A Little Dare - Brenda Jackson [50]
An hour or so later, Shelly walked Dare to the door. He had spent some time telling her how Tara Matthews was a feisty woman that only Thorn could tame and that was why the brothers referred to her as Thorn’s challenge. “So you think this Tara Matthews has captured the eye of Thorn Westmoreland?”
Dare chuckled. “Yes, although he doesn’t know it yet, and I feel sorry for Tara when he does.”
Shelly nodded. Moments later she said. “I hope you know your leaving late is giving the neighbors a lot to say.”
He smiled. “Yeah, I heard from McKade that a lot of people around town are questioning my intelligence. They think I haven’t figured out that AJ’s my son.”
Shelly nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m hearing, too, from Ms. Kate.”
“How do you think AJ is handling things?”
“I don’t think anyone has said anything to him directly, but I know a couple of people have asked him about his father in a roundabout way.”
Dare lifted a brow. “When?”
“A couple of days ago at Kate’s Diner. He goes there every morning on his way to school.”
Dare nodded. “Damn, Shelly, I’m ready to end this farce and let this whole damn town know AJ’s mine.”
“I know, Dare, but remember we decided to let him be the one to determine when that would be. Personally, I think it’ll be sooner than you think, because he’s slowly coming around.”
Dare raised a questioning brow. “You think so?”
“Yes. The two of you are interacting together a lot better. That’s obvious. I can tell, and I know your brothers picked up on it tonight as well.”
“Yes, but for some reason he still holds himself back from me,” Dare said in a frustrated tone. “I sense it, Shelly, and it bothers the heck out of me. I don’t know why he’s doing it.”
Shelly smiled slightly. “I think I do.”
Dare met her gaze. “Then tell me—why?”
She sighed. “I think AJ is beginning to wonder if he’s good enough to be your son.”
Dare frowned. “Why would he wonder about a thing like that?”
“Because basically he’s beginning to see you through a new set of eyes, the same eyes Morris and Cornelius see you with, and AJ’s concerned about the way the two of you met. He knows it wasn’t a good start and that you were disappointed with him. Now he’s afraid that he won’t be able to wipe the slate clean with you.”
Dare rubbed a hand down his face. “There’ll never be a time that I wouldn’t want my son, Shelly.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist upon hearing the frustration in his voice. She heard the love there as well. “I know that and you know that, but he has to know that, too. Now that you’ve broken the ice with him, it’s time for you to get to know him and for him to get to know you. Then he’ll see that no matter what, you’ll always be there for him.”
Dare let out a deep sigh. “And I thought winning him over would be easy.”
She smiled. “In a way, it has been. To be honest with you, I really didn’t expect him to come around this soon. Like you, he has somewhat of a stubborn streak about certain things. Him coming around the way he has just goes to show that you evidently have a way with people.”
Dare smiled and brought her closer to him. “And do I have a way with you, Shelly?” The only reason he wasn’t making love to her again tonight was that he was well aware of the fact that her body was sore. He couldn’t help noticing how stiff her movements were when she’d dropped AJ off that morning and again this evening at dinner.
“After last night how can you even ask that, Dare? You know I was putty in your hands,” she said, recapturing his attention.
“Then that makes us even, because I was definitely putty in yours as well.” He leaned down and kissed her, thinking of