Dare to Love (24 page)

“Works for me,” she said as her trembling fingers fumbled with his belt buckle, finally opening his pants.

He stepped back long enough to drop his trousers and kick them aside. He came back to her, taking his time, allowing his cock to slide up and down her sex. He couldn’t refrain from glancing down, viewing his glide against her slick folds.

She answered with a soft moan. “I didn’t think we’d be like this again,” she whispered.

Knowing he’d broken her heart, he swore to himself he’d do everything possible to mend it and keep her whole for the rest of her life.

His gaze never leaving hers, he eased himself inside her slowly, reveling in the feel of her internal muscles as she clasped and clutched around his shaft.

She braced herself on her elbows, locking her legs around his waist, holding him in place.

“I love you,” he said, thrusting deep.

Her eyes opened wide, and she moaned at the intimate contact.

“I love you too,” she said. “So much.”

With her words came soul-shattering emotion, as he made her his, settling so far inside her she became part of him. And every time he breathed, the base of his cock rubbed her clit, bringing them both closer to completion.

One good drive into her again and he’d come, but he didn’t want to take her hard and fast and lose the beauty of the moment. Instead, he rocked against her, over and over, rolling his hips against hers, letting her soft breaths, clutching fingers, and wet heat work their own brand of magic.

He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers just as she started to come. She tugged at his hair with her fingers and rolled her hips, bucking against him. His cock grew rigid, his entire body tripping in ecstasy, feeling every second of her release.

“Oh, Ian! Love you, love you, love you!”

Her continuing chant triggered his release, and he began to thrust, his body consumed by the biggest tidal wave of heat and sensation he’d ever experienced. He was overwhelmed by the feelings and emotion pulsing through him as he spilled himself inside her. To his shock, she continued to pulse around him, aftershocks or a continuation of her equally explosive climax.

Unwilling to separate, he remained inside her and stroked her hair as they both came down.

“Ian?”

“Hmm?”

“Next time, you can tie me up,” she murmured.

And damned if his cock didn’t twitch in agreement. He appreciated that she might want to give him what she thought he needed, but the truth was, all he needed was Riley. The rest didn’t matter.

He reluctantly pulled out of her. He headed for the bathroom, returning with a wet cloth. After taking care of her, he lifted her into his arms and moved them to the couch, where she cuddled on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder.

They lay in silence for a while, her rhythmic breathing reassuring him she wasn’t going anywhere ever again.

“I’m seeing a therapist,” she said softly.

Her sudden revelation surprised him, but he was glad she decided to confide in him. “Is it helping?”

“It is.” She paused. “I need to tell you what happened with my father.”

He nodded, needing to hear it too. “I assume he called and asked for money.”

“Mmm-hmm. He saw the photos of us and decided you were his ticket to a windfall. He threatened to create a scandal that would embarrass you and the team. He swore you would drop me like the trash I always was.” She shuddered as she spoke, and he realized the awful lies she’d grown up hearing about herself.

He tightened his arms around her and tried like hell to suppress the anger reverberating through him. She didn’t need that from him now.

“I knew you wouldn’t care, but I did. I didn’t want to bring that kind of humiliation into your life, or your family’s. None of you needed or deserved that.”

“How about next time, you let me decide what I need?”

She nodded into his chest. “The thing is, even though he didn’t hit me when I was younger, he made sure I knew my place. That I wasn’t worth a damned thing, and those feelings came flooding back. I just wanted to fix it myself and make him go away. But when I got to the pawnshop, I couldn’t do it.”

Ian stilled. “But your father had the necklace in his hand. I just assumed you were giving it to him to sell.”

She lifted herself up and straddled his waist. “No. I was going to pawn the necklace and give him the money at some point in the future. But I changed my mind. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t give in to him one more time in my life, and I really couldn’t part with the necklace you’d given me.”

She reached up, her expression crestfallen when she realized the pendant was no longer there.

He could fix that, but he wanted her to finish unburdening herself first.

“I stood in the pawnshop and decided right then to go to you, so we could figure out what to do together. But when I walked out, my father was there, demanding the cash, and you know the rest.”

Yeah. He knew. “Riley, you have to know you’re worth everything to me. You make me a better man. And I’m so damned sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me afterwards.”

Her eyes filled, and his heart squeezed tightly. He hated causing her any kind of pain.

“You’re here now.”

“And I’m not going anywhere ever.” He’d been without her, and he wasn’t going back to that empty place again. “Which reminds me. The reason I called you in here in the first place. Scoot over.”

She slid off him, and he headed to his desk, coming back with two boxes. He handed her the long one first.

She opened it and squealed with delight. “My necklace!”

“I called the police and managed to convince them to return it to me after your father pleaded guilty.”

“The district attorney called me to approve the deal.”

“You’re okay with the five years?”

She nodded. “As long as he’s behind bars and I get a restraining order when he gets out, I’m okay.”

Ian wouldn’t let the man anywhere near her, but it was a discussion for far in the future.

He was more interested in focusing on the present. He lifted the necklace, and she raised her hair so he could replace it on her neck, where it belonged.

“I had the clasp fixed, and they cleaned it too.”

She turned and kissed him. “Thank you.” She touched the pendant. “I feel like you’re always with me when I wear it.”

“Then I hope you’ll feel the same way about its mate.”

She narrowed her gaze, wrinkling her nose in curiosity as he handed her the small box. “Ian?” she asked, her voice trembling.

He understood because his insides were a quaking mess.

Her hands shook as she lifted the top off the box, revealing the match to the pendant in ring form. A pear-shaped diamond that was too big, he knew, but he didn’t care.

