by Jill Shalvis
“Now, I’m going to ask you to answer some questions,” the emcee said. “To start, keep in mind that not everyone will have to answer every question—it’s just the luck of the draw. Hope you’re feeling lucky. Oh, and one final thing: The winning pair gets a thousand bucks.”
The room ooh’d and aah’d—Darcy included. Her half of a thousand bucks would make a nice chunk that she could use to buy service dogs and also help Zoe get ahead of the house expenses for a change.
“Ready to get going?” the emcee asked. “Good. You’re already facing your partner, right? Reach out to put your palms to your partner’s.”
AJ held up his hands and Darcy set hers against them. His were much bigger than hers, warm and callused, and gave her a little shiver.
Okay, maybe not so little.
“Lean toward each other,” the emcee said.
They both leaned in, their faces close enough that she could see the gold flecks in those hazel eyes dance. Close enough that if she wanted to, she could press her jaw to his scruffy one. Close enough to catch the scent of his skin, which somehow made her … ache.
She decided to attribute this stupid phenomenon to sleeping with him, which, FYI, had felt more intimate than … sex. But being in bed with a man all night long had most definitely brought back memories of sex. Granted, they were distant memories. In any case, she told herself this was all just a simple biological response, nothing more.
If only he hadn’t kissed her.
But the truth was, she couldn’t one hundred percent blame him for that. And them being here, doing this, that was all on her.
“Lean even closer,” the emcee said. He paused while everyone did this. “Move your feet farther back. A little farther … Good. Now even more.”
Some groaning from the room. Some laughing. Definite discussion.
AJ didn’t speak, just moved his feet farther away and leaned into Darcy.
She did the same, perfectly aware that he was taking on all of her weight and yet—clearly in deference to her disabilities—keeping most of his own on himself. “I can do this,” she whispered.
“You are doing this,” he said, refusing to admit he was handicapping her.
Next to them Summer was laughing as she and Trent worked on their balance. On the other side of them, two guys leaned on each other, laughing a bit, goofing off. One of them fell and hit the floor, much to the delight of his partner.
“Someone’s thinking about his hot date this weekend,” the emcee said. “Concentrate, people. There’s a thousand bucks on the line here. Now everyone move a little bit farther back, and … hold it. Good.”
Good? Darcy was on the balls of her feet, balanced only because AJ had her balanced. She was breathing heavy, sweating, and he stood there looking utterly at ease.
“Stare into each other’s eyes,” the emcee said, “and know that the person you’re looking at is all that’s keeping you from face-planting.” He paused and chuckled, the diabolical bastard. “Now’s probably not a good time to air out any dirty laundry, like who left the printer out of paper, or the toilet seat up, or who’s a bed hog.”
AJ arched a brow at Darcy, silently reminding her which of them was the bed hog. She couldn’t help it; she laughed.
His gaze dropped to her mouth, which suddenly had trouble dragging air into her lungs.
“So of course that’s why we’re going to do exactly that,” the emcee said. “While you’re dependent on each other for not hitting your face on the floor, one of you is going to admit your deepest fear.”
Everyone stared at their partners. No one spoke. Darcy’s heart pounded. “I don’t have fears,” she said.
AJ smiled.
The emcee said, “If you’re having problems figuring out who’s going to answer this round, let me help. Most people’s gut reaction is that they don’t have any fears to admit.”
AJ smirked at Darcy.
She rolled her eyes.
“So … youngest first,” the emcee said, and half the people in the room protested.
Darcy included. “Age racist,” she muttered. AJ just waited.
“Fine,” she said. “I’m afraid of spiders.”
He shook his head. “No, you’re not. I caught you just last week saving Ariana from one in her locker and I watched you carry the thing outside rather than kill it.”
“Because hello,” she said. “I’m afraid of them.”
“Seriously. You are such a liar.”
“Hey, maybe I’m afraid of killing them.”
“Try again.”
“Whatever,” she muttered and sighed. “Fine. Maybe I’m afraid of everything, you ever think of that? Maybe I’m just one big coward.”
AJ tipped his head back and laughed, his white teeth flashing against that dark jaw, his eyes lit, all the while keeping his balance with annoying ease.
