She whipped around and shook a finger at him. “Uh-uh. That’s Gayle’s bag of dares, not Mac’s bag of dares. Don’t be trying to coin in on my trademark, handsome, or you’re asking for a hurting.”
“So, what? You can issue me all kinds of challenges, but you’re too chicken to accept one?”
“Damn straight, I’m chicken.” She whirled around and circled her finger over her head. “Take me home.”
Damn the woman. She didn’t even hesitate when she refused to do something. The fact she flat out refused shocked him. He’d expected a slight hesitation, but not an outright balk. He’d learned about Gayle’s absolute loathing for poltergeist movies after she’d unenthusiastically watched one with him the other night. There hadn’t been a moment she hadn’t had her hands covering her face as she peeked between her fingers, screaming like the events were actually happening to her.
But after the movie ended, he’d become even more tickled. Every creak and pop, even him clearing his throat, had made her jump. Just seeing the woman who never backed down from anything so jumpy, well, it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“You give me ten minutes in here, and I’ll streak through the field behind your house. Naked.”
She paused, then slowly turned around. Cocking her head to the side, she narrowed her eyes on him with interest. “Make it five. And you streak in broad daylight. You will frolic through the field, skipping and dancing with your arms in the air, singing, Oh, What a Beautiful Morning.”
Jesus Christ. Where did she come up with this stuff, and so quickly? “You drive a hard bargain, woman.”
“That’s my offer. Take it or leave it.”
Five minutes was more than enough. “Get that fine ass in the house and let the countdown begin.”
Another scowl twisted her face as her gaze darted to the rundown shack, and she didn’t move a muscle.
“Holy shit.” He laughed. “You thought I’d back down.”
Making a frustrated grrrr noise, she stalked past him. “You’re spending too much time with me. It was a lot more fun when you were the one hemming and hawing.”
The little show of attitude filled his chest with warmth. God, he loved being around this woman. She just made life better, filled it with laughter and happiness. Even if she was pissed off to the gills right now.
As she stomped up the porch steps, he followed her. She froze at the door and he reached around her to grasp the knob, which he’d unlocked earlier after getting permission and the key from the owners, and opened it. A loud, creepy crrrreeeak greeted them.
Her eyes widened and she jumped back. Putting his hand to her lower back, he kept her from backing any farther away, which earned him the same eat-shit expression she’d given him the other night. “If you don’t make it the entire five minutes, our deal is off.”
Her lips pinched as her gaze skimmed over him. “I see you have a duffle bag.” She held out her hand. “I assume that means you came prepared. I want a flashlight.”
He’d come prepared all right, and thinking about the bargaining about to happen was turning him the hell on. “That’s going to cost you. No singing Oh, What a Beautiful Morning for me.”
The glare she sent him would’ve knocked him out cold if they’d been battling it out in the cage.
“Fine,” she said between clenched teeth.
He lowered the bag and dug into it. To have the upper hand for a change was fucking awesome. Other than the watered-down training session he’d put her through, she had steered every activity they had done together. Every one. Yeah, there was a tiny bit of guilt about the creepy-shit factor, but this was Gayle. She chased fucking tornadoes. He didn’t have much to work with.
He found his stopwatch, then handed her a flashlight. She immediately turned it on. Leaving the bag sitting by the door, he motioned her inside. “Ladies first.”
“How very gallant of you.”
He knew better than to laugh, but goddamn it, she was making it hard not to. The utter hostility in her voice was amusing as hell. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, he said, “And your five minutes starts…now.”
She jumped back outside and faced him. “How can I trust you will tell me when the five minutes are up?”
He dangled the stopwatch in front of her.
“I don’t trust you. Give it to me.”
Fine by him. “And the price for that is no frolicking for me.”
She sucked her teeth as a challenging spark flared in her eyes. “Oh, handsome, you have no idea what a can of worms you’ve opened.”
Actually, he did, and he couldn’t wait to find out the revenge she was dreaming up in that creative mind of hers. “That’s my price.”
Her hand shot out. Even her fingers motioning for him to hand the stopwatch over screamed with attitude. Softly laughing, he placed the watch in her palm. She fiddled with it for a moment then shoved it in his face. Yep. Set for five minutes. As she stepped over the threshold again, she clicked the button on the watch.