Dare Me (Take Me 2)

But again, that magnet-and-steel effect Nikki and Damen shared had brought her right back to him.

She inhaled his crisp, clean scent, tinged with male heat. Absorbed the dark vibes exuding from him. Swept her fingertips over his rigid muscles, down to the grooves of his abs.

He let out a low, sexy sound that reverberated deep in her core.

Her tone was only slightly apologetic, and much more lascivious, as she said, “I can’t help myself. You’re impossible not to touch.”

“Did you hear me complaining?”

“I don’t mean to make this more convoluted between us.”

“This part isn’t the least bit convoluted.”

He had a point. They did the snuggling thing quite well…along with other things.

Her lips curved upward against his neck as she murmured, “You are literally irresistible.”

His fingers twined in her long strands of hair. “I’m sure you’re well aware of how tempted I am by you.”

She felt his erection against her side. And she could feel his heart beating steadily, strongly.

She said, “We’d be perfectly fine together if we never left this room.”

“We’ll be perfectly fine together when we do leave this room,” he quietly countered. “Because no one’s going to hurt you, we’re going to deal with your computer situation, I’ll work with a team that will put an end to this particular terrorist cell and then… We’ll go out on a date.”

Her head lifted and she gazed at him.

“A real date,” he continued. “So that we can prove what we’re feeling for each other isn’t predicated on being locked in a dire circumstance together or because of forced proximity.”

“I’m not really sure that was my claim,” she told him. “Not fully.”

“Again… I believe we’ll prove it shouldn’t be your claim even partially.”

He gave her a cocky grin.

Nikki laughed softly. Returned her head to his shoulder and said, “You are wonderfully persistent, I’ll give you that much.”

“I’m also supremely confident that I’m right. I think you’ll enjoy dating me.”

A fresh wave of tears threatened her eyes, stinging the backs of them. Though she fought the rush of emotion that was brought on by how committed he was to his causes—her being one of them. He didn’t waver. He didn’t falter. He charged forth, regardless of any obstacle in his path.

He held fast to his convictions and was forthright and stalwart.

How could she not be feeling strong emotions toward him as well? Powerful ones.

Despite the way she agonized over experiencing the twinges of betrayal when it came to her everlasting love for Conner, Nikki couldn’t reject the notion that her affection ran the same lines as Damen’s.

It was fully accepting how passionately she felt for him that was difficult. Conflicting.

Yet to leave him dangling, leave him believing he was the only one falling… That seemed cruel to her. And Nikki Kane was not a cruel person.

What she was, at th

e moment, was a torn person.

So she didn’t cave to spewing anything she hadn’t thought through to the nth degree, so that she didn’t inadvertently misrepresent herself and cause Damen to doubt her intentions or her adoration and admiration for him.

Rather, she very blatantly told him, “I want you.” And let those chips fall where they may.