A Little Dare (18 page)

She
took
a
deep
breath
before
taking
a
sip
of
coffee.

Emotions
she
didn’t
want
to
feel
were
churning
inside
her.
Dare
had
hurt
her
once
and
she
refused
to
let
him
do
so

again.
She
would
definitely
take
Ms.
Mamie’s
advice
and
watch
herself
around
him.
She
glanced
up
and
noticed

Dare
watching
her.
The
heat
from
his
gaze
made
her
feel
a
connection
to
him,
one
she
didn’t
want
to
feel,
but
she

realized
they
did
have
a
connection.

Their
son.

She
cleared
her
throat,
deciding
they
needed
to
engage
in
conversation,
something
she
considered
a
safe
topic.
“How
is
your
family
doing?”

A
warm
smile
appeared
on
Dare’s
face.
“Mom
and
Dad
and
all
the
rest
of
the
Westmoreland
clan
are
fine.”

Shelly
took
another
sip
of
her
coffee
then
asked.
“Is
it
true
what
I’ve
heard
about
Delaney?
Did
she
actually
finish

medical
school
and
marry
a
sheikh?”
she
asked.
She

wondered
how
that
had
happened
when
everyone
knew

how
overprotective
the
Westmoreland
brothers
had
been
of
their
baby
sister.

Dare
smiled
and
the
heat
in
his
gaze
eased
somewhat.

“Yeah,
it’s
true.
The
one
and
only
time
we
took
our
eyes
off
Laney,
she
slipped
away
and
hid
out
in
a
cabin
in
the

mountains
for
a
little
rest
and
relaxation.
While
there
she

met
this
sheikh
from
the
Middle
East.
Their
marriage
took
some
getting
used
to,
since
she
up
and
moved
to
his

country.
They
have
a
five-month-old
son
named
Ari.”

“Have
you
seen
him
yet?”

Dare’s
smile
widened.
“Yes,
the
entire
family
was
there
for
his
birth
and
it
was
some
sort
of
experience.”
A
frown

appeared
on
his
face
when
he
suddenly
thought
about
what
he’d
missed
out
on
by
not
being
there
when
AJ
had
come
into
the
world.
“Tell
me
about
AJ,
Shelly.
Tell
me
how
things
were
when
he
was
born.”

Shelly
swallowed
thickly.
So
much
for
thinking
she
had

moved
to
a
safe
topic
of
conversation.
She
sighed,

knowing
Dare
had
a
right
to
what
he
was
asking
for.
“He

was
born
in
the
hospital
where
I
worked.
My
parents
were
there
with
me.
I
didn’t
gain
much
weight
while
pregnant
and
that
helped
make
the
delivery
easier.
He
wasn’t
a
big
baby,
only
a
little
over
six
pounds,
but
he
was
extremely
long

which
accounts
for
his
height.
As
soon
as
I
saw
him
I

immediately
thought
he
looked
like
you.
And
I
knew
at
that
moment
no
matter
how
we
had
separated,
that
my
baby

was
a
part
of
you.”

Shelly
hesitated
for
a
few
moments
and
added.
“That’s
why
I
gave
him
your
name,
Dare.
In
my
mind
he
didn’t
look
like
a
Marcus,
which
was
the
name
I
had
intended
to
give
him.
To
me
he
looked
like
an
Alisdare
Julian.
A
little
Dare.”

Dare
didn’t
say
anything
for
the
longest
time,
then
he
said.
“Thank
you
for
doing
that.”

“You’re
welcome.”

Moments
later,
Dare
cleared
his
throat
and
asked.
“Does
he
know
he
was
named
after
his
father?”

“Yes.
You
don’t
know
how
worried
I
was
before
arriving
at
the
police
station
yesterday.
I
was
afraid
that
you
had
found
out
his
name,
or
that
he
had
found
out
yours.
Luckily
for
me,
most
people
at
the
station
call
you
Sheriff,
and
everyone
in
town
still
calls
you
Dare.”

Dare
nodded.
“Except
for
my
family,
few
people
probably
remember
my
real
name
is
Alisdare
since
it’s
seldom

used.
I’ve
always
gone
by
Dare.
If
AJ
had
given
me
his
full
name
I
would
have
figured
things
out.”

After
a
few
brief
quiet
moments,
Dare
said.
“I
told
my
parents
and
my
brothers
about
him
last
night,
Shelly.”

She
nervously
bit
into
her
bottom
lip.
“And
what
were
their
reactions?”

Dare
leaned
back
against
his
seat
and
met
her
gaze.
“They
were
as
shocked
as
I
was,
and
of
course
they’re
anxious
to
meet
him.”

Shelly
nodded
slowly.
She’d
figured
they
would
be.
The