I pull at the button on his jeans, at his shirt, at his arms.
And he almost lets me.
Almost.
But then, with a ragged breath, he pulls away.
I reach for him, but he shakes off my arm.
“Give me a minute, Cal.”
I sit trying to breathe, as he does the same.
All I can hear is our raspy breath as we breathe and breathe, until finally, Dare looks at me again.
“I’m sorry for that.”
I’m incredulous. “For what? For doing what I want?”
He shakes his head. “Don’t you understand? You’re completely beside yourself over your brother. Do you really want to have sex in in a house of horrors while you’re crying over Finn?”
“Isn’t that up to me?” I ask shakily, trying to reach for him again, because I need him. He won’t let me, though.
“No,” he finally answers. “Not today. You’re not thinking clearly.”
“I’m thinking clearly enough,” I answer firmly, but I don’t move toward him again. His face is set and determined.
“Why do you have to be such a gentleman?” I demand. “Is this a British thing?”
He chuckles, able to laugh now. “I guess it’s just a Dare thing.”
I roll my eyes and rub the chill away.
He stares at me hard. “Calla, when we… when this happens, it’s not going to be in a house of horrors. It’s going to be something you remember.”
I look away, annoyed. “Shouldn’t that be my choice to make?”
He smiles, humoring me. “I’m trying to help you make a good choice here, Cal. Work with me.”
I can’t help but chuckle too because he’s trying to help me, in spite of myself.
“Most guys would’ve jumped at that, no matter what,” I tell him snarkily as we climb to our feet.
Dare pauses, his eyes oh-so-dark. “But those guys don’t love you. I do.”
I’m completely frozen, completely still as that sinks in.
“You do?” I breathe.
He nods. “More every day. You’re like no one I’ve ever met. We’re not going to rush this, Cal. Good things come to those who wait, remember?”
And with those simple words, every single problem I have floats away, off of my neck, off of my chest. I don’t even roll my eyes over the ketchup reference.
Dare loves Calla.
It’s impossible. But it’s real.
My feet and heart are light as we walk back to the door, and just when we’re stepping out into the light, I see something, something fluttering against the porch railing.