Truth or Dare: A Sweet Romantic Comedy Collection by Laura Burton (i read a book TXT) 📕

the thought with her later. But right now, nothing else matters. Kissing Michelle feels like rediscovering something that had been lost. Like a child finding their blankie after hours of panicked searching. Or a warm cup of hot cocoa on a snowy day. We throw caution to the wind, tangling together in a way that makes me wonder where I stop and Michelle begins. She leaves a trail of burning kisses along my jaw and clutches my biceps, her sharp nails pinching me. I run my hands up the back of her dress and graze my thumb over the zipper. But just as I get a grip on it, Michelle lurches back with a look of horror on her face.

We sit apart, panting, and my brain scrambles to make any sense of why we’re sitting so far away from each other. The air around my body turns icy and sizzles against my steaming skin. I want her. I need her. In the absence of her warmth, I shall surely freeze to death.

“What’s wrong?” I blurt. She looks at me with her reddened lips parted. Did I move too fast? Did I read her signals wrong? We’ve been making out on a bed for the last ten minutes, where else did she think this was going?

“I have to tell you something,” Michelle says, her voice low.

“Okay…” I cross my legs and rub the back of my neck. Hopefully, she’ll just say whatever she’s got to say, and we can get back to where we left off. Right now, I couldn’t care less what it is she has to tell me.

There’s a tarantula on your head. Okay. Now, where were we?

I’m an alien. Hmm. Let me teach you things. All the human things.

The apocalypse is here. Cool. Let’s get back to kissing now.

“I’ve been manipulating you,” Michelle says, her eyes downcast.

“What?”

Michelle

Jonah sits quiet, his flushed face fading of color as I confess all of my deepest secrets. The biggest one: I brought you here to fall in love with me by using reverse psychology.

“So, this truth or dare thing... It's really just a game to you.” It’s not a question, but a statement. Like Jonah’s connected the dots. Only, he’s got his dots all messed up. Because he’s completely missed the point. My heart quickens as I wipe the sweat off my brow.

“I see how it can look that way,” I say, using my training. Don’t get defensive Michelle. Be cool. “But the truth is, I was too scared you’d reject me if I just came out and told you how I feel.”

Jonah’s hardened look softens. “And how do you feel?”

I suck in a deep breath, mustering courage. How hard is it to say I love you?

I mean. It’s three words. Three one-syllable words. Maybe I can mime it out in a game of charades. Or do it with sign language.

But I’d rather show him I love him. By rubbing his back when he’s stressed, or bringing him soup when he’s sick, or listening to him rant about Tessa for hours.

Right now though, he’s asking for words. And all my words are stuck somewhere between my brain and my mouth. I glance away, swallowing against the ball of jumbled thoughts collected in my throat.

“You know, I kinda knew what I was getting into... Coming here with you,” Jonah says.

I look up, surprised. “You did?”

Jonah smiles for the first time and it’s warmer than the rising sun. “You forget that I know you, Michelle. And we’ve already seen two dares play out. I know what you're trying to do.”

My breath catches in my chest. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Jonah puffs air from his cheeks. “I don’t think I let myself consciously think about it. At first, I just thought it would be fun to spend the weekend in Hawaii.” He laughs.

Well, he’s not yelling at me. That's something. I was so sure he’d be disgusted with me as soon as I told him the truth.

“And then…?” I press him for more. Jonah meets my gaze and he smiles again. My heart flutters back. “Well, then you kissed me.”

I gulp. Just like that, his words transport me back into the steamy massage room. The memory of the kiss I stole makes my mouth dry.

“I don’t mean to mess with your head. To be honest, until Tessa’s confession, I didn’t even realize I was manipulating you.” I hold his hands, and, to my relief, he doesn’t pull away.

“I’m sorry. I should have been honest with you from the start.”

Jonah leans in to kiss me again, but I hold up my finger. “Wait. Aren’t you mad?”

Jonah looks at me blankly for a moment, then he shrugs. “Should I be?”

My jaw drops to the floor. How is he okay with this? I just confessed to doing the same thing Tessa did. And yet, he’s acting like I just told him something insignificant.

“You want to know why it doesn’t bother me?” he asks, moving across the bed on all fours like a predator. My stomach does somersaults as his face hovers an inch away from mine. He moves over and presses lips to my ear. “I’m yours, and you can play with me however you want to.”

His whispers bring heat to my face until my cheeks are on fire.

I’ve decided I’m definitely dreaming. This whole trip to Hawaii isn’t real. I’ll probably wake up in my bed back in New York, and none of this would have happened.

But if this is just a dream, what’s the harm in enjoying some of my fantasies?

“Jonah, I love you,” I blurt, with my newfound confidence. Jonah pulls back to look into my eyes.

“For real?” he asks. I give him the most serious look I can muster and nod. His eyes twinkle at me. “Well then. Come here.” He pulls me in, and I collapse against his chest. I’m all elbows and knees, knocking his legs as I scramble to keep my balance. Then Jonah scoops me up with a laugh and lays me down. I prop myself up and he