by Diana Gardin
I hear my own question for her being thrown back at me, and I run a hand through my hair while I grin like a fucking idiot.
“Most people don’t stick around long enough to learn other peoples’ secrets,” I say. God, I want to touch her so bad right now.
I mouth her next words right along with her as she speaks them. “That sounds suspiciously like a dare, Dare.”
I shoot up off the bed like someone has lit a rocket under my ass. I stride for my bedroom door, throwing it open.
“Be outside in ten minutes, Berkeley. When I pull up, I want you in my truck.”
Her voice is breathless as she answers, and she doesn’t even think to argue with me. I like that. No, I fucking love that.
As she speaks, I can tell she’s moving around. “Where are we going?”
“I’m bringing you back here. I need you next to me tonight, Berkeley.” I realize my voice is rough as my truck’s engine roars to life, and I try to soften it. “I know I need to open up to you, but I don’t know when I’m going to be able to do that. I will do it though, Berkeley. You are so worth opening up to. I just…tonight I just want to feel you beside me.”
“Ten minutes?” Her voice is barely a whisper.
“No. Eight.”
I clasp her hand firmly in mine and lead her out of the entryway and down the hall.
“Aw, hell.” Chase’s voice, coming from the living room, doesn’t faze me as I tow Berkeley behind me into my room. We haven’t really spoken since I picked her up, but this thing between us doesn’t always need words to fill the space. It’s big enough to fill it all on its own.
I pull her inside my room, shutting the door behind us, and I just take her in, standing in my most personal space for the second time. It hasn’t been too long since she was last here, but all I’ve done in the meantime is picture her here again. It’s maddening, this attraction that eats me up from the inside. And damn, does it turn me into a little bitch.
She stands there, that stray chunk of hair falling into her eye again, and I reach out for her wrist and pull her toward me. When she’s flush against my chest, and looking up at me with those big, sienna eyes, I bend and kiss her. I kiss her like I need her, like she’s all I need.
When I pull back, her lips are puffy and her eyes are blazing at me.
She’s wearing form-fitting black pants that cut off just below her knees, and a tight tank top that hugs her generous curves to a point that’s literally painful for me. She kicks off her flip-flops by the door, and turns away from me to climb up on my bed. Wordlessly, I turn off the light and crawl in after her.
“Why’d you pick me up, Dare?” she whispers in the darkness.
We’re facing each other, inches apart, and I reach an arm out to wrap around her waist. Her body is so soft and supple against my hand, and I reach the other up to stroke her face.
“Because if you weren’t here, I would have driven myself crazy all night trying to picture where you were.”
She nods slowly; I can only see her outline in the inky blackness of my room. My eyes aren’t yet adjusted to the dark.
“I hurt you tonight, even though I didn’t mean to.” It isn’t a question, her voice is sad.
“I should have trusted you before I allowed myself to hurt.”
She shook her head. “Maybe I haven’t earned that kind of trust yet. Evil siren vixen magic can only go so far.”
My smile is invisible to her, so I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss the flat of her palm. “You’d be surprised at how far that magic can take you, Berkeley.”
She sighs.
“You know this isn’t a booty call, right?” I’m suddenly worried that she’ll think I asked her here just to get laid. I want her more than I want my next meal, but she’s no booty call.
“Shit! It isn’t?” She huffs, starting to sit up in bed.
I pull her back down, and her lips crash into mine. Her mouth, total sweetness, opens to me, and I dive inside. My tongue takes its time stroking hers, exploring where I’ve been too determined and frantic to take the time before tonight. I know that I have her all night, and that no matter what happens tomorrow, she’s mine while she’s here with me.
She’s all round curves and I slide my hand along the outer edge of her from shoulder to thigh and back again. A soft moan slips from her mouth and into mine, and my body responds by tightening, hardening, stiffening.
She rolls onto her back and I stalk her, covering her body with mine while I hold myself above her. Our lips part and she stares up at me, her eyes glinting in the darkness. I bend to kiss her again, harder this time, my tongue lashing against hers as she pushes her chest against mine. I groan as I feel her nipples driving through her thin tank, and she grinds her hips into my erection.
