Dare to Touch (Dare to Love 3)

“Now stop fighting me and let’s talk,” he said, back to taking charge.

Really? How did he expect her to concentrate with his hard length pressing into her, causing her sex to pulse and swell?

She swallowed hard. She had two choices. Ask him to leave or go along with what he had planned.

Not much of a choice.

“Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

He continued to leisurely caress her cheek. “I’m sure you’ve dated before.”

“Of course I have!”

He laughed at her indignant tone, causing her to flush with embarrassment. Her cheeks were probably flaming. “Your point?” she asked.

“Do you give every man who wants to be with you this hard a time?”

She blew out a long breath, understanding now where he was going with this conversation. “No.”

* * *

“Why me then?” Dylan asked, but in his gut, he already knew the answer. He just wanted to hear Olivia admit what was going on inside her head so they could deal with it and put it behind them, once and for all. If she stopped fighting herself, there was so much for them to explore.

He’d spent too much time imagining the hollows and curves of her body, of her wet heat drenching his cock, of tasting her sweet essence. Jerking off to those thoughts and more. He needed to experience reality, and to do that, he had to quell her misgivings, whatever they were. That had been his plan for the evening, not the detour into his past. The revelations had been like slicing open a vein, but if the insight into what had made him who he was helped ease her fears, it was worth it.

So he’d bled for her. He hoped she was willing to dig as hard, and as deep, for him.

“Well?” he asked, stroking her cheek and enjoying the feel of her soft skin against his hand.

“You scare me,” she said on a soft breath of air. Yet with the admission, she turned her face into his hand, seeking more of his touch. He doubted she was even aware of her actions, but arousal rushed through him at the trust that little action implied.

The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her. “Why do I scare you?” he asked. He stopped touching her skin and picked up her thick braid and tickled her shoulder with the end strands.

“It’s complicated. We know each other already. We have an obvious connection. And it’s intense.”

He grinned. “Yes, it is.”

“One of us could get hurt,” she said, looking at him with wide eyes.

And she was afraid that someone would be her. Interesting. “Life’s a risk,” he murmured.

“I’ve lived mine lately without taking too many of those.”

He paused in thought. “Let me catch you if you fall, okay?”

She visibly swallowed hard. “But we work together. Things can get awkward if we don’t work out.”

He couldn’t argue that point. But he wasn’t about to let it stop him either. “You’re the one with the job security,

sunshine. If things go wrong, your brother could kick me out on my ass. And I’m willing to take the risk.”

“You don’t know me,” she said.

“But I’m going to.” He’d had enough. “You admitted there’s something real between us. You’re a strong woman who competes in a man’s world, and yet you’re willing to run without seeing how good we can be? That’s not the Olivia I’ve seen so far. She wouldn’t bolt at the first sign of trouble.”

She narrowed her gaze. “You’re right.” But he could tell she didn’t like admitting it.

“So we can agree that when you told me you wouldn’t go out with me because you didn’t want anyone to think you’re weak, that was bullshit?”