Truth or Dare Ch. 03

"It's fine. It's happened before."

"You just look quite... uh..."

"Different?" I say, a little prickly.

There's a pause, and then the clothing rack says, "Okay, I'll stop for real now."

Dion returns at that moment sporting a black pair of trunks just a little shorter than the previous ones. They're sleek, stylish, handsome. "I like 'em," I say. They're the winner."

"Cool."

He's looking around. Probably for Sophie.

She reappears from behind the rack with a final pair and passes them wordlessly to him. He takes them with a curious look and then disappears again, leaving us both standing in the same silence we started this whole thing with.

"I'm, uh... I'm Ashley," I tell her. "And my brother's Dion." I can tell there's another question behind her eyes, so I add, "Mum was white as heck but dad's half-noongar. I guess Dion inherited more of it than me." Dion's skin is more of a light brown (dark olive?) than dad's much deeper tone. People sometimes think he's from the Mediterranean.

"It was still pretty dumb of me though," Sophie says, and tilts her head again. "You've got the same face. And eyes... And hair, if it was shorter."

Great, now you're feeling self-conscious about your hair. Is there anything this girl's gaze can't ruin?

I avert my eyes from hers and clear my throat. "So you work here by yourself?"

"Nah, with my Auntie. Who's actually due back any minute now..." She glances at her watch. An expensive-looking, sparkly golden watch. "And then I'm done for the day. Actually, uh... are you doing anything after this? Maybe we could--"

Dion returns. He's made the perhaps wise decision to change his shirt after all, choosing a black sports top with a logo. It fits him well... but that's not where I'm looking.

The swimming trunks are like what an athlete would wear to a casual swim meet. Tight, streamlined but still loose enough to look cool. The waistband is low, meaning there's a thin gap between them and the hem of his shirt, revealing his two very noticeable inguinal lines, pointing like arrows down to his groin.

The pants are tightest against his hips... and crotch. And I can't help but stare at the bulge displayed there. Thicker and rounder lower down, where his... balls are, and then curved a bit where the... rest of him goes. It's not exactly scandalous, and most of the lines are filled in by my admittedly lewd imagination, but if he ever got hard...

"What do you think?" Dion asks, looking between us. He doesn't seem to have realised that he's showing off.

"They're good, but I think I liked the--"

"Get them," I tell him. He fixes me with a look, and a small smile traces over his lips.

Sophie seems a little disconcerted. "Are you sure?"

"They'll be good to swim in. Sporty. And you know what? I'll pay."

Dion changes out of them while Sophie takes me to the counter. "I think it's cute that you two go shopping like this. I only ever see my brothers at family gatherings."

"We've always been close," I tell her. "Sort of protective. Of each other." I try to fix her with a look but she's busy using the till.

"Just tap here, unless you're using cash."

I boop my card.

"So... like I was saying before, are you doing anything--"

"Actually, we've gotta zip home now, sorry," I tell her.

"Why's that?" Dion appears at my side. I internally scream.

"Because we... gotta take this safely home." I wave my notebook. "And then meet up with dad. He'll have finished his date by now."

"No way! He'll be out 'till late for sure. Why, what's happening?"

Sophie's eyes flit between us. "I was just thinking I could show you... you two that seafood place, and then the beach. I'm off work soon."

"Sounds great! Albert's, wasn't it? Tell you what, we'll zip home so my lil' sis can make sure her present's safe, and then we'll meet you there in an hour?"

"Okay!" Sophie gives me a great big smile and hands over the bag.

"Yay," I say, not even trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Why don't you like her?" Dion asks as he unlocks the chalet door.

"I never said I didn't."

"You didn't have to. You were staring daggers while we said goodbye."

"Just feels like she's intruding on our holiday."

He flops onto the couch, an arm and leg over the back, just like yesterday. "It's just for the afternoon, Ash. Seriously, what's gotten into you?"

"Nothing." I huff.

"Really? Because you're acting like you're jealous or something."

I purse my lips and stalk into my room, carefully packing the notebook into my suitcase. I hear a quiet curse and then the thump thump of Dion's footsteps following me. I turn around to find him standing in the doorway.

"You gotta talk to me, Ash."

"What do you think we've been doing all morning? Talking. Talking talking talking, that's all."

He looks utterly perplexed. "Yes?"

"Just make sure that's all you do with the sales girl."

"What are you going on about?"

You are making no sense right now, Ashley.

My face is getting hot again. It's not fair--when Dion blushes, he can hide it pretty well. My pale face lights up like an alarm. "She spent the whole time flirting with you, Dion. Don't pretend you didn't notice."

"She was?"

"You know she was. You were enjoying it."

"No, Ashley, I didn't. I was too busy trying to figure out why you're being so grouchy today."

"I am not!"

Yes, you are.

"And anyway", Dion says, standing up taller. I have to angle my head up to look at him, and it makes me feel small, but not in a comforting way anymore. "If she was flirting with me, so what? What difference does it make to you?"

I open my mouth.

I close it again.

There's so much I want to say to him right now. It's bubbling inside me, wanting to get out, but... I just can't. It gets stuck in my throat like bitter tar.

"Well?" Dion says.

He's mad at me. He's nevermad at me, but right now that's exactly what he is, and it feels awful. I feel even smaller.

"Truth or dare," I whisper.

"What?"

I look up at him. "Truth or dare. Dare? I dare you to kiss me."

He hesitates. The corner of his mouth twitches.

I keep my gaze steady, my head held high.

He glances down, just a little, to my lips. Then back at my eyes. "No."

"No?" I hold firm.

He's quiet for a long while.

Then he leaves the room.

I don't move. Just stand there, staring blankly at the wall beyond my doorway. It's got a print reproduction of McCubbin's Down on his Luck. Dad had some strong words to say about it when we first got here. But something about the drover's posture seems pretty appropriate right now.

Well. That's that. Time to stop being a freak and fall in love with someone that isn't your blood relative.

But I don't want to.

Thump thump thump.

Dion's arms are folded and he's back in my doorway. "This is all just some kind of ploy, isn't it? You're jealous 'cause someone other than you maybe wants to spend time with me. And you think she's going to pull me away from you or something."

"Yes," I say.

"Well... it's not going to work. Because that's stupid. One, you're my sister, I'm always going to have time for you. Two, we literally just met Sophie, and after this week we're probably never going to see her again. And three..."

"Three...?"

He huffs, then steps forward and pulls me into him. His hand, on the back of my head, brings my lips to his. They're soft, warm, sweet... even the smell of his breath rushing through his nose is lovely. My body is pressed against him, my chest into his, his hip against mine. I'm pretty sure I can feel his groin against my tummy but I can't be sure because all I can focus on are his lips kissing mine.

It's over far too quickly. No tongues, no moaning each other's names, no swapping saliva. Just a simple kiss.

I blink blankly up at him. He looks troubled. "Three is my inability to turn down a dare. Don't abuse it."

And he leaves the room, leaving my standing there wondering what in the hell I'm supposed to do now.