When You Dare - Lori Foster [74]
“Motels?” Molly paused with a spoonful of cereal almost to her mouth. That made no sense to her.
Teasing, Chris said, “It’s a four-hour drive, five if you stop to eat. You really never know when you might need a…room.”
Oh, for heaven’s sake. “Why would we…” And suddenly she caught on: Chris was referring to what he’d heard last night. From her.
Aghast, Molly threw a piece of wet cereal at him, hitting him dead center in the chest. The cereal bounced off onto the table but left a spot of milk on his sweatshirt.
Not even trying to hide his laughter, Chris snatched up the cereal and popped it into his mouth. “I’m all done here.” He rose from his seat. “If you see Dare, tell him I’ll be back within an hour.”
With heat still throbbing in her face, Molly tried to play off her embarrassment. “Where are the dogs?”
“Downstairs with Dare.” Chris walked toward her, paused to give her shoulder a squeeze and then whistled as he snatched up keys and left the kitchen.
Dare had warned her about Chris, but he hadn’t mentioned how much the man liked to tease, and his lack of propriety.
At a loss as to how to proceed, Molly took her time finishing her cereal. She didn’t even know herself anymore. Not only had Chris reminded her of last night, but she’d just behaved like a child by throwing her food at him.
Propping her head on her fist, she wished she at least had the dogs for company. She’d gotten used to their constant shadowing. But it made sense that now that Dare was around they wanted to be with him. She could see how much he loved Tai and Sargie, and how much they loved him.
It would help her to sort things out if she knew more about Dare. Things like how much time he actually spent away with his work. And more details about his work would be nice, too. He obviously did very well for himself, given his property and his ease in spending money. Did his career choice often involve killing monstrous bad guys? Or had her situation been somehow unique?
Given the oddity of his work, when did he last have a steady girlfriend? Was a steady girlfriend even possible?
Molly wanted to know about his family, other friends he might have, preferences and dislikes and…everything.
She didn’t have Chris or the dogs to keep her company, but when the noise in the basement continued, she decided she’d do well to stay busy.
After clearing away the breakfast mess, she dragged herself back upstairs to write. This time her attempts at that distraction didn’t last beyond a half hour. Her muse wouldn’t cooperate anymore.
She tried going out the French doors for some fresh air, but instead she ended up staring at the dock and…remembering. Her skin tingled and warmed, and her body felt tight.
Sometimes a steamy shower helped kick-start her muse. She spent almost half an hour under the hot spray, and even washed her hair again, adding extra conditioner. Afterward, her hair was fluffier and her skin glowed, but overall the effort was wasted.
As Molly stared in the mirror, she couldn’t help but pay attention to the bruising that colored her skin. The once-purple marks were already fading to a sickly yellow and pale green.
Her stomach twisted in that now-familiar way, wrenched by remembered fear and choking uncertainty. Those men had hurt her so much, not just physically, but her pride and her spirit. Never in her life had she been so scared, and so despondent. Never had she thought anything so awful could happen to her.
Now she knew, and her life would never be the same.
If it hadn’t been for Dare, she might be there still. Or she could have even been killed, and no one would have ever known what happened to her.
But he had saved her. In a no-nonsense way, he’d reassured her, cared for her, protected her.
And last night he had touched her, giving her new memories to focus on.
The ugliness of captivity faded as she thought about Dare and how he’d made her feel. She almost felt it again, just remembering.
Her pale, marred skin now had a becoming flush. Thanks to Dare and what