Worth the Risk (Carolina Rebels 5)

“Are girls allowed in your forts, Jackson?” Deanna asks him.

Jackson nods. “Bree likes them a lot. I’ll show you.” He looks back at me. “Momma will tuck me in?”

“I promise she will.”

“Okay.”

“Good man, Jackson.” I hold out my fist and he fist bumps me. With that, I stand and take the stairs two at a time. She’s been in her room for hours. Okay, so maybe only two. Either way, it’s time to go. I rap my knuckles on her door.

“One second!” she squeaks.

“Raelynn, we have to go. I just promised Jackson you’d be back in time to tuck him in and if we don’t leave right now, you’ll make me break—” The door swings open. My gaze travels up and down her body at least five times in a second. Her black dress hugs her frame and shows off a little cleavage. No. That’s not right. That dress takes her breasts, pushes them together, and places them on clear display, yet somehow doesn’t reveal too much.

“You’re supposed to look me in the eyes,” Raelynn teases.

But I can’t. Because fuck. She’s wearing heels. She’s at least three inches taller now. I step aside, confusing her, but she steps out of her room and walks past me. Holy hell