“That could be something they like, though. If you find the right person, why do you need to keep searching?” I asked.
“I never took you as a romantic,” Pacey said, studying my face.
I quirked a lip. “I’ve watched my brothers fall in love, one after another, and in spectacular fashion. I can’t help it.” I looked down at my beer and took a sip.
“Well, that’s nice to know,” Miles said. “And I’m sorry that Mandy wasn’t it for you.” Tanner slapped Miles upside the back of the head, and Miles just grinned. “What?”
I laughed. “Mandy was never going to be forever. Remember? She told me flat-out that I wasn’t her forever and that she wanted fun. I like fun.” I guess.
“I have a feeling you’re going to like a whole lot of fun,” Tanner said as he looked over my shoulder.
I followed his gaze and narrowed my eyes at the girl across the room. There was something familiar about her that I couldn’t quite place. “Why do I feel like I know her?” I asked.
“Oh, you don’t know her, but she and her roommate know you.”
I gave Tanner a look. “What?”
Tanner grinned, looking as if he were having more fun than he had in years, and leaned forward. “Quick, that one right there? She’s on her way over here to talk to you. I have a feeling you’re going to like what she has to say.”
I looked over at Tanner. “Why are you acting so weird? Like the man behind the curtain.”
He shook his head. “Don’t look at the man behind the curtain.” He laughed. “But they seemed interesting when I met them a few weeks ago at the coffee shop. You should talk to her.”
Coffee shop? And why did that sound familiar? “Talk to who?” I asked but looked over at the girl with the light eyes, the pointed chin, and the soft face. I swallowed hard.
Suddenly, the guys were gone as if shadows and ghosts had swallowed them up.
The girl in front of me couldn’t be taller than my chin, even in heels, and she had her shoulders hunched forward for a moment. She met my gaze, but nearly tripped over her feet as she rolled her shoulders back.
“Hi,” she squeaked and held out a hand. She blushed and nearly lowered her proffered palm, but I quickly reached out and took it. Her hand was warm, a little clammy, but I squeezed it before letting go.
“Hi,” I said, confused yet intrigued by this girl with her wide eyes and pouty lips.
“I didn’t mean to try to shake your hand just then. I’m not very good at this.”
I looked around, wondering if anyone was paying attention. I couldn’t see my roommates, but her friend was watching us, warmth in her eyes—not abject terror or snarkiness so I had to count that as a win.
“Well, hi. I’m Dillon.”
“Oh, I know,” she blurted before groaning. “At least, that’s what my roommate said. Anyway, I’m here for a reason.”
“And that reason would be?” I couldn’t keep my gaze off her.
“I am on a dare. I’m not good at them, but I’m going to do my best on this one.”
My brows shot up. “What on Earth could I have to do with your dare?” I asked, fascinated.
“I need you to kiss me,” she said quickly. “Preferably without everybody watching. Is that okay?” she asked. I looked down at her and then up at her friend, only to see that she wasn’t alone anymore. No, Tanner was there with her, along with Pacey, all three of them smiling and raising their drinks in cheers.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“My friend thinks I need to get out more. And she dared me to kiss you. I thought I would ask first because…hello, consent.”
“Yeah, consent is good,” I said, truly confused.
“Anyway, my name is Elise by the way. It’s nice to meet you. I guess. I sort of saw you around the coffee shop before. Well, not like today before, but before-before.” I felt like I couldn’t catch up, and she kept rambling. “Anyway, this is the most insane—insanest?—thing I’ve ever done in my life. But I came up to you, I told you about my dare, and now I’m going to go home and hide under a blanket. That would probably be good. I’ll be back after the semester’s over.”
She turned on her heel, and I reached out and gripped her hand before she could leave. She froze and then turned to me slowly, looking like a deer in headlights.
“It’s nice to meet you, Elise.”
She blinked. “Oh, it’s nice to meet you, too.”
“So I take it that you consent?” I asked, not knowing why I was doing this but knowing I needed to.
Her eyes widened. “Consent? You mean for the dare?”
“Yes,” I said slowly.
Her mouth parted, her eyes getting even wider, if that were possible. “Oh. Well, yes.”
I didn’t let her say anything else. I simply lowered my head and kissed her, living in the moment for the first time in a long while.
Chapter 2
Elise
I honestly couldn’t believe I was doing this. But there were lips on mine, and I felt as if I were drowning. Who was this person, and why was he doing this? Why had I been the one to dare him?
No, that wasn’t right. Corinne had dared me. She had said that I needed to have a little fun and see if I could best my nerves and kiss the guy I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about for weeks—not since I had seen him in the coffee shop. And now, here I was, standing next to him, his hand on my cheek, his thumb brushing across my skin, and his mouth on mine. I could hear someone cheering, knew others were looking at me. It wasn’t like I could hear them looking at me, but I could feel their gazes on my skin. And I hated
