Dare to Stay (Dare Nation 4)

“I remember.” He headed directly for the kitchen and placed the box on the counter. “So this means I get you all to myself.” He sounded pleased by the prospect, and she couldn’t deny she wasn’t too upset herself.

“You do.” She opened a cabinet and reached for plates, setting them down on the table while he picked up the box and set it down in front of them. “Let me see what we have to drink. Aurora went shopping while I was away.”

She returned with two cans of ginger ale. “Obviously she’s caffeine free,” Willow said with a grin. “Or would you prefer water?”

“This is good.” He grabbed napkins, and they settled in beside each other at the round table. “Just like old times,” he said, treating her to a sincere smile.

He was too sweet, and she didn’t want to come back with a snarky answer about their past. “It is,” she said instead.

He put a slice of plain pizza on her plate before taking one for himself. Obviously he remembered she was fussy and didn’t like any toppings.

“I barely had time to grab a protein bar for lunch today,” she said, picking up the slice and taking a huge bite. She didn’t care how it looked, her empty stomach needed food.

“Same here.” He took a bite, too, chewed, and swallowed.

“So excuse me if I devour this,” she said, taking more.

He chuckled and ate in silence. Finally, three slices later and she wasn’t even embarrassed, she felt full. He’d finished as well, and she quickly cleaned up, with him helping her, and they moved to the couch in the den.

She sat down and he settled in, turning to face her. Sensing he wanted to talk, she did the same.

“So, I know the season is crazy, and there’ll never be real downtime,” he began.

Wondering where he was going with his train of thought, she remained silent and waited for him to continue.

“I was hoping that we could still find time to catch up.” He shook his head. “No, that’s not right. Actually I hoped we could talk about ourselves and things we didn’t get into last time we were together. I want you to know me this time. And I want to know you.” He reached out and grasped her hand, running a thumb over her skin.

She swallowed hard. “You already know a lot,” she murmured, nerves bouncing around in her stomach because this kind of emotional intimacy was hard for her. Harder still because both things he wanted to discuss brought up painful memories for her.

A wry smile lifted his lips. “Not really. I didn’t know the details you told Aurora about how you grew up. And you don’t know why I left, something I didn’t realize until I was gone.”

“Braden–”

“We don’t have a real second chance without truth and honesty between us,” he said in a roughened voice.

Was that what she wanted? she asked herself. A real chance at a future? Even if it meant being willing to open herself up and be vulnerable? Or did she want to do as she’d promised herself, have sex and keep her heart to herself?

* * *

Braden waited for her to reply, knowing the fate of their relationship and any kind of future depended on her answer. He’d given them a lot of thought since their night together. Considering the football season commitments and work, wining and dining her would be difficult but he had every intention of trying. And sex was amazing, and of course he wanted her in his bed, but unless she opened up, their chances of succeeding as a couple was slim. He needed her on board.

He looked into her big blue eyes as she nodded. “Okay, but I can only handle one of those big subjects at a time.”

He reached a hand out, brushed her hair off her shoulder, and cupped her cheek. “That works for me, beautiful. What do you want to talk about first?” He dropped his hand onto his lap and waited for her to choose.

He hoped she’d pick their relationship so he could explain what he’d learned by going, taking time away from his family, the career he’d been building, even and most importantly, leaving her.

“So about my childhood. Obviously, it’s not something I like to discuss because it means I have to remember a really painful period in my life, and it wasn’t just a short period of time.”

He slipped his hands into hers and waited for her to talk.

“You heard what I told Aurora, that my mom didn’t pick me up from school one day. But I didn’t tell her about the time before then. Or each place I lived before the Jonases’.” She began to pull her hand back and he held on tight. “Why does this matter?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Because it goes to the core of why you don’t trust, that’s why. And because I want to know all of you.” It was the only way they’d truly connect the way they needed to, he thought.