Dare to Touch (Dare to Love 3)

A few minutes later, she’d grabbed her purse, and they walked out the door.

“Well, this is a surprise,” Olivia said as they waited for the elevator.

Dylan eyed her with those sexy bedroom eyes. “I missed you, sunshine. So I wrapped things up as soon as I could and hopped the first flight back.”

She warmed at his sentiment. “I missed you too.” The words came out more easily than she would have thought.

The elevator door opened. No sooner had they stepped inside than Olivia found herself against the wall, held in place by Dylan’s strong thighs and his hands on either side of her head.

Instead of kissing her, he dipped his head and settled his lips on her neck, on the sensitive skin behind her ear. His breath was warm, and he grazed her flesh lightly with his teeth.

“Mmm.” Her knees buckled under the delicious assault.

He threaded his hands through her hair and tugged, tipping her head and sealing his lips over hers. He kissed her like he’d missed her, kissed her like he couldn’t get enough, his big body pressing into hers, his erection a promise of good things to come later.

And she kissed him back the same way until the elevator door opened. He grasped her hand and pulled her out, ignoring the disapproving looks from the older couple waiting to step inside.

Dylan already had a gift in his trunk for his niece but had guessed correctly that Olivia would want to buy a present herself. She found it incredibly thoughtful of him. So after a short trip to the toy store and another to a bakery, this time at Olivia’s request, Dylan drove them out to Weston, where his sister lived.

She glanced out the window, watching the trees as they passed. “So give me details before I meet your family,” Olivia said, curious about everyone.

“Just what I already told you. Callie is two years older than me. She used to work in retail before she decided to stay home with Ava. She’s four now, as you know by the age section of the toy store.” He grinned at the mention of his niece. “She’s a real cutie. You’re going to love her.”

Olivia swallowed hard. And smiled. “I adore Ian and Riley’s little girl,” she murmured, thinking of her sweet niece. But every time she held the baby, now a toddler, the powdery, soft smell reminded her of what she’d lost … and might never have again.

She cleared her throat. “And Callie’s husband? What’s he like?”

“Matthew? He’s good to my sister, which is all that matters to me. He works in finance and he’s a great dad.”

“They sound like the perfect family.”

He shrugged. “If there is such a thing, I suppose they are.”

“Do you think there is?” she asked. “I wondered that a lot. Or at least I did after my father’s second family was exposed. But I

watch Ian and Alex with their wives and I think … maybe it can happen after all.” Too bad she was so afraid of believing.

* * *

Dylan pulled onto his sister’s street. She was the last house on a cul-de-sac in a typical suburban development. He and Callie had grown up in a one-bedroom apartment on a shitty side of Miami. To know his sister had this life meant everything to him.

“You haven’t answered my question,” Olivia said.

“Not yet, I haven’t.” He glanced over in time to see her narrow her gaze.

He chuckled with amusement and turned his attention back to the road, where he knew kids played. But he always had some focus on Olivia. Whether she was thinking or nervously chattering or sleeping, he loved watching her.

When she’d walked out of her bedroom wearing a white halter dress with small pink flowers, her dark hair falling over her shoulders and looking like sunshine … it’d been all he could do not to pick her up and walk directly back into her room, lock the door, and drive into her until she couldn’t remember her name and was screaming his. The fact that her sister had been there helped temper his desire. Even that kiss in the elevator had barely quenched his thirst. She was so fresh and pretty, she checked every box in a want list he hadn’t known he had.

Convincing her she could put her past behind her, and whatever else haunted her beyond her father’s betrayal, wouldn’t be easy. It couldn’t be accomplished in bed alone, although he wouldn’t mind tying her up and keeping her in his. Integrating her into his family would be a solid start. He never brought women to meet his sister and niece, and he had no doubt that was something Callie would latch onto and treat Olivia accordingly.

He pulled up in front of the house, a peach-colored ranch with a Spanish-styled roof, and parked before turning toward Olivia. He wanted to see her face when he answered her question. “Do I think there’s such a thing as a perfect family?” He held her soft gaze as he answered. “I guess I have to believe.”

“And why is that?” she asked, eyes wide, and if he had to put a name to the expression on her face, he’d say … hopeful.

He intended to do everything he could to keep that hope alive. He reached over and tugged on a long strand of her hair. “Because if I didn’t believe, there would be no point in being with you.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he placed his hand beneath her chin and closed it.