by Lori Foster
Dare eyed him up and down, and finally accepted Jett’s handshake. “About that pizza?”
“Right.” Jett glanced at his watch. “Assuming you aren’t going to leave Molly’s side—”
Dare’s look answered better than words.
“—then I suppose I might as well run out for the eats. I should only be half an hour, tops. But save some of the story for me. I admit I’m curious as hell about all this.”
Before he could go, Molly said, “Jett?”
Those dark eyes focused on her. “Hmm?”
“It’s very nice to meet you.”
Jett flashed the brightest smile she’d seen in quite some time. It worked wonders to counterbalance the ominous look of those dark eyes.
“You, too, Molly. I’m damned glad that you’re back home, safe and sound.” Then he went to Natalie, tucked her long, curly hair behind her ear, kissed her and said, “I won’t be long.”
“Be careful.”
With another glance at Dare, he said, “For once I don’t have to say the same to you. I have a feeling you’re as safe as you can be right now.”
The second he left, Natalie wrapped her arms around Molly in a tight, nearly choking embrace. “Thank God you’re finally home.”
Molly could feel her sister shaking. “I’m sorry you were worried.” Over Natalie’s shoulder, she met Dare’s gaze. He watched her with heightened familiarity. She shivered.
In her ear, Natalie whispered, “I can’t believe you’re with him. What are you thinking?”
Insulted on Dare’s behalf, Molly levered her back. “Why?”
“Look at him! He’s…” When she caught Molly’s frown, she let out a breath and tempered her wording. “Well, he’s intimidating.”
Proving he had great hearing, Dare said, “Not to Molly.”
Natalie’s eyes went round again.
Molly bit back a grin.
Dare smiled at her. Standing there like that, he was intimidating—to anyone who wanted to hurt her. He was also incredibly sexy.
Molly sighed. She wanted more. A lot more.
But now, at the most inauspicious time, her sister had shown up. Never before had she been sorry to see Natalie, but this time… Well, she would have preferred that she had the rest of the night alone with Dare to explore the new dimension to their relationship.
“Relax, Natalie.” In a grand understatement, Molly said, “He’s been very good to me.”
“Are you two really…?” She glanced back at Dare, who made no pretense of watching them intently, and spun back around. In a hushed undertone, she said, “Good grief, Molly. He doesn’t scare you?”
“Of course not.”
“But he’s…”
“He’s sweet,” Molly insisted.
Dare snorted. “He’s still listening.”
Aggrieved, Natalie closed her eyes.
Molly hooked her sister’s arm and dragged her farther across the room. “I’m so sorry that I couldn’t call you, Nat.” This was going to be difficult to explain. “The thing is, I don’t know who had me kidnapped, or why.”
“What do you mean?” Understanding dawned. “You think it wasn’t a random thing? You were a specific target!”
“I’m afraid so.” Unlike Molly’s thick, heavy hair, Natalie’s lighter hair grew in fluffy, corkscrew curls. Molly smoothed down a wild, wayward spiral. “You know how much I trust you.”
“I should hope so.”
Her sister never failed to back her up when necessary. “Well, as much as I trust you, I also know how you’ll react in almost any situation. If I had told you that someone had set me up to be taken, that someone had deliberately wanted me gone, you’d have gone ballistic.”
“Well, of course I would have. You’re my sister!” She chewed over what Molly had told her, trying to sort it out. “Who? Who would do this to you?”
She wished she had a better answer. “I still have no idea, and that’s what scares me the most.”
Fear narrowed Natalie’s eyes. “Until you know who did it, you can’t keep it from happening again.”
“That’s about it.”
Obliterating any pretense about their conversation remaining private, Dare came over to them. “Molly feared that you’d go on a rampage trying to find out who wanted her hurt.”
Whipping around to confront him, Natalie found him close and had to look way up. She stumbled back a step. “I can be reasonable.”
“Can you?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. After a few seconds, she sighed. “Well, maybe not. But you can’t expect me to just…just accept this without getting angry.”
Dare reached for Molly and tucked her into his side. “You can be as pissed off as you want. That’s understandable. But I need you to stay out of it, and to trust me to find the one responsible.”
Natalie frowned at him, at Molly, then back again. “Maybe it’d help if you told me what makes you so qualified for the job.”
Dare searched her face. “All you need to know is that I’m not going to let anyone hurt your sister.”
Confused, Natalie put her hands on her hips. “Why are you involved? Because you two are…” She waved a hand between them. “What? Dating?”
She made it sound like the most absurd idea ever. Trying to go for the easiest explanation, Molly said, “Dare’s protecting me because I’m paying him for his assistance.”
There was a heavy pause, and then Dare lifted her chin so that she had to look at him. With quiet authority, he stated, “No, honey, you’re not.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“BUT…what?” Flushing over this unexpected turn, Molly looked uneasily at her sister. “Of course I am. Dare, we agreed.”
“You were insistent, and I didn’t want to upset you.”
Natalie chimed in with agreement. “She does like to pay her own way.”
“Now, wait a minute.” Molly jerked free of Dare’s loose hold, and, in the process, she almost lost the blanket.