“I don’t know why that’s so funny,” she griped, looking away because looking right at him laughing was like being in a candy shop. So tempting.
And so bad for you.
“I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to laugh at my fears,” she said.
When his fingers gently squeezed hers, she looked up and was startled to find his expression now serious, eyes warm. “You’re not afraid of much,” he said. “But there is one thing and it’s not spiders.”
Again her heart pounded. “You don’t know.”
“I do.”
“You don’t.”
“Alright, then tell me,” he said.
“Oh, no. I don’t need half of a thousand bucks that much.”
“I’ll double it if you tell me,” he said.
She narrowed her eyes. “You’d pay me a second grand just to hear me say my biggest fear?”
“Think about it,” he said. “More dogs.”
She stared at him. “That’s hard to resist.”
“I am,” he agreed.
This made her smile but it faded quick. “I don’t like that I can be bought,” she said quietly.
“For a cause,” he said just as quietly. “And we can all be bought for our cause, Darcy.”
“You admitting your fears, Youngest?” the emcee called out. “Because you’ve got two minutes left.”
Darcy only needed two seconds. She closed her eyes. “My biggest fear is …” Her lips tightened, not allowing the words to escape. Which was silly; they were just words.
“You’re afraid of love,” AJ said.
Her eyes flew open and she stared at him.
His gaze dared her to contradict him.
She blew out a breath. “Well, that’s not true at all,” she said. “I love plenty. I love Wyatt, for instance. Zoe. Xander. Oreo.”
“If you’re not afraid of love, then what?” he asked, his eyes daring her to say it.
She’d known him for years, though not like she had the past eleven months. Since then he’d had his hands all over her in a healing capacity, and as of yesterday in an elevator in a not healing capacity. He knew her better than just about anyone else, and she didn’t call his bluff because she’d bet he did know the truth about her deepest fear. “Okay, so it’s not love I’m afraid of,” she admitted. “I can love, just like anyone else.” She paused, her gaze caught in his. “I’m afraid of what happens once you do love. And when that person stops loving you back.”
“Abandonment,” he said.
She shrugged, looking away.
“Neglect. Being discarded.”
“I didn’t ask for synonyms,” she said, getting pissy.
He squeezed her fingers again until she tipped her head back to meet his gaze. He was utterly serious, so much so that it stole her breath.
“You’re right, Darcy. You have people in your life who you love and who love you. But you should also know that those people would never stop loving you back.”
“Never say never,” she said as lightly as she could.
He opened his mouth to say something but she’d never know what, because the emcee spo
ke.
“Time’s up,” the guy said. “But don’t move. There’s one more thing.”
Darcy’s leg buckled. “Crap—”
AJ caught her, holding on to her just until she found her balance and righted herself.
If he’d been the one to slip she’d never have been able to catch him. They’d have both gone down in a heap.
“Okay, everyone,” the emcee said in a way-too-jovial tone that made Darcy want to smack him. “Now you all have a choice. Stay with the partner you have or switch. Hold your position unless you’re switching partners on my count of three.”
Darcy felt a bead of sweat trickle between her breasts. The horror of being possibly dumped and made to switch made her pulse race with anxiety.
“One …” the emcee said.
AJ shifted and Darcy sucked in a breath, trying like hell to look like the kind of partner he couldn’t possibly live without. But her muscles were already protesting and quivering and she didn’t know how much longer she could do this. “I don’t blame you,” she said to AJ. “There’s a thousand bucks on the line here, so …”
“Two …”
Oh God. She closed her eyes, unable to take the suspense.
“Three!” the emcee called out. “Incredible, folks. This is a first. No one, not a single one of you, went looking to switch partners. Nice.”
Darcy’s eyes flew open.
AJ released her hands and stepped back. He was watching her, his eyes narrowed slightly as if it bugged the shit out of him that she’d expected him to want to change partners.
“Is this a pity stay?” she asked. “It’s because I just admitted to being a big puss about being discarded, right? Well, you can just forget it. I won’t have you stick around just because—”
“Darcy,” he said. “There’s no such thing as a pity stay. There’s a pity fuck, but not a pity stay.”
