The Dating Dare (A Sweet Mess, #2)

by Jayci Lee

“For the record, I wasn’t ogling you.” His eyes flew back to her face, and she was gratified to see a little color suffuse his cheeks. “I was gawking at you.” “And the difference is?” She crossed her arms in an impatient gesture, and waited for more playboy bullshit from him. “Ogling requires lewd intent, which I definitely did not have. Gawking is more like staring at something in a trance because they can’t help it.” He paused to give her a lazy half smile, which probably gave countless women pudding knees. “If I was gawking, it’s because I find you captivating.”

“All the single men, as well as some married ones, have been doing the same thing. Men stare at you all the time. Aren’t you used to it by now?” “They do not.” “You just never notice.” A sly grin spread across her face. “So why would you notice Seth’s attention?” Curse you, hyperintuitive, recently married woman.

He carefully placed the six steins on the counter and flexed both his hands repeatedly. They probably felt pretty cramped up. In truth, Tara could only carry four at a time herself. Maybe she should massage his strong, masculine hands for him.

With a roguish tilt of his lips, he put his foot and arms down and stood tall. Then he proceeded to do the weirdest, most fascinating thing. With his tongue. His red, wet tongue slid up his upper lip as though he was about to lick it, but his tongue kept moving upward. Up and up until his tongue hit the tip of his nose. Holy Mother Teresa. How was he doing that? She stuck her tongue out. Maybe it wasn’t that hard. She’d just never tried it. Tara valiantly contorted her face and craned her neck, trying to copy the maneuver. It wasn’t easy. It was impossible. Her tongue just wasn’t long enough. Wait a minute. That meant Seth’s tongue was long, and … full of potential.

“I want you to go out on four dates with me—” “What?” “I wasn’t finished. I want you to go out on four dates with me, and not fall for me.”

“Why do you want to date me anyway?” she asked on a spurt of annoyance. “Are you fishing for compliments?” he teased with a charming grin. “Because I’ll gladly oblige.” “Oh, quiet, you.” She glared at him for being so annoying yet so good-looking. “Were you planning on doing this the entire time we were playing truth or dare?” “Yup. That’s why I suggested the game. It was a stroke of genius,” he said excitedly, so proud of himself. He needed to quit being so adorable.

“So what will it be?” he prodded. Her prolonged silence was fraying his nerves. “I understand it’ll be challenging not to fall in love with me.” “Honey, please.” Tara snorted. “You’re pretty to look at, and I might be a smidgeon attracted to you, but love is definitely not on the horizon.” A smidgeon attracted to me? I’ll take that. He liked having room to grow.

“Whoa.” He got to her side just in time to prop her up. “You need to tell me where you live.” “I live over yonder with my faithful parents and overprotective big brothers.”

“And where might yonder be?” he asked. “The street where the houses are,”

I will fight off every single one of these adorable girls if you keep looking at me like that.

“Do you think you’ll have a change of heart and let me free?” he asked in a low voice. “The question is, does Lady Dragon have a beating heart or one made of hard, jagged stone?” Her expression transformed into something mischievous and saucy that made his stomach fall and slam back into place. “Would Lady Dragon turn into a beautiful princess if the prince kisses her?” “Maybe the prince will turn into a dragon when she kisses him.”

“I saw you in watercolor. I saw you in pastels. I saw you when you were nearly transparent. You’re all I saw.”

“See. Everything in life has meaning. You just need to find out what it is.”