On The Road To Love

Chapter 18

"Alright, Dot, if you're so brave, why don't you go first?" Andrew teased. "Truth or Dare, little sis?"

Dianne rolled her eyes, already brainstorming embarrassing tasks for her to make Andrew perform when it was his turn. Joe's thumb had begun to rub up and down the back of her hand, and she tried not to let it distract her from the task at hand - which was proving her brother wrong.

"Dare," she stated casually, pleased when Andrew's eyebrows raised in shock.

"You never pick Dare," he countered.

"I'm feeling brave," she shrugged, before watching Andrew's eyes scan the restaurant, trying to come up with a dare.

"Okay, Dot, I dare you to eat a spoonful of mustard without spitting it back out," Andrew laughed as he watched her face screw up in disgust, as he moved to grab a spoon and the bottle on the other side of the bar, handing it over when it was full of a heaping serving. "Don't let go of Sugg's hand, you're going to need all the help you can get, sis."

Dianne felt herself blush hard as she quickly let go of Joe's hand and shot her brother a glare, sitting up straighter to grab the spoon. She hated mustard, and Andrew knew it, but she was determined to prove him wrong. Screwing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath before quickly sticking the spoon in her mouth and swallowing. Her eyes welled up at the taste, and she reached out blindly for Joe, gripping his arm tightly, and ignoring the laughter coming from her brother and Caspar down the bar.

"Water...I need water," she gasped out, before suddenly a cold glass was in her hand and she was gulping down the best tasting liquid she'd ever had in her life. As she came back down to reality, she realized Joe was rubbing his hand soothingly up and down her back, watching her with an expression that seemed to a mixture of amusement and concern.

"Not a fan of mustard, eh?" he asked quietly, his hand slowing as he wrapped an arm tightly around her shoulders.

"No," she spluttered out, taking another gulp of water and glaring down the bar toward Andrew, "You're a dick, Andrew."

Andrew shrugged, "You picked Dare."

"Okay, then my dear brother - it's your turn," Dianne shot back, ignoring the warmth coming from Joe's arm that still had not moved from around her shoulders.

---

Joe smiled as Dianne leaned into his upper body, giggles making her small body shake in delight as she watched her brother perform his second dare - this time, going to ask Tim if he had any adult sized diapers he could use.

"I can't..." she gasped out between giggles, "I can't deal with this anymore, someone pick Truth, these dares are too much."

Joe took another sip of a beer that had suddenly been placed in front of him before turning to the group, "Okay...truth."

Dianne's laughter slowed, as she pushed herself back a bit to look at him, an amused expression on her face. "Hmmm...how can I use this opportunity to get something good out of you, Sugg?"

Joe smirked at the twinkle in her eyes. The shy and quiet Dianne that he had encountered this morning had been replaced by the fun and goofy girl he had gotten to know two days ago. He felt his heart swell at the thought that perhaps, he had been part of that change.

"What are the three things you find most attractive in a girl?" Andrew shouted out from down the bar, interrupting his thoughts.

Joe looked at Andrew with a bemused expression, knowing this question was not brought up at random. Returning his gaze to Dianne, he half expected her to start arguing with Andrew for taking over her pick, but to his surprise, she had a hint of a smile on her face, leaning all the way back in her chair and crossing her arms.