Chapter 14: Drinking Games

KIANA

I choked on a piece of tomato, gulping down water to stop my coughing fit.

~I can’t meet his parents. This isn’t a real relationship.~ I thought I was only playing a part in public, but meeting his parents was a whole new playing field.

“You don’t have a choice. You signed a contract, remember,” he reminded me as if he knew I was about to argue.

“Can’t you say I’m sick or something?” I suggested hopefully.

“No. My father is too persistent. I didn’t think he’d hear about you this soon, but somebody from the charity event spilled the beans. I don’t want him finding out about our arrangement, and if you don’t come, it’ll look suspicious. Even more so now that you’ve met Crystal and Ben.”

“But people think we’ve only been dating a few days,” I pointed out.

“That doesn’t matter to my parents, especially not to my dad,” Chase said with finality. “It’s just for the weekend. We’ll be back before you know it,” he assured me, standing up from his stool and taking our empty plates to the sink.

To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I was freaking out!

“Okay, it doesn’t exactly seem like I have a choice in the matter. We’ll just have to play the perfect couple.” I sighed, resigned to the fact that this was a battle I could not win.

“I couldn’t agree more, which is why I think we should spend the night getting to know each other better,” Chase added as he began washing the dishes. “My parents will know something is up otherwise.

“Think of it as a study session. And since we only have this weekend to prepare, we need to cram.”

“And what exactly do you have in mind?” I asked, leaning my hip against the counter beside him and crossing my arms in question.

“I know a few drinking games. Only, we can exchange the alcohol for something less…potent.”

“Why drinking games?”

“Because it’s the best way to ask the most brutal questions. What better way to get to know each other’s most daring secrets than a good old-fashioned drinking game?”

Chase shot me a dangerous smirk, promising questions that would make beet red look like my chosen color of foundation if he had any say in the matter.

I couldn’t help but feel a tingle of growing anxiety, only I didn’t think it was the type of panic-induced anxiety I was used to.

Did he mean to get to know each other personally or physically?

~Would it bother me if it was the latter?~

It should. Only, I didn’t detest the idea.

***

It was still early, so we had plenty of time to finish up some work before our “cram session.” I took the laptop and notepad I’d been using from his office and retreated to my room while he settled behind his desk.

The thought of our evening plans played on my mind, making it progressively harder for me to focus on my schoolwork.

I could feel a migraine approaching, an indicator that I was all schooled out for the day.

I closed the laptop, pushed my new notes aside, then stretched on the bed, feeling tiredness creep up on me.

My stomach grumbled, sudden hunger taking root. It gave me just enough energy to leave the room and head to the kitchen in search of food. Only, I didn’t quite expect the scene I walked in on.

The living room had been transformed into something like an indoor picnic, with a blanket spread over the expansive faux-fur rug. The coffee table, which had been pushed off to one side of the rug, was decorated with a variety of snacks and refreshments, ensuring easy access.

“Hey, I was just about to come and get you.” Chase walked out of the kitchen dressed in comfortable pants and nothing else. He was holding a few glasses and a variety of kitchenware in his hands. He placed the items on either corner of the rug then made himself comfortable.

“I don’t bite,” he said with that knee-wobbling smirk.

He was seemingly unaware of how strikingly handsome he was, as if lounging in such minimal clothing wouldn’t affect me. His entire chest was exposed. Deep lines accentuated the definition of his abs. His muscular arms invited touch.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my attraction in check. As long as I kept my line of sight above his chin, I should be all right…

I hoped.

I took a seat opposite him, finding it surprisingly comfortable.

“So, what exactly are we playing?” I asked, reaching toward a slice of pizza.

“Nuh-uh.” Chase tapped my hand just before I could nab a slice. “This is the reward.”

“What is? This?” I gestured toward the spread of food and snacks.

“For every question you answer, you get to take whatever you want.” He smirked.

“Strange.” I giggled. “So, what questions do we ask?”

“Crystal bought me this card game for Christmas a few years back. I haven’t opened it until now, so I guess we’ll have to see.” He slid a stack of playing cards from beside him and placed them in the center.

“Ladies first.” He gestured toward the deck.

I picked up the one on top. “What is your biggest pet peeve?”