Saving her modesty, he caught it for her, but then used his hold on the blanket to haul her close. He kissed the end of her nose. “I won’t take money from you.”
She couldn’t believe this. “Since when?” But she knew, of course.
Dare let out his breath and addressed her sister. “Natalie, you’ll have to excuse us for a few minutes. Molly needs to get dressed before she flashes us both.”
“Ah…sure.”
Bemused by Dare’s blasé attitude over this, Molly held her ground…but not for long. He was right; she did need to get dressed.
To her sister, she said firmly, “I will be right back.”
Natalie dithered. “I, ah, could go with you.”
“Not this time.” Dare gave her a barely conciliatory smile as he started them both across the floor. “We weren’t expecting you, and right now Molly and I have a few things to work out. I won’t keep her long.”
He left no room for argument, so Natalie directed a stern look on him before saying to Molly, “I’ll be right here if you need me for anything.”
Molly blinked at her. Natalie still thought that Dare might hurt her? He never would, but if he did, Natalie sure wouldn’t be able to stop him.
Her sister meant well, and usually she was the most stubborn person Molly knew. But when it came to Dare, Natalie was well out of her league.
Over her shoulder, Molly said back to her sister, “Thanks, but I’ll be fine, I promise.”
Without regard to her sister’s worry, Dare propelled her along into the bedroom. It was very rude, and didn’t do much to put Natalie at ease. Stepping away from him, she went through the door on her own steam.
He shut it behind her, and Molly turned to demand an explanation.
Before she got a single word out, Dare’s mouth covered hers.
Oh… Well, okay, then. Molly subsided and just went with the kiss.
As the tip of Dare’s tongue prodded over the seam of her lips, her heart started thumping and her bo
dy hummed to life all over again. She opened for him to accept his deeper kiss.
Dare slanted his head for a better fit, and Molly wanted to melt on the spot.
It might only have been hours ago that he made love with her, but she felt fresh desire as an acute need.
Dare turned with her to brace her back against the door. He tilted in his hips, pressing the solid rise of his erection against her belly.
Every nerve ending buzzed to life until she clung to him, her sister temporarily forgotten.
She didn’t realize that the blanket was gone until Dare stepped back to look at her. He held each corner of the blanket in his hands at either side of her shoulders. His gaze moved from her mouth to her breasts, and then slowly down her body.
His jaw worked.
“This is awkward,” Molly said. She’d never been put on display like this before.
He shook his head. “Damn, but I need you again.” He put damp, openmouthed kisses on her throat, her shoulder, and then he stepped away.
Molly couldn’t believe he left her there, naked, while he still had his pants on. Breathing hard, feeling exposed, she considered making a grab for the blanket…but Dare stood on it.
His gaze went all over her like a hot stroke before stopping at the juncture of her legs. “You look good enough to eat.” His gaze met hers. “Again.”
“I…ah…” Molly shifted. Such outrageous sexual compliments were very new to her, and she had no idea how to respond. Feeling lame, she whispered, “Thank you.”
Dare ran his hands lightly from her shoulders over her breasts, letting his palms drag over her now-puckered nipples. He lingered there just a second before sliding them down to her hips. He gave a low growl. “Turn around.”
Voice going high and thin, Molly said, “What?”
Using his hold on her, Dare directed her around until she had her back to him.
Molly tried to control her breathing, but it wasn’t easy. This was both embarrassing and highly erotic.
“God, baby, I do love this ass.” With both hands, he cupped her cheeks, then stepped up close again to kiss the sensitive spot where her throat met her shoulder.
His attraction to her posterior thrilled her. “We can’t… My sister is out there….”
“I know.” He took her wrists and lifted her arms above her head, and then pressed her palms flat to the door. “Just let me touch you for a minute.”
Putting one foot between hers, he nudged her legs open. Molly widened her stance, all the while struggling with the conflict of need and her natural modesty.
Slipping his hands around to the front of her, then up to her breasts, he touched her. With her arms raised, her feet braced apart, everything he did seemed somehow more salacious.
Lifting each breast, Dare caressed her before teasing both nipples with his thumbs.
It was too much. “Dare…”
He closed his fingertips around her, lightly pinching, tugging insistently.
Molly dropped her head back as the sensation went straight from her breasts to her womb. She bit her lip to keep from moaning aloud, but the deep, throaty sound escaped anyway.
Dare hugged her, warm and soft, and then he stepped back. Slowly, Molly turned around to face him again—and what she saw astounded her.
Muscles clenched, nostrils flared and eyes burning, Dare watched her with such obvious yearning that her embarrassment disappeared. Never had she imagined him so out of control.
As he readjusted himself, his hands shook. He took another step away from her. Voice as rough as gravel, he said, “You’d better get dressed before I lose it.”
Feeling a little powerful in this new situation, Molly smiled. “Let’s talk about money first.”
His jaw hardened. “Push me, and we’ll be talking about it on the bed, with me inside you and to hell with what your sister hears.”
What a spoilsport. For most men that might have been a bluff, but she had a feeling Dare said what he meant, always. She’d already proven that she wouldn’t stop him if he went that route, so maybe it’d be better if she didn’t press her luck.
