Page 23 of Only If You Dare

I pulled her over to me laying a soft kiss against her forehead. The elevator doors opened and we headed for her car. I could tell that her thoughts were with Jasper and the heaviness in my chest made me want to constantly reassure her that everything would be okay. I knew from experience that sometimes things didn't go the way we hoped, but that thought I didn’t share with Desiree.

“Give me your address,” I said.

“I live in Manchester Cove.”

I whistled. “The properties are nice in that area. How’d you settle on Manchester Cove?”

The sun began to set as I drove through downtown traffic navigating my way around pedestrians and motorists that moved at a snail’s pace.

“Before I relocated to Houston, I created a battle plan,” she smiled. “It was a notebook filled with different areas of Houston broke down into categories. I separated each area by highest to lowest crime. Manchester Cove was the place I wanted to be. Practically broke the bank paying for a year’s rent.” Her voice lowered. “Imagine the irony.”

The car grew silent before I spoke again.

“Who distracted you,” I said making another try at removing her thoughts from this situation. Desiree looked at me.

“What?”

“You said you thought you saw your father today, but someone distracted you.”

I could see the apprehension on her face. Ever since I took up the task of getting close to Desiree, she found ways to keep me at arm's length. The moment she stepped into Adeline’s hospital room, my axis tilted, taking me off balance in a way I’d never experienced before. My father always told me, when I found the one, I would know it. I would usually just laugh him off and shake my head. In my opinion, there were just entirely too many women on this earthly plane for me to settle down.

“That's alright,” my father said. “You’ll sow your wild oats until that time.”

He’d give me a rough pat on the back and walk away with a whistle on his tongue. Strangely, upon meeting Desiree, I had an inkling that I may know what he was talking about. Now, I was on a mission to explore this craving I had to be around her, to look at her, console her and make everything she longed for within her reach.

At first, I tried to shake it off as meager interest. But her pouty lips, flowing hair, and skin as silky as a piece of velvet, were a sight to behold. Desiree’s light brown eyes were what kept me hypnotized. They highlighted her complexion. And although I’d seen my share of beautiful women, Desiree’s figure put Jessica Rabbit to shame. Seeing her again at Claudia’s benefit back in Chicago, I knew there was something a little bit more to this growing awareness I felt that drug me to her like a magnetic field.

At Jaden and Claudia's engagement party, it hadn't taken me long to find her after she’d disappeared from the main area. Standing in the kitchen in heels that pulled her height to about 5’7, Desiree balanced a tray in one hand and a champagne flute of bubbly in another. My footsteps increased as I went to help her; taking the tray off of Desiree’s hands while simultaneously wrapping her in my arms.

“Maybe you should let someone else do this for the rest of the night. I’ve watched you host the room with ease. It’s about time you take a break, don’t you think?”

Her beautiful mouth fell back into a blissful smile. “Maybe you're right,” she said. There was an extra twinkle in her eye. I knew she'd had one too many drinks, but I hadn't had a chance to keep up with them.

“So,” I asked, “How many of these have you had tonight?”

“Oh two, maybe three,” she shrugged, “but whose keeping count?”

That sent a giggle from her. “Maybe you should have a glass of water,” I offered.

“Why,” she said. “I need the liquid courage so I'll have the balls to seduce you the way I've been thinking about all evening.”

I was surprised by her admission, but I didn’t show it. She’d set a flame on a path that covered me in an instant. “Unfortunately for us both, as much as I would love that, I couldn't allow it with your state of impairment. Besides, you don't need it. You're perfectly capable of seducing me without saying a word. Trust me. You've been doing it all night.”

“I should make a note to self to remember exactly how it is that I accomplished that while I'm sober.”

“I'll be sure to remind you.”

The kitchen door swung open, and Claudia and Jaden strolled through speaking in hushed tones to one another. They stopped when their eyes met ours, and both of them smiled.

“Excuse us, do you guys need privacy?” Claudia asked.

Desiree blushed.

“Nah,” I concluded. “Some other time, yeah?”

My gaze swept over her mouth.

“Um, sure,” she said.

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