“I don’t know. What do you like to play? Or what do you have to play?”
“Not much. We do most of our game-playing at my folks’ house. I’m sure I have a deck of cards somewhere.” She looked through the junk drawers of her kitchen.
“How about Truth or Dare?” Adam challenged.
“Yeah, I haven’t had enough wine for that.”
He poured what was left of the bottle into her glass. Why was he so worried about whether or not she could relax? It was like he’d made it his personal mission to chill her out. She could be chill. Really. She would prove it.
The second glass had kicked in, and she accepted his challenge. “All right. Let’s play. But you go first. Truth or dare?”
“Dare,” he said without hesitation.
“What’s the matter? Have some deep, dark secrets the truth might bring out?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Fine. Dare. Okay, um.” She hadn’t thought about this part of the game. What should she make him do? Luna came trotting over, which gave her an idea. “I dare you to pick up Luna, talk to her like she’s a baby, and then give her a kiss.”
“No way.”
“You’re the one who wanted to play. What’s the matter, you chicken?”
He huffed. “Fine.” He downed what remained in his glass and picked up the dog.
“Hello, Luna, balloona. How’s Katie’s little baby?” It was a half-hearted effort, but she let it slide and tried to contain her giggles. He bent to set the dog down.
“Um, aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Ugh. Come here, mutt, and give daddy some sugar.” He gave the dog the slightest, quickest kiss she’d ever seen and then practically threw her back on the ground. Kate couldn’t stop the laughter then.
“Oh, I wish I’d thought to get a video,” she said.
“No videos,” he said. Then he got an evil glint in his eye. “Your turn.”
She sobered immediately. “I don’t suppose you’d ever let me live it down if I quit right now.”
He shook his head. “Truth or dare?”
“Truth.”
“How did you feel after I kissed you the other day?”
“Wow, that was quick,” she said. “You must have had that in your back pocket. I changed my mind. Dare.”
He laughed. “That’s what I thought.” He raised his eyebrows, letting her know he knew exactly what she thought of the kiss. “Okay. I dare you to jump in the pool right now. And you have to get your hair wet.”
“What? That’s way harder than kissing a dog.”
“I play to win,” he said. He walked over to the slider and opened it. “Come on. It’s a lovely night for swimming.”
She stood. “Fine.”
As much as she hated to be out of control and not looking her best, she would not let him get the best of her. She stalked past him to the backyard with her head held high.
Standing at the edge of the pool, she waited until he came and stood next to her.
“I’ll do this,” she said. “But not without you,” she rushed out before grabbing his wrist and pulling him in beside her as she jumped.