Don't You Dare (Reckless Games #1)

by C.E. Ricci

“I didn’t want to kiss you because I didn’t want it to mess me up all over again, okay?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What are you talking about, Keene?”

“Mess you up, how?”

“What are you doing on Toppr?”

I remain silent, willing myself to keep from opening my big fat mouth about why I’m on the gay version of Tinder.

“I think…I’m bi, Pen.”

Being your most authentic self is the only way to ensure your happiness.

“Hey, Pen. Don’t you dare?”

A deadly smirk sits on his lips when he says, “I dare you to think of me when you fuck her tonight.”

“I’m done holding back. Not when refusing to give in only makes it worse.”

“Give in,” he repeats in a whisper, almost in reverence.

“Please, don’t deck me for this later.”

“I’m not just talking about your cock, Kee,” I growl out the words. “I’m going to lick every inch of your body before fucking you so hard, you have no choice but to remember what I’m about to tell you. No option but to hear me when I say this.” I lick my lips and lower my voice, my eyes locked on the hand still wrapped around his cock. “You. Are. Mine. You belong to me and me alone.”

“Hey, Kee?” “Yeah?” “I missed you.” My stupid heart squeezes. “I missed you too, Pen.”

Because you’re mine.

You’re mine too.”

He’s so fucking…beautiful. So brave and caring, and all I can think while our eyes lock is mine. He’s mine, from this day on.

“You were made to ride my cock, baby,”

“We haven’t even finished and I already can’t wait to fuck you again.”

“At the risk of sounding completely fucking corny or like a total sap, I’m happiest when you’re happy, Kee. It’s always been that way, always will be.”

“There’s the Keene I know and love. Always going with the flow and talking me off the ledge.”

“Damn, Kohl. I was expecting you to ask about rekindling our friends-with-bennies arrangement; not finally out yourself to me.” “Why would you—” Wait a fucking minute. “Did you say finally out myself to you?” She shrugs, a small smirk on her face. “Maybe.”

I’m floored. Absolutely flabbergasted, staring at her with wide eyes and mouth agape. Something that clearly entertains her, because her smirk grows even more. “Better be careful there, Kohl. You’ll let the flies in.”

“Easier said than done, Brist. My heart might as well be stuck inside the fucking ice castle from Frozen.”

“Well, in the words of the great Olaf? Some people are worth melting for.”

“I’m just saying, it might be the greatest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

“And why weren’t you saying that an hour ago while I fed you my cock?”

“Maybe because I was a little too occupied to speak.”

“Trust me, Kee. Now, c’mon,”

have another surprise for you.”

“Your smile makes me stupid,”

“This makes me pretty stupid too.”

“I want you. So much, I can’t think. Can’t breathe. I can’t do anything but want you.”

“You already have me.”

Taken captive by every single thing about him that I’ve fallen in love with.

“I’ll never hurt you,” he murmurs, teeth scraping against my shoulder. “I’d rather die.”

The vulnerability in his words slices me open, leaving me raw and bare like never before. And I don’t have it in me to tell him that he’s already hurting me. He fucking hurts me with every touch, look, or kiss, painting an impossible picture in my brain. That this is real. That he might love me. But I know he doesn’t. Not the way I love him. “You’re not gonna break me,”

I’ve gone and fucking done it now. Proven that, no matter how hard I try, I can’t turn off my feelings for him. There’s only one way to survive being so stupidly in love with him. We have to stop. Otherwise, I’ll destroy everything.

Bristol’s words come smashing back into my consciousness, her omen now a prophecy. You two are either gonna become the greatest thing to ever happen to each other, or you’re gonna toss his heart in a frying pan the moment he wants something you won’t give him. You have to be all in.

“And here I thought you said you’d rather die than hurt me,”

“But here you are, doing just that by not even giving this a chance.”

“Loving someone because you care about them is different than being in love with them. The hearts-and-flowers kind of love.” Her brow raises skeptically. “Are you saying this isn’t that kind of love?”

“I love him with every inch of me. And that’s the last thing I wanted to happen.”

“I can’t let myself want him like that. Because…what if it doesn’t work?” “And what if it does?” she counters. “And isn’t that worth taking the chance that what you two have could be something extraordinary?”

“I don’t know. I just know I don’t want to lose him. That’s not supposed to happen with us. None of this was supposed to happen.”

“There are far worse things in the world than falling in love, Aspen. No matter who it’s with.”

“I dare you to let me love you the way you deserve to be loved. Wholly. Completely. And out in the open, where the world can see.” My throat constricts around the words, but I continue to push them out anyway. “I love you. I’m so stupidly in love with you. And I dare you to love me too.”

“I already did, Pen,”

“But it wasn’t enough to make you stay.”