Dare: A Stepbrother Romance by Caitlin Daire Read Free Book Online Page B

grade?”
    I didn’t respond, and he grinned. “Y’know, I totally knew it.”
    “Knew what?”
    “That you weren’t actually going out every night and fucking random guys with a fake name.”
    “And how’d you know that?”
    He snorted. “Because you’re way too uptight to be getting laid.”
    “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
    “It means you walk around with a stick up your ass most of the time. Maybe if you pulled it out once in a while, you’d actually be able to go through with sleeping with someone, instead of just changing your mind and leaving them with blue balls at the last second.”
    “Screw you,” I hissed. “I’m not uptight.”
    “Sure, sure. You know, it’s really amazing that a girl with a personality like yours can’t get a date,” he said, the sarcasm in his voice all too clear.
    “No, what’s amazing is that someone with a personality like yours can get a date. And for your information, I actually have a date for tomorrow.”
    His smile grew wider, as if he didn’t believe a word I was saying. “Oh, really? With who?”
    “Dan. I met him earlier.”
    He snorted again. “That guy? Fuck off. I kinda know him. He’s a dick.”
    Ugh. Of course Drew didn’t like him. No surprises there.
    “You’re just saying that ‘cause you’re pissed that you can’t have me.”
    I regretted the words the instant they flew out of my mouth. They were too harsh, fuelled by the last week of pent-up emotion and tension.
    “Bullshit,” he replied, his eyes darkening. He leaned in close, pressing my back up against the door. “Believe me, if I really wanted you, I’d have you right now. Right up against this door.”
    For a second, I actually wanted him to do it…
    Instead I pushed him away. “Get off me! Look, this can’t happen, okay? We live together, and you’re technically my stepbrother, so nothing can ever happen, as much as we want it to. I mean, as much as you want it to,” I said, immediately cursing myself for the Freudian slip.
    “I think I just made it pretty clear that I don’t, sweetheart,” he said. His eyes crinkled up around the sides, and I knew he hadn’t missed my slip-up.
    I turned around and hammered on the door. “Andreas! Has it been seven minutes yet?”
    “Almost,” he said. He counted down the remaining forty-five seconds before calling out again. “All right, I’m coming in!”
    He opened the door and looked at the red lip smear on Drew’s cheek before shooting me a satisfied glance. “Let’s get downstairs, love birds.”
    I playfully swatted him. “Very funny.”
    The game had continued without us while we were in the closet, and when we walked in, we were met with a chorus of cheers and smooching sounds. I knew I should’ve just smiled and let it go, but I couldn’t help myself. I turned on my heel and marched out the door, and Cerie and Lana hurried after me onto the front porch.
    “Soph! Where are you going?”
    I spun around to face them. “What the hell is your problem?” I said, glaring at the both of them. “You know I don’t like him! You know I met another nice guy tonight! So what’s the deal? Why do you keep pushing us together?”
    They exchanged glances.
    “Sorry,” Lana mumbled. “We just thought…”
    I cut her off. “I know what you thought. You guys think that Drew and I are meant to be, like some cosmically fated entity, all because of a couple of major coincidences. But it’s not going to happen!”
    Cerie’s eyes widened slightly. “Jeez, Sophie. You know we didn’t mean to upset you. But I’m sorry. Can I say something, though?”
    “What?”
    “I’ve met Dan before. He seems nice, but he’s like the male version of you. Trust me, you’ll get bored dating someone who’s basically just you with a penis.”
    “I think it’s up to me to decide that,” I said, an angry vein twitching on my forehead.
    Cerie sighed. “Okay, okay, you’re right. I’m really sorry, Sophie. We’ll stay out of