Dare to Take (Dare to Love #6)

by Carly Phillips

  “You’re not feeling well?” Ella asked her.

  Her husband placed a hand on her stomach. “It’s just the six weeks. She’s uncomfortable.” He glanced at her in concern. “That’s all it is, right? Because we are in the hospital.”

  “No, no. It’s nothing urgent. Normal. Braxton Hicks contractions and all that. Can we stop talking about me?” she asked.

  “Good idea,” Ian said, joining them, Riley by his side. “Let’s talk about you two. Run into each other in the parking lot?” he asked pointedly.

  Tyler ignored him.

  “Umm…” Ella fumbled for words.

  “Leave them alone,” Riley chided. “Just sit down.” She pointed to a chair, and Ella gratefully escaped into it.

  Next thing he knew, the women and Dylan were having their own private conversation, leaving Ian to eye him warily. “So did you make your move?” he asked quietly, so the women couldn’t hear.

  “You and Scott been talking about me?” Tyler asked, annoyed that Scott had gone blabbing to Ian about their conversation earlier.

  “Just looking out for you. That’s never going to change,” Ian said in his always commanding tone. “So … you and Ella?”

  Tyler breathed out hard, knowing his brother meant well. “We’re just hooking up,” he whispered, the words churning in his gut because it felt like so much more.

  Ian shook his head, as if he was disappointed in that answer. “If it counts for anything, I think you two could be good for each other.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Phil,” Tyler muttered, slapping his brother on the back.

  They all talked quietly together, eventually leveling off into pairs again. Ian took Riley to get food for their mother, who Michael took for air. Dylan insisted he and Olivia take a walk to ease the pain in her back.

  Tyler grabbed Ella’s hand and led her to a corner of the room, needing private time with her after the grilling by his brother. She seemed dazed and he couldn’t blame her. His family was intense on a normal day.

  He lifted her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You good?” he asked.

  She blew out a long breath. “I forget how overwhelming your big family can be,” she said on a shaky laugh.

  “The girls giving you a hard time?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Nothing I can’t handle. It’s girl talk. I’ve seen everyone on the other side at one point or another. I’m just not used to it being me.”

  He nodded, studying her for any signs of panic or withdrawal. Finding none, he let out a relieved breath and brushed his lips over hers. “Good. It’ll get easier each time.”

  “You promise?”

  “Swear,” he said, kissing her more thoroughly, more deeply, but he maintained control, completely aware of where they were.

  “Did I get here in time?” Avery’s voice interrupted them, and Ella jerked out of his grasp. “I was about to board when I got the call,” his sister continued.

  Tyler swung around just after Avery burst into the room, out of breath. For Ella’s sake, Tyler prayed his sister’s mind remained on the new baby and not—

  “What did I just walk in on?” Avery asked, her startled gaze jumping from Tyler to Ella. “Are you two hooking up?”

  * * *

  Ella cringed at getting caught kissing Tyler by his sister, her best friend. Given the choice, she’d want to sit Avery down and talk to her, explain both the past and the present. In fact, she’d planned on calling her as soon as she had a chance. Avery wasn’t just her best friend, she was her sister. The person who’d stood by her when no one else had. She couldn’t risk losing her.

  “Avery—” Tyler began.

  “Avery, please, can we talk?” Ella brushed past him and headed for her friend, determined to take charge of the conversation.

  She glanced over Ella’s shoulder to Tyler, then looked back to Ella. “Sure. I take it there’s been no baby?”

  Tyler shook his head. “Not yet. Everyone took a break, but they’ll all be back soon,” Ella said. She grasped Avery’s hand and led her to the farthest chairs.

  Tyler took a step toward them. Ella shook her head. “No. I need to talk to your sister.”

  He held up both hands and backed away, leaving the two women alone.

  “Are you hooking up with my brother?” Avery asked, her voice tempered. Not angry, but not jumping for joy either. “I saw the chemistry between you two when you returned from the island. So?”

  Ella shook her head and looked into her friend’s concerned gaze. “You need to brace yourself because it’s more than just the one night we just spent together.” She twisted her hands together nervously.

