Authors: Lori Foster
When You Dare (48 page)
“I know.”
She shook her head. “I mean, you’ve felt responsible for me for so long—”
“Hell, honey, I feel responsible for almost everyone. That’s not going to change.”
“You do?”
That gorgeous mouth of his curled into a sexy smile. “Everyone smaller, older, weaker, younger—”
Molly couldn’t help but laugh. “And that covers about everyone.”
He shrugged. “Trust me, what I feel for you is different. I’d love for us to be responsible for each other, but it’s more than that. Hell, I don’t know what to call it, because I never felt it before now. But it’s as real as it gets, and it won’t change.”
“I’ve never felt this before, either.” Molly forced herself to think it through, instead of leaping with open arms. “Dare, you need to be sure.”
His brows knit together. “Are you sure?”
She didn’t care about protecting her heart or her pride. “I love you.”
He let out a breath. “It’s going to be a rough road ahead.” He trailed his thumb over her cheek, along the line of her jaw, down her throat. “I haven’t protected you well at all. That damned bomb is going to cause a stir. The law, both local and federal, is going to be all over this. There’ll be a massive investigation, most of it centered on your stepmother and father. I’ll pull some strings and keep you out of most of it—”
“Dare, no.” She let out a breath, and smiled. “None of that matters to me.”
“No?”
She shook her head. “Dad might care, but he and I have so little in common.”
Filled with sincerity, Dare glanced at where the officer had been, and then lowered his voice. “I can spin this to protect him, too, if that’s what you want.”
“No.” She put her arms around him. He had enough responsibility in his life; her father could fend for himself. “All I really want is you.”
On a groan, he lifted her off her feet. “God, baby, you’ve got me.”
The officer cleared her throat, and Dare released Molly to stand on her own again. “Are you okay to do this?”
Molly couldn’t help but smile again. After everything else she’d been through, facing the police would be a piece of cake.
Just to tease him, she said, “I’m fine.”
Dare rolled his eyes, but he smiled, too. “Come on, then. Let’s get this over with.”
M
OLLY WORE HER
cutest pajamas, the ones Dare hadn’t wanted her to bring, when she went into the kitchen early in the morning and found Chris sprawled in a chair, more disheveled than not. Dare was at the stove cooking breakfast, and the dogs jumped up to greet her.
She petted each one, went to Chris to kiss him on the ear and then went to Dare to wrap her arms around him from behind.
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Morning, beautiful.”
She gave him a squeeze, then went to pour some coffee. “Chris, you look more out of sorts than usual. Everything okay?”
Dare gave her a look. “All the decision-making on his new place is keeping him awake at night.”
“Alani is a slave driver,” Chris complained. “I just want the house done, but she keeps saying it has to be done right.”
“Now, Chris,” Molly teased. “You’re hurting my feelings. Am I really so difficult to be around?”
He sat upright. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Are you sure?” For a couple of months now, Chris had been living in the main house with them while his home was rebuilt. “I know I’m an interloper—”
Both men protested so strongly that Sargie barked. Molly started out by snickering, but ended up laughing out loud.
Chris gave her a dirty look. “Not funny.” And then to Dare, “She has a twisted sense of humor.” He swilled some coffee and added, “I like it.”
“Dare, don’t forget that we’re meeting Natalie and Jett for dinner tomorrow.” They were needed back in town yet again. Her stepmother had been arrested, along with Mark Sagan and Ed Warwick, but amazingly enough, her father hadn’t been implicated in any wrongdoing. He was still bitter about how it had all turned out, the intrusion into his life and his business affairs. But he cooperated with the investigation and out of necessity spoke with Molly more often now than before her abduction. The scandal hadn’t affected him too much, business-wise. There’d been gossip, of course, and long looks from some of his so-called friends. But all in all, he’d been business as usual, throwing himself into his work and his social life.
For her part, Molly stayed too busy with her writing, the exciting progress on the movie and loving Dare to worry overly about her father’s affections.
“Let’s pick out a ring while we’re there, okay?” Dare put pancakes in front of her. “I like that little jewelry shop near where Jett works.”
So much joy filled Molly, she thought she might burst. “All right.” She reached for Chris’s hand. “Want to come along?”
“Sorry. I’d love to, but the contractor will be here in an hour.” He lifted her hand for a kiss to her knuckles. “Pick out something outrageous, okay?” He winked at her.
Chris did enjoy spending Dare’s money.
“She can pick out whatever she wants.” Dare put pancakes in front of Chris, too.
Once Chris had his house back and the legalities were all settled, she and Dare would marry. She was happy to wait and do it right. As long as she got to do it all with Dare, nothing else mattered.
Life had challenged her. Life had brought out her strengths.
Life had given her love—and knowing how it had all turned out, she wouldn’t change a thing.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0157-6
WHEN YOU DARE
Copyright © 2011 by Lori Foster
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