it over even though we both knew he’d had his prize in mind long before he posed the challenge. “First one back chooses a dare for the loser to do. No exceptions. No excuses.”
I nodded as I thought it over.
“What will it be, baby fawn?”
“It’s not really up to me since I won’t be driving, is it?” I pretended to lean forward as if I was gauging Houston’s interest and whispered, “When I pinch you, punch it.”
The only indication I got that he’d heard and was on board was the subtle quirk of his lips as he waited for my signal.
“Hey, Loren?”
He was grinning already as he anticipated my answer. “Yeah?”
“We’re in!” Before I was even fully done speaking, I pinched the hell out of Houston, who immediately pushed on the throttle, shooting us forward and narrowly clipping Rich as we raced through the closing gap.
I heard Loren shouting obscenities, and one look behind me confirmed that they were hot on our tail. I smiled as Houston pushed the Sea-Doo to the max and laughed as Rich and Loren desperately fought to catch up. Since we’d had the element of surprise, we’d gained enough of a head start that it would take an act of God for us to lose.
It came just as Houston made a sharp turn around a bend I didn’t know to brace for because I’d twisted in my seat to watch our opponents.
Slipping off the side of the Sea-Doo, my scream was cut short when I fell into the cold water and plunged beneath the surface. Fear of drowning had me grappling to reach the top again, even as my life jacket brought me back up. I broke the water with a gasp, and then I looked around for my rescue.
Rich was the first to reach me since he’d been in last place. He twisted around in his seat as I boarded from behind and offered me a hand that I didn’t need but was all too eager to accept.
I missed him touching me because he wanted it too.
I might have preferred not taking an unintentional dip in the ocean and losing my wig to learn that he still cared, but I wouldn’t turn my nose up at the knowledge either.
Once I got him alone, I’d make him explain.
I got plenty of their hot and cold mood swings when they were just my bandmates. I wouldn’t accept them now that they were my boyfriends.
Houston and Loren had caught up when I was settled on the Sea-Doo with my arms around Jericho’s waist as if nothing had occurred.
“What the hell happened?” Loren shouted at Houston.
Instantly irritated, I pursed my lips. I was a grown woman—their woman—yet when it came to their expectations of each other, they treated me like a child. It was me who wasn’t being careful. Houston wasn’t to blame.
However, I could tell by the rigid look on his face that he disagreed.
Since Houston was staring at me, asking without words if I was okay while ignoring Loren, I refrained from rolling my eyes and nodded. Jericho must have felt my nod because he took off without another word spoken. Houston and Loren followed, but this time, we didn’t race back.
Unfortunately for them, I was still feeling devious.
Standing on the dock now with Rich hovering next to me, I faced Houston and Loren, who were still straddling their jet skis. “I guess this means Jericho and I win.”
“What? How?” Loren challenged with a frown. “We didn’t finish the race.”
“You said the first one back chooses the dare. You didn’t say anything about finishing the race.” Houston and Loren’s response to my loophole was to stare at me with their lips parted. I smiled. “No exceptions, no excuses, right?”
They grumbled what sounded like an agreement, and after returning our Sea-Doos to the rental company, we headed back to the hotel. I wasn’t so sure the jet skis were a good idea since tonight’s show started in a few hours, and I was already bone tired. The guys removed their disguises while I moved onto the private terrace overlooking the North Shore mountains’ jagged edges and rough slopes.
I stood there a few moments, just enjoying the view, when I felt a warm exhale on my nape. The zipper on my wet suit was slowly dragged down, and then strong hands peeled it from my body. The suit pooled around my ankles on the wooden planks of the deck where we stood. I stepped out of them before