Dare to Submit (NY Dares 2)

To her surprise, she enjoyed the next few hours. Decklan’s family was fun—well, Isabelle was—Gabe liked to brood and stare, as if he could get into Amanda’s head and see what she was hiding. But his fiancée? In the short time they were all together, Isabelle had managed to exchange phone numbers with Amanda, press her for plans the next time she was in New York, and show her another side of Decklan.

Isabelle and Decklan had an amusing relationship. “He didn’t really arrest you, did he?” Amanda asked as the men were arguing over paying the check.

“He certainly did.” Isabelle stared at her with wide blue eyes. “I’d just left my ex’s place for good. I found a video of him cheating on me,” she said, her voice lowered. “But it really had been over for a while. Anyway, I drove off in the rain in my Mercedes, and Lance, the bastard, reported the car stolen.”

Amanda stared, dumbfounded. “Who does something like that?” she asked.

“A pompous son of a bitch,” Gabe muttered, now in tune with the conversation.

Isabelle merely nodded at his assessment. “I didn’t put things together right away, but turns out that my arresting officer”—she pointed to Decklan—“was Gabe’s brother. I knew Gabe from the country club my ex belonged to. Anyway, Gabe showed up to see Decklan, and there I was cuffed to the desk—”

“Because my brother doesn’t know the best places to bind a woman,” Gabe said with a smirk, the first real joke the other man had made.

“He does so!” Amanda said, defending Decklan.

Until she realized exactly what she’d admitted to and shared with the man’s family. Strangers to her. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassed heat.

Gabe grinned, showing her the family smile and resemblance for the first time. “Glad to know you have it in you, little brother.”

Isabelle punched him lightly in the arm and shot Amanda a sympathetic smile. “They can be major pains in the ass.” She leaned in closer. “But it’s worth it in bed, isn’t it?”

Oh dear Lord. Amanda managed a nod, but her head was spinning with the implications of what they’d all just shared. Wasn’t that what friends did? Family? How had she become a part of all this so quickly?

“I think we should get back to Isabelle’s arrest,” Decklan said, his understanding gaze on Amanda’s face. He obviously picked up on her discomfort, and he didn’t look too thrilled with his brother himself. She appreciated how he’d turned the conversation away from the too-personal sharing of information.

“It all worked out okay,” Isabelle said. “Decklan brought me an apology gift.”

Amanda raised an eyebrow. “He did?”

“Tums,” the other woman said with a grin.

“Suck-up,” Gabe muttered with a roll of his eyes.

Obviously it was an inside joke, but it served to show her how close this family was, and unexpected warmth curled in her belly. So opposite of the dysfunction she’d grown up with. In her family, the differences of opinion weren’t fun or treated like jokes. Instead, barbs were thrown by her mother at every turn.

At that thought, her phone rang. “Excuse me,” she said, pulling her cell from her purse and glancing down. “God, it’s like she has ESP or something.” Amanda hit ignore on her mother’s call.

“Everything okay?” Decklan asked.

She nodded. “Just my mother. It can wait.”

He narrowed his gaze but said nothing.

“So, Isabelle, will you find out the sex of the baby?” Amanda asked, desperate to keep the focus off of herself.

Isabelle immediately reached for Gabe’s hand. “I think I want to know. That way I can plan the nursery and layette.” Her voice pitched in excitement.

And for the first time ever, a feeling of extreme longing overtook Amanda.

NINE

Amanda and Decklan didn’t talk about his family, but he seemed content after the breakfast. His brother and wife left, and they spent the rest of the rainy day watching movies on Netflix and just hanging out like a normal couple. Which scared her, because she enjoyed their time together so much, going home would be difficult this time.

He didn’t bring up the subject of her leaving, and neither did she. Instead, they ordered in dinner and enjoyed one another in bed. He cuffed her to the headboard, his dark blue gaze hot on hers, as he brought her to orgasm after orgasm before filling her body with his. Prior to Decklan, she’d been satisfied with meaningless encounters, but they connected on a deep, intimate level. One that’d grown stronger after she’d met and spent time with his family.

As the sunlight streamed through his bedroom window, Amanda studied his handsome face, memorizing each feature. She wished she had better answers to what she wanted. Needed. Instead, she had him for a little while longer.

She leaned close, about to brush a kiss over his lips and wake him up, when, without warning, he came awake with a yell, jerking into an upright position.