Dare to Stay (Dare Nation 4)

“Excited to be going to the game this weekend, roomie.” Willow had put Steffy on the rotation. She was joining the team for the away game and they were sharing a room. When Willow was the only female trainer, she stayed by herself.

Willow smiled. “It’ll be fun.” She was looking forward to the short time away.

“You’ve been distracted all week. Care to tell me what’s going on?” Steffy asked, sitting down on the couch. “You’ve also been pretty quiet since Thanksgiving.”

Joining her, Willow settled into a corner and pulled a throw pillow onto her lap. Since she’d spent the week letting her mind spin on what Braden wanted from her now that she’d decided it was time to give in, at least to their sexual desire, she turned to her friend.

Drawing a deep breath, she said, “I kissed Braden and I don’t mean a quick peck on the cheek. I mean if we hadn’t been interrupted, who knows where things would have gone between us.”

Steffy’s eyes opened wide. “Wow. Well, that’s a big deal. So I get why you’re distracted … but you don’t seem happy.”

Willow bit down on her lower lip. “I’m confused. I know I haven’t told you much, but Braden and I dated for about a year, exclusively. Then one day out of the blue, he comes to me and tells me he’s going to Doctors Without Borders for two years.”

She remembered that day so vividly, sitting across from him in a café and him just blurting out the news as if it wouldn’t have far-reaching repercussions for her. As if their connection to each other wasn’t that important. “One day I’m thinking I have a guy in my life with the possibility of a future, and the next he says he’s leaving. Just like that.” She waved her hands through the air.

“Oh, wow. I had no idea. So what did you do?”

“I told him to have a good life and I walked out.” Which, she admitted now, might not have been the most mature way to handle it. “Anyway, now he’s back and he said he wanted us to try again.”

Steffy leaned forward in her seat. “I need popcorn for this. It’s like a good movie.”

Willow could only laugh because her friend was right.

“And then what did you say?” Steffy asked.

Willow closed her eyes and sighed. “I told him I could only give him friendship. And then I contradicted myself by kissing him.”

Letting out a whoop of glee, Steffy grinned.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying this. I’m not, because he’s been nothing but professional and friendly ever since his brother interrupted our kiss. I don’t know what he wants from me and it’s making me crazy.” She rose to her feet and began pacing around the room.

“I wish we had time for wine, but we have to leave within the hour to catch the bus. So let’s cut to the chase. What do you want?”

Willow rubbed her hands together. “I can’t bring myself to trust him not to leave me again, but I can’t deny our attraction, either.” The man was everything she wanted but couldn’t let herself have, at least not long term.

“So indulge! I can’t remember the last time I saw you do something for the fun of it. Or should I say do someone?” Steffy pushed herself up from her seat and walked over to Willow. “Nobody says you have to promise him anything. If he wants you and you want him, let it be that simple.”

Nothing about Braden Prescott was simple. “He hasn’t acted like he’s still interested this past week.”

“Probably because you’ve been at work, and he knows you’d never want your integrity compromised. But when we’re at the hotel, who’s to say you can’t pay him a midnight visit?” She raised her eyebrows and wiggled them for effect. “Reach out for what you want, on your terms.”

She let her friend’s words sink in and decided Steffy was right. It was time to put her hurt behind her and indulge in the present. And since she’d put Braden through the paces since his return, it was up to her to make the next move.

* * *

Travel days sucked, Braden thought as he returned to his hotel room after dinner, washed up, undressed, and finally lay down on the king-size bed. He braced his hands behind his head, grateful for his own room on these trips. Up early, long flight to Dallas, and he’d had little sleep this week, his work and free time completely booked.

Every time he’d intended to find Willow, not wanting to let too much time pass and have her talk herself out of taking a step forward with him, something had interrupted. A player in need of a consult. Another doctor who wanted his opinion. A sibling who insisted on a quick lunch or dinner because it had been too long since he’d seriously caught up with anyone, keeping up with his own fitness routine, and then, of course, the health care center, where he’d worked long hours.