A Little Dare - Brenda Jackson [34]
He thought that he would do just about anything to be able to follow right behind her and tumble her straight into bed, but he knew that wasn’t possible, especially with AJ in the house. Not to mention the fact that she was still acting rather cautiously around him.
He knew it would probably take her a while to get AJ ready for bed, and since he didn’t intend leaving until they had talked, he decided to sit on the sofa and wait for her. He picked up the book she’d been reading, Stone’s most recent bestseller, and smiled, thinking it was a coincidence that he was reading the same book.
Making sure he kept the spot where she’d stopped reading marked, he flipped a couple of chapters ahead and picked up where he’d left off last night before sleep had overtaken him.
Shelly paused on the middle stair when she noticed Dare sitting on her sofa reading the book she had begun reading earlier that day. She couldn’t help noticing that her living room appeared quiet and seductive, and the light from a floor lamp next to where he sat illuminated his features and created an alluring scene that was too enticing to ignore.
She silently studied him for a long time, wondering just how many peaceful moments he was used to getting as sheriff. He looked comfortable, relaxed and just plain sexy as sin. His features were calm, yet she could tell by the way his eyes were glued to the page that he was deeply absorbed in the action-thriller novel his brother had written.
He shifted in his seat while turning the page and crossed one leg over the other. She knew they were strong legs, sturdy legs, legs that had held her body in place while his had pumped relentlessly into her, legs that had nudged hers apart again when he wanted a second round and a third.
Swallowing at the memory, she felt her heart rate increase, and decided the best way to handle Dare was to send him home—real quick-like. She didn’t think she could handle another episode like the one they had shared earlier that day.
He must have heard the sound of her heavy breathing, or maybe she had let out a deep moan without realizing she’d uttered a single word. Something definitely gave her away, and she felt heat pool between her legs when he lifted his gaze from the book and looked at her. It wasn’t just an ordinary look either. It was a hot look, a definite scorcher and a blatant, I-want-to-take-you-to-bed look.
She blinked, thinking she had misread the look, but then she knew she hadn’t. He wouldn’t say the words out loud, but he definitely wanted her to know what he was thinking. She breathed in deeply. Dare was trouble and she was determined to send him packing.
He stood when she took the last few steps down the stairs. “He’s out like a light,” she said quietly when he came to stand in front of her. “I could barely get him in the shower and in bed without him falling asleep again. Thanks for taking him to dinner and for making sure he got back home.”
Shelly paused, knowing she had just said a mouthful, but she wasn’t through yet. “I know you’ve had a busy day today and need your rest as much as I do, so I’ll see you out now. In fact you didn’t have to wait around for me to finish upstairs.”
“Yes, I did.”
She stared at him. “Why?”
“I thought you’d want to know how tonight went.”
Shelly inwardly groaned. Of course she wanted to know how tonight went, but she’d been so intent on getting Dare out the door she had forgotten to ask. “Yes, of course. Did he behave himself? How did he take to your family?”
Dare glanced up at the top of the stairs then returned his gaze to her. “Is there somewhere we can talk privately?”
The first place Shelly thought about was the kitchen, and then she remembered what had happened between them earlier that day. She decided the best place to talk would be outside on the porch. That way he would definitely be out of the house. “We can talk outside on the porch,” she said, moving in that direction.
Without waiting for his response, she took the few