A Little Dare - Brenda Jackson [66]
“He told me what you had said about the possibility of me getting married one day, and I knew then what you must have been thinking to assume that you and AJ and I would never be a family.”
Shelly nodded. “But we will be a family?” she asked quietly, wanting to reach out and touch Dare, just to make sure this entire episode was real and that she wasn’t dreaming any of it.
“Yes, we will be a family, Shelly. I made a mistake ten years ago by letting you go, but I won’t make the same mistake twice. I love you and I intend to spend the remainder of my days proving just how much.” Sitting forward, his smile was tender and filled with warmth and love when he added. “That is, if you trust me enough to give me another chance.”
Shelly reached out and cupped his jaw with her hands. She met the gaze of the man she had always loved and who would forever have her heart. “Are you sure that is what you want, Dare?”
“Yes, I haven’t been more sure of anything in my life, Shelly, so make me the happiest man in the world. I love you. I always have and always will, and more than anything, I want you for my wife. Will you marry me?”
“Oh, Dare, I love you, too, and yes, I will marry you.” She automatically went into his arms when he leaned forward and kissed her. His kiss started off gentle, but soon it began stoking a gnawing hunger that was seeping through both of their bodies and became hard and demanding. And then suddenly Dare broke the kiss as he stood and Shelly found herself lifted off the sofa and cradled close to his body.
While she slowly ran her lips along his jaw, the corners of his mouth and his neck, he took the stairs two at a time, his breath ragged, as he carried her to his bedroom. Once there, he placed her in the middle of his bed and began removing his shirt. Her mouth began watering as he exposed a hard-muscled chest. All the other times since she’d been back they had made love in the dark, and although she had felt his chest she hadn’t actually seen it. At least not like this. It was daylight and she was seeing it all, the thatch of hair that covered his chest then tapered down into a thin line as it trailed lower to his…
She swallowed and realized that his hand had moved to the snap on his jeans. He slowly began taking them off. She swallowed again. Seeing him like this, in the light, a more mature and older Dare, made her see just how much his body had changed, just how much more physical, masculine and totally male he was.
And just how much she appreciated being the woman he wanted.
She watched as he reached into the nightstand next to the bed to retrieve a condom packet, and how he took the time to prepare himself to keep her safe. With that task done, he lifted his gaze and met hers. “I’d like other children, Shelly.”
She smiled and said, “So would I, and I know for a fact that AJ doesn’t like being an only child, so he would welcome a sister or brother as well.”
Dare nodded, remembering the question AJ had asked about whether he wanted other children. He was glad to hear AJ would welcome the idea. Dare walked the few steps back over to the bed and, leaning down, he began removing every stitch of clothing from Shelly’s body, almost unable to handle the rush of desire when he saw her exposed skin.
“You’re beautiful, Shelly,” he whispered breathless, smiling down at her when he had finished undressing her and she lay before him completely naked.
She returned his smile, glowing with his compliment. As he joined her in bed and took her into his arms, she knew that this was where she had always been meant to be.
Shelly felt the heat of desire warm her throat the moment Dare joined his mouth to hers, and all the love she had for him seeped through every part of her body as his kiss issued a promise she knew he would fulfill.
They hadn’t made love in over a month so she wasn’t surprised or shocked by the powerful emotions surging through her that only intensified with Dare’s kiss. He wasn’t just kissing her, he was using his tongue to stroke a need, deliver