Dare (6 page)

His body, sculpted with muscle and sweat, drew her like a bee to honey.  He was breathtaking, and her pussy clenched, anxious to have him inside her again.

She couldn’t believe how demanding she had become. Not even ten minutes since he’d last sent her soaring to the moon and she already wanted to throw him down and ride him like a stallion.

Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath. When she opened them again, their gazes clashed. She was surprised when he took the brush from her hand.

Never in a million years did she dream Dare would be in her bedroom, naked, brushing her hair as if he’d done it many times before. The man was an enigma. One she wasn’t sure how to handle as her heart lurched and her palms grew moist.  He made her feel too much all at once.

“It might take a while to get all these knots out of your hair.” He smiled at her.

“Yes.” She sighed. “It drives me crazy. Some days I wish I could get up the nerve to cut it.”

“Don’t ever do that.” His fingers fisted in her hair, startled her. She gazed at him, wide-eyed.

His face serious, lips firm, shocked her. He genuinely seemed upset.

She wrenched free of his grip, giggled, nervous but anxious to lighten the mood.  “Don’t worry. I’ve never had the nerve to do it in all the years I’ve tried to, so I think it’s safe for a while longer yet.”

“It’s beautiful, Liv, seriously. Most women would probably love to have hair like yours. It’s soft, long, with a natural curl—wouldn’t that be what many ladies would want?”

“I suppose.” She moved to the end of the bed, again picking up clothes. “But it’s all wonderful when it cooperates. The tangles and upkeep does have its disadvantages. And listen to us—discussing hair.” She laughed. “Go take your shower. We’ll eat when you’re done.”

He sidled up beside her, gave her a quick peck on the cheek, then headed to the adjoining bathroom. At the door, he turned back and said, “I’ll make you something to eat when I’m done.” He winked and crossed the threshold, leaving the door slightly ajar.

She dropped the clothes on the mattress, then sat on the trunk at the foot of the bed.  She’d never been so confused in all her life.  What started as silly birthday fun had turned into so much more.

She’d never spent this much time with any of her past boyfriends. Yes, they’d had okay sex, but the in-between times with her exes were even less than thrilling.  From watching sports to some of her favorite TV shows and romantic comedies, the ease she and Dare had together was unlike anything she’d experienced.

And discussions. He could debate politics with the best of them and still listened to her differing points of view.  They’d had deep, intelligent conversations. He never once made her feel inadequate or ridiculous. She could hold her own with him and gave it back tenfold.

Moving to her bedside table, she picked up her cell phone and sent a quick text to Holly. 
Still with the dare. All is fine. Talk soon.

She was glad she’d thought to send Holly updates once a day since leaving on Friday, or they would have called the police by now.  Though they knew she was to spend the night with someone, Olivia couldn’t let them worry about her—which is what would happen if she didn’t contact at least one of them.  She’d chosen Holly, knowing she’d let the others know Olivia was fine and had lived up to the dare.

Of course, she used
dare
in its lowercase in every text. She didn’t want the girls asking too many questions, or laugh over the fact that the guy she hooked up with actually went by Dare.

Her cell vibrated in her palm.

Ur
still with the dare!! Jesus, girl, u defnt’ly know how 2 fulfill a dare…pun intended.

Olivia smiled, and let her fingers do the talking.
What can I say, he’s delicious & I’m celebr8’g still. Call u tmrw after work.

She didn’t want to answer too much right now. If she continued to text Holly, she suspected Candy would be the first to actually call her. The questions she didn’t want—or have the answers to—would begin and she wasn’t ready.

The water went silent in the bathroom. Olivia put her phone down, stood, and started to strip the bed…for the third time that weekend. She chuckled, giddy over the reason she had to change them again.

Hearing a vibration on wood, she turned to the bedside table, sheets against her chest. She glanced at her cell phone, took in the black screen before peering at Dare’s iPhone. The screen was alight with an incoming text from their boss.

“Dare,” she called. “Malone Senior is texting you.”

“Can you read it out to me?”

Warmed by his trust, she picked up the phone and opened the message.

“Video recording of
Chelsea
leaving Baxter’s Hotel @ time of MIL’s murder has been found. Need you to pick up and take closer look at this alibi. Make sure no holes and locked tight. ASAP.”

“Fuck!” Dare exited the bathroom, crossed over to her and took the phone. After reading the message again, he closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry, babe. I really have to investigate this. Last thing we’d need is to have the DA getting a hold of this before we have the chance to see it.”  His fingers moved quickly sending a text back.

She dropped the sheets on the bed. “Don’t worry about it. It's work. I totally understand.” She wrapped her arms around his damp waist, kissed his chin.  “You can’t just play all the time, ya know.”

He set the phone on the bed, turned, slid his arms around her and palmed her ass. “I’d much rather stay and play with you any day of the week. Maybe we should quit our jobs, lock all the windows and doors and fuck like rabbits for the rest of our lives.”

Her throat tightened at the mention of the
rest of our lives.
She pasted on a smile, hoping he couldn’t feel her pulse accelerate. “Maybe someday when we both have large bank accounts. Until then…” She slapped his towel-covered ass. “We both have to make a living.”

He pulled back, then rummaged through the clothes at the end of the bed and started to dress.  “The evidence is pretty stacked against
Chelsea
, though. I’m surprised she has an alibi.”

“Should we be discussing this?”

Dare paused, then shrugged into his shirt and shook his head. “I don’t see what the issue is. You work for the same people I do. You’ll be privy to this info come tomorrow anyway.”

