Dare Me (Take Me 2)

“After I’ve put the pieces of myself back together…” she iterated the more personal sentiment. The raw sentiment. “That’s a blessing, a gift, a miracle.”

“One you’re afraid is too good to believe in.”

“Yes.”

“Not for you,” he said with absolute faith and conviction in his tone. “You can handle this. You can accept it and allow it.” He stared deeper into her eyes, and further challenged, “I dare you to give this—to give us—a chance.”

Despite the tension arcing between them, one corner of her mouth twitched. “How’d you know a dare is my greatest weakness?”

“Because I know you. And I know this is real. All you have to do, Nik, is believe in it.”

She drew in a deep breath.

His mouth pressed briefly to hers.

Then he asked, “Do you?”

20

It was almost one of those moments when Nikki thought, clinically, that her rationale might be skewed because of the dangerous, traumatic situations she’d been in with Damen Castillo over the past…what? Not even twenty-four hours.

Having him appear in the seat next to her on the plane—with a different identity, no less. Then hearing him explain a terrorist plot she was unwittingly a part of. Having him confiscate her laptop and prove she was carrying a device that could surely land her ass in a federal penitentiary, not to mention which could also cost her all of her photos of and letters from Conner. Followed by being evacuated from yet another hotel an

d then being shot at…

It was a wonder she could even think straight, let alone process all of the emotions she was suddenly experiencing.

Because of this man.

But then she realized that her reactions to Damen, everything she was feeling for him, had begun long before the danger and despair of the past numerous hours had come into play.

It had all started the day she’d wandered into Nico Valdiviesio’s hospital room.

She’d never contend he’d looked particularly peaceful while in his medically induced coma. In fact, as she thought back to that first time she’d laid eyes on him, she’d actually been drawn to how the man had appeared agitated, even in his deep sleep. The hard, strong angles of his face had intrigued her, as had his chiseled muscles—he was in infinitely better shape than any estate-planning attorney she’d ever known.

More than that, there’d been something about the raw intensity that exuded from him, combined with his heroism, that had made her return to his room, night after night.

Now, he was Damen Castillo…and she was in his bed.

The corners of her mouth curved upward.

He eyed her a bit more curiously.

They were in the middle of a very serious, very concentrated discussion.

Hell, the mere reality of the situation she’d found herself in was of such a dire nature, Nikki ought to be pacing incessantly, wearing out the floorboards, attempting to figure it all out.

Instead, she couldn’t be bothered with moving from this spot next to Damen.

Her hands were on his bare chest and he was staring deep into her eyes and… Nikki sighed.

She actually had to ask, “I was saying, what… Exactly?”

He grinned. His lips brushed hers and he murmured, “I believe you were about to tell me that you’re hot for me. More than that, you’re interested in finding out and willing to explore what this is all about. Between you and me.”

“And what does all that entail, do you think?”

He turned serious again, saying, “Meeting my mother and Mads. Going to the ops campus with me while I upload the contents of that device in your computer onto an encrypted, secured external drive. Touring said campus with me. Including the med facilities.”