably?”

Josh nods again.

“Oh shit.Horrible. That’s gotta be on Kat’s list, too, right? Please tell me it is. That’s gotta be double points.”

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