Oh, that was easy. He couldn’t imagine anyone capturing this girl’s heart. “True,” he answered without a doubt but she shocked him when she shook her head.
“Sorry...false. I have been in love. Drink up, buddy.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She met his gaze. “And why not?”
“Because you don’t seem the type to fall for anyone. You’re like one of those wild birds that would go stir-crazy in a cage.”
She laughed but there was a slightly sad note to the sound as she said, “Well, you’re wrong. I did fall in love a long time ago. Now drink up.”
He wasn’t a quitter or a cheater so he downed the shot as directed. He lost fair and square. But the game did stir more questions. Who was this guy who managed to steal CoCo’s heart? He gestured for another round, then turned to CoCo. “Okay, so who was the guy?”
“Sorry, that’s not part of the game,” she said, grinning. “Your turn.”
She wasn’t going to spill that intel. He could respect that even if he was burning to know the details. Why? He didn’t really know but he wanted a glimpse into the real CoCo, not the tabloid princess, and there was something burning in his chest that felt a lot like envy for the mystery guy who’d been given an all-access pass when everyone else had to stand outside. He cleared his throat and said, “I’ve never...committed a felony.”
CoCo watched him from beneath a curtain of lush, dark lashes and then said, “True.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hey, no fair trying to make me second-guess my decision.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t see that in the fine print.”
A faint, playful scowl followed as she said, “Well, it’s there. No pressuring or making me second-guess. And yes, my answer stands. You’re not a bad boy, even if you try to come off as one.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Deep down, you’re just a softie.”
That made him laugh. “Really? That’s how you see me? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re already drunk.”
“Okay, so spill...true or false?”
He relented. “True.” Her squeal of laughter lit up his insides and he was smiling before he could stop it. “But I came damn close once. That should count for something. If it weren’t for my brother pulling some strings...yeah, I might’ve had a felony on my record.”
“Oooooh, such an almost bad boy.”
“All right, all right, Giggles. Here’s your next one. I’ve never...worn women’s underwear.”
“Oh, that has to be true,” she said.
“False!” At her surprise, he said, “It was on a dare in high school and they were the head cheerleader’s bikini panties. And I rocked them, if I’m being honest.”
“Okay, you got me there. Next question.”
He thought long and hard. The whiskey shot was doing its job of loosening things up between them but he was having a bit too much fun. He grinned as he thought of his last statement. “I’ve never drank with a client.”
“That’s totally false.”
He met her confident stare and he said, “Nope. Sorry, princess. This is my first time.” And right about now, he had a good idea why he stood by that rule, because she was a heartbeat away from getting kissed.
* * *
HER HEART RACED and she leaned toward him, almost able to taste those luscious lips, but then Rian pulled back and the spell was broken. CoCo didn’t bother hiding her disappointment but she didn’t comment because she already knew what he was going to say and she didn’t want to hear it. Instead she gestured for another round but he put the kibosh on it.
“We’ve had plenty. Rounds of whiskey are a recipe for bad decisions. It was a fun game, though.”
She switched gears and slid from the bar stool. “Fine. I’m ready to go dancing now anyway.”
“Dancing? I don’t think so.”
“Oh, I do think so. In fact, I insist. We can pop over to my favorite club, Tinsel, and meet up with some friends of mine.”
“That’s a double no,” he said sternly. “A nightclub is a logistical nightmare.”