Page 62 of The Offside Rule
“Yes, it’s safe. Strip poker will lead to me eating your pussy on the couch over there,” I warned.
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
It really didn’t, but we would be setting our lives on fire too.
I started shuffling the cards. “War is safe. We’re playing it safe.”
“Playing it safe has never worked for me,” she admitted.
“Playing it safe has left me lonely, but I’ll take it over hurting everyone around us,” I said.
She frowned, and I hated it.
“You’re right, old man.”
I groaned. “You want me to punish you.”
She smiled like she liked the idea, and I dealt the cards between us on the coffee table.
“New rule,” I said. “When there’s a battle, whoever loses has to answer a question.”
“What kind of question?”
“Any kind.”
“That sounds dangerous,” she quipped.
We played for a few rounds, and it was stupidly fun. Easy in a way I didn’t know I needed. Then we hit our first battle. Three cards down. Flip. She won.
“Question,” she said, looking way too pleased.
I groaned. “Go.”
“What’s something Isla does that makes you laugh every time?” she asked. It was an easy, unintrusive question, which was a relief.
“She gives dramatic reviews of food,” I said. “Like she’s on a cooking show. I made her grilled cheese last month, and she told me the presentation was basic.”
Catherine laughed. “She did not.”
“She did. Then she gave me an eight because the cheese wasn’t fully melted.”
“That’s amazing,” she giggled.
“She’s hard to please, but I do my best,” I admitted.
“She’s perfect,” she said with hearts in her eyes. She was falling for me like I was falling for her, and it was more than just attraction.
“She is.”
We played another few rounds and hit another battle that I won.
Catherine groaned. “Fine. Ask.”
“What’s something people get wrong about you?” I asked.
Her smile faded, but not in a bad way. She thought about it.
“That I’m confident,” she said.