  “Relax and talk to me,” Avery said.

  Ella blew out a breath and stared up at the dingy hospital ceiling. Of all the places she thought she’d admit her youthful indiscretion, a hospital waiting room wasn’t one of them. “Okay. Remember the Christmas we snuck the schnapps from behind your parents’ bar and got drunk?”

  Avery grinned and let out a laugh. “Of course I remember. I passed out cold so damned fast.”

  “And after you did, I … snuck into your brother’s room.”

  Avery brushed back her bangs and blinked. Then blinked again. “You snuck into Tyler’s room?”

  Ella nodded. “And into his bed.”

  Her friend’s eyes opened wide. “Did you…?”

  Again, Ella nodded.

  “But you were a virgin!” Avery shouted … just as the rest of the family filed into the room. “Sorry,” she muttered.

  The rest of them gave them a wide berth, so Ella figured she might as well continue. “Yes, I was a virgin.”

  “You… Tyler… He took your—” A bright flush stained Avery’s cheeks. “Oh my God.”

  “I didn’t tell you because I was ashamed. Ashamed of what I did under your mother’s roof, ashamed of how I acted, that I betrayed your trust.” She trembled as she relived those awful feelings, feeling so pained at having betrayed her friend. “And things didn’t end well between me and Tyler afterwards, which was another part of the reason I wanted to put the whole sordid thing behind me.”

  Avery twisted her fingers together, obviously thinking hard about what she’d just heard. “So … that’s why things between you two were always so weird.”

  “Yeah.” Among other reasons, including what he’d said to her afterwards, but Ella didn’t need to share the details. She only needed Avery to know she was sorry.

  “And now?” Avery asked.

  “Now … we’re sort of … hooking up.”

  “I see.”

  “If it’s going to come between us, you know—”

  Avery put her hands over Ella’s, stilling the nervous movement. “What you do with Tyler has nothing to do with me. It’s just that…” She paused and drew a deep breath. “My brother is a player. Not that he’s always with a woman, far from it,” she rushed to explain. “It’s just that from all I’ve seen over the years, he doesn’t do commitment. In fact, it’s a pattern of his. A date or two and he’s out.”

  Ella ignored the pain in her heart caused by hearing what she already knew to be true. “I’m aware that whatever’s going on between us is temporary.” Get her sea legs back when it came to sex and move on. She could handle it. She had no choice.

  “Okay, good. Because if he hurts you, I’ll have to kill him, and he’s my brother, you know?” Avery met her gaze with a serious expression on her face.

  “I know. And I appreciate the support. But you don’t have to worry. I’m not stupid enough to think I can change him.” Although Ella knew many other women might think they were the one to change a bad boy’s ways, Ella knew better. She hadn’t been enough … for a lot of things in her short life.

  She didn’t consider this kind of thinking doing what Tyler had accused her of earlier, selling herself short. No, she considered it realistic. Smart. More honing of her survival skills, she thought wryly. “You don’t need to worry about either on
e of us. We’re adults and we’ll behave like it before and after.”

  “You’re sure?” Avery asked, chewing on her bottom lip.

  Ella didn’t want her friend worrying. She leaned in and hugged Avery hard. “You worry too much. It’s all good.”

  “Okay,” Avery said, but Ella wasn’t sure her friend believed her own words.

  Before she could figure out what to do or say next, Scott stepped inside the waiting room, a big grin on his face. “It’s a boy,” he announced, pumping a fist in the air.

  Ella grinned, happy for Meg and Scott, who’d gone through so much to be together.

  If she thought the Dares were excitable normally, nothing topped a baby coming into the family. The noise and cheers, the crying and phone calls were overwhelming.

  The family took turns going into the room, so as not to overwhelm the new parents. Emma and Michael went in first, then Olivia and Dylan, followed by Ian and Riley.

  By the time they came out, Avery was bouncing on her feet in excitement that vibrated through the room. “You go in with Avery,” Ella said to Tyler. “I’ll be here when you get out.” She didn’t mind seeing the baby at their home, once they were settled in.

