The Dare by Flora Ferarri

Natasha:
They dared me to do it.
Ask an older man to kiss me, full on the lips. Like they do in the movies.
Well, maybe not exactly like they do it in the movies.\
My mom wasn’t that keen on the idea, but my best friend Suzanna? She and I have a lot to catch up on during my trip home from college.
A little adventurous train ride on account of my fear of flying.
I’ve missed both mom and Suze like crazy, but playing truth or dare?
Should seem childish. It is childish, but I’m not one to back out of a dare.
Especially once I see the older man I’m supposed to ask for a kiss.
At first, I think no way. I’ll make a complete fool of myself.
But once he lays eyes on me though, it’s like a light goes on. And a feeling comes over me that I’ve never felt before.
Truth or dare?
The truth is I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Nothing less.

Michael:
The train was my idea, the vacation to nowhere wasn’t.
I needed a break, but I have to wonder, a break from what exactly?
My whole life’s a vacation.
Almost.
I’m not the richest guy in the world, but I’m fairly comfortable.
I’ve got everything I need and plenty to spare, but there’s just one thing missing.
Someone special to share it all with.
The train’s almost empty, and I have first class all to myself.
Like all the other fine things I have, I can only seem to enjoy them by myself it seems.
Until I see her.
I meet her in the strangest way. The most amazing way I could imagine.
Looking back, kissing her so soon after we meet isn’t the first thing I want to do.
But it’s the most innocent thing we could get away with in public.
Dared to kiss an older man?
It doesn’t feel like she thinks it’s a bad idea, and if I had another few minutes alone with her, I know I could persuade her to do a lot more.
It’s a long train ride, but I’m already thinking about my future.
Our future.
A future we can share together, forever.
No dare required.