<h4>Chapter 153: Truth or Dare</h4>


    Hailey


    I level my gaze at Marcus, but I don’t rise to the bait. That’s what he wants.


    Josh’s fingers press lightly into my shoulder, grounding me, and I know he’s trying just as hard not to react.


    Elise chooses that moment to stretch, her hand brushing against Josh’s knee like it’s an ident. His jaw tightens. My blood simmers.


    "Elise, I appreciate the offer. Really. But Mn’s not in my ns right now," Josh says.


    The entire hot tub goes still. Even the bubbles seem to pause.


    Elise recovers first, offering a tight smile. "Well. That’s disappointing."


    "I’m sure someone else will be thrilled to take the spot," Josh says gently but firmly. "Someone who actually wants it."


    Elise’s smile doesn’t falter, but her eyes sh with something sharper—challenge, maybe, or annoyance. She slides a little closer to Josh, the movement smooth, deliberate.


    "You know," she says, voice dripping with silk, "most people would kill for a shot like this. Mn, the shows, the exposure..." Her fingers trail through the water, dangerously close to his leg again. "And let’s be honest, you’d look very good under those lights."


    Josh shifts slightly, his arm tightening around me. "I’m ttered," he says carefully. "But I didn’t start modeling to end up in Europe surrounded by strangers. That was never the dream."


    Elise leans in, her voice dropping. "Maybe you don’t know what your dream could be until you see it up close."


    "I know what it isn’t," he replies, not unkindly, but firmly.


    Her smile sharpens, and she casts a nce my way like she’s looking for cracks in the ss. "You’re very loyal. It’s admirable." Her tone says naive.


    "Or maybe he just knows what matters," I say, my voice quiet but edged. "And who."


    Her gaze meets mine, a flicker of something cold passing through it.


    Reba chooses that moment to clear her throat dramatically. "I don’t know about you all, but I didn’te out here for a job interview in a hot tub. Can we go back to drinking and pretending to like each other, or is that too much to ask?"


    Elise lets out a lowugh and finally, finally shifts back toward her corner of the tub. "Fine. We’ll keep it light."


    But her eyes linger on Josh, and I know this isn’t over.


    "How about we y a game?" Marcus says, his eyes are glinting under the dim light.


    Josh lets out a quiet sigh beside me, almost too soft to catch, and I know exactly what he’s thinking: Here we go again.


    Reba raises an eyebrow, swirling her ss. "Is this the part where you suggest strip poker and pretend it’s spontaneous?"


    Marcus chuckles, the sound slow and deliberate. "Tempting, but no. Something simpler. More revealing, though... in other ways."


    Elise perks up, clearly intrigued. "What did you have in mind?"


    Marcus’s gaze moves slowly around the tub, resting on each of us just long enough to stir difort. "Let’s y Truth or Dare. No passes. No lies. Just good, honest fun."


    "Ah," Reba says tly. "The ssic drunk campfire game, but with more cleavage and passive-aggression. Perfect."


    I nce at Josh. He gives a subtle shrug and a wry smile. "I’m in."


    "I’m game," Elise says, her tone low and suggestive. "This should be... enlightening."


    Marcus’s eyesnd on mest. "Hailey?"


    I hold his gaze, refusing to be cowed by the smug twist of his mouth. "Fine. Let’s get this over with."


    Reba grins. "I’ll start," she says, sitting up straighter. "Truth or dare, Marcus?"


    He raises his ss. "Truth."


    She doesn’t hesitate. "What’s the one thing you’ve wanted that you couldn’t have?"


    A beat of silence stretches, thick with tension. Marcus’s eyes flick toward me just for a second before he smooths it over with azy smirk.


    "I haven’t encountered it yet," he says smoothly.


    Reba snorts. "Cute dodge. Not an answer."


    "It’s the only one you’re getting," he replies.


    "Already breaking the rules," Josh mutters under his breath.


    Marcus smiles wider, like he’s exactly where he wants to be. "My turn then. Hailey, truth or dare?"


    I don’t blink. "Truth."


    His voice is soft, but pointed. "Do you really think what you and Josh have willst once the real world pushes in?"


    Josh stiffens beside me.


    I take a breath, slow and steady. "Yes," I say clearly. "Because it already has."


    Marcus’s smile falters for just a second, and that’s enough for me.


    Reba ps once, satisfied. "Boom. Your move, Hailey."


    I look around the tub, thennd on Elise. "Truth or dare?"


    Elise arches a brow. "Dare."


    I smile. Sweet and sharp. "Move to the other side of the tub. And stay there."


    A ripple ofughter echoes through the group—even Josh chuckles under his breath.


    Elise’s lips twitch, like she wants to protest, but she doesn’t. Instead, she slides gracefully to the far edge of the hot tub, reclining like a queen dethroned.


