Dare to Dream (Carolina Beach #1)

by C. A. Harms

  She nodded and bit her lip as she arched her back and tightened around me even more.

  My legs beginning to vibrate as I thrust forward over and over. Her orgasm felt as if it went on forever.

  “Darren, yes,” she screamed into the night.

  I threw my head back and slammed forward, coming so hard my toes curled and my fingers dug into her hips as I growled her name, which echoed through the darkness. My body shook as a deep sense of satisfaction filled me. Fuck, it had been so long, I’d forgotten how amazing it felt to have such an intense connection with someone.

  She had to feel the same way. She had to know now how good we would be together.

  When I finally was able to regain control, I opened my eyes and found her staring up at me with a goofy grin.

  “We just had sex on a porch,” she said with a laugh. “In the open, where I’m positive someone heard us.”

  “Should I be bothered by that?” I asked, leaning forward and covering her body with mine. “Because I’m not,” I confessed. “In fact I’d do it all over again. Over and over, night after night.”

  “What am I gonna do with you?” she asked, and her question sent a rush of excitement through me.

  “Hopefully you keep me for a really long time,” I told her just before covering her lips with mine once more.

  Chapter 16

  Greer

  I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, or even next week. But I did know that Darren made me feel things I had never felt before, so it was time to stop focusing on the what-ifs. Because my life right now was pretty damn amazing, full of glitter, lace, and giggles, with a side of the sweetest, most delicious man. And that combination was the perfect kind of happiness.

  I wouldn’t allow myself to sabotage such a great thing.

  Last night was earth-shattering and the only confirmation I needed to solidify the connection between Darren and me. Knowing he felt it too only assured me I was where I needed to be.

  Well into the night, we lay side by side on the hammock that stretched out between two poles on the back porch. The night was silent and peaceful as he held me close, continuing to kiss me and ensure I felt his need for me. Things were different between us now than they were this morning. We had crossed a bridge.

  I could no longer deny that Darren Griffin had slowly been making his way into my heart, just like his girls had.

  Being wanted and needed was unbelievably rewarding.

  When he left I felt a sense of tremendous loss as I remained on the porch, watching his dark shadow move through my yard and into his. When he reached his back door, he paused and looked back at me, and his expression spoke a thousand words.

  I woke this morning feeling better than I had in a long time. When I thought of my father, I felt joy instead of sorrow. I sat at the breakfast bar with a picture of him and me when I was about three or four. I was wearing his work boots and his flannel shirt, and he was smiling at me with love and dedication.

  It reminded me of the way Darren looked at his girls.

  Without a second thought, I grabbed for my phone and dialed my mother’s number.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” she said, and I could almost see the smile in her voice. “How are things in Carolina Beach?”

  I knew that tone well. She used it when she already knew something but wanted to give me a chance to spill before she dragged it out of me.

  “Things are great,” I said vaguely. It felt great to tease her again. Lately we only seemed to talk about our loss, and on most days we ended our calls in tears. Hearing that old spunkiness in her voice felt good.

  “Just great?” she said. “Don’t you mean, ‘amazing,’ ‘life-changing,’ or something bigger?”

  I remained silent, letting her fire herself up even more.

  “Damn it, Greer Jean Monroe,” she groaned, which only made me laugh, “you better fill me in or I will be hoping on the next plane to come and beat it out of ya.”

  Ah, there was the pushy, prodding mother I knew. My laughter only irritated her more.

  “That’s it. Stella,” she hollered, “book me a flight. I have a daughter who thinks she can hide the new man in her life.”

  “Well, that’s what you get for having Uncle Mark’s friends report my every move to you,” I said as I leaned back in my chair. I knew she wouldn’t come here. She loved Vermont and being with my dad’s family entirely too much. She just didn’t like for us to be so far away from each other.

  “Okay,” I said, finally bringing an end to her hissy fit, “his name is Darren, and he has two little girls.”

  “Darren,” she repeated. “Darren who?”

  “Griffin,” I replied without hesitation.

  “Wait a minute,” she said, and suddenly her voice was muffled, as if she’d covered the mouthpiece so she could talk to someone without me hearing. “I’m putting you on speaker,” she said then.

  “Mom.” I leaned forward and placed my elbow on the countertop. “Mother,” I tried again. “Listen to me, woman.”

  Speakerphone. Really?

  “Okay we’re here,” she said, and I closed my eyes tightly.

  “Who is we?”

  “Me,” Aunt Stella yelled.

  “Me too,” Uncle Mark followed.

  “Don’t forget me,” Gran called out, then I heard a thud, like a chair had fallen over.

  “Damn it, Norma.” My uncle’s voice sounded strained. “Did you have to steal the chair I was going to sit in?”

  I covered my mouth to muffle my laughter as I listened to their crazy bickering.

  “Well, yes,” she replied, sounding completely innocent. “I needed to get closer so I could hear our Greer talk about her new man, and this chair right here was the only one available.”

  “That’s the thing, you crazy ole bat,” he grunted. “It wasn’t available. I was in the process of sitting in it.”

