Page 17 of The Dare

No.

“No,” I hear myself calling out behind her, lunging for the doorway and catching her eyes with mine as she turns slightly.

“I’m not married,” I growl aloud.

She doesn’t hold my gaze for long but turns away when her friend calls for her to join them.

I sure I see a coy smile on her lips as she turns, but it’s too late.

The game’s over, and all I’ve done is lost my chance, raising my voice to an empty railway car, announcing what I already know.

I’m not married.

Not even close.

It’s only a few minutes after she’s gone that I rally myself.

In four long steps, I make my way out of first class.

Determined not to let this pass me by.

I’ll find her, and yes. I’ll kiss her.

I’ll stake my claim on her so no one else can ever kiss her ever again.

Chapter Five

Natasha

“Thatwent well,” Suzanna retorts, shooting me a dirty look once we get back to the lounge car, my mom joining her.

As if all this is my fault somehow.

I open my mouth to protest, but the pair of them seem bent on blaming me for embarrassing them both.

“All you had to do was say we had a dare and would he mind giving you a quick little kiss,” Suze says, shaking her head in disbelief.

She wields her words like a knife. If it were because of anything else, with anyone else I’d think it really was stupid.

But Michael…

The way he looked at me. The way he grabbed a hold of me.

I feel like I’ve ruined any chance I might have had with him.

Definitely ruined a repeat performance of being near the man anyway.

As if a guy like that would want to look at a girl like me, let alone actuallykissme.

I reflect for a second, wondering if Suzanna knows how cruel she can be sometimes, but I tell myself it’s just how she is.

Impulsive. Brash. Overly confident.

She’s everything I’m not.

The train clicks and sways slightly in the silence that hangs over all of us like a cloud.

I half wonder to myself if first class is actually quieter, or if it’s just the first time we’ve all been so quiet like this since starting our trip.