Evan and Bas stared at Elizabeth like she’d emerged from an alien pod, and I thought for a beat they were going to call it a night and escape the clutches of the psychopaths they’d fallen in with. Then Evan’s shock melted into a chuckle, and he said, “You were always so funny, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth smiled, stiff, and said, “Yeah, class clown. That was me.”
Evan stepped in close and wrapped his pinkie around Elizabeth’s. “If we’re being candid, I want to get something off my chest.”
The horror on Elizabeth’s face had only grown starker, and I wondered if I should drop some major bullshit to give her an excuse to end this charade. I didn’t think either of us were going to make it out the other side. But she shuddered out a shaky breath and asked, “What?”
Evan looked deep into her eyes with the seriousness ofconfession and said, “I had such a crush on you. I’ve always regretted how we grew apart. It was my own fault. Can you ever forgive me?”
I couldn’t look away from the drama, but Elizabeth’s shoulders relaxed as though she, too, realized this whole thing had to be some kind of reverse mind fuck.
She double blinked and then sighed so heavily even I almost believed she was copping to a decade-old love. “Aw, Evan. I’ve often thought about what might’ve been. But the years passed, and here we are. I figured you’d forgotten about me. You’re probably married now.”
He held up his free hand and wiggled his ring finger. “Not even a girlfriend.”
Probably another lie. He was way too hot to be single without some complication. But tonight, no explanation would be warranted. Tonight was a freebie for all of us.
I nodded at Basil’s shirt. “SoDoctor Who.You’re a fan?”
He looked down. “This? This is camouflage.”
“To hide what?”
“All this sexiness.” He jerked his head toward Evan and said, “Clark Kent over here has his fake glasses, and I have a nerdy pop culture T-shirt.”
Evan cracked a smile, and fuck, he was so radiant, I believed him. Though if Evan thought those glasses made him look any less panty melting, he actually needed to have his eyes examined. Elizabeth’s tongue nearly lolled from her mouth as she gave him a clandestine once-over.
And Bas. Lord. Everywhere my eyes fell, I discovered a new area I’d love to explore in greater detail. His neck cried out for my teeth while my fists itched to clench his glorious hair. And those lips. I’d never seen a mouth more in need of kissing. Hard.
Still, the over-the-top confidence made me groan. “So what happens when you rip off your shirt? You become a superhero?”
Bas waggled his eyebrows. “Would you like to find out?”
I burst out laughing. “That’s the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard, though points for originality.”
He grinned, and I realized he’d meant it as a corny joke anyway.
The lights flashed in the bar, and we all checked our phones. An hour had slipped by so easily, I hadn’t realized we’d reached closing time.
Bas asked, “How long does this truth serum last, anyway?”
I considered pulling the escape cord. Honestly, my challenge ended now. But as the night filled with unspoken possibilities, I’d opened up more than I had with anyone other than Elizabeth—and my therapist. Bas had peeled back the layers and caught a brief glimpse of my true self, and yet he hadn’t fled. Revealing my thoughts unfiltered had been oddly liberating, though terrifying. I wasn’t exactly ready to live my life this authentically every day, but maybe for a little longer tonight.
My fists squeezed for courage as I cracked the door wider. “It’ll wear off when I go to sleep.”
He lifted his eyes to mine, all nonchalance. “If I ask you a question, you’ll tell me the truth?”
What had I gotten myself into? I briefly considered explaining that the truth serum was only a joke, but he obviously knew that. I set my empty cup on the bar and squared my shoulders, ready for an interrogation. “Shoot.”
He tapped his fingers together. “So then. Tell me…” He chewed his lip a second, then asked in a sexy, low grumble, “Do you find me attractive?”
The question caught me off guard, and I wheezed out an incredulous laugh. Seriously? “You’re taking advantage of a truth serum to ask me that?”
“Absolutely,” he said with a cocky grin that challenged me to respond in kind.
“What if you don’t like my answer?”
One of his brows arched with infuriatingly sexy confidence. “I like my odds. And I don’t like playing games. I’d rather know up front if I’m wasting my time trying to convince you to give me a chance.”
