Paper Bride ✔️ (Book 4 - DP Series - COMPLETE)

17. Take Off Your Shirt

"No, you can't wash your toes!" Shon bellows as we all sit in various places around the living room.

We've moved all the food to the floor in the center of the room for easy access and are now playing 'Would You Rather' and 'Truth or Dare' at the same time. If you've never done this before, you should. It'll ruin your life. I swear.

I've currently got peanut butter oozing from my bloated mouth. I'm pretty sure Emma dared me to fill my mouth with the stuff just to keep me quiet. I tend to get a little excited in social environments. Now, I'm working on not laughing while Trevor goes through with his dare.

As a giggle splits past my lips, so does a peanut butter-tainted trail of drool. I try not to imagine what I look like right now, but I can't help it. I'm instantly in hysterics, brushing the back of my hand over my mouth to keep the contents inside.

"Napguuun," I mumble.

Nobody seems to really notice my dilemma though since they're all too enthralled by Trevor's lack of hesitancy as he leans over to lick Lightning's toes. Lightning, though clearly disgusted by the fact that a man is sucking on his feet, can't stop laughing. We've learned he's far more ticklish than he's ever let on before.

My eyes stay glued to the small hourglass that's ticking down Trevor's one minute of torture, but the sand seems to be draining far slower than it should be. He's got about thirty more seconds of licking to do but I'm not going to be able to keep my lips sealed for much longer.

"Napguuun!" I try to yell again, and Shon finally notices and nudges Seth in the ribs. I know I must look even more ridiculous than I first assumed because even he can't hold back his laughs. "Guys! Shtawp!" I groan.

Clearly, talking isn't helping the situation, because every time I open my mouth to speak, everyone just starts laughing harder. It doesn't take long for the whole room to notice my predicament. By now, I've got peanut butter and spit sliding over my chin. I'm a mess... a sticky laughing mess.

"Napguuun," I manage to say around a chuckle, and Shon finally catches on to my pleads.

"Napkin," she says, pointing at Lindsey who's sitting closest to them. Lindsey snatches up several and launches them at me. They flutter to an instant stop several feet away, and I nearly eject peanut spit all over everyone at the ridiculousness of my situation. I'm sure the sugar high I'm on isn't helping at all. Things are always funnier when you're not entirely in your right mind. Though not a single person here has had any alcohol, you'd never know it from our behavior. We're loose and relaxed. Very very relaxed.

Once I've cleaned myself up, it's back to being my turn again. I sit anxiously awaiting my doom, but I'm sure everyone can see the excitement tapping its way out of my fidgety fingers. I get far too excited about these kinds of games. The games that could humiliate a person for generations to come. I live for these embarrassing moments. Humiliation for the enjoyment of others brings me such happiness. And right now, I'm surprisingly happy—even with Seth sitting clear on the other side of the room. I'm okay with it, though. The few smiles he's sent my way have made up for the distance between us.

"Okay, Merciless," Lightning begins to say. "It's my turn to ruin your life." He picks up an invisible card from the table—even though we make up our own dares on the spot—and pretends to read it to himself before verbalizing it for the rest of us. "Okay, truth or dare?"

"Uh..." I ponder my options for a moment longer than necessary before answering. "Dare, duh."

Lightning laughs evilly, rubbing his hands together. "That's what I was hoping for." He scratches his head in thought. "Okay, would you rather have me cut your hair using my non-dominant hand, or reveal your deepest darkest secret?"