Dare to Stay (Dare Nation 4)

Aurora shook her head. “I haven’t seen her. She usually works all day, though.” She glanced at him, confusion in her eyes because, yeah, he ought to know that.

“Thanks. I was just playing a hunch. I’ll see you for dinner tonight,” he promised. “I won’t miss my chance to say goodbye,” he said, smiling at her. He turned his gaze to the other man, watching him in silence. “You’ll take good care of her,” he said, more a demand than a question.

Linc straightened his shoulders. “I should be insulted you’d have to say it, but I’m glad you’re looking out for her, too.”

“Hello, I’m right here.” Aurora waved her hands in the air. “No need to talk around me and about me,” she said, showing she was astute as well as smart and causing both Braden and Linc to laugh at their own posturing.

“Okay, I need to get going. I’ll see you tonight.” Braden turned to Linc. “Will you and Jordan join us?”

“I didn’t want to intrude but yes. I’d like to get to know the people in Aurora’s life.” Linc extended his hand and Braden shook it.

He said goodbye and walked back to his car, at a loss as to where he could find Willow. He headed home, his thoughts scattered and preoccupied as he pulled into his parking lot, cut the engine, and stepped out of his vehicle.

Shoving his keys into his pocket, he strode toward the building entrance.

“Braden!”

He turned at the sound of his name and saw Willow walking toward him. He’d been so in his own head he hadn’t noticed her car parked nearby.

With sunglasses on, he couldn’t read the message in her eyes or her expression. But she was here, looking gorgeous as ever in her black stretch pants and body-hugging Thunder shirt.

“Hey!” He met up with her in the middle of the parking lot. Needing to touch her, he braced his hands on her waist.

“Hi.” Her lips lifted but the worried smile did little to ease the churning in his gut.

Everything he wanted stood right in front of him, and he had no idea if one jealous asshole’s attempt at digging into her insecurities and undermining their relationship had worked.

* * *

Willow stared into Braden’s eyes. Concern was etched in the small lines around his mouth, and his grip on her waist tightened as if he feared her bolting at any moment.

“What’s going on?” She knew what her issues were thanks to Cole, but Braden obviously had something on his mind, as well.

A bead of sweat dripped down one side of his face, and he swiped at it with one hand. “Let’s go inside and talk. It’s too hot out here.”

She nodded, letting him slip his hand into hers as they headed into the building and up to his apartment. She appreciated the cool air that surrounded her as she stepped over the entry.

No sooner had he shut the door behind them than he turned to her, eyes blazing. “I didn’t tell Adam I’d go back to Brazil. I’m not rejoining Doctors Without Borders, Cole Walsh is a fucking liar, and I love you.”

She couldn’t control her smile. “I know, I know, you’re so right, and I love you, too.”

He blinked in surprise. “Wait. What?”

She laughed at the rightness of the moment and laced her fingers behind his neck. “I think you heard me correctly.”

He tipped his head to the side. “Cole told you Adam came by and asked me to return, right?”

She nodded. “He did.”

“The bastard was listening at my open door. But I turned Adam down. I never considered saying yes. Not for a second. Are you saying you didn’t believe him?”

She pulled in a deep breath and opted for honesty. “I admit I panicked … at first.”

He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “I totally understand.”

“But then I caught myself and realized that I was selling you short. Selling us short. Because you’ve done nothing but prove to me how you feel. How much you care. And how much you’ve changed. You aren’t the same man who walked out just like I’m not the same woman who just let you go, either.”

His grasp tightened. “You need to know that, at the time, I wasn’t thinking of it as leaving you.”

She pulled in a sharp breath. This was it. The moment she’d pushed away because she’d been afraid of the answer. “What were you thinking?”

“C’mere.” He guided her over to the sofa and sat down, pulling her onto his lap.

She cuddled in close, soaking in his heat and strength, so glad she’d pushed past her fears to get here.

“See, I don’t think I ever realized how much my past, my childhood, impacted me,” Braden said. He twirled a strand of her hair around his finger as he spoke. “I grew up surrounded by talented, athletic siblings, and here I was, the brainiac of the family, who certainly didn’t make my father proud.”