Free Truce or Dare (Sweet Fortuity Book 1) by Rica Grayson Page A

an eyelash at saying ‘no’ to a woman before.
    Then as if something had just occurred to him, slowly, he looked up at all us three. "You're all women."
    I was going to hit him. Painfully. Never mind that his bouquet suffered a painful beating already.
    "Well. Thanks for noticing," I said, sarcasm heavy.
    Sierra plastered a smile. "You're about to get another whack from something a lot harder than a bouquet."
    He eyed her fork cautiously, and his seat scraped on the ground as he pushed his seat a little further away. "Fuck. That's not what I meant. Just– maybe you could help explain this stuff."
    "Going to need a little more info than stuff ," I told him.
    He shrugged. “See, I took her out the other day. I don't understand. It started off perfectly fine, and then by the end, she just… shut off.”
    "Shut off?” I frowned.
    "She wouldn't say more than a few words. More closed-off somehow."
    "Did you say something?"
    "I told her she was stunning,” he said, thoughtful. “I really liked her dress.”
    Sierra drummed her fingers on the table. “Hmm. Where did you take her?”
    “Where else? Anton’s.”
    I whistled. It was a nice, classy Italian restaurant, where people usually went to make a statement. You didn’t just bring anyone to Anton’s. You had to be serious about them.
    “Did anyone speak to her?” Eva asked. I didn’t miss her and Sierra exchanging a glance.
    “No. Maybe. I don’t know,” he snapped.
    I bit back a laugh. “Calm down, Wes. You can still fix this.”
    He narrowed his eyes, his gaze accusing. “You think this is funny?”
    “I’ve never seen you like this,” I admitted.
    “I’m thinking she’s heard about your charms from other women,” Eva said sympathetically, placing a hand over his shoulder.
    Instead of being relieved, he looked horrified. “I can’t change my past. What the fuck do I do? And why did she reject the flowers?”
    Sierra shrugged. “Maybe it reminded her of something.”
    “Ask her,” I suggested.
    He only looked more perplexed. His gaze shifted to the flowers, and a sad look crossed over his face. “Why would she not say if she didn’t like it?”
    “Because she probably does. Just bad memories,” I guessed.
    Eva concurred.
    “She might’ve liked it? Why the hell would she hit me with it?”
    I had a feeling this conversation was going to go around in circles.
    “Just keep trying. If it affected her enough to act that way, she cares,” I said.
    He let out a deep breath. “I’m going to come back later, see if she needs a ride.”
    “Good idea,” Eva said brightly. Abruptly, she stood up. “I’m gonna get coffee. Want some?”

    * * *
    J ust as I left Abe’s, hugging my laptop to my chest, it started to rain. Heavily.
    Running for cover, I tried to make it to the nearest clothing store. I waited a couple of minutes, and when it became apparent the rain wasn’t letting up, I decided to just make a run for it. I heard a car pull over behind me.
    “Hop in. You’re gonna get soaked.” That smooth, commanding voice stopped me in my tracks.
    Chase.
    I didn’t pause to consider the offer. I didn’t want to risk my laptop getting wet. It was in a thick case, but I worried that it might seep in. It would be foolish to reject the offer and get myself soaking wet for no reason.
    “Thank you.”
    “Didn’t see the news?”
    “No.”
    The car ride remained silent.
    It’s not that I didn’t want to talk to him, or I was incapable of small talk. But I just didn’t know what to say to him now that it was just us again. I just… My mind blanked whenever he was around. It was something that hadn’t really changed. Only this time, it was more amplified after everything that happened recently.
    “You’re fidgeting.”
    I stopped picking at my clothes. Even now, he read me so well that it was a little disconcerting. I was perfectly content to look out the window for the duration of the drive when that my stomach decided to rumble.
    “You