“Fine.” She had enough explaining to do with Natalie without adding that to the details. From the pile of ransacked clothes, Molly dug out a T-shirt, panties and jeans.
It was a strange thing to have a man in her room, watching her every move with undivided attention. She felt brazen, but in an intriguing way; she rather liked how intently Dare watched her.
Once she was dressed, he relaxed a little and sat at the end of the bed.
“Come here.” He pulled her onto his lap and shifted her to get comfortable. “Now. Let’s talk.”
In no way was Dare an average man, so Molly couldn’t miss that definite rise beneath her bottom. “You still have an erection.”
Not the least bit embarrassed, Dare gave a dismissive shrug. “I still want you.” He kissed her forehead. “But we need to iron this out, and Jett will be back shortly, and I’m willing to bet your sister will only be patient for so long.”
Molly tried not to squirm, but it wasn’t easy. He’d gotten her aroused, and he still wore only jeans. Seeing his chest, even with the faded scars—or maybe because of them—counted as foreplay for her starved senses. She saw the battle signs as proof of all he’d done, all he could do, and the kind of man he was.
The kind who would keep her safe.
Over what looked like an old knife injury on his shoulder, she rested her hand. “You’re a very perceptive man. It’s true that Natalie is not known for her patience.”
Dare smiled. “I like her, even if her timing sucks.” Holding her chin, he brushed his thumb along her jaw. “She’s different from you, but I also see similarities. It’s there in the dark brown eyes and the shape of your mouth.”
“And big boobs.”
His smile twitched into a grin. “I guess I noticed that, too.”
“Dare.” Molly put her forehead to his. She wasn’t sure how to say it, so she decided to simply spit it out. “Just because we slept together doesn’t change anything.”
“Wrong. For me it changes everything. And before we get into this too much, you might as well know that I’m firm on this. No way in hell will I take money from you.”
Molly couldn’t believe that he’d changed the rules on her without telling her. “That’s not fair.”
He half smiled. “I never told you I was fair.” He smoothed a long hank of her hair, letting the back of his hand move over her breast. Voice dropping, he said, “But you’ll learn to live with it.”
Learn to live with it? Did he mean…long-term? Or was that just a figure of speech?
She didn’t quite have the nerve to ask him yet. “I don’t want to be indebted to you, at least not any more than I already am.”
“There’s no debt. I’m here because I want to be.”
What could she say to that?
His thumb touched her bottom lip. “Relax and accept it, honey. My mind’s made up. Actually, it was made up even before the sex, so don’t feel guilty about that, okay?”
Emotion choked her. “Since meeting you, you’ve made me feel a lot of things. But not guilt. Not even when I kicked you in the nose.”
He smiled. “Glad to hear it. So, what do you say we go check on your sister? I can almost picture her with her ear to the door.”
Through the door, Natalie said, “Damn right. Now bring my sister back out here.”
JETT RETURNED WITH the pizza soon after Molly finished sharing details with Natalie. The more Molly told her, the more distressed Natalie had gotten. She was literally sick with upset when Jett walked in. But as soon as she saw him, she hurried to mask her expression.
Similar to Molly, Natalie had a lot of pride. He liked that.
As he’d told Molly, he liked her. She was like Molly, but also different.
Natalie’s honest reactions left Dare confident that, as Molly had insisted, her sister would never act to harm her.
That left only Jett fo
r him to wonder about right now. Not that he really suspected Jett, but he refused to take any chances with Molly’s safety.
With reluctance, Natalie had admitted that while she and Jett had known each other for close to a year, and had even shared a physical relationship, they’d only recently realized that they were in love.
The quick change in relationship could be construed as an attempt to ingratiate himself with Natalie’s family—namely to get information about Molly.
It seemed more unlikely than otherwise, but still, Dare was all set to get answers out of Jett when he opened the front door and let him in.
That is, until Jett strode in without a word, set the food on the table and, with admirable stealth, peered out the curtains to the street below.
“What’s going on?” Natalie asked, alarmed. “What are you doing?”
Jett took in both women with calculated purpose. “I don’t suppose you two would let the men talk in private for just a minute, would you?”
Dare snorted. He already knew what Molly would say before she started objecting.
He held up a hand to silence the women. Sadly, that didn’t work. He supposed that he’d have to get used to Molly not following his every order, verbal or otherwise.
While the women continued protesting, Dare walked over to the window and did his own surveillance. He saw nothing.
Quietly, Jett said, “It’s just out of view, opposite side of the street, less than a block up. But does an old white van mean anything to you?” Molly gasped.
Dropping the curtain, Dare took in her expression with sharp-eyed concern. He said to Jett, “Rusted?”
“It’s dark out, but I believe so.” Jett looked grim. “I could see the driver and a passenger, but the back windows are painted.”
Molly reached for a chair and dropped into it. Seeing her like this enraged Dare.
“I only really noticed them because the van is running, but they have the headlights off. They’re watching the building.”
Dare could barely credit that anyone would be that dumb. If her father had sent someone after her again, he must be desperate.
Anxious to check it out for himself, he headed for the front door.