When You Dare - Lori Foster [140]
After she handed the phone back to Dare, he asked, “Everything okay?”
Molly nodded. In the beginning, she’d been so excited about the movie, so flattered and so proud. Now, it seemed almost insignificant in the scheme of things. Her priorities had shifted in a big way.
“She was far more understanding than I thought she’d be.”
“No big questions?”
“No, thank God. She just said that she hopes I’m okay and to let her know if she can do anything.”
Dare grinned. “You’re making her a lot of money.”
Molly shrugged. “Sure. But she’s also a very nice, warm woman with loads of good business sense.”
While she had Dare talking, Molly decided to venture into her concerns. “Will Natalie truly be all right?”
“I don’t think anyone wants to bother her, but even if they did, Jett’s going to keep an eye on her. He won’t leave her alone, except for when she’s at school.” He put a warm hand on her thigh. “Try not to worry, okay?”
Resting her head back against the seat, Molly wondered how she could not worry. Especially when she again saw Dare look in the rearview mirror.
Still with a hand on her thigh, Dare asked, “What are you thinking?”
It wasn’t like her to play games, so she gave him an honest answer. “I was going over conversational pieces.”
“Like?”
“Mark Sagan in, and out of, a suit.” She swiveled her head to look at Dare. “It was strange how my stepmother said that, don’t you think? Almost as if she knows him more intimately than we first thought.”
Dare chewed his upper lip, glanced at her, then back to the road. “You picked up on that, huh?”
He had to be kidding. “Didn’t you?”
“Yeah.” He shifted in his seat, put both hands on the steering wheel. “Yeah, I did.”
“Dare?”
His mouth flattened.
“Oh, for crying out loud.” She’d had enough of his macho posturing. “I’m not that fragile, you know. I won’t break.”
“You’ve been through a hell of a lot. That business with your father and his nutty wife…” He shook his head. “Damn, Molly, that was painful for me to watch. I can only imagine how it is for you to live it.”
He’d been distracted in his concern for her? Okay, she could forgive that—as long as it ended right now. “That’s the one good thing to come out of all this. I realize now that I have very real endurance. If what happened to me had happened to someone else I know, I’d expect her to be falling apart. And I’d understand if she did. But…” She shook her head. “I really am going to be okay. I know it, and I can’t tell you what that feels like, but it’s…good.”
“It’s empowering.” Voice low, expression intimate, Dare said, “Your strength is undeniable.”
Such a smooth talker. Somehow Dare made a comment on her fortitude sound like a very sexy compliment. “Then we agree that I’m not the type to crumple into an emotional mess. So, out with it.” She half turned to face him, as far as the seat belt would allow. “Does your silence have to do with that car following us?”
Surprise flashed in his gaze before he masked it.
Molly rolled her eyes. “I’m not a complete dummy, either.”
“I’m aware of your many qualities, honey, you don’t have to keep reminding me.” He checked the rearview mirror again. “I would say that car likely means that we’re on the right track.”
“You think Dad sent people to follow us?”
Dare hedged. “I’m still mulling things over.”
Narrowing her eyes, Molly said, “Mull them over out loud. It’ll help bring clarity.”
His gaze clashed with hers for a heartbeat, and then he looked away with a grin. “You really are getting back to normal, aren’t you?”
Her neck went stiff. “Meaning what?”
Now the grin turned into a laugh. “Nothing insulting, I swear. You were just so damned polite and reserved at first, it made me nuts.” He glanced at her again, all over her. “I like this new…” He thought about it, then shrugged. “Confidence. But more than that, really. You’re self-assured, poised, assertive.” He held out his hand, and when she took it, he lifted her palm for a kiss. “I’m glad that you’re getting back some of your own.”
Molly