Page 136 of Stealing for Keeps
Vaughn and Austin share a look like they’re considering it.
“I don’t have fifty bucks,” Austin says.
“All right. Twenty-five from Vaughn, and for you, Disco, I’ll make it easy. You lose, you take the dare of my choosing.”
Laughter fills the kitchen again. Everyone here knows that’s the exact bet he took that resulted in our first kiss.
“Same dare?” Austin’s gaze flicks to my mouth, and mystomach flips in response.
“Ah, what the hell,” Barrett says. “You lose, you have to kiss blondie here.”
“Done.” Austin jumps down off the counter next to me.
“But if I lose, then I get to kiss blondie.” Barrett tosses me a wink. We’ve known each other since elementary school, so I’m aware he knows my name and is trying to get a rise out of Austin. Which he does.
“No fucking deal.” His arms circle around me again, tightening protectively.
“Just kidding, New Guy.” Barrett heads for the back door. “I’ll let you pick the lucky girl. It worked for you, so maybe it’ll work for me.”
“Doubtful,” Lacey says to me quietly. “He’s about as smooth as sandpaper.”
“Be right back.” Austin brushes his lips over mine and then pulls his beanie down farther before following Vaughn and the rest of the team outside.
Lacey and I are slower to follow, letting them get out there and set up before we step outside.
“It really is cold.” I pull my sleeves down over my hands, wishing I had brought my gloves. “Don’t tell Austin I was complaining about it. I keep making fun of him for being such a baby.”
Laughing, she slips her arm through mine. The guys are getting it all set up, and Austin and Vaughn are in position in front of an old goal.
“New Guy and Vaughn seem to have worked things out,” she says.
“Yeah. I think they’re going to be okay.” The relief of that is a weight off my shoulders. “Hey, by the way, didVaughn talk to you?” I ask her.
“To me?” Her brows pull together in question as she shakes her head. “No. Why would Vaughn talk to me?”
“He’s having some trouble with Algebra II.” I wait for the words and the obvious follow-up question to sink in.
Her brown eyes widen, and she tries to pull away from me, but I hug her arm against my side.
“Oh no,” she says, shaking her head and making her brown hair fall around her shoulders. “No. No. No.”
“Just think about it,” I plead. “You know what kind of pressure he’s under, and his dad will freak if his grade makes him ineligible to play.”
Her gaze narrows. “Why would you want me to help him? He treated you awful.”
“A long time ago, before Vaughn and I were ever a couple, we were friends. I think we can be that again, and he needs help.”
“Then why didn’t he ask me?”
“You know why.” Lacey has made no attempt to hide her dislike of him.
I pull one of her moves and stick out my bottom lip.
“Fine.”
I squeal and bounce around.
“I willconsiderit,” she says. “I make no promises.” Then she mutters under her breath something about being more likely to strangle him than help him pass his class.
