“Truth,” she says.
“If you could sleep with any of the boys in this hot tub, who would it be?”
“Sam.” She says it quick before turning to me, preparing to ask me a question, but the group is stunned. It can’t be just me that thought she’d say Wes. “Sloane, truth or dare?”
“Whoa, back up.” Jake shakes his head like he’s trying to comprehend her answer. “Sam? Why him?”
“Because ninety percent of the time you’re a drunk idiot, and the other ten percent you’re just an idiot,” Annica tells Jake as she goes down the line. “Charlie and Dani are together.”
“I wouldn’t saytogether,” Dani corrects her.
Annica continues. “Asher is one of the worst people I’ve ever met.”
“Right back at you,” he grumbles.
“Wes has been one of my best friends since we were kids—he’s like a brother to me at this point. So, if I had to pick one of you it would be Sam. Happy? Now, Sloane, truth or dare?”
I feel like she only started this childish game to bait me into answering a question. She thinks I’ll pick truth and there’s clearly something she wants to know about me and Asher.
“Dare,” I say with a smile.
She only smiles back, and I know I’ve chosen wrong. “I dare you to make out with Asher right here in front of all of us.” I clench my jaw. I do not want to do that in front of Wes. Not at all. “Or you can do the five shots of whiskey. But it would be weird to choose that over your boyfriend.”
My heart races as I look over at Asher, who sets down his drink. He’s leaned back on one of the lounge seats in the hot tub, while I took the bench-style seat next to it. With Wes on the other side of me. I consider the whiskey. She never said what kind of whiskey, and I did see peach Crown in there, which might not be so bad. But the choice is made for me when Asher leans over and puts his hands on my waist, lifting me onto his lap so that I’m straddling him. The only thing between us is the fabric of our bathing suits. We practiced a kiss but we didn’t practice making out and now I’m overthinking this. Should I go in leaning left or right? Is he going to use his tongue? Should I? How long should it last? We should’ve practiced this too.
I look into his eyes and they only have pure amusement in them. He raises an eyebrow as if to ask if I’m ready as one of his hands snakes up my back, the other gripping my backside, sliding me closer to him. I follow his lead, sliding my own hands up his chest and around his neck to pull him in. When his mouth is on mine it’s not the same gentle kiss from two weeks ago; it’s hungrier. Another kiss and my mouth parts for him. His hand on my ass grips me tighter, and his tongue slides over mine. Our mouths move faster, exploring, needing to taste each other, and I forget we’re sitting in a hot tub with our friends. This time when he pulls me against him I moan into his mouth and we both pause, catching ourselves.
Well, shit.
“Okay, that’s enough, thank you,” Annica says with a hint of disappointment.
I take my hands from his hair and try to scoot back. Asher just repositions me so I’m still sitting on him but my back is on hischest. I clear my throat, trying to regain my bearings. I swear this hot tub is a million degrees. I sneak a glance at Wesley but he’s leaning over the side on his phone.
“I’m going inside to call Marissa,” Wes announces, getting up and leaving the hot tub.
“Um, Jake, truth or dare?” I say, a little breathless.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to suck one of Annica’s toes.”
“Ew, what?!” she squeals. That’ll teach her.
He does it and the rest of them continue to go around. I remember what we discussed about being too stiff so I lean my head back. I can feel Asher breathing and he whispers in my ear.
“Want to play a game called Nervous?”
“Never heard of it,” I reply. I feel his hand on my thigh start to move inward.
“It’s easy. I ask if you’re nervous and you just say yes or no.”
“Sounds like a dumb game.” But then his hand starts to move, a few inches past my knee.
“Nervous?” he asks.
I guess we’re playing his dumb game. “No.”
The group is cheering on Dani doing push-ups in the snow as Asher continues to whisper to me. His hand stops halfway up my inner thigh. “Nervous?”
