Page 42 of Festive Faking
Those plush lips parted in surprise, but she didn’t hesitate to slip her hand into mine, allowing me to lead her toward the dance floor.
When we reached the mass of bodies rocking in time with the rhythm of the music, Aspen looped her arms around my neck, keeping at least a foot of space between us.
That wasn’t gonna work for me.
Snaking a hand around her waist, I pulled her closer, relishing the sharp gasp she let out in response. Her fingers found their way into my hair, and I let out a groan.
If I was making my move tonight, then I was done concealing how she made me feel.
With only a six-inch height difference between us, it was easy to place my mouth right beside her ear. “Truth or dare, Aspen?”
“What?” Her head reared back, those beautiful blue eyes searching.
“Do you need me to explain the rules?” I kept my voice low enough that we wouldn’t be heard by the couples surrounding us. My grip on her was firm, keeping our motion steady as we danced.
Aspen’s brows drew down as she huffed, “No.” Then she let out a heavy breath. “I mean, why?”
I lifted one shoulder. “Thought it might be fun.”
“Yeah, maybe for a bunch of preteens at a sleepover,” she muttered under her breath.
Ignoring her snarky comment, I pressed, “So, what’ll it be? Truth or dare?”
With a roll of her eyes, she sighed. “Fine. Truth, I guess.”
That was all I needed to hear, and I flipped the script. “You know what? I’m gonna go first.”
She stiffened in my hold. “What are you playing at, Mac?”
“Truth,” I declared. But before she could ask me a question, I confessed, “I’ve only been here for four days, and this town has become a part of my soul.”
For a minute, Aspen stared up at me, stunned by my admission. Then she opened her mouth to protest. “That’s not how the game works. You don’t—”
“Truth,” I cut her off. “You think I’m teasing you about your freckles, but I fucking love them.” She sucked in a sharp breath, but I kept going. “I love how you never cover them up. I’m desperate to count every single one as I memorize your body, inch by inch.”
Short of blurting out “I’m into you,” I didn’t think I could have spelled it out any clearer.
She was trembling in my arms. The pulse point at the base of her throat fluttered wildly. Her pupils were blown so wide that only the tiniest blue rings remained visible around them.
“Mac, I—” Pausing, she swallowed, and I saw when the shift happened. Eyes blazing, she found her voice. “Truth.”
That one word nearly brought me to my knees.
“I can’t stop thinking about that kiss. Both of them, actually.”
Blood rushed south, my cock thickening to the point where my jeans felt too tight, and the urge to give her encore was overwhelming. As tempting as that was, the long game was more important.
“Truth.” I dipped my head so that my lips brushed the shell of her ear. “Those kisses were incredible, but that hug shook me to the core.”
Aspen’s hands slid from my hair to cup my cheeks, forcing me back enough that she could view my face. “Truth: I needed it too.”
“Truth. It was you I was thinking about in the shower.”
Her breathing hitched, her chest brushing against mine as it rose and fell rapidly.
“Truth. I’ve spent all day wondering what it might’ve been like if I had joined you.”
Jesus. We needed to get out of here. Right. Fucking. Now.