“Loud chewing, slow drivers, and people who are chronically late,” Chase answered as he reached for a card. “Your turn. Celebrity crush?”

“I…I don’t think I have one.” I fiddled with the hem of my shirt.

“Really? Everyone has a celebrity crush. Not even when you were little?” Chase asked, unbelieving.

“I had a crush on Chris Hemsworth when I was little,” I replied, nearly cringing at the memory of my near-insane obsession with him. I reached for the slice of pizza that had been tormenting me for at least two minutes.

“Really? I thought you’d be more of a Henry Cavill type of girl,” Chase replied.

“I guess you thought wrong,” I remarked, biting into the cheesy goodness.

I picked up another card. “When was your first kiss?”

“I was nine years old,” he answered.

“Nine?!”

“We had a Haribo ring and everything.” He chuckled, displaying that damned dimple with a playful smirk.

“Last date?” he continued.

“Several months ago. My friend Mia dragged me into a cringy double date. All the guy talked about was how aliens were real, and the government was drip-feeding us lies to keep us from learning the ‘truth’ of the world.” I rolled my eyes at the painful memory.

I could never forgive Mia for that. It was the worst date of my entire life.

I reached for another card. “Have you ever been in love?” I asked, immediately regretting the question.

Chase’s happy expression seemed to falter for a moment, his face turning thoughtful before he said, “Honestly, I don’t think I have. Having love for someone and being ~in love~ with someone are two completely different things.”

“What about your ex?” I asked, knowing I shouldn’t be prying but unable to stop myself.

“Joanna?” He sighed. “It was the betrayal that hurt me the most. It’s hard for me to trust someone, and once they break that trust, there’s no going back.”

I couldn’t help but think back to the contract. I had broken one of the rules by telling Mia about us. He might not trust me if he found out. Maybe I should tell him…

Chase cleared his throat, breaking me from my thoughts before picking up another card. “Your turn. Last boyfriend?”

I froze mid-bite, a chill coursing through me.

Memories I had suppressed surged back, like a sudden snowstorm in the mountains.

A wave of distress washed over me, leaving me uneasy about revealing that information. The onset of a panic attack loomed, threatening to spoil the evening and expose a vulnerable side of myself to Chase that I had never shown anyone.

So, I uttered the only words I could think of.

“I don’t want to play anymore,” I said rather harshly. “Sorry…I mean…it’s just…” I felt my hands begin to shake, so I placed them beneath my thighs.

“I get it,” Chase said, stopping me from making a fool of myself. “Touchy subject. How about we put on a movie instead? I’m all questioned out.”

“Yeah, good idea,” I agreed with a nervous chuckle.

Chase grabbed a few pillows and placed them against the lower part of the sofa before turning to face the TV, pulling the table so that the snacks and drinks were still within easy reach.

“What genre are you feeling?” he asked, grabbing the remote and scrolling through Netflix.

I mirrored his actions, setting my plate brimming with pizza and various other snacks on my lap.

“I do like a comedy,” I replied.

We decided on ~Bad Boys~, an action/comedy that we both agreed was one of the best movie franchises ever made. I couldn’t remember how many times I’d watched this film, but it always made me laugh!

By the end of the first film, I hadn’t even realized that our arms were touching. We had somehow managed to inch closer to one another, and I was surprised that I didn’t feel the urge to immediately pull away from his touch.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve never seen past the second movie,” Chase confessed as the end credits of the second movie started rolling.

“You’re lying!” I turned around so quickly I almost gave myself whiplash.

“I’m a busy man. I don’t really have time for TV,” he said, trying to defend himself.

“Being rich and famous is no excuse for not having watched what is arguably one of the best films ever made!” I argued.

“Watching TV has never really been at the top of my list of things to do during my time off.” He chuckled, tossing a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth.

“My mother used to do the best movie nights growing up.” I smiled at the memory. “She used to build a fort in our home theater and set up a chocolate fountain with strawberries, bananas, and marshmallows—and an endless supply of popcorn.”

“Home theater?” Chase looked at me thoughtfully.

“Yeah. My father is a successful…~businessman~.”

“It seems like you don’t talk about your parents much,” Chase prompted, inviting me to elaborate.

Instead of my usual tactic of making an excuse and changing the subject, I found my lips moving before I could catch myself.