    I lean into Josh a little more, my heart pounding but steady.


    Let Marcus y his games.


    I’m not backing down.


    Josh shifts beside me, the barest trace of a smirk on his lips. He looks straight at Reba, mischief dancing in his eyes.


    "Alright, Reba," he says, drawing out her name, "truth or dare?"


    Reba lifts an eyebrow. She swirls thest bit of champagne in her ss. "Dare."


    Josh’s grin widens. "Sit on Marcus’sp. And stay there for... let’s say, five full minutes."


    Reba blinks, then lets out a bark ofughter. "Don’t threaten me with a good time."


    I look at Josh in surprise. I didn’t think he approved of Reba pursuing Marcus before, but maybe he is on board now.


    Josh just shrugs, his grin crooked. "You keep saying you want to shake things up. Thought I’d help."


    Reba arches a brow at him, then slowly turns to Marcus, who lounges in the water like he owns the moonlight. "Well, Marcus?" she says.


    Marcus sets his drink down with exaggerated calm. "Do what you have to."


    "Perfect," Reba says, rising to her feet in one smooth motion. The water cascades down her crimson bikini, and she makes a show of stretching, just enough to make Marcus’s eyes flicker. Then she strides over, water swirling around her thighs.


    Josh leans toward me, voice low. "Think this will go well or blow up in my face?"


    I murmur back, "Fifty-fifty. But at least it’s entertaining."


    Reba turns, gives us both a wicked grin, and plops down on Marcus’sp with a little ssh. "There. Timer starts now."


    Marcus doesn’t flinch. His arms remain on the edges of the tub, but his smirk deepens, like he’s enjoying the moment more than he should. "Comfortable?" he asks, voicezy.


    "Oh, immensely," Reba says with exaggerated sweetness. "Like sitting on a throne of pretension."


    The group stiflesughter. Even Elise snorts.


    Marcus tilts his head. "You wound me."


    "Not yet," Reba mutters under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear.


    I bite my lip to keep fromughing.


    Reba settles in, draping her arms across Marcus’s shoulders like she owns him, and then immediately starts fiddling with his perfectly styled hair. "Do you use mousse or is this just pure, unadulterated ego?" she says, loud enough for everyone to hear.


    He smirks but doesn’t move, though I’d bet he’s debating whether to drown her or marry her.


    Reba turns in hisp, presenting her profile theatrically to the group. "Elise, truth or dare?"


    Elise narrows her eyes, sizing up our tiny rebel. "Truth."


    Reba grins. "Have you ever slept with somebody purely for career advancement?"


    A hush falls. Even Marcus’s eyebrow arches in appreciation.


    Elise doesn’t break, just lifts her ss and tips it toward the four of us. "Obviously," she says, so matter-of-factly I almost choke. "More than once. To the victor go the spoils, no?"


    Josh shrugs like he had expected that answer all along.


    Elise gestures magnanimously. "Your turn, Marcus. Since I’m already exiled to the edge of the tub, might as well be interesting."


    Marcus’s eyes gleam as he considers. He throws a nce at Reba perched in hisp, then looks past her to where Josh and I sit entwined. "Josh: truth or dare?"


    Josh doesn’t hesitate. "Dare."


    Marcus’s smirk widens, wicked and slow. "Alright, model boy," he says, "I dare you to kiss someone in this tub... someone who’s not Hailey."


    The air sharpens like the snap of a live wire.


    My spine straightens before I even realize I’ve moved. A hush falls over the group again, charged and heavy. Reba stiffens slightly on Marcus’sp. Elise straightens, suddenly alert.


    Josh doesn’t flinch.


    He looks right at Marcus, a slow, incredulous smile creeping across his face like he’s watching a toddler try to win at chess.


    "Trying to stir the pot?" he asks casually. "I thought this game was supposed to be fun."


    "It is," Marcus replies smoothly. "I’m having a st."


    Reba mutters, "You’re such a troll," under her breath, but she’s clearly watching Josh like everyone else.


    Josh’s fingers find mine under the water again, holding tight. "Then I guess I forfeit," he says simply.


    Elise immediately scoffs. "So much for no passes."


    "No," Josh says, looking at her calmly. "A forfeit isn’t a pass. It’s a choice." He turns back to Marcus. "And some dares just aren’t worth taking."


    Marcus raises his brows, clearly amused. "You sure you want to take the hit to your pride?"


    "Yeah," Josh says, tilting his head, his voice dipping lower. "Because I’m not stupid enough to kiss someone else just to impress you."


    Josh turns to me, his voice dropping into something only I can hear. "I already know who I’d pick every time. No game’s changing that."


    I smile and squeeze his hand beneath the water.