Dare You To (Pushing the Limits, #2)(108)

“Yes,” Ryan answers hesitantly.

An excited gleam that frightens even me sparkles in Logan’s      eyes. “Great. Let’s go.”

Chris and Logan head toward the parked cars. I nudge Ryan      when he stays still. “Go.”

He traces circles on my arm. “It’ll only be a few      minutes.”

“It doesn’t bother me if you want to hang with your      friends.”

The sincerity swims in his eyes. “But I’m leaving you      alone.”

“Not sure if you noticed, but sometimes I prefer to be      alone.”

Ryan flips his hat back around, leans down, and his kiss      warms areas that sweatshirts can’t touch. The second his lips leave mine, he      pulls his baseball cap off and places it on top of my head. He laughs as the      bill falls forward and covers my face. Not wanting him to take it back, I spin      it and wear it backward. “You have a big head.”

“Naw,” he says. “You’re just small.”

With pride, I watch Ryan stride across the pasture. He’s a      natural athlete with his broad shoulders and strong arms. My heart dances. For      the next ten days—he’s mine.

“I can’t believe you let Ryan put that hat on your head. He      sweats in it.” Gwen emerges from the darkness and I immediately think of my fear      of demons waiting in the shadows, ready to grab me in the dead of night.

“It doesn’t bother me.”

“If I was you I’d want to hide my hair too,” she says,      standing unusually close to me.

I’m going soft if she thinks she’s safe speaking to me that      way. Allison would love this chick. They share the same awful taste in clothes.      “I remember pushing you to the ground and making you cry in elementary school      for f*cking with Lacy.”

“I remember you wearing the same damn dress with holes and      those pathetic ribbons.” She stares at my wrist, then at my jeans. “I see your      tastes haven’t changed.”

“No,” I say. “But Ryan’s have.”

Her face reddens and I smile. Damn, I really enjoy being me.      I give her credit—Gwen quickly rejoins the game. “Look, I’m trying to be      helpful. Rumor at school says Ryan is only with you over a dare. Ryan and his      friends take dares very seriously and he’d string you along in order to win.      Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good guy, but he’s a guy, you know? I would hate to      see you take a fall once the dare’s complete.”

My entire body tenses. It’s the truth. He did ask me out on      a dare, but I’m not a dare anymore. I’m not. “Wow, Gwen. Thanks for your      concern. Is this where you ask me to braid your hair and then we’ll giggle about      getting to first base with a boy?”

Gwen twines her golden hair around a finger. I should bring      her over to Scott as Exhibit B for why I hate blondes. “I’m trying to be your      friend, Beth.”

“If you wanted to be my friend, you wouldn’t have tried to      slip your tongue in Ryan’s mouth last Tuesday when you cornered him after      baseball practice.”

Blood drains from her face and I darkly chuckle to rub in      her embarrassment. She didn’t think he would tell me. “Do I sound like a dare      now?”

“Why haven’t you dropped out of the homecoming court yet?      They’re going to take yearbook pictures next week, so this would be the time to      leave.”

“I’m not dropping out.” I’ll be leaving soon, but I won’t      drop out. Ryan wowed me and I lost the dare. I have ten days to keep my word to      him.

Gwen eyes me coolly. “I thought you didn’t want the      nomination.”

I shrug. “I changed my mind.”

“You’re not going to win,” she says. “Some people don’t like      you.”

My spine straightens. “Do I look like I give a f*ck what      people think of me?”

“You should,” she says. “Because Ryan does. If you cared for      him, you’d walk away.”

Gwen doesn’t wait for me to reply. She tosses that sickening      yellow hair over her shoulder and struts away like she’s queen. Unwanted demons      race into my mind, taunting me with her words. I’m only a dare. Ryan doesn’t      love me. I’m no good for him.