We lasted for about an hour before the both of us had the munchies and needed to make a pit stop for some food. At least we were in Ohio already. Still an hour or so away from the bridal shop we needed to get to, but we had made some progress and that’s always better than none.

We hadn’t really talked all that much during the drive; we were too busy finding what other treasures the limo had to offer. Mostly we toked, choked, and joked. Basically, we just had some fun.

We were still laughing like a couple of teens when we pulled to the side of the road after spotting an IHOP. Chase told the driver, “Man, no way are you pulling this monster into that parking lot, and even if you could we’d be taking up the whole damn thing. You can pull in that empty lot down the road and we’ll just walk. If that’s okay with you.”

“Sure, I even wore my walking heels for such an occasion.” Laughing again, I followed behind Chase as he stepped out and offered me his hand. A hand that I didn’t even realize I was still holding until he let it go to open the door of the restaurant.

Maybe he didn’t notice.

“Well, don’t y’all look cute together?” Before giving us a chance to respond, the hostess ushered us in with a, “Come right this way.”

She sat us down at a quiet table for two by a window saying, “You two sure came at a perfect time. Any earlier or later and this place woulda been busting at the seams.” Handing us our menus, she said, “Take y’all time looking over the menu, and your waiter will be right on over in a few.”

Looking at my menu, I glanced up for a second and caught Chase’s eyes on me. Not saying a word, I just inwardly wondered what happened to that geeky looking kid from high school. And his eyes? You know how most people just look half sleep after smoking? Not Chase: somehow it just made his half lidded gaze seem sexy as sin. Saved from saying anything as the waiter arrived to take our orders, that contact was broken, and not a moment too soon.

“Truth or dare?”

“What?”

“Truth or dare?” Chase repeated.

“I heard you the first time, but how the hell are we going to play Truth or Dare here?”

“Easy, by just doing it. I told you, we are going to make the most out of each and every moment. So, I repeat, again, truth or dare?”

“Why do I have to go first?” When he just sat there silently waiting with that grin of his plastered across his face, I conceded, “Fine. Truth.”

“Why does a woman like you keep dating the sleaziest of scumbags?”

“Oh, that’s an easy one. Because they’re the only ones with balls enough to approach me. But, in my defense, they don’t have ‘asshole’ etched into their foreheads.” Though that would have helped me to avoid a lot of heartache if they had. “Your turn. Why is a guy like you still single?”

“Probably because I’ve been in love with one woman ever since high school, and no one else adds up or even compares to her. But, I never had the nerve to go after her.” The heat in his gaze felt as though there was an ‘until now’ that went unsaid.

“And just who is this mystery woman?”

“Nah uh, uh. I already said my truth. Even though you didn’t give me the choice of truth or dare.”

“Oh, you noticed that did you?”

“Yes, yes I did. So I guess that means I get to choose for you too this go ’round, right?”

Once again I was saved by the waiter who was definitely getting a big ass tip. Is it just me, or does food look and smell so much better when you have the munchies?

We were damn near done with our meal when I heard Chase clear his throat. When I looked up at him, all he said was one word, “Dare.”

“I was hoping you had forgotten about that. Can’t I get truth instead?”

Laughing at me, he responded with a nice and polite, “Nope.”

“Damn.”

“I dare you to take the rest of this whipped cream, spread it across your lips, and take a selfie.”

“Fine.” And I did just that while laughing the entire time. Then I asked, “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“I dare you to do the same thing, with the strawberry jam.” This was actually fun. He even puckered up his lips for his selfie. The waiter was laughing so hard when he came over with the bill the poor thing almost tripped and fell. Before he even bothered to ask I said, “Dare,” as the waiter walked away.

I knew I was in for it when a devilish grin spread across his strawberry lips. “I dare you to clean this jam from my mouth. Without a napkin.”

Leaning across the table as though I was going to use my lips, I pulled back at the last minute and used my finger instead. Thinking I was the one being a smartass, the joke was on me when he let his tongue dart out and wrap around my finger. “Um…” was the only coherent thought I could muster, because that felt pretty damn good.

Letting go he simply stated, “Just didn’t want you to get all sticky. You ready to go?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Since I didn’t know what to think about what had just happened, I figured it best to just not think at all.