If You Dare

by Lee, Liz

  “I know the truth now, Cordelia. I know the truth and I still want you. And I think you want me. You do, don’t you?”

  His words were barely above a whisper. She ignored the flashing red lights in her mind and nodded her head. “Yes.”

  Her voice sounded gravelly, different.

  “I know you do. I know the truth, and I still know that underneath that pajama shirt your nipples are hard as rocks just from wanting me. They are aren’t they?”

  She nodded again and he smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Still he continued his seduction with words.

  “Let me see.”

  He’d seen her before, more times than she could count, but this was different. This wasn’t the fantasy. With trembling hands she lifted the shirt over her head and listened as his breath caught.

  She was sitting right under an air conditioning vent and the cold air swirled around her skin, making her nipples even harder, but she refused to cover them.

  “You’re beautiful. Exquisite, really.”

  She sat back against the couch and waited—excited, wondering, letting him look his fill.

  “I know the truth and I still see an incredibly sexy woman sitting across from me. I know that right this minute you’re wondering what I’ll say next, what I’ll do. You’re thinking about that night in the bathtub aren’t you? About how good it felt?”

  She wasn’t, but his words put her right there, in the warm water, surrounded by candles.

  “Maybe you hadn’t heard the words before this week, but even though I know the truth, I’m going to say it again, Cordelia. I want to watch you come.”

  He stopped talking, let the words wash over her.

  “I know that right this minute, you’re wishing I’d come over there, sit beside you and make this easy. But I’m not going to do that because you’re confused, and I need to help clear up that confusion.”

  She wasn’t confused at all. She knew she wanted him on the couch with her right this second.

  “See you’re thinking that you have to play pretend to fantasize, to have incredible sex. To lose yourself. And I’m thinking that’s all wrong. I’m thinking that right now you’re feeling pretty good even though there’s no more pretense. Am I right?”

  She wanted to tell him this was only possible because of before, because of who he’d thought she was. But she didn’t want him to stop. Didn’t want this moment to end, so she nodded.

  “Do you know your nipples turn colors when you’re turned on?”

  She shook her head.

  “They do. I want you to open your eyes and look at them Cordelia. Watch as I talk.”

  She did, and she was shocked at the jolt of longing that hit her at the sight.

  “Imagine my lips touching you right now. Imagine the way my warm breath would soothe you, cover you. You feel that, don’t you?”

  Oh god. She did feel it. Everywhere.

  “Imagine how my hands would feel on your skin. Now look at me.”

  She was completely under his spell. She looked over to the chair where he sat and focused on his mouth.

  “I know the truth, and you know I know it.”

  She nodded.

  “Take off your pants and toss them over here.”

  She slid them off and kicked them across the room to where he sat. What would he say next?

  “You wish I’d come over and kiss that freckle right below your belly button, don’t you? That one that makes you erupt in my arms, makes you ask me to do all sorts of things to you?”

  Yes. She absolutely wanted that. She nodded her head and he laughed. “Hmm. Maybe later. Right now I want you to sit there and just listen. Can you do that?”

  Did she have a choice? Cordelia shook her head.

  “Good. What I want to do is come over there and make love until you scream my name. But I don’t think you’re ready for that yet.”

  Yes she was. She absolutely was.

  “If I didn’t know the truth, maybe we could do that. But I do. So instead we’re going to talk.”

  She watched as he wrapped her pajamas around his hands. “Imagine my hands on your feet, sliding slowly up your legs and over your knees.”

  She closed her eyes and did just that, losing herself in his voice.

  “Imagine the way my fingertips feel as they brush over your thighs, as they just barely touch your wet folds. You like that don’t you?”

  “Yes.” Her word was like a hot coal sizzling in the cool air.

  “Show me, Cordelia. Show me where you want me to touch you.”

  Oh lord. She couldn’t. Not now. She opened her eyes, and his hot gaze burned her to the very core.

