Page 39 of Dare
“Well,tubing. Landon has a bunch of giant inner tubes in his garage. His girl, Zoe,is going too, and maybe the rest of the guys. So, bundle up and I’ll pick youup around seven.”
Andbossy Dare is back. The man really needs to learn to ask instead of ordering,but since I want to go, and he’s so excited, I’m not going to make an issue outof it. “Yes, sir,” I reply, trying not to smile.
Hispalm meets my ass with a loud crack. “Keep up the backchat, sweetheart, andyou’ll be calling me sir while you’re over my knee.” He massages my ass andgives me one of his long, slow kisses he knows drives me insane. A smile breaksacross his face when a little moan escapes my lips, and he steps back. “Seven,”he repeats, and strides out of the room.
Iswear I’m always off kilter with this man. He’s so unpredictable, soft when Iexpect hard, rough when I expect sweet. I love every minute of it. Of him. Iknow I’m falling fast and hard and it scares the shit out of me, but I don’tcare. I’ve never had a man treat me as well as he does, and I’m happier than Ican ever remember being.
Thisis the point where I usually screw things up, or run. I spent a few months intherapy after the attack and my therapist pointed out my habit of sabotaging myown happiness. Because everything I loved and wanted was taken from me sodrastically, I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s like I’mafraid to be too happy or it’ll be stolen away again. Not this time. I’m justgoing with it and enjoying every second with him.
Ihave a few hours before he’ll be back for me, and I think about inviting Sadieover, but I know she won’t want to drive in snow if she doesn’t have to. Onimpulse, I throw on my coat and walk across the street to Sunny’s apartment,taking a container of chocolate chip cookies I made the night before.
Sunnyand I always wave and say hi when we pass each other, but it’s time I made aneffort to talk to her. She’s nice and I need to make some new friends. Sunnyopens the door, her face flushed, trying to catch her breath.
“Hey,did I come at a bad time?”
“No!”A wide smile appears on her face. “Come in. We just came in from playing in thesnow.”
Herlittle boy, Brody, is struggling to get one of his boots off, and Sunny kneelsin front of him, stripping off layers of clothes until he’s only dressed inthermal long underwear. He’s nearly falling asleep on his feet. “Make yourselfat home. I’ll just be a second. Someone needs a nap.”
“Nonap,” Brody protests, his eyes glassy.
“Yes,nap,” Sunny tells him, carrying him down the hall.
Wesit at her kitchen table when she returns and she makes us each a cup of hotchocolate. “I thought you might like some company since we’re trapped by snow.”
“Absolutely.I swear, I don’t know how a three year old can have more stamina than me, buthe wears me out.”
Sunnyand I spend the next few hours laughing and chatting. Brody pronounces me hisnew best friend for bringing him cookies. As I’m getting ready to go, Sunnyasks, “Are you still seeing that hunk of muscle that lives next door to you?”
“Yeah,he’s picking me up in a bit to go sledding.”
“Idon’t suppose he has a brother?”
“Youaren’t the first person to ask me that,” I laugh. “But, he only has a youngersister.”
Wemake plans to get together again, and I head home to pile on the clothes beforeDare shows up.
Whenhe knocks on my door just after dark, he’s not alone. Justus walks in behindhim, a wide smile on his face. “You ready, babe?” Dare asks.
“AsI’ll ever be,” I laugh. “Do I want to know why it’s called Suicide Hill?”
“Relax,no one has ever actually died.”
“Mybuddy broke his collarbone last year,” Justus says, as if it’s some kind ofaccomplishment. “If you hit this one spot just right, you catch a lot of air.”
“Goodto know.”
Daregrabs my hat while I’m slipping on my gloves and pulls it down over my ears,dropping a quick kiss on my lips. “I won’t let you get hurt.”
Justustilts his head to the side and bats his eyelashes. “Aww, Dare is so sweet.”
Dareglares at him, but when I laugh, his lips curl. “That’s one,” he growls.
“Onewhat?” Justus laughs.
“You’llsee.”
AfterDare unlocks his car, Justus hops in the front seat and pats his leg, as if Ishould ride on his lap. “Plenty of room,” he says, winking at me.
