When You Dare
Page 100
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“Yeah.” He let her sit there for a while, not rushing her. “The thing is, that day plagued me for months. I couldn’t close my eyes without thinking about all the possibilities, all the what-ifs and what-could-have-been scenarios. It’s human nature to agonize over unsettling episodes.”
“How did you finally get past it?”
“Time. And closure.” He gave her a hug. “After I healed, I exposed everyone involved in that kidnapping, without putting the kid or his father out there for the media to pick apart. Knowing those bastards were punished helped me to put it behind me and move forward.”
Would finding the one responsible for her abduction somehow rid the dregs of fear from her memory? God, she hoped so.
Molly would have liked to linger in Dare’s embrace, but she knew they had to get moving. She tipped her head up to see Dare. “How long have you been awake?”
“I didn’t go to sleep.”
Now she felt doubly bad. She moved away from him and shoved her hair from her face. “I’m sorry I did.”
“You needed your rest.” Holding her chin, he bent and kissed her, lightly, easily. “You think you can get ready now? We don’t want to miss your dad.”
She’d like to miss him. The last person she wanted to see was her father. He could be abrasive at the best of times, and this… Well, he wasn’t going to add to the festivities.
But the reality was that the confrontation had to happen.
“Sure.” Realizing that she was naked while Dare was dressed, Molly blushed. “Could I have some privacy?”
He stared at her for a long time before his mouth curled into a grin. “All right.” He got up from the bed. “I’d like you to pack a bag, too. Take whatever you think you’ll need.”
Not sure what to say to that, Molly looked around her room for inspiration and found none. “How long will I be gone?”
He gave her another lingering look. “Pack enough for a few weeks, and we’ll see what happens.” And with that, he left the room.
Molly took a few moments to catch her breath, but a peek at the clock told her she had to hustle if she wanted to pull it together in the right way. After washing, brushing her teeth and dressing in casual jeans, a red sweater and boots, she styled her hair and applied some makeup. Seeing herself in the mirror, she felt better, more like herself.
Then she remembered everything she’d done with Dare, and a flush of heat brightened her skin. She put her hands to her cheeks and fought back the giddiness. No, she wasn’t like herself at all, at least not with Dare.
Not sexually.
With him, she always felt better than ever before—at everything.
Hurrying so that Dare wouldn’t be waiting on her, she got out her briefcase first and stowed what she could of her manuscript, her flash drive, everything she thought she might need to continue working on her book. Remembering that both Chris and Dare had said they wanted to read her work, she found a few of the paperback copies in her closet and packed them, too. While in the closet, she found a replacement purse on the floor. Although she didn’t have her wallet, she’d feel more complete with a purse on her arm. She loaded it with a few essentials like a comb, lip gloss, a small mirror, mints…anything she thought she might need. Later, after they went to the bank, she’d put money in there, too.
She did not like being dependent on Dare for everything. It was enough that he kept her safe without him paying her way, too.
Next, she dragged her suitcase out from under the bed and packed the toiletries she used most often. She spotted the birth-control pills, and decided to get back on them ASAP. Any woman who was sexually active couldn’t be too careful. And she fully intended to stay sexually active with Dare.
After taking one, she packed the rest in her purse. Assuming she wouldn’t need any dressier clothes, she folded in several pairs of jeans, sweaters and sweatshirts, underwear, bras, socks, another pair of shoes, her sneakers and two sets of pajamas.
It was as she was placing those in that Dare looked in on her. He frowned at the ice-blue, very cute PJs on top of her case. “You won’t need those.”
“They’re pajamas,” she told him, just in case he didn’t realize.
He settled an incendiary gaze on her, studied her a moment with interest and moved closer. Distracted, he continued to look at her as he said, “We’ll be sleeping together.”
She had assumed as much, but was glad to have it verified all the same. “Chris—”
“Goes to his own place at night.” He tipped his head, examining her features with a touch of confusion. “I’m the only one who will see you, and you don’t have anything to hide from me.” His gaze dipped to her br**sts. “I like looking at you.”
Pleasure expanded inside her. “It’s still cold outside, especially in the evenings.”
Now standing right in front of her, Dare touched his fingers to her cheek. “I’ll keep you plenty warm enough.”
Oh, boy, did she believe him on that. Around Dare, she spent most of her time overheated. “Still, there might come a point when you want your privacy—”
“No.”
Just that, nothing more. But he sounded pretty sure about it. Molly tucked in her chin. “All the same, you might have to go off on business again—”
“I won’t be leaving you.”