  She started to shake her head, but he stopped her. “Yes you can. Show me.”

  Cordelia felt her hand brush up her leg, felt her thighs part, watched his face as he watched her, and then her fingers made contact and she gasped.

  “That feels good, doesn’t it? Don’t stop.”

  As if she could. She nodded and bit her lip at his whispered command.

  “I know the truth Cordelia. And I know that right this minute you’re seconds away from coming. Aren’t you?”

  She nodded and gasped. Oh man, oh man, oh man.

  And then he stood and threw her pajama pants across the room before walking to kneel in front of her.

  Stopping her he took her hands in his. “I know the truth. You’re an incredibly sexy woman who enjoys her body. It doesn’t matter where you live or what you look like. Don’t forget that when you leave.”

  She really wished he’d quit talking, wished he’d…

  “Tell me what you want, Cordelia.”

  A few hours ago she could have said the words a million different ways. Why was it a problem now?

  She looked down into his eyes. God she was so close. If he hadn’t stopped her…

  “Tell me.”

  Oh lord. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the couch as she whispered the truest, most impossible words she’d spoken all day. “I want you, Joe, please. I want you.”

  Joe couldn’t remember the last time he’d made love on a couch. But he knew it hadn’t been anything like tonight.

  He pulled a now sleeping Cordelia closer and tried not to think about the fact that she was leaving. That she’d spent so much time pretending to be someone she wasn’t. That she hadn’t trusted him enough with the truth.

  A lie of omission. That’s what his daddy had called it, and he’d always said they were just as bad as any other lie. True enough.

  But the trust issue was a hundred times worse than the lie.

  Once he’d gotten over his initial fury at her, once the same old lust had kicked in, he’d planned on making her beg for him.

  In the end he’d practically fallen over himself to get to her first.

  Damn.

  Who would’ve thought she was faking the whole sexy outlook on life? She’d certainly fooled him.

  But then, she’d fooled herself more.

  Ah hell. Chemistry. That’s all they had. They didn’t have trust or time. Time he could deal with. Trust, no way.

  As carefully as he could, he stood and slipped on his pants. Cordelia slept on, looking as incredibly sexy as ever. This was it.

  Bending over, he gently lifted her and carried her to the bedroom. Once he had her settled in bed he kissed her one last time.

  And then he walked back to the living room, picked his shirt up off the floor and let himself out the door before heading back to his own real life.

  Cordelia felt him push the covers around her shoulders and thought about opening her eyes, but she chickened out. She didn’t want to watch him say goodbye. So she kept her eyes shut until she heard the door close.

  Once he was gone, she walked into the living room. Trying not to stare at the couch, she pressed her forehead to the door and tried not to think about the fact that this was the end.

  But then her eye caught the flash of white on the coffee table. Once she s
aw what it was, she knew the truth.

  He’d left the key. It really was over.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Joe tried to concentrate on his copy of yesterday’s Wall Street Journal while he drank his third cup of coffee, but the financial news didn’t interest him a bit.

  Two other papers sat folded on the table, untouched.

  Damn. He needed to get his mind back on business. He’d had his fun weekend, half the workweek was gone. While he’d been fulfilling Cordelia’s fantasies no telling who’d moved up the ladder, closer to taking his spot.

  He shook the paper open and focused on a story about corporate mergers and brick and mortar businesses. And all he could think about was the fact that Cordelia didn’t realize what a vitally sexy woman she was.

  He let the paper fall to the table and closed his eyes remembering the way she’d looked last night. If that wasn’t sexy, he didn’t know what was.

  Of course he didn’t really know her, did he?

  That rankled. The fact that he’d asked her to move to Vegas, to move in with him. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

  “Ouch. You look like crap.”

  Joe opened his eyes to see his sister clad in yellow boxer shorts and a cropped tee shirt walking in her bare feet across his kitchen floor. “Thanks.”