  Tyler shook his head. “Avery, go on in. I’ll wait and go with Ella when you’re done,” Tyler said, taking Ella by surprise, but she appreciated the gesture, especially once they walked into the room and she caught sight of the gorgeous little boy swaddled in a blanket and snuggled in his mother’s arms.

  “Oh, he’s darling,” Ella said.

  “You did good,” Tyler said to Meg. He then turned to his sibling. “I’m happy for you, man.” He slapped his brother on the back.

  Scott scooped the baby out of his wife’s arms. “Want to hold him?” he asked Tyler.

  Tyler immediately settled into a chair, and Scott handed him the baby. “His name is Cole,” Scott said.

  Tyler glanced down at the tiny baby in his arms, and Ella could swear her ovaries sang. Her heart definitely grew in size. Everything about him softened when he looked down at the tiny bundle and grinned.

  “Hey, little man. Don’t you worry about drawing him as your father. Uncle Tyler’s going to teach you all you need to know about the important things in life.” He stroked his big hand down the baby’s soft cheek and hummed a little.

  He looked so right with the baby, and if she let herself, she could see it. See Tyler and his own baby—their—

  Before she could finish the thought, Tyler looked up. He met and held her gaze, a heavy thread of emotion and the baby between them.

  Panicked suddenly, unwilling to want or even think about what she couldn’t have, Ella cleared her throat. “I’ll meet you outside,” she said to Tyler.

  “Meg, Scott, congratulations. I wish you every happiness.” She treated them to a brief wave and rushed out the door, leaving her feelings, and her useless hopes and dreams, behind.

  * * *

  While holding his nephew, the smell of baby powder in his nose, Tyler had a flash. It only lasted for a second, but it was long enough for him to catch sight of Ella, watching him with the infant, her eyes soft and dewy. And in that instant, he thought, this could be us. And his heart nearly stopped beating.

  Because permanency, family, none of that was in his future. Unless he believed he could commit. And he just wasn’t ready. He didn’t trust himself yet. Wasn’t sure he ever could, and that was starting to scare the hell out of him, the knowledge that he’d end up alone, lose the best thing in this lifetime, and he’d have only himself to blame.

  Shaken, Tyler said good-bye to his brother and sister-in-law and brushed his lips over the baby’s delicate forehead, kissing his nephew good-bye.

  He met up with Ella back in the waiting room. The rest of the family had gone home. He walked in and his gaze locked with hers. Despite the feelings that tormented him, he was drawn to her nevertheless. Her wide-eyed honesty, the independence he wanted to conquer and yet never take away. And her vulnerability—he’d seen the occasional haunted look in her eyes when surrounded by his family, the realization of what she lacked in her life, and the notion that he would give her all those things, if only he were capable.

  Dammit. He needed to stop thinking. “Ready to head out?” he asked.

  She picked up her purse from one of the chairs. “I am. It’s almost one in the morning,” she said on a yawn.

  He drove them back to her place, both of them keeping the quiet peace, lost in their own thoughts. He intended to walk her inside and say good night. Too many emotions had pummeled him, and it was safer to just go home.

  He parked, and they took the elevator up to her apartment. Unable not to touch her, he placed a hand on the small of her back, feeling the heat of her skin through the thin top she wore, committing it to memory.

  She paused at the door and pulled out her keys. “I know it’s late,” she said, turning to face him. “But I was wondering if you wanted to … come in,” she offered, her hazel eyes warm and inviting.

  And though he knew what he ought to do, he found himself nodding in agreement instead. If he could suppress his emotions, lose the feelings he had for her in physical release, then just maybe he could get his head back on straight. At the same time, he reminded himself what he’d offered her. Sex to replace the bad memories he’d given her in the past with good ones for the future.

  Sex for sex’s sake.

  Yeah, right. He was frustrated with himself and his inability to stick to the rules he’d set out, and annoyed with his fucking emotions, which he’d never asked to come into play.

  But they had, and he didn’t want to think anymore. He wanted to lose himself in Ella. No sooner did she shut the door behind her than he had her against the wall, his lips against hers, her sweet scent permeating his pores, devastating his senses.