  “Hm,” Gran huffed. “Guess next time you should move a little faster. And call me an ole bat again and I’ll show you how this ole bat can still shove a size six and a half straight up your fat ass.”

  I laughed before I could stop myself, and my gran laughed too.

  “Okay, sweet Greer, now that your sourpuss uncle has removed himself from this conversation, let’s carry on.” She clapped her hands together. “Give us the details and don’t leave out the juicy stuff. I want to hear it all. I’ve been trapped in this house with all these duds. Granny needs something good to help me dream at night.”

  Oh my, she never seized to amaze me. She was a firecracker.

  “Now what was his name, hun?” Aunt Stella asked.

  “Darren Griffin,” I said again. “He lives in the yellow house behind this one.”

  “Larry and Fiona’s boy?” I wasn’t sure if Aunt Stella was asking me or Gran, so I remained quiet. “They have two boys. Is Darren the one that lost his wife a couple years back?”

  When no one answered, I realized they were directing the question at me.

  “Um, yes, her name was Lynn.” I wasn’t sure what they were thinking, but their silence had me worried until Aunt Stella finally spoke again.

  “Darren is a good boy, a strong soul. He went through a devastating event, but I heard he’s doing great with his business now. And Ben Berry said he’s done an amazing job raising those girls.”

  “They’re amazing, that is for sure,” I assured her. “Vivian and Violet are the sweetest little kids. They’re always smiling and are both so happy. The love between all three of them is impossible to miss whenever you’re around them.”

  Silence set in again, and I wondered what they were sharing on the other end of the line. Not being able to see their faces made me nervous.

  “Does he make you happy, Greer?” my mother asked, and my stomach knotted. “Does he make you feel like you’re his world too, and does he give you a million reason to feel special because he knows you are?”

  “Yes,” I said, knowing she was referring to the way my father trea
ted her.

  “Does he make you feel like you’re riding on a cloud, where nothing can hurt you because he’s there to keep you safe?” Her voice was strained, as if she were fighting back her own emotions.

  I guess this would be yet another conversation that we ended in tears.

  “Then you grab on tight to that man,” she whispered. “Live your life, Greer. Cherish every moment like it’s your last, because you never know when it just might be. Love, laugh, and live, without regret.”

  “But what about—”

  “None of that matters. We’ll worry about home when the time comes. Right now, just live, sweetheart.” She was telling me to forget about my life in Missouri and make my time here count. And if I was going to take anyone’s words to heart and allow them to change my path, it would be hers. My mother only made drastic decisions when she felt strongly that any other course of action would be wrong.

  I trusted her.

  “I love you, Mom,” I said, feeling my throat burn.

  “Love you too,” she replied. “Now go see those people that are now your future.”

  I took in a deep breath.

  I’d set out to find the right path for me and never counted on finding Darren or the girls.

  Could they really be that?

  Chapter 17

  Darren

  “Why do you look so nervous?” I asked as I leaned in closer and took Greer’s hand from across the console that separated us. The drive to my parents’ house had actually filled my stomach with tension too. They had no filter, so I suspected that by the end of the night I would have to do some damage control.

  I just hoped my brother would be out with one of his many conquests instead of here to make my life hell.

  “Meeting your parents is a big deal,” Greer replied, “and I found out today that my family knows your family. So I’m sure that somehow they’ve already been notified about me and my connection to Uncle Mark and Aunt Stella. Therefore, I am sure they’ve been given a rundown of my life.”

  “And why is that a bad thing?” I asked, causing Greer to finally look over at me.

  “Well, because up until now, my life has been something I’d prefer to forget, except for my family, that is. The rest was just a mess.” She looked concerned as she nibbled on her lower lip.

  After I turned into the driveway of my childhood home and parked, I twisted in my seat to face her, which made her do the same. The girls were in the backseat, still completely focused on the movie they were watching.

  “They’re not going to judge you, babe. They can’t wait to meet you,” I assured her. “My mother called me at least ten times today, and when I talked to my father earlier, he practically begged us to come over right then. He said my mother had been driving him crazy all day.”

  When she smiled I felt a huge sense of relief.

  “My concern isn’t that they won’t like you,” I confessed. “I’m worried they’ll drive you as bat-shit crazy as they are and you’ll run away so fast I’ll have no hope of catching you.”

  She smiled wide. “Oh my sweet man, you really believe I’ve lived a sheltered life, don’t you?” She shook her head and chuckled. “My gran is one of the craziest ladies that has ever graced this earth. The stories I could tell you.” She leaned over and gave me a soft kiss. “They would have you running from me instead, fearing the insanity that may be running through my veins.” Her serious look only managed to make my smile widen.

  “Let’s go meet the crazies,” she offered with a wink.

  Before I could even offer to help, she had the girls out of their car seats and they were all walking hand in hand toward the front door. The sight of the unity she shared with my girls made me feel better about what she was about to walk in to.

  The door opened before she could even knock and out poured Fiona Griffin. Mom instantly homed in on Greer with determined eyes, and squealed as she engulfed Greer in a hug.

  Here we go, I thought as I hung my head.

