Dare to Stay (Dare Nation 4)

The best he could say about the clinic was that the place was in need of more. More supplies, more and better equipment, more nurses … more of everything, and he was preoccupied with finding ways to fund the operation and get the people who frequented it better medical care. He had some ideas that needed fleshing out in his mind before he brought them to light with Hudson, but he was working on it. Just like he wanted to work on things with Willow.

He couldn’t talk to her on the plane because she sat next to her friend and fellow therapist, and he wouldn’t talk about their private affairs surrounded by the entire team, anyway. And when the keys had been handed out, he’d discovered she had a roommate this trip, which made paying her a late-night visit impossible.

Resigned to having to wait, he reached up to turn off the light and get some sleep when a knock sounded on his door. He rose from the bed and realized he’d left his clothes in a pile on the bathroom floor and had no pants to slip into.

He’d just check the peephole first, and if he had to let someone in, he’d get dressed.

A glance and his heart nearly stopped. In the hall, dressed in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, hair pulled up with sexy strands falling around her face, and no makeup, just the way he liked her, stood Willow.

He glanced down at his boxer briefs and made a decision. If she was here now, she wasn’t just here to talk, so he opened the door to let her in.

* * *

Willow didn’t give herself a chance to change her mind about going to Braden’s room. Right after dinner, she washed up and changed as if she were heading to a vending machine in the hotel in case she ran into someone on the way. Of course, that meant she couldn’t dress up or put on a fresh face of makeup, she just had to go as is. It was the only way not to draw attention to herself and her destination. She’d lingered when they were passing out keys, making sure to get a look at the number written on the paper holding his key card. Nothing left to chance. She couldn’t afford to show up at the wrong man’s door.

Steffy didn’t say a word, watching and nodding in approval as Willow prepared to go after what she wanted. More like what she needed. She and Braden had unfinished business, and she had every intention of putting a period on the end of their relationship. She wouldn’t lie to him or lead him on. She had every intention of being up-front and honest with him. Since he was a guy, she couldn’t see him turning her down.

Having made her decision, she refused to second-guess herself or allow for butterflies in her stomach as she grabbed her phone and made her way to the floor above her, stopping at his room.

She knocked and waited, catching herself in a lie. There were plenty of nerves and flutters in her belly.

The door opened and he stood in front of her, quickly pulling her in and closing them inside. One look at him and she knew why.

In his boxer briefs and nothing else, sweet Lord, the man was hot. He was even more muscular and ripped than he’d been before he left, and she couldn’t tear her gaze from the six-pack that was his abdomen. His skin was tanned, and as her gaze fell to the happy trail leading straight into his waistband, the outline of his cock thick, hard, and evident, her mouth ran dry while her panties grew soaked.

“You can keep staring or we can talk about why you’re here,” he said in a gruff voice that sent tingles throughout her body.

“How can you answer the door practically naked?” She had a hard time lifting her stare and meeting his gaze. Not when the view was so damned good.

He treated her to a satisfied grin. “Because I saw it was you and I wanted to save us time. Unless you really did come to talk, in which case I’ll get dressed. So which will it be?” He cocked an eyebrow and waited for an answer.

Chapter Seven

Braden knew from the flush in her cheeks he’d nailed her reason for being here, but she had to admit the truth. After chasing her for so long, a big part of him was relieved she’d come to him.

“No. Don’t get dressed,” she said, placing her phone on the nearest counter.

Her cheeks flushed in the way he liked to see when she was needy and aroused, and he withheld the urge to pump his fist. His cock was doing enough celebrating. He didn’t need to piss her off, send her running, and lose this minor win. And he had no doubt she hadn’t come to this decision lightly, nor did it mean all he’d want it to.