Corny as it was, he dropped to one knee. “Marry me,” he said as she stared open-mouthed at the ring.

“Was that a question or a demand?” she asked, half laughing, half crying.

He grinned. “Still working on that part of me.”

She met his gaze, her expression solemn. “I don’t want to change you completely. I just need—”

He grasped her wrist. “I know what you need, and I want to be the one to give it to you.”

“Tell me that includes you keeping control in the bedroom, because there are places I really don’t mind you taking over.”

“Is that a yes to my proposal?” he asked, his heart still hammering hard in his chest.

She wriggled her fingers in front of him. “Yes. Yes!”

He slid the ring onto her finger, grateful his sister had guessed her finger size correctly.

He rose and settled back on the couch, pulling her into his arms.

She sighed and snuggled close.

He didn’t know how long they lay, her heart beating against his chest, but it was long enough for everything inside him to settle and for him to find the peace that had always eluded him.

Peace he sensed he’d now have, every day for the rest of his life, because he’d finally done what he’d always thought was impossible. He’d dared to love. And he had Riley to thank for teaching him how.

EPILOGUE

6 Months Later

S
urrounded by his siblings, real and half, Alex nursed a beer as he glanced around his half brother’s apartment. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. The food was phenomenal, Ian having spared no expense. He was doing his damnedest not to follow up every thought of Ian with an expletive or complaint, but old habits were hard to break.

The lovebirds couldn’t take their hands off each other. Considering this was an engagement party, as well as a redo of the family event he’d botched a few months ago, Alex figured that was to be expected.

He wondered how long he had to stay before he could bow out and not have it look suspicious.

“What’s with the scowl?” his sister Sienna asked.

“I’m not scowling.” Was he?

“You’re okay, right?” She wrapped her arms around him for a tight hug.

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

She frowned at him. “You can fool the others, but I know you. You’re jealous of Ian and Riley, and I’m worried about you.”

Her words hit him where it hurt. “I am not jealous.”

She settled her hands on her hips. “You’ve had Riley to yourself for years. Then Ian comes along and…well, you wouldn’t be human if you weren’t a little envious of what they have.”

Even if he was, Alex wouldn’t admit it out loud. Not even to the sister he loved. “It’s fine. I want her to be happy, even if it is with him.” He nodded toward Ian, doing his best to keep his expression neutral.

“Are you sure you aren’t…a little bit in love with her?” Sienna asked.

Alex blanched. “Hell no. That’d be the same as thinking of you that way.”

Sienna raised one eyebrow. “That was a quick denial.”

“Look, maybe once, a long time ago…” He shook his head, not wanting to remember or even admit that, yeah, he’d once had feelings for Riley. Feelings that had been in no way brotherly.

Then he’d kissed her, she’d freaked out, saying they were such good friends, why ruin it, and he’d agreed. Quickly. Better that than to lose her, which seemed a certainty given that she clearly hadn’t felt the same way about him.

Since then, he hadn’t had to worry about her finding anyone serious, until Ian. His half brother. Well, whatever. The families were making their peace, and he had to live with it.

“Yeah, I thought so.” Sienna clasped her small hand in his. “I just think facing your feelings is better than avoiding them. You don’t have to tell anyone else, but I’m here for you, okay?”

He shook his head hard to clear his thoughts. “Hey, I said maybe, a long time ago. Not anymore. I’m fine.” And he was, except…Ian and Riley’s engagement made the stark contrast of his life clear.

He had his bimbos, and Riley? She had a soon-to-be husband and a life that didn’t include him. Certainly not the way it used to.

“Okay. I’ll accept that for now. I’m going to talk to Mom, okay?”

Another weird thing. Ian had invited their father and Savannah. Talk about making a huge concession and reaching out. Even Alex had to admire the man for that.

“Hi!” Riley walked over, a glass of champagne in hand. “I know you’re not having the best time, but I’m really glad you’re here.”

He shook his head. “I’m having a good time,” he lied. “And I love you. I wouldn’t be anywhere else. You’re happy, so I’m happy.” And that much he meant. Absolutely.

Female laughter captured his attention, and he turned toward the sound. Not far from where he and Riley stood, Ian spoke to a beautiful blonde. She wore a fitted black skirt that hugged delicious-looking curves and a purple satin top that covered more of her than it exposed. He was used to women who flaunted their assets and would definitely consider himself a breast man. He couldn’t see a damned thing about this woman’s cleavage, and yet he couldn’t tear his gaze away. Something about the way she held herself, so tightly composed and not overtly sexual, appealed to him on a visceral level.

Really unlike his usual type too. Huh.

“Who is she?” he asked Riley, thinking that something about her looked familiar.

“You don’t recognize her, do you?” Riley laughed. “That’s Madison Evans, the social worker you met at the hospital after…” Her voice trailed off, and he understood her not wanting to mention or think about her father, who Alex hoped was miserable during his stint behind bars.

“No shit?” He blinked. This woman with the flowing, blonde hair was the same female who’d all but ignored him the one and only time they’d met.

He shouldn’t be shocked though. She’d worn a prim little skirt then, paired with a blouse that hid her assets, and even then, he’d been drawn to her. It’d pissed him off too. Not because she hadn’t recognized him, as unusual as that was in his world. But because she hadn’t given him a second glance. Madison Evans had bruised his ego as much as she’d surprised him by attracting his attention in the first place.

“I know that you saw her for a couple of sessions afterwards, but if she’s your therapist, what’s she doing here?”

“I finished therapy.” Riley smiled. “I really didn’t want to spend years rehashing things. Anyway, Madison and I became friendly, and I don’t have many close women friends.” Riley shrugged, as if that explained it all.