  And she held on as he devoured her mouth, taking everything she had to give. And she gave plenty, kissing him back, pulling at his hair, and grinding her hips against his until his cock was hard as stone. He had no patience or time for finesse or foreplay, and from the way she writhed against him, she lacked interest in any teasing as well.

  For him, nothing would do except burying himself inside her hot, wet heat.

  He tore his mouth from hers, gasping for breath. Hooking his arm around her waist, he led her across the room to the edge of the couch. She was still panting by the time they reached their destination.

  He pulled her top up and over her head, taking a moment to admire the view of her ripe, plump breasts and hardened nipples before yanking down her skirt, removing her panties with shaking hands. And that had never happened before—him being so affected by a woman he trembled like a teenager with his first crush.

  Shaken by the continued depth of his feelings, he spun her away from him and bent her over the edge of the sofa, running his hands down the smooth globes of her ass. She moaned at the caress, and he squeezed each cheek harder. She wriggled her ass beneath his touch.

  All the while, he continued to stroke her, gliding his fingertips between her cheeks, into the silken wetness of her sex. Her moisture coated his fingertips, causing his body to tighten even more. He spent a few long, delicious minutes stroking her pussy, sliding his fingers along the outer lips of her sex, reveling in her hot moans and sighs. She even arched her back, angling her ass farther upward, giving him deeper access, and he slid a finger into her slick heat.

  “Oh, Tyler,” she said, voice low and throaty, as he pumped one digit in and out of her tight channel, all but fucking her with his finger.

  She clamped her body around him, and he nearly came in his pants like a fucking boy instead of a man who could control himself and his baser needs. Except this was Ella, and when it came to her, Tyler had no goddamned control.

  He slid his finger out, and her body trembled from head to toe. He needed to be inside her now.

  He leaned over her, brushing her hair off her back, his lips close to her ear.

  “Do you feel empty with
out me?” he asked.

  “So empty. I need you.” She squirmed, clearly on the edge and so needy she ramped up his desire to unrivaled proportions.

  He shucked his jeans and briefs, kicking them aside, and slid a hand over his dick, pumping back and forth, praying he would last beyond that first hot thrust.

  He braced a hand on her lower back. “You ready, sweet girl?” He followed up the question by sliding his cock along the seam of her ass, and she moaned out loud.

  He’d take that as a yes. “Hold on, because this is going to be rough.”

  “Ohh, I hope so.”

  “You up for it?” he asked, needing to make sure. To hear the words.

  “Oh yes,” she said, pushing her ass back against his hard-as-nails erection.

  At her eager response, he pressed her down into the couch. She raised herself up, indicating her readiness. Fuck, but her sweet ass was a sight to look at.

  Sweating and on fire, his balls tight, his body ready to come, he took himself in hand and slid the head of his cock through her slick wetness, pushing upward, into her waiting heat, sliding all the way home, as her slick body sucked him in.

  After that, it was as quick and dirty as he’d wanted it when he was determined to put all emotion aside and lose himself in sex. Just plain fucking sex. He thrust in and out, fast and hard, each drive harder and in time to her eager cries.

  He’d never felt such ultimate perfection as her body, cushioning his, sucked him dry as he jerked his hips back and forth, losing himself in everything that was Ella.

  “Oh God, Oh God.” She came, shuddering around him, bringing him nearer to his own climax.

  As he drew closer to release, he realized the joke was on him. With Ella, it could never be plain sex. Not when she lit up his world in ways he didn’t deserve.

  But his body wasn’t interested in facts, only in sensation. And nothing felt better as he let go, spilling himself inside the woman he sensed could complete him.

  Which was why, when everything was said and done, he kissed her good-bye and headed home, punishing himself by not spending the night.

  * * *

  Ella woke up sore and sexually satisfied. It should have been enough. She wanted it to be enough. After all, she’d come screaming, harder than she ever had in her life. But then he’d dressed, claimed it was late, and left for the night. The same man who’d hooked his leg around hers and slept curled around her so she felt like she was in an oven the night before.