Free Truth or Date by Susan Hatler Page A

pressure. I’d rather relax and have a good time with Chris. Gaze into his hypnotic blue eyes. . . .
    Leaning forward, he nudged my arm with his wrist. “Answer me.”
    I shook my head, then sucked down Midori through a tiny red straw. I kept my voice light. “I already promised never to cheat again. What more do you want?”
    Oh, he would chill out and play this game with me even if I had to coax him into it.
    He studied me a moment, then slid toward me so that our thighs were flush against each other. He slipped his arm behind my shoulders so he practically cradled me. “Truth or Dare?”
    Wrong game. And was it hot in here?
    I breathed in the scent of his spicy cologne, then gulped. “I started Truth or Dare so you can’t take a turn until I ask you something. Sorry, those are the rules and we always follow the rules.”
    He leaned closer. So close that our mouths were almost touching, the scent of pale ale blurring my senses. “You played your turn last night.”
    I swallowed, wondering if he realized how close he’d gotten. He had to realize it. Right? Not that I wanted him to move . . . “You’re bluffing. I don’t remember that.”
    He brushed a curl away from my face, his fingers skimming my jaw and shooting tingles down my neck. “You asked me about the girl who broke my heart at work.”
    Oh, right. Her. I bit my lip. “I did.”
    “Finally, you’re remembering.” His baby blues flashed and it amazed me how much they stood out even in the dim lighting. “So . . . tell me the truth.”
    The man’s voice on the jukebox kept wailing I’m in over my head, over my head , as if he were crying out the words solely for me. “You know I never choose Truth.”
    He tilted his head down and lowered his lashes. “I’ll bet I can make you.”
    I sucked in a breath, my eyes dropped to his mouth. “Not possible.”
    He paused, mere centimeters away from me, and it was like the world stopped. “Truth or Kiss?”
    My belly fluttered immediately, but even in my emotional haze I knew a kiss would be a colossal mistake—so I grabbed onto a lifeline. “Second rule in Truth or Dare . . . no bodily contact with someone else.”
    “Exactly.” Chris smiled, his other hand dropped to my waist, and his fingers curled against me. “Someone else . No rule against bodily contact with each other .”
    A freaking loophole. Why did I have the feeling he’d been waiting to play that card?
    “What’s it going to be, Gina?” His eyes searched mine. “Truth or Kiss?”
    Although both words echoed in my head, there wasn’t a choice. I couldn’t back down, wouldn’t back down, didn’t want to back down. Tingles danced in my belly. “Like I said, I never choose Truth . . .”
    Blame the Midoris, blame the sappy music, but my vow went wayside. As soon as I made a slight move forward, his lips captured mine. Soft. Warm. Amazing. A completeness I’d never known washed through me as our mouths held each other.
    Energy pulsed between us, then burst throughout my entire body. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recognized this was wrong, that I should pull away, but it was like an invisible rope pulled me to him and I felt helpless against it.
    Connecting with Chris on this level felt exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. His hand threaded through the back of my hair, then his lips parted and his tongue brushed against mine. Oh, wow. Wow . Electric darts jolted through me and my heart pounded wildly. Completely lost in him, I swayed and had to grab the table with my other hand to keep steady.
    Chris Bradley was kissing me. Drinking me in as if he couldn’t get enough. The feeling was mutual and each taste of him set every nerve in my body on alert. Why had I waited so long to do this? Wait . . . why had I waited so long?
    Oh, right. George. Commitment. My pattern of picking guys who wanted nothing to do with it. . . .
    Realizing I’d done exactly what had screwed me over the first time, I pulled away abruptly,