TAYLOR I'm the quiet one. At a party, I'll be sipping from my Solo cup, hanging by my much chattier best friend Brenner. Easygoing, all smiles, and hot as hell, Brenner always has his pick of guy or girl by the end of the night. I do fine, but I don't trust easily, so he's one of the few people who really knows me. We do everything together—studying, playing video games, and occasionally, ridiculous dares. Like this latest dare. I've always considered myself straight, but recently, I've been curious. And what better way to explore this uncharted territory than with my bi bestie, who, given his long list of satisfied hookups, I know will do the job right. I expected it to be good. I wasn't prepared for how it would leave me hungry for so much more, needing Bren to show me what I've been missing out on. What is it they say? It's always the quiet ones... BRENNER What's that saying...never met a stranger? That's me. I'll talk to anyone, anytime. It's how Taylor and I became friends, and I'm thankful for that every day. He's my chill, zero-effs-given, video-game-loving bestie. Whom I'm now hooking up with. It's just fun, but then our parents drop the bomb on us that they've been secretly dating. Oh, and they're in love and getting married in just a few months' time. As hot as the idea of him being my stepbro is, we agree we should stop our little...extracurriculars...because what if it comes between our parents? But keeping our hands to ourselves proves easier said than done. I've become addicted to Taylor, and he to me. What our parents don't know won't hurt them, right? And it's not like this means anything. Only...the more we mess around, the more I realize it does. What started out as just a good time has become so much more, but with everything that's at stake, do we stop now, or do we dare take a chance on what's happening between us? Content Warning: The Step Dare is a steamy, low-angst romance, but it contains content that some readers may find triggering, including discussions about grieving the loss of a parent and the loss of an infant. *The Step Dare can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.