Page 40 of Dare
Dareshoves him out the door and onto the snow covered ground, warning, “That’stwo.”
Laughing,I step over him and slide into the passenger seat. Justus jumps up and brusheshimself off before climbing into the back.
“Jeremysaid he might show up, and Landon and Zoe are meeting us there,” Dare tells mewhen we’re finally on our way. The streets are still treacherous so therearen’t many cars on the road. He steers us down a narrow back road and parksbeside a tall fence.
Hishand grabs mine and I’m lead to a spot where the fence has been cut and peeledback. “Are we trespassing?” I ask with a laugh.
“Alongwith about a hundred other people,” he replies, chucking the inner tubes overthe top of the fence.
He’snot far off. There are two massive hills across from each other and people arecrowded at the top of them. “Hey!” a voice shouts when we reach the top of thehill, and I see Jeremy, Landon, Zoe, and an unfamiliar redheaded woman smilingat us. Zoe waves, gesturing for us to join them.
“Iwas hoping you’d come!” Zoe exclaims. “This is my friend, Frannie.”
Frannieand I exchange greetings, but I’m a little distracted by the guy standingbeside Jeremy. He’s looking at me like he knows me, but—holy shit. “Tucker!”
Ibarely recognize him. To be fair, he was usually dressed in shredded clotheswith a scruffy beard and long hair when he lived in the parking lot. Now, he’sclean shaven, his hair trimmed, and he’s wearing dark jeans and a sweater.“Ayda.” He nods, a self-conscious smile on his face. “How have you been?”
“Good.You look great! How are you?”
Dare’sarm slips around my shoulders, and Tucker smirks at him. “I’m fine, although Imiss your cooking.” He twists his hand, pointing his thumb at Dare. “Thisasshole treating you right?”
Darescoffs, and pulls me closer. “He’s one of the good ones,” I assure him. “Come byfor dinner, sometime.”
“Isure will.”
“Let’sdo this!” Justus shouts, flopping into a tube. “Who’s riding on my lap? Zoe?Ayda?” He turns to Frannie. “How about you? I love redheads.”
Jeremyseat drops onto Justus’s lap. Hard. And Landon shoves the tube with his foot,sending them down the hill while everyone laughs.
“Jeremyis secretly in love with Frannie,” Zoe tells me.
“Don’tstart that shit again,” Frannie moans. “Fucking ain’t love. We know thedifference.” She settles into another tube and pushes herself over the edge ofthe drop.
Zoegrins and shrugs when I look at her. “They have a love/hate, on again off againthing.”
Darescoops me up from behind and sits down on the tube, settling me in his lap.“Ready, darlin’?”
Hespins the tube around and shoves off, so we’re flying down the hill backwards.Icy wind finds every crevice of my clothing, but it’s totally worth it. Dare’swarm arms are around me as we fly down the hill, the quick drop tickling mystomach and making me laugh. The rest of the group is right behind us.
“Let’sdo it again!” I cry, jumping to my feet, and Dare laughs. He slips his armsaround my waist and pulls me against him, grinning down at me.
“You’refucking adorable, you know that?”
Mycheeks heat despite the bitter wind and I look away.
Hissoft glove lands on my cheek, making me look at him. He brings his lips to minefor a soft kiss. “Adorable,” he repeats.
Forthe first time since the attack, I believe it. I don’t know what it is, whythis man can make me feel like there’s nothing wrong with me when no one elsecould. When he looks at me, I don’t worry that he’s thinking about the scars,or disgusted by them. The way he gazes at me like he’s a wolf and I’m his preydoesn’t hurt. And, God, the way his eyes darken when I’m laid out naked beforehim…”
“Keeplooking at me like that, babe, and I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”
Shit.I’m just standing here drooling over him. With a chuckle, he smacks my ass,then grabs my hand and heads back up the hill. “I’ve created a sex fiend.”
“Pshh,I was a sex fiend way before you. I just haven’t had a chance to act it out.”
“Idid used to hear your vibrator a lot.”
“Shutup!” I smack his chest and he laughs.