  “Oh honey, you are a pretty one,” my mother said as she finally released Greer from the hug, but continued to hold her shoulders. “My girls were right; we could slap a tiara and a frilly dress on you and call you Princess Greer. Great smile, beautiful eyes, and that hair!”

  “Mom,” I said in warning when I realized she was rambling off on a tangent, but she ignored me.

  “You have meat on your bones, and that’s good. No real man wants to take skin and bones to bed.”

  Greer’s eyes widened and she looked back at me in shock.

  I tried to warn her.

  “Now come on, all, there’s no need to stand outside.” My mother motioned us to follow as she and the girls rushed inside, leaving the front door open. Greer didn’t move; she didn’t even blink.

  I stepped up to her side and placed my hand on the small of her back. “You wanna run?” I asked, trying to hide my smile.

  “Um,” she said, and I looked over at her just in time to catch her blink excessively and swallow hard. She turned to face me and pointed toward the front door, her eyes wide with question. “Did she just call me fat?”

  Arching a brow, I slowly looked her over from head to toe. Fat? Was she serious?

  She wore capri pants, sandals, and a matching sleeveless shirt that in my opinion only highlighted her curves—curves that fit perfectly in my hands. She was far from fat.

  “Because when someone tells you that you have meat on your bones, it kind of seems like a gentle way of saying, ‘Here, honey, have a carrot stick for dinner while the rest of us have a real meal.’”

  I was losing her fast, and I knew I’d have to talk her through tonight. I guess I just didn’t realize it would start before we even entered the house. I did the only thing I could think of. I hooked her waist, spun her around to face me, and pulled her tightly against me. She looked up at me in surprise as I covered her lips with mine. She attempted to back away, but I wasn’t about to allow that to happen. Soon enough, she gave in and molded her body to mine, moving her hands into my hair and combing through the strands.

  “You are not fat,” I whispered. “You’re perfect.” I kissed her again before she could argue. A moan escaped her lips when I gripped her ass and pulled her even closer.

  “Holy hell.” A deep voice broke our trance, and I looked up to see Dean standing in the doorway. “Usually when I watch porn, I have a beer too. Can you two freeze right there and let me grab one?”

  Greer pulled back and quickly straightened her shirt, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment.

  Dean took the chance to look her over, and watching my brother checking out my girl pissed me off. “Eyes off, asshole.” I practically growled the words.

  He chuckled but didn’t stop his perusal.

  “I’m Dean,” he said, reaching a hand toward Greer. “The younger and much better version.”

  “Better my ass. You still live at your parents’ place,” I added, pushing his hand away before he could touch her.

  “That’s because I still haven’t found the right woman to lead me away yet,” he said while smiling at Greer. “I’m looking for something special. Something like this pretty lady. I could definitely see the appeal of waking up each morning to see this beauty lying next to me.”

  “Do you like your teeth, dick?” I asked, causing them to finally look at me. Greer’s eyes were wide in shock, but Dean only smiled as if he had just accomplished some type of goal.

  “Why?” Dean asked.

  “Because if you don’t stop talking about my girl the way you are, I’m gonna knock the fuckers straight out of that smartass mouth of yours.”

  “Darren.” Greer touched my arm, obviously concerned. “It’s okay.”

  “Yeah, Darren.” Dean reached out before I could stop him and pulled her toward him. “It’s okay.” Greer looked back at me over his shoulder in confusion as he walked into the house with my woman in tow, and I fisted my hands at my sides. That ass was gonna be flat on his back before the night w
as over, and not in the way he preferred to spend his evenings.

  I found myself smiling at the thought of his pained expression.

  Chapter 18

  Greer

  I should have stopped it. I shouldn’t have allowed Dean to keep needling Darren, but I won’t lie; it felt good to see him bothered that another man was showing me attention. Yes, his brother was only doing it because he clearly loved getting under Dean’s skin, but that didn’t matter. Darren was possessive, and I loved it. But when Dean took the seat next to me at the dinner table leaving Darren to sit in the only remaining chair, which was across from me, I swear I saw fire shoot from Darren’s eyes. His neck and ears were a shade of red I had yet to see on him, which I suspected meant he was about to do something I didn’t want to witness.

  I was shocked and dumbfounded when his parents laughed as Darren rounded the table, griped the collar of his brother’s shirt, and practically dragged him from the dining room. Even Violet and Vivian seemed amused.

  No one showed any reaction at all when a grunt came from the kitchen, followed but what sounded like something falling to the floor. Or someone.

  “Those boys” was all his mother offered as she began dishing potatoes onto the girls’ plates. Still smiling, she moved on to the steamed broccoli.

  I was startled when the chair next to me was yanked back and Darren took his brother’s place. He seemed winded, and I was still too shocked to ask about what had just happened.

  “Let’s eat,” he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of the feast his mother had prepared.

  I just stared at him in disbelief, waiting for him, or anyone for that matter, to mention what had just happened, but no one said a word. The only indication there was even a scuffle was when Dean returned with a good-sized red mark just under his eye and took the chair opposite me.

  “Told ya I’d knock ya on your ass if you continued,” Darren said before popping a piece of bread he hand torn from his roll into his mouth.