Page 82 of Meet Dare

I growl. “Our relationship isn’t a joke.”

She leans close to snarl at me. “Our relationship is a lie!”

“It’s not a lie! I’m not—”

She cuts me off before I can explain how I didn’t apply for the job. How I didn’t plan on telling her about it because I have no interest in leaving Winter Falls. How I’m not going anywhere without her because I love her.

“You admitted it yourself. You said, and I quote here, you didn’t plan on telling me about the job offer.”

Because I knew this would be the response and we’d get into a fight when I have no plans to accept the position.

“Can you calm down and we’ll discuss this like two adults?”

“Calm down!”

Shit. Cassie made me forget every lesson I’ve ever learned about women. Never – and I do mean never – tell a woman to calm down. I’m a fucking idiot. There’s no way she’s calming down anytime soon now.

“I will calm down when I’m good and ready to calm down. You don’t tell me when to calm down, mister.”

Her eyes are bulging, and her teeth are clenched. Despite her prickly outside, I want to pull her into my arms and soothe her. I want to nibble on her ear until she melts into me.

She claps her hands. “Come on, Diva. We’re out of here.”

I’m not above begging when it comes to Cassie. “Please don’t go, princess. Stay and we’ll discuss this. I …”

I slam my mouth shut before I declare my love to her. She’ll flee straight into the dark night if I say those three little words. I thought she was skittish before. I didn’t realize how skittish she truly is if reading a letter with a job offer has her retreating behind her barbed wire walls.

“Diva!” she commands. “Get over here this instant.”

Diva glances up from her bed and I swear she snorts.

“Fine!” Cassie stomps to the dog and picks her up. She cradles her to her chest as she rushes out the door.

“Cassie! Wait!”

“You’re not the boss of me!”

“I know, but I thought you might want to put shoes on before you tramp through the woods to your car.”

She whirls around, her hair flying behind her, before marching back to me. I place her shoes on my porch and retreat with my palms raised.

She shoves her feet into her shoes before stomping away again.

I grab her coat and purse and follow as she trudges through the woods. When she reaches her car, she glares at it as if it’s the car’s fault she forgot her keys.

I clear my throat.

She whirls around and shoots daggers at me from her eyes. “What?”

I hold up her purse and coat. “I thought you might want these.”

She snatches the items from me. “I didn’t forget them.”

I hunch my shoulders to appear less intimidating. She doesn’t need to know I’m finding this entire situation hilarious. I prefer my balls where they are.

“In case it’s not clear, we’re done.”

My amusement evaporates. She’s wrong. “Princess, we are not done.”

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