“Why do these involve me in various states of undress?”
“Because there are a bunch of guys here who are hungover, horny, and want to watch you doing naked-ish things. Duh,” Daisy retorts with a grin. “And now, number six is good. It’s for you to go on a really romantic date. With a hot guy. I added the hot guy part.”
“I can help with that,” Kenji says. I’ve met the guitar player several times now, and he is always very flirty. He’s hot in a tall, dark, bad-boy way.
“No, pick me!” another guy shouts. I laugh. I know it’s all in good fun, so I don’t take them seriously. The idea of these good-looking, talented musicians fighting for me is not a possibility. These guys have their pick of LA women.
“If Olivia needs help with her list, it will be me. Not any of you asses.”
I swing my head to see Chase standing in the doorway in long shorts and a T-shirt, with a towel around his neck and a glower on his face. He must have come from a workout in the gym because sweat glistens on his defined muscles, making me weak.
“Ooh, someone’s jealous,” Daisy says.
Chase glares. “I’m not jealous, but I don’t trust any of you to ensure Olivia’s safety while she’s swimming with sharks and going on dates.” He almost chokes on the word dates.
Wow. Just how much of the conversation did he overhear?
This conversation is getting far, far away from me. “Excuse me. Hello? I’m here, in front of you all. There will be no sharks. And I haven’t agreed to pole dancing.”
“Notice how she still says nothing about skinny-dipping,” Daisy whispers loudly to Emma. “She’s totally down for the skinny-dipping.”
I kinda was down for skinny-dipping. There’s a beautiful pool out there, and every night, it calls to me. I wouldn’t mind sneaking out and swimming under the stars, feeling that cool water over all parts of me. But I’m not about to tell any of them that because I don’t want an audience joining me for that particular risk.
“We’re all just trying to help you fulfill your grandma’s wishes,” Emma says. “And pole dancing is the best.”
“Since when have you done pole dancing?” Sebastian asks Emma, not sounding happy about it. “Your dad’s a minister.”
Emma puts her hands on her hips. “Says who? Just because Daddy’s a minister doesn’t mean I can’t dance. What is this? Footloose?”
“It’s not just dancing. It’s like strippers,” Sebastian hisses.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a stripper.” Emma folds her arms over her chest and glares at Sebastian.
“Your dad’s a minister?” Kenji asks. “That’s cool.”
“Her dad’s great. But she’s the meanest minister’s daughter I’ve ever met,” Sebastian elaborates.
“You know her dad?” I ask.
“That’s how Sebastian and I met,” Emma explains. “Daddy helped out at Sebastian’s rehab center.”
“Her dad suggested I hire Emma to babysit me when it was time to go back to LA. She wanted to ditch her small town. Her dad said she was perfect for the job because she was good at staying organized and keeping people from having fun.” Sebastian smirks.
Rather than be offended, Emma nods, as if proud of that particular attribute. “Sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind,” she retorts. “You should thank me more. And my daddy.”
“Ahem,” I say to the group. All eyes turn to me. “Not that I’m not appreciative of your help, but I think I can handle making a list all on my own.”
“Nope. We’ve decided this is our job to help you. You’re stuck with us and this list,” Emma says. “Cruel to be kind, remember?”
Chase plucks the list away from Daisy. “If Olivia needs help, I’ll do it. And her list will not involve stripper poles, naked swimming, or dates. She doesn’t do things like that.”
I glare at Chase. “Why wouldn’t I? Are you trying to tell me I’m not allowed to skinny-dip or date someone?” The idea that he thinks I’m too boring to take sexy risks makes me grumpy.
His mouth turns downward, but he seems to value his life because he doesn’t answer.
“Last time I checked, you aren’t my father.” Actually, I never knew my father, but I do know it’s not Chase.
“Good thing,” Chase mumbles.
“And I’m not your responsibility. Why don’t you go worry about Cassidy?” I huff. I saw another article about them online just this morning. It speculated on whether they were exclusive or just casual friends with benefits.
“Cassidy? Why would he worry about Cassidy?” Emma asks, looking at me in confusion.
“Daisy?” I say sweetly.
“Yes, Olivia?”
“We’ll strike off swimming with the sharks. But the rest of the list is good. That will keep me busy this week,” I say and stand up, snatching the list from Chase.
“Yes!” Daisy lifts her fist in jubilation.
“Yes!” The pervy drummer twirls his drumstick and gives me a slow appraisal, focusing most of his attention on my breasts.
Sebastian shakes his head sadly. “One day, you’ll regret this opportunity. And then it might be too late to swim with the sharks.”
“We haven’t even gotten to the last dare. Lucky number seven,” Daisy says wickedly.
I look down at the paper, and my mouth goes dry.
“Number seven is you have to get laid!” she exclaims.
“What the hell, Daisy? Olivia, are you serious about this?” Chase glowers at the rest of the group and snorts.
I stare at the list in my hand, and yup. Lucky number seven. Get laid. It’s written in a purple glitter pen. There’s even a heart and smiley face next to it, along with what looks suspiciously like the eggplant and peach emojis.
I want to lecture Daisy and the rest of them about boundaries. But after Chase put me firmly in the friends-without-benefits category, it doesn’t sit right with me that he’s trying to dictate whether I get laid or not. I tried to. With him. And he turned me down.
We glare at each other, but my gaze keeps straying to his muscular chest and arms, and I find myself distracted by how good he looks, standing there all sweaty and manly and growly-like.
Still, I try to keep up my righteous annoyance. He has no idea what I’m capable of. Maybe I don’t even know what I’m capable of. That’s the whole point of these risks.
One day, in the not-too-distant future, I’ll have someone of my own. An ordinary someone like me. Someone who doesn’t have fans and crazy stalkers or beautiful women chasing him. Someone with real potential for a real relationship.
And maybe this list will be a good place to start.
CHAPTER 25
Olivia
Four days—and nights—later, I’m about to tackle my fourth risk. Technically this risk is first on the list. But it’s taken me a while to lead up to it because it requires a little more daring.
It also requires the least number of clothes.
As in, none.
Over the past few days, I’ve ticked off most of the list.
Three days ago, Emma, with her magical skills, got us all sparkly pink skates and turned the large foyer into a roller disco, complete with colored lights, Sebastian playing DJ, and a disco ball. Emma and Daisy skated circles around me as I clung to them before landing on my ass, over and over.
Ryder’s band eventually joined us, but Chase was noticeably absent.
The next day, Emma arranged for a pole-dancing instructor to come to the mansion. The lady even brought her own stripper pole, which, with Sebastian’s and Ryder’s very enthusiastic support, she installed in their giant home gym.
Daisy and Emma took the lesson with me. We drew a small crowd of guys from Ryder’s band watching until we kicked them out. The pole dancing went a little better than the roller-skating. I wasn’t good because I’m so out of shape, but it was fun, and it’s one sport where my full breasts are considered an asset, not a liability.