  Taylor grabbed the ridiculous fruity cereal she’d bought the day before and poured it in a bowl before sitting next to him. “I hope you didn’t spend all night with Vegas fighting over my date with Keith.”

  Sure she didn’t.

  “No, we had plenty of other things to keep us busy.”

  “Hmm.”

  Taylor ate a spoonful of dry cereal and took a drink of warm bottled water. How she could stomach either was beyond him.

  Of course, he knew she was just biding her time, waiting for him to tell her what had happened. He gave her ten seconds tops before she asked.

  Ten, nine, eight…

  Finally she couldn’t stand it any more. “I heard you come in late, and it looks like you’ve been up all night.”

  “That pretty much sums it up.” He sipped his coffee and watched her grimace in his direction as he did.

  She wrinkled up her nose and took another bite of cereal. “I don’t know how you can stand that stuff, Joe. I read the other day that it’ll eat a hole in your stomach.”

  He didn’t bother to answer, just flipped the paper open and ignored the teacher shortage story. Damn.

  “So you and Vegas…”

  “Are none of your business.” Joe didn’t want to talk about Cordelia with Taylor. He didn’t want to talk about her with anyone.

  “Yeah. Well, okay.” She took another bite of cereal. “Your friend certainly was nice.”

  He didn’t want to talk about that either. Maybe Cordelia was right. Maybe he did need to let his sister grow up. But he didn’t have to like the idea.

  “For what it’s worth I sent him home after you and Cordelia left. But he’s coming back Friday and I expect you to behave.”

  Joe nodded even though he wanted to tell his sister she was making a royal mistake getting involved with any of his friends.

  It didn’t really matter what he wanted to say anyway since Taylor was chock full of chipper conversation.

  “You look like crap, you’re sitting over here all by your lonesome reading three newspapers and drinking god awful black coffee, and you didn’t bother to sleep last night. It must be bad.”

  Persistence ran in the family.

  Maybe his sister would make it out here after all.

  “Like I said earlier, it’s none of your…”

  “Business. I know. But I figure it has something to do with the fact that Cordelia’s favorite clothes can be summed up in two words. Laura Ashley. She teaches a class full of kids with names like Jack Daniel and Jefferson Davis. And I bet her cat probably sealed the whole deal huh?”

  Well hell. Even his sister knew. That was just beautiful.

  “For what it’s worth, I took her shopping and she found a ton of cute clothes that weren’t floral print.”

  What the hell did flowers and fashion have to do with anything?

  “And you both like the same music, so at least there’s that. But she sounds pretty attached to her cat. I don’t think he’s negotiable.”

  Ah. His incorrigible sister was trying to make him laugh. He wished he could. “Thanks, Taylor. You’re pretty great, you know it.”

  Taylor pushed her cereal bowl away and shrugged her shoulders. “I just hate to see you upset. And I really like Cordelia. And I know you do too.”

  He folded the three papers together and stuck them in his brief case. “Well, you know, it’s hard to like someone you don’t really know. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

  Taylor sent him a sad little smile that said she knew better and when he stood to leave, she gave him a quick hug. “You never know, Joe. It might still work out.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  And then he headed out, ready to make a million dollars, ready to just forget about the girl next door who’d stolen his heart.

  Cordelia didn’t want to talk to Taylor. Even as she called herself a world-class chicken, she refused to open the door when she saw who was knocking. As much as she wanted to hear about the big date, she wanted to wallow in her misery more.

  So she sat on her sister’s couch, wrapped up in the bed spread from the guestroom, surrounded by M&Ms and a bottle—no two bottles—of blackberry wine and listened to the same jazz CD she’d had in the stereo all week.

  She would’ve been content to stay just like that the rest of the day, if her sister hadn’t unlocked the door, taken one look and dropped her suitcase on the floor.

  “You said you weren’t in love.”

  “I’m not.”

  Cordelia took one last swallow of wine and tried to stand up to greet her wild and crazy sister but the room tilted under her feet.