Exasperated, she forged on without missing a beat. “Or I might want my privacy, so I think I’ll bring them along. Just in case.”
“How did you finally get past it?”
“Time. And closure.” He gave her a hug. “After I healed, I exposed everyone involved in that kidnapping, without putting the kid or his father out there for the media to pick apart. Knowing those bastards were punished helped me to put it behind me and move forward.”
Would finding the one responsible for her abduction somehow rid the dregs of fear from her memory? God, she hoped so.
Molly would have liked to linger in Dare’s embrace, but she knew they had to get moving. She tipped her head up to see Dare. “How long have you been awake?”
“I didn’t go to sleep.”
Now she felt doubly bad. She moved away from him and shoved her hair from her face. “I’m sorry I did.”
“You needed your rest.” Holding her chin, he bent and kissed her, lightly, easily. “You think you can get ready now? We don’t want to miss your dad.”
She’d like to miss him. The last person she wanted to see was her father. He could be abrasive at the best of times, and this… Well, he wasn’t going to add to the festivities.
But the reality was that the confrontation had to happen.
“Sure.” Realizing that she was naked while Dare was dressed, Molly blushed. “Could I have some privacy?”
He stared at her for a long time before his mouth curled into a grin. “All right.” He got up from the bed. “I’d like you to pack a bag, too. Take whatever you think you’ll need.”
Not sure what to say to that, Molly looked around her room for inspiration and found none. “How long will I be gone?”
He gave her another lingering look. “Pack enough for a few weeks, and we’ll see what happens.” And with that, he left the room.
Molly took a few moments to catch her breath, but a peek at the clock told her she had to hustle if she wanted to pull it together in the right way. After washing, brushing her teeth and dressing in casual jeans, a red sweater and boots, she styled her hair and applied some makeup. Seeing herself in the mirror, she felt better, more like herself.
Then she remembered everything she’d done with Dare, and a flush of heat brightened her skin. She put her hands to her cheeks and fought back the giddiness. No, she wasn’t like herself at all, at least not with Dare.
Not sexually.
With him, she always felt better than ever before—at everything.
Hurrying so that Dare wouldn’t be waiting on her, she got out her briefcase first and stowed what she could of her manuscript, her flash drive, everything she thought she might need to continue working on her book. Remembering that both Chris and Dare had said they wanted to read her work, she found a few of the paperback copies in her closet and packed them, too. While in the closet, she found a replacement purse on the floor. Although she didn’t have her wallet, she’d feel more complete with a purse on her arm. She loaded it with a few essentials like a comb, lip gloss, a small mirror, mints…anything she thought she might need. Later, after they went to the bank, she’d put money in there, too.
She did not like being dependent on Dare for everything. It was enough that he kept her safe without him paying her way, too.
Next, she dragged her suitcase out from under the bed and packed the toiletries she used most often. She spotted the birth-control pills, and decided to get back on them ASAP. Any woman who was sexually active couldn’t be too careful. And she fully intended to stay sexually active with Dare.
After taking one, she packed the rest in her purse. Assuming she wouldn’t need any dressier clothes, she folded in several pairs of jeans, sweaters and sweatshirts, underwear, bras, socks, another pair of shoes, her sneakers and two sets of pajamas.
It was as she was placing those in that Dare looked in on her. He frowned at the ice-blue, very cute PJs on top of her case. “You won’t need those.”
“They’re pajamas,” she told him, just in case he didn’t realize.
He settled an incendiary gaze on her, studied her a moment with interest and moved closer. Distracted, he continued to look at her as he said, “We’ll be sleeping together.”
She had assumed as much, but was glad to have it verified all the same. “Chris—”
“Goes to his own place at night.” He tipped his head, examining her features with a touch of confusion. “I’m the only one who will see you, and you don’t have anything to hide from me.” His gaze dipped to her br**sts. “I like looking at you.”
Pleasure expanded inside her. “It’s still cold outside, especially in the evenings.”
Now standing right in front of her, Dare touched his fingers to her cheek. “I’ll keep you plenty warm enough.”
Oh, boy, did she believe him on that. Around Dare, she spent most of her time overheated. “Still, there might come a point when you want your privacy—”
“No.”
Just that, nothing more. But he sounded pretty sure about it. Molly tucked in her chin. “All the same, you might have to go off on business again—”
“I won’t be leaving you.”
Exasperated, she forged on without missing a beat. “Or I might want my privacy, so I think I’ll bring them along. Just in case.”