Jesus. I want to find my way around her body like I’m making a map, but she’s making it impossible to slow down the frenzy working in my body.
I leave her mouth to trail my lips along her jaw, pausing to inhale her rosy scent. I want her surrounding me, her smell, her feel, her taste, all of it. And I want to make her feel incredible, better than she’s ever felt. When she leaves me in the morning, I want her to be completely and utterly satisfied.
And completely and utterly mine.
My hand skates across her stomach and down her thigh, bunching in her pants before making its way up again. I reach the hem of her tank, and look down at it. When I look back up at her, her eyes are blazing, and I pull the tank up and over her head. She lies there, her breasts exposed to me in a black lacy bra, and my breath hitches at the sight of how ample she is, how fucking beautiful she is. She’s made like a goddess, and an errant thought that maybe she is a siren enters my head.
Chuckling slightly, I dip my head down to kiss the swell of her breast, and she gasps.
“You think this is funny, soldier?”
I keep my lips on her chest as I shake my head from side to side, creating friction with my mouth on her fiery skin.
“I find nothing about this funny,” I murmur. “I was just thinking that if you actually use magic against me, I hope you never stop.”
She smiles playfully, that corner of her lip finding its way into her mouth, and I pull it into my own mouth instead. Her answering moan is the fuel I need, and my hand travels south until it’s resting on her hip bone and playing with the drawstring on the top of her pants.
“Dare,” she gasps, and I still.
“Too much?” I try not to pant, but I meet her gaze. If she’s asking me to stop, I need to see her eyes when she says it.
Her dimples appear as she presses her lips together, but I don’t tear my gaze from her eyes.
“If you want me to stop, Berkeley, just say it. We have…time.”
She reaches up and her fingers tangle in my hair. It’s an amazing feeling, her fingers grazing my scalp as she plunders. “There are secrets between us. So I can’t…I can’t give myself to you. Not yet.”
I want to curse, but I don’t. I nod, because that reason is so valid and reasonable that I can’t argue it. I wouldn’t want to.
“Okay,” I whisper. “One day soon, there won’t be anything between us. I promise.”
I don’t make promises often. But I swear, I’ll keep this one so close to my heart that breaking it will also break me.
I crawl up beside her and take her lips again, kissing her long and hard, until we’re both so exhausted we fall asleep.
16
Berkeley
You did what?”
The Admiral’s voice was deadly calm as he asked me to repeat what I’d just said.
“I turned down Grisham’s proposal. I’m not marrying him, Daddy. Grisham and I are friends, that’s all.”
I can feel the rigid set of my jaw as I finish, staring steadily at my parents as they glare at me from across the kitchen table.
My dad puts down his fork and wipes his mouth with his napkin. He steeples his fingers above his plate of eggs, meeting my stare with an angry on
e of his own.
Momma speaks up. “Berkeley. What are you saying? Of course you’re going to marry Grisham! He picked out a beautiful ring. His mother and I have already been discussing the event!”
My mother’s tone is a little hysterical. I know I’m crushing all her well-planned hopes and dreams. But seriously? Did they never even notice that Grisham and I aren’t boyfriend and girlfriend? Have they never noticed that we don’t kiss or hold hands? Are they really this freaking blind? Jesus.
The Admiral only stares, chewing his last bite of food so slowly and thoroughly it must be liquefied as it finally slides down his throat. When he speaks, his voice is low and even. Oh, boy. The Admiral is scariest when he’s calm, cool, and collected. I brace myself.
“Sweetheart,” he begins. Oh, God. Every time he calls me sweetheart, I live to regret whatever ill-advised decision I’ve recently made. “Sweetheart, do you really think your mother and I have planned out a promising, secure future for you only to let you throw it away? You’re not thinking clearly right now. You and Grisham will work this out. He’ll be here during the annual children’s hospital fund-raiser, the garden party your mother has spent hours organizing. It’s only a few weeks away.”
Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I completely forgot about the garden party fund-raiser. It’s a navy function, officer-level only, and each family pays a donation in order to come and have dinner in our backyard. It’s exhausting for my mother to painstakingly plan each year, and I’m always required to attend.
Momma sighs. “I already bought you a dress. I knew you’d forget.”
I nod. “Fine. But what I said about Grisham stands. We’re not going to end up together. I wish you two would just accept it.”
A thought formulates in my brain then, twisting and turning itself into an exciting idea. My heartbeat flies away from me as I consider it.
I haven’t seen Dare for over a week, since I spent the night with him. We didn’t have sex, but lying in his arms while he tasted me and touched me was causing lingering dreams of want. I miss him, but I can’t continue this dance with him when he doesn’t trust me enough to let me in on more of his life. So I’ve backed off considerably, and he’s let me.
But now, I’m thinking there’s a garden party I’d like to invite him to.
Having Dare with me as my date will shock and appall my parents, but what better way to introduce him to them than with a party full of onlookers? They’ll have to behave.
I leave them stewing. Hell, what can they do? I’ve finally asserted my independence, and I’m nearly airborne with the satisfaction of it. Damn, why didn’t I tell my parents what was up long ago? I’m a freaking adult, for God’s sake. This isn’t the nineteenth century. I’m not participating in an arranged marriage.
I hightail it to Drake’s garage to see Dare. I’m off work today, but I know he isn’t. When I arrive, I park in the lot instead of pulling up to the quadruple set of garage doors. The same young guy who pulled my car in for me when I had my oil changed and discovered my favorite new addiction in Dare is standing at the counter. His face breaks into a flirty grin when he sees me, and I restrain myself from rolling my eyes. The guy has never seen Dare and I together, so he can’t know that Dare might physically remove that grin from his face if he catches him.
“Hey,” I say politely. “I’m looking for Dare.”
His smile falters a bit, but then he plasters it right back in place. Spunky one, this guy. “Dare? Like, you want him to answer a question about that sweet ride you’ve got out there?”
I narrow my eyes, walking up to the counter and placing my palms flat on the top of it. His eyes grow big and round, and it’s just a smidge fun how intimidating he finds me. Okay, it’s super fun.
“Nope. More like…I want him under my hood.”
Now I just feel sorry for the guy as he splutters, choking and pounding his fist on his chest. I look through the glass door behind him and spot Drake. I walk around the counter, ignoring Mr. Flirty, and catch Drake’s eye. I point to the door, and he grins, waving me in.
“Thank you,” I say sweetly to the choking artist.
I put my index finger to my lips as I enter the bay, hoping Drake will understand that I don’t want him to alert Dare to my presence. He raises his eyebrows but complies with my request, pointing toward a blue VW Jetta where a pair of muscular legs covered in navy coveralls are sticking out from beneath.
I tiptoe over, easygoing in my Chucks, and stand directly next to Dare’s legs. I use my toe to nudge one booted foot, and wait. I know he’s partial to my legs, so I hope the bare-leg view in my cutoffs is something he’ll enjoy.
There’s a pause, and then I hear his intake of breath.
“Goddamn,” he mutters as he slides out from under the vehicle. He stares up at me, his lips quirked up in his sexy half-grin, his long, nearly black hair splayed out around his head. God, he’s beautiful.
“Hey there.” Now it’s my turn to take in a quick breath as his rough voice meets my ears. My thighs immediately clench together as I register the hot pulse of electricity that travels between us when we lock eyes.
I kneel next to him just as he sits up on his little scooter, wiping his hands on a rag that’s lying beside him. I reach out and rub my thumb lightly over one of his cheeks, erasing a dark smudge.
He turns his head, eyes still locked with mine, and takes my finger into his mouth. When I feel his teeth bite down gently, I reach out a steadying hand to clutch his thick bicep.
He releases my finger, taking my hand in his. “Did you come here to start trouble, honey? Because I haven’t seen you in a week.”
