Spinning around, Ari walked back over to Josh.
“Eat seven of these without taking a drink of water.”
I was almost positive Josh was already starting to sweat.
“Peppers?” Josh asked while swallowing hard.
“Is he already sweating?” Jeff asked with a full-on laugh.
Ari pushed the bag closer to him. “What’s the matter, Hayes. You afraid to eat a few jalapeño?”
“A few? Two would be a few, Ari. You said seven.”
Looking around, Ari said, “Looks like we have our first failed dare for the night.”
Josh grabbed the bag from Ari and opened it.
“Josh! You hate spicy things!” Heather cried out.
Standing, Josh gave Heather a reassuring look. “I’ve got this, princess.”
Heather looked at me with wide eyes and a dropped mouth. We both knew, he so didn’t have this.
“This should be fun,” Gunner said while taking a drink from his beer.
I gripped Gunner’s leg while I watched Josh reach in for a pepper.
“Seven. One right after the other,” Ari confirmed again.
A look of horror washed over my face when Josh quickly popped the whole pepper into his mouth and chewed. He reached in for another and repeated the same action for seven peppers.
“Holy shit. He’s crying!” Jeff cried out as he laughed hysterically.
“Oh, Josh,” Heather said as she rushed over to him with a bottle of water.
Josh grabbed the water and downed it. “Fire. On. Fire. Gonna die. Help … me.”
Gunner jumped up with another bottle of water. Snatching it from his hands, Josh drank it so fast he was spilling it all over himself.
“Can’t breathe!” Josh hissed while drinking yet another bottle. “Bread! Something! Help!”
Ari let out a contented sigh. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Hayes.”
Josh glared at Ari while Heather handed him another bottle. Pointing to Ari, Josh said, “I hate you right now.”
With a half pout, half smile, Ari replied, “Awe, you don’t mean that, buttercup!”
Josh downed a beer. “My shit’s gonna burn for weeks.”
It was then everyone lost it laughing, including Josh.
Pulling my knees up to my chest, I smiled as I looked around the fire at my friends. They were more than friends. They were my family and I loved them. I was going to cherish this weekend forever.
Soft breath hit my neck, rousing me from my sleep. “Hey, sweetheart. You fell asleep.”
Sitting up, I stretched and let out a long yawn. “Gosh, I was tired,” I replied while looking around the fire. “Where is everyone?”
“Jeff and Ari just left to head to bed. Josh and Heather called it quits pretty much right after you dozed off.”