Olivia nodded and gathered the sheets. She followed him out of the bedroom after he collected his wallet and phone.  “True, but we don’t know what you’ve got yet.  I don’t believe for a minute that
Chelsea
’s innocent. The alibi is probably bogus. She hated Chantal with every fiber of her being. We’ve heard the recordings that her mother-in-law had in her safety deposit box.
Chelsea
was known to have said many times that she wanted the other woman dead.”

Dare moved to the back door and put on his cowboy boots. She made her way to the laundry room beside the kitchen and inspected at him through the doorway. Decked out in those boots, he was sexy as hell.

“I know
Chelsea
said it, but saying and doing are two different things, Liv. What makes you so sure?”

She gaped at him and leaned against the washing machine. “How can you not be sure? 
Chelsea
’s prints are the only ones on the baseball bat, and I can’t see her ever picking up a bat to do anything but obviously clobber the hell out of her mother-in-law.  So how else would they get on there? With Chantal dead and
Chelsea
’s husband gone,
Chelsea
is the only one left in the will. I just don’t understand why Chantal never had it changed after her son’s death if they hated one another so much.”

“Why do the rich do anything they do?”

“To have that kind of lifestyle and be as miserable as the two of them seemed to be?” She shook her head. “I guess one never knows what goes on behind closed doors.”

He shrugged into his light twill jacket, and crossed over to her, smiling.  “Aren’t we lucky that no one knows what went on behind closed doors these last couple of days, huh? The stories they would tell.”

Olivia chuckled and rested her elbows on the washer behind her as Dare slid his arms around her waist.  “We might have been arrested for indecency.”

“Damn, I never thought about bringing handcuffs.”

“Dare!”

“Maybe I should bring some with me for next time.”

“Next time?” 

“Well, yeah.” He swallowed, cheeks red. “I hope there will be a next time.”

Olivia stared into his chocolate brown eyes. She couldn’t deny him what she wanted herself.  “I hope there will be
many
more next times.”

“As many as you want, baby.” He kissed her neck, and his mouth slid up her cheek and over to her ear. “I could take you so many times, and it’ll still never be enough,” he whispered.

He swooped low and claimed her lips. His kiss was demanding and relentless. Olivia was sure he wanted her remembering his taste.

His gaze met hers. The ties of her robe in hand, he undid the knot and tugged it open.  His smoldering gaze swept her body. Her nipples tight and pussy wet, she wanted to jump onto the washer and let him have his way with her.

By the tent in the front of his slacks, she was sure he wanted the same thing. He grazed her nipples, causing her to gasp.

“Don’t forget where we’ve left off. I’ll be back soon.”

Olivia groaned and closed her robe as he made his way to the door. “Dare.”

He turned and smiled.

“When you come back, bring some clothes and a toothbrush. You owe me,” Olivia commanded.

His gaze burned with passion before he winked at her, yanked the door open and left.

She’d make sure to pay him back for getting her hot and bothered and not sticking around.

When she did, the last forty-eight hours would pale in comparison.

Chapter Five

By Monday afternoon, Olivia was ready to quit her job, go home and bury her head under the covers.

Malone Senior ran roughshod over the whole staff most of the day, being particularly hardest on her. Preparing for
Chelsea
’s trial was proving more difficult than any case before. Reporters called endlessly wanting details and inside information.  If she had to say
no comment
once more today, she’d scream.

Since she hadn’t stopped for lunch, her stomach continually reminded her it needed food. While the last of the motions for trial printed, she turned and reached into her desk drawer and drew out a Special K granola bar.

She chewed quickly, then laid her head on the back of her chair and closed her eyes. She just needed a moment before the phone started to ring again or Malone Senior yelled at her from inside his office.

Her mind drifted to the weekend and Dare. She sighed.

He’d called her briefly late yesterday, apologized that he wouldn’t be able to return that night. The investigation about the tape of
Chelsea
’s alleged alibi delayed him.

He wasn’t far from her thoughts at any given moment.

His muscular body, rock-hard abs, deep chocolate eyes ran through her mind like a movie and held her on edge. Just thinking about him helped the hectic day seem tolerable, and she hoped she might see him later this evening.

If she survived the day.

Memories of the past few days filled her thoughts. Memories of their passion and laughter excited her for whatever was to come. Having only ever seen him at the office, she hadn’t known much about him, but she’d been curious. Now, she knew more than she ever thought she would, and she liked it.

A lot.

Many layers created the whole
Dare
.  A man’s man who loved life, his job, and adventure. He made her feel special and beautiful. As if she were the only woman in the world.

The printer no longer churning out paper disrupted her thoughts. She sat up, grabbed the papers from the shelf and laid them on her desk. Her snack gone, she threw the empty wrapper in the garbage beneath her desk. She collected and stacked the three copies of the motion she’d put together, stapled them, and placed it in the
Lombardy
folder.

Her cell phone vibrated and lit up. She pushed the view button and discreetly checked the text. Malone Senior didn’t mind cell phones in the office if he couldn’t see the staff using them, and she tried not to abuse the privilege.

Hello, beautiful.

She frowned. Uncertain of the caller’s identity, she scrolled to the top of the message.

D. Shalvis.

She smiled and texted him back.
Where are u?

She sat back, eager to talk to him, even if it was by text.

Just admiring
ur
gorgeous beauty.

A wave of heat rolled through her. He thought her beautiful. She looked around the office. She caught sight of Dare in the conference room behind Malone Senior, who was on his cell phone. She smiled, cheeks heating.