I hope my voice doesn’t fail me. I shake my head slowly, so lost in this sexy moment with him that it takes me a minute to shake clear of it.
“You know I can always start a little trouble, soldier. But I’m here to talk.”
He stands, pulling me up with him with my hand still clasped tightly in his. He leads me past Drake, who coughs “Get a room” as we pass. I glare at him, and he grins.
Dare leads me through the building and back out to my car. He leans me against the driver’s-side door and boxes me in with his arms braced on the shiny black paint on either side of me.
“You’ve got my attention,” he says casually. “But I don’t know how long you have until I have to taste you. Start talking.”
“You’re not mad I’ve made myself scarce this week?” I whisper. “I’m sorry. I miss you, Dare.”
“Times up,” he mutters, before taking my lips. He kisses me hard, pinning me to the side of my car with his hips. I lose my freaking wits, moaning as I feel his hardness pulsing against my belly. Damn. Damn. Damn. What did I come here for? I have no idea, I’m lost in his soft lips and his punishing tongue and, oh God, his teeth as he uses them to nip at my bottom lip.
Finally, I gasp, my thoughts swirling hazily around my brain as I brace my hands against his chest and push.
He rears back only a few inches, his green eyes blazing dangerously as he focuses on mine.
“Berkeley.” His voice is husky as he utters my name, and I swear I could fall apart right here on the scalding hot pavement.
“I-came-to-ask-you-to-be-my-date-to-my-mother’s-garden-party.” The words tumble out in a rush, because if I don’t hurry and get them out I’m going to spend the rest of the day plastered against him, our lips and bodies fused together. Somehow, a week’s break has ramped up the attraction between us, made me the fuse to his lit match, ready to ignite as soon as we touch.
His eyes widen, and then he chuckles. “Somehow, I doubt that your parents will be thrilled about that. What’s going on?”
“I’m sick of them.” I sigh. “I’m a damn adult, I can make my own decisions. And one decision that I really want to make, Dare, is you. Will you come?”
He contemplates, absently raising a hand to brush the hair out of my eyes, and then leaning forward to brush his lips against mine. He does this as if it’s second nature, as if it’
s not even a conscious effort on his part.
“If you don’t go, my parents are going to spend the entire night pushing me onto Grisham,” I warn him. Somehow, I have a feeling that will light a fire under his ass.
His eyes narrow as he presses himself firmly against me once more, taking my face into his hands. “Not happening. I’ll be there.”
Those are his words before we are lost in another round of the hottest kissing I’ve ever experienced. Only with Dare. Only with my soldier.
“Do you have a tux?” I ask against his lips.
He groans. “Of course not. I guess I better have one by…”
“Three Fridays from now,” I offer.
He sighs heavily. “Three Fridays from now. I’ll be there, Berkeley. Promise.”
I smile, reaching behind me to open my car door. As I climb up, I feel his helpful hands on my waist, squeezing me firmly as he lifts me into my seat.
I look out at him and smile.
“That’s weeks away, Berkeley. Are you going to make me wait until then to see you again?”
I shake my head. “Can’t. A week was long enough. Come have dinner at the restaurant tomorrow. We can hang out after.”
He nods, closing my door. Just before it shuts, he says, “I’ll see you then, beautiful.”
Breathless. Dare’s words, his hands, his lips, his presence. It all leaves me feeling breathless. It makes me wonder how long a girl can go without taking in air.
17
Dare
This is different, Dare.” Chase’s voice carries over the roar of the waves as they crash into the sand where our legs are stretched out in front of us.
I have the day following my encounter with Berkeley off at the garage. Chase and I decided to spend it surfing. Our surfboards sit beside us in the damp sand. Chase never travels anywhere without his, and I’d purchased a new one as soon as I’d arrived in Lone Sands.
“Oh, yeah?” I pull my legs in until I can rest my forearms on my knees, my bare feet digging into the sand. “Oh, good! I must be completely wrong about the fact that you made a bad bet and lost money that you never had to begin with. Again. Thanks for setting me straight, bro.”