Dare To Tempt (Dare Nation 2)

Asher glanced between them. “Okay.” He grinned, then tipped back his beer bottle and took a sip. “You’re staying here, though?” He looked at Evie. “I mean, you two changed into more casual clothes upstairs.” Asher pressed her for answers. He seemed the closest to Damon, the most invested in his life.

“I’m having some issues Damon’s helping me with.” She had no intention of getting into her personal life and admitting her vulnerabilities.

She glanced at Nick. Obviously the quietest one, he channel surfed while they talked.

“So, Evie. Did Damon ever tell you about the time he came out to Hollywood and he was a walk-on in one of my movies?” Harrison asked.

“Get out of here.” She leaned forward in her seat, crossing her legs.

“Deadly serious.”

“Tell me more.” She rested her chin on her hands, focused on the man who knew how to command attention even in a room full of other hot men, one of whom Evie couldn’t get out of her head.

Damon took a swig of beer. “Can we not go there?”

Harrison grinned. “He told his family and friends he had a walk-on. Got everyone together to watch. But when the director did his thing, all you could see on-screen was the back of Damon’s head.” He, the other two men, and even Evie burst out laughing.

“I can only imagine the shit your family gave you,” she said.

The men continued to tell old stories, kid pranks to adult brotherhood-type tales. Even Nick chimed in. These men had a bond. That much was obvious and they cared about Damon.

“So Damon, we were thinking.” Asher leaned forward in his seat. “You’ve got time to kill while you’re off. Let’s take a couple of days and go down to my place in the Bahamas. Evie, you, too.”

She blinked in surprise. She wouldn’t have expected to be included. “You have a house in the Bahamas?”

“On Windermere Island. It’s connected to Eleuthera and it’s private and secluded. You can really get away and relax there.”

She did her best not to moan at the thought of some time on a beach. No John. No threats. Nothing but water and peace.

But these weren’t her friends and she didn’t belong. In fact, she needed to remember her place. She was on the clock with Damon. She belonged here, working on his situation. Not galivanting on a private island with billionaires.

“You should go,” she told Damon. “Get away from the stress for a while.”

He narrowed his gaze. “And who’s going to watch out for you?”

“I am. And if you’re that concerned about the safety angle of my place, I can stay here. But you should get away with the guys.”

He shook his head. “I need to work out and be ready for when I can return.”

Asher turned to Damon. “I have a private gym and a trainer on call. You can work out there and not worry about slacking off. Get checked again by your team doctor when you get back. And Evie, you’re coming, too.”

Damon leaned back in his seat, his gaze steady on Evie’s. “I’ll go if you come with me.”

She closed her eyes and groaned. How was she going to keep her distance if he insisted on pulling her deeper and deeper into his life? First his mother, now his cousins?

When she didn’t answer fast enough, he jumped up, put his beer on the gorgeous rock-like table, strode over, and grabbed her hand.

“Come on. Let’s talk.” He pulled her to her feet.

She shook her head. “They’re your cousins,” she said quietly. “And they missed you. Go and—Ack!” she screamed as he knelt down and hefted her over his shoulder.

“We’re going to talk,” he insisted, striding out of the room to the sound of laughter from the guys.

* * *

Damon wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Asher wanted a trip to his vacation home? Damon had every intention of using the time to get closer to Evie. Yeah, he was still playing the we’re pretending to be a couple game, and he would until her asshole ex had been caught and locked up. He wanted her mind free and clear to focus on them. But that didn’t mean he’d lose this opportunity to be with her.

Not wanting to bicker like an old married couple in front of the guys, he did the only thing he could think of to stop her arguing that he should go by himself. Picked her up and carried her out of the room.

Reaching the kitchen, he slid her down his body and lowered her to her feet. Before she could steady herself, he braced his hands on her waist.

“What the hell was that for?” she asked, outraged.

He shrugged. “I got tired of listening to you insist I go alone. Tell me what I’m going to do by myself on an island when we could get away from the stresses here together?”