Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
He sounded as stunned as she felt, and hope sprung up inside her for the first time. If he didn’t hate Brian, did that mean they had a chance?
“Why not?” she asked.
* * *
Dare met her gaze, his eyes clear and focused. “Because Brian already hated himself enough for both of us. He’s been punishing himself for years, trying to drown his pain in alcohol and other addictions.”
“It hasn’t been easy to watch,” she whispered.
“But I can see now why you felt so compelled to help him.”
“You can?” Her voice rose in disbelief.
But Dare also saw the hope shining in her eyes, and as he stared into the face he loved, he hoped and prayed she understood what his breakthrough meant. That the damage he’d done wasn’t permanent and that he hadn’t come around too late.
He stepped closer. Reaching out, he stroked one finger down her soft cheek. “You, Liza McKnight, have a huge heart, and I was wrong for finding fault with that.”
Her eyes dilated at his touch, giving him hope that if her body hadn’t written him off completely, maybe he could still win over her mind.
“Thanks,” she said softly.
“For what? Realizing something I knew from day one?” He shook his head. “Don’t thank me for being a jerk.”
To his surprise, Liza laughed. “You took care of me when I had no one. The last thing I’d call you is a jerk.”
“That was a pleasure.” He smiled at her, and she smiled back.
More hope, he thought and plowed ahead. “I realized something else when I was with your brother.” He drew a steadying breath. “All that anger I was holding on to and directing at him? That was just my way of not turning it on myself.”
“Because you still blamed yourself for not helping Stuart Rossman,” she said. “That’s normal. Human. And so is the fact that you can’t look at me without being reminded of Brian and of that night. I get it. I do.” She drew a shuddering breath. “So let’s part ways now, with all this goodwill between us.” Her hands shook as she tried to pull her purse off her shoulders, obviously ready to bolt.
Dare didn’t panic. He had no intention of letting her go. “Sorry. Not parting ways. Never again.”
“What?” She raised her gaze to meet his.
Dare had done so much talking, he was sick of his own voice. He grabbed her forearms and pulled her forward, sealing his lips over hers. She stiffened in surprise, so he licked her lips to ease her tension. It worked. She moaned. Her lips parted and she let him inside.
So much better, he thought, as she relaxed into him with her body, then gave of herself with her mouth and her tongue, meeting him sweep for sweep, thrust for thrust.
Until she suddenly pulled away, pain back in her darkened eyes. “I can’t do this anymore. The push and pull, the confusion, the sex for the moment—”
“Whoa. Slow down,” he said, staring into her dark gaze, and at that moment he saw everything he needed.
She was trying to save herself more pain, because she was afraid he’d pull away again. She wanted more than she thought they could have. She was wrong.
He wanted it all and so did she. “I love you, baby. Now and forever.”
“Don’t say that.” She shook her head and tried to pull away. “Don’t promise forever when you can’t mean it.” She started to shake and he wrapped her in his arms, the place where she’d be safe and wanted from now on.
“Didn’t I tell you I only do relationships?” He brushed her hair off her cheek. “While you were exchanging money with a loan shark—and don’t for a minute think I didn’t want to be there—I settled things with your brother, right?”
She nodded.
“And while you were driving here and seeing Brian, I went to the cemetery and made my peace with Stuart Rossman and my past.”
“You did?”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly. He’d never forget what happened, but it was time he let go of that anger. “I might see the department shrink if I ever feel that dark place threatening. But I won’t blame you ever again. I won’t leave you ever again.”
She hiccupped in his arms, and he grinned, then tipped her chin upward and brushed his lips over hers. “I know you don’t trust people. And I realize you don’t believe anyone in your life will stick around, but I’m asking you to trust me.”
Liza’s heart beat hard against his chest. While he waited for an answer, he inhaled and took in her intoxicating scent, drawing strength from the fact that she hadn’t pulled away.
“You’re right. I don’t trust. Experience has taught me otherwise. And I realize now part of the reason I began the relationship with Timothy back in college was because his possessiveness made me think he loved me. And when that went bad, I cut off any and all relationships except the casual ones.” She lifted her hand and cupped his cheek in her palm. “Until you.”