  Fortunately Irene was there to help her sit back down. She simply stepped over her suitcase as if it belonged right there in the middle of the living room floor and sat beside her on the couch “Right. You’re eating chocolate by the pound, drinking cheap wine and lying around in the middle of the Vegas summer wrapped up in a blanket. Either somebody died or you’re in love. And I don’t think I heard about anyone dying.”

  Ugh! New second worst moment ever. Go for subject change. “I like your hair.”

  Irene shot her a level stare. “Uh huh. Sure you do. It’s pink.”

  Hello sarcastic sister. I love you too.

  “But we’re not going to talk about my hair, honey.” And then, “So what’s up with the pity party. Hm?”

  Cordelia didn’t know what she was talking about. Who the heck was indulging in a pity party? “I waxed my legs. I wore high heels. I had sex in public places. This isn’t a pity party. It’s a celebration.”

  “Sex in public place, hmm? We’ll get back to that. So now you’re celebrating all by your lonesome, getting drunk off your butt just because. Tell me what happened.”

  Cordelia shrugged. What was there to tell? “I spent all week lying to him, and I had the best time, but the truth came out and it’s over.”

  “I’m still stuck on sex in public places, Del. But let’s focus on one thing at a time. Lying how?”

  Cordelia closed her eyes and wished she weren’t still stuck on sex in public places. Sex in private places. The bathtub, the kitchen, this stupid couch. UGH!

  She really wanted another drink. Irene must’ve read her mind because she opened the last bottle and poured a full glass.

  Great sister. Wonderful sister. Sister responsible for the whole stupid dare in the first place. “Aren’t you supposed to tell me to get up and get over it?”

  Irene laughed and took a drink. “Hell no, honey. You waxed your legs. That alone’s reason to get drunk in my book. Now you were saying…”

  “You know how I lied. I pretended to be like you. And he thought I wa
s. And then when he found out I wasn’t, it was horrible.”

  Terrible. Disastrous. Relief.

  “So you fell head over heels for him and confessed?”

  She shook her head. “Not exactly, but close enough.”

  Irene popped an M&M in her mouth. “Well, that’s just crazy. He should’ve had an idea of the truth. It’s not like Joe’s never heard me talk about you. Shoot, I subscribe to the town paper. We get a big kick laughing at the visitor report every time I come home.”

  Cordelia’s head was fuzzy from the sugar high and wine consumption, but she knew her sister was telling her something she didn’t know. Something important.

  “What?”

  “The big idiot. It’s not like I don’t talk about you all the time. He just saw you in that dress and forgot about everything other than what he wanted to see. Typical male. I’m going to kick his butt for making you fall in love with him. But first I’m going to kick yours. You knew better!”

  Knowing and doing were two different things. Like she knew getting a tattoo was a terrible idea. One day that butt Joe liked so much was going to sag. And when it did she wouldn’t be the small town girl with the sexy tattoo. She’d be the crazy old woman with that awful mark on her ass.

  Ugh. She so deserved every minute of this torture. Cordelia finished off her wine. “You’re right. I did.”

  “And of all things to fall for a commitment phobe like Joe.”

  Absolutely. What was she insane? Cordelia lifted her glass in a silent toast to her sister’s inspired words. “Well, it’ll all be okay in another couple days. I’ll go home and forget all about him asking me to stay.”

  Silence. Blessed silence.

  Cordelia almost laughed at the look on her sister’s face. Yep. She was drunk all right.

  Irene’s mouth dropped open. “He did what?”

  “Asked me to stay. Invited me to move in.”

  Jerk. Ridiculous notions making her crazy now when everything was going just fine.

  “Holy cow!” Irene took the empty glass from Cordelia’s hand along with the bag of chocolate. “He asked you to move in?”

  Hel-lo. Was she even listening? Cordelia sent her an evil eye for taking the chocolate. The wine was gone so she was welcome to the empty glass. “Hel-lo. That’s what I said. It was the most horrible moment of my life.”