She narrowed her eyes. “So you hereby solemnly swear that you aren’t feeling sorry for me?” she demanded.
“I feel a lot of things for you, Darcy, but sorry isn’t one of them.”
“Okay, back in position, everyone!” the emcee said. “Back to leaning on your partner. Ready?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered and put her hands to AJ’s.
“This time one of you has to admit something to your partner,” the emcee said. “Something you’ve been holding on to. It can be as simple as, ‘I know that you’re the one who ate my precious lunch out of the office fridge,’ or as complicated as admitting a feeling that you’ve held back.”
Oh, God. This was dumb. Beyond dumb.
“Whoops,” the emcee said. “I almost forgot to tell you which one of you has to make the admission.” He laughed gleefully, clearly thoroughly enjoying himself. “The shorter of the two of you. Go.”
AJ cocked his head at her, waiting, a smug smile on his face.
“Hey,” she said. “If I was back to my old self, I’d be wearing my high-heel boots today and then we’d be the same height. And that would mean a tie and as a gentleman, you’d take your turn at this stupid gig.”
“Never claimed to be a gentleman.” He flashed a heartstopping grin. “And even in your fuck-me boots, I’m taller than you. But nice try.”
She closed her eyes and wracked her brain for an easy admission that wouldn’t hurt too much.
I’ve got a serious case of hot-for-you.
Nope. No way.
I feel really badly that I lied to Trent.
Yeah, she really should say that, but it wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have with Trent and Summer only three yards away.
I know I’ve done everything in my power to be a bitch to you, but it’s to hide the fact that I really like you.
Yeah, that one was perfect … if she’d been in middle school. Good Lord.
“We going to do this any time today?” AJ asked.
Actually, maybe she didn’t like him as much as she thought. But she did want him. Bad. She flashed him her own badass smile and—screw it—she kissed him.
Take that!
AJ stilled for a single beat and then his fingers entangled with hers and he squeezed her hands as he tilted his head and deepened the kiss.
She’d meant for it to be just a peck but clearly he had other ideas. He swept his tongue to hers and then retreated, and damn if her own tongue didn’t follow, demanding more. But he pulled free, his eyes hot and also amused.
Lifting her head to glare at him, she forgot what they were doing and once again her arms collapsed. She gasped, perfectly aware she was going down and on her face, but … she didn’t.
Again AJ caught her, his arms encircling her, her feet dangling above the ground.
“Aw, don’t they look so sweet together?” Darcy heard Summer whisper to Trent. And AJ grinned down at Darcy because they both knew he was about as sweet as a hungry mountain lion.
Fifteen
The second hour of the workshop wasn’t nearly as much fun as having Darcy kiss him, AJ thought. Or kissing her back until she’d gasped in surprise and stared at him like she’d never seen him before.
Nope. Nothing near as good.
Up next was the obstacle course, which was a “minefield” with chairs, balls, cones, boxes, and other objects that were potential obstacles and could trip someone up.
The catch? Every round consisted of someone being blindfolded, to be led around by the other’s voice alone.
Upon receiving these directions, Darcy turned to AJ with a wide-eyed look of such heartbreaking, genuine panic at the thought of being blindfolded, he volunteered.
Fucking sucker, Wyatt would’ve said.
It wasn’t until they’d been divided up among several hotel boardrooms for their turn that the rest of the exercise came out. If the one doing the vocal guiding got the other through the obstacle course in less than five minutes each, they got to ask a question of their partner.
It was like some big game of Truth or Dare, but with both truth and dare.
And of course AJ was up first.
Trent clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Good luck, man.” He and Summer were to go right after AJ and Darcy, with Summer being the blindfolded one.
“Guess we know who the most trusting ones are, don’t we,” Summer murmured to AJ with a low laugh.
Darcy had given him a look of surprise, like she hadn’t realized he trusted her.
How the hell could she be surprised? But then again she didn’t have a lot of experience with trust. Given away by her parents over and over again, often separated from her siblings without any communication allowed, then later as an adult wanderlusting all over the planet on her own, she’d rarely let anyone in, much less allowed herself the luxury of trust.
They were given a blindfold. Darcy met his gaze and then moved
