Dare to Touch (Dare to Love 3)

“Oh yes, I do. Nauseous and pale, I’m lovely.” Blech. At least she was nearing the end of her first trimester. The end of the nausea was in sight. She hoped.

A scowl formed on his handsome face. “Your breasts are bigger, your face is as gorgeous as ever, and my baby is growing in here.” He slid his hand over her belly, a habit he’d discovered pretty quickly. “Sexy,” he confirmed.

“I’m glad you think so. It’s pretty unfair how easily men get off during this whole thing.”

“Baby, I went to the nearest mini-mart at eleven p.m. last night looking for mint chocolate chip ice cream. It’s not that easy.”

“But I thanked you in the best possible way, didn’t I?” she asked, her voice thick with the memory of eating that ice cream off his erection. Thank goodness her morning sickness stuck to the morning hours.

He let out a low growl at the reminder, reaching for her, but she scooted backwards fast. “I have to shower if we’re going to get to Ian’s on time.”

He laid his arm over his eyes. “Go,” he said with a groan.

She laughed and headed for the shower, feeling better already.

A little while later, they walked into Ian’s house, where her entire family had already gathered. “Are you okay?” she asked Dylan, knowing he wasn’t used to the huge family chaos all the Dares tended to bring.

“More than okay.” He squeezed her hand.

Without warning, a loud screech sounded, followed by a toddler barreling toward Olivia. “Auntie Liv!”

Olivia held out her arms, and the little girl tripped, falling into her. Olivia scooped up her niece and planted a smacking kiss on her cheek. “How’s my favorite girl?” she asked.

Rainey Noelle, Ian and Riley’s daughter, clasped Olivia’s cheeks in her chubby hands and gave her a smacking kiss right back. That was their routine, one they’d developed when Olivia had started visiting her niece weekly. It hadn’t been easy at first, getting past her fear of losing what meant the most to her. With the help of her therapist and Dylan, Olivia was becoming more secure, both with herself and the people she loved.

Dylan’s hand on her back steadied her now, as he always did.

“There you are!” Riley strode out of the kitchen, heading toward them. “Hi, Dylan, Liv.” She kissed them each. “You were in the middle of eating,” she reminded the little girl. “Come back to Mommy. You can play with Auntie Liv later.” Riley held out her hands, and Rainey fell into her mother’s arms.

The child was fearless in everything she did and drove Ian to distraction. Olivia loved seeing her formerly stoic big brother wrapped around a child?

?s little fingers.

“Everyone’s in the kitchen except the boys. Tyler, Scott, and Jason are shooting baskets out back,” Riley said, turning and carrying her daughter back the way she’d come.

Olivia led Dylan into the fray. He already knew all the Miami siblings. Ian and Riley stood together in one corner, struggling to get Rainey into her high chair.

Her father was nowhere to be found. Olivia would like to think it was out of respect for her mother, Emma, that he and Savannah stayed away. But the truth was, Robert Dare would always do what was best for him. The other truth was that Emma had moved on long ago. She was here with her special friend, as she called Michael Brooks, the man she’d been seeing for a while now. He stood along with their mom, talking to Avery.

“I don’t like how sad Avery looks,” Olivia whispered to Dylan. “Something’s been off since that concert a few months ago, and she won’t talk to me about it.”

“You, of all people, know what it’s like to need to work things out on your own,” he reminded her.

She scowled at him, disliking the reminder. “Fine. But I’m keeping an eye on her.”

He shook his head and grinned. “I’d expect nothing less.”

“Have you met Sienna and Samantha?” she asked of her half sisters, who waved from across the room.

“At your birthday party.”

She waved back and held up one finger, indicating she’d come see them in a minute. She grasped Dylan’s hand and led him to the great room off the kitchen.

“Olivia!” Gabe’s wife, Isabelle, called her name. Next thing Olivia knew, she was engulfed in an exuberant Izzy hug. “How are you? And congratulations on your wedding! Is this Dylan?”

Olivia grinned. “Yes, Dylan, this is Isabelle. And that man over there with the baby in his arms is my cousin Gabe.” He raised a hand in greeting from his seat on the couch.

“The similar-looking guy next to him is his brother, Decklan,” Olivia said, raising her voice so her cousin would pay attention. “Decklan’s a cop in New York. He and Scott usually hang out and compare notes.”