Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Why did he have to be so handsome? Sexy. And caring. It was the caring that got to her every time. Because, really, when had anyone in her life given her something so basic and simple?
So necessary…
“Come on in,” she said, gesturing for him to enter. “Can I take something from you?” she asked, struggling not to let him see how his very presence affected her.
“The flowers. I’ve got the rest.”
She accepted the bouquet. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“My pleasure.” His words warmed her.
He followed her into the kitchen. In silence, she filled a vase with water and put the flowers inside, placing them in a prominent place on the counter. He worked alongside her, unnerving her because he knew exactly where to find the paper plates, the corkscrew, and even her wineglasses. After one weekend of taking care of her in her home, he knew the place as well as she did.
“Want to eat outside?” He gestured to the patio off the kitchen.
“Sure,” she said, surprised by the idea.
A few minutes later, they were settled on a blanket on the ground, eating picnic-style. The air around them was hot and humid, but it was still a beautiful night.
“This was a good idea.”
He grinned. “I figured we both needed to relax and unwind.”
“Agreed.”
He cocked his head to one side. “So can we eat and save the serious talking for afterward?”
Knowing there’d be no avoiding conversation, she appreciated the delay. “I’d like to enjoy my pizza without indigestion.”
He shook his head and laughed. “At least you’re not throwing me out.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Would you go if I tried?”
“Nope.”
He had no idea how happy that made her.
He bit into his pizza, and she did the same.
For the next few minutes, they ate in silence. Enjoyable, easy silence. She could almost forget the reasons she had to keep him at a distance. But not quite.
So when they’d both finished and she pushed the pizza box off the blanket, she curled her legs beneath her and turned to face him.
“Why are you really here?” she asked.
Dare blinked, obviously surprised by the question. His brow furrowed in concentration, taking the question seriously. “Because I can’t stay away. And because I want to be.”
A delicious ribbon of warmth spread through her limbs. She nodded slowly, acknowledging the pull between them. “Attraction. I get it. I feel it too.”
Dare let out a laugh that sounded harsh to her ears. “If that’s all it was, I wouldn’t be here.”
Liza ran her tongue over her lips, tasting the wine she’d been sipping. “That’s all it can be.”
“And now we come to the crux of things. Why?” he asked.
Liza owed him more than her standard “because that’s all I’m willing to give” answer. “For one thing, because I can’t take the hot-and-cold reactions you have to me depending on my brother’s behavior or your moods.” Liza glanced down, unwilling to let him see how much he’d hurt her. Not wanting him to know why his withdrawal affected her so badly.
“Hey.” He reached out and lifted her chin with his hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You deserve an explanation for that.”
She swallowed hard. “Okay.” She hadn’t expected that, but she was curious.
“Oh boy.” Dare leaned back on his elbows and looked up at the darkening sky.
She studied his chiseled profile, struck again by how handsome he was. Attraction? Oh yeah, she felt that in spades. She wished it were all she felt.
“Remember when you told me about the night Stuart Rossman died? How you felt responsible?” he asked.
She narrowed her gaze and managed a nod. “Why?”
“Because I feel the same sense of responsibility.”
“You? Why?” she asked, surprised.
“I was there that night. At the party.”
She stared at him, stunned. “But you were only—”
“Fifteen. Yeah, I know. But I wanted to be like my brothers. I wanted to run with the older kids. And…”
He paused, and she waited.
“I wanted to see you.” An embarrassed grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Yep, I knew who you were way back when. I guess you could say I had a crush on you.”
She flushed, also embarrassed by the admission. “Wow.”
“Yeah. Well, you weren’t home that night, and I wish to hell I’d never gone.”
They both sobered at the memory of what happened next. “You were there when that guy punched Stuart?”
Dare blinked and pushed himself to a sitting position. “When what guy punched Stuart?”
An uneasy feeling prickled over Liza’s skin. “Brian told us that a guy from another school got into an argument with Stuart Rossman and threw the first punch. Stuart was drunk, stumbled and fell, his head hit the concrete, and…” She didn’t have to continue. He obviously knew the rest firsthand.
“Liza?”
Goose bumps prickled over her skin despite the heat, his deep tone scaring her. “What is it?” she asked.
“There was no guy from another school who hit Rossman.” She studied his face and knew from his expression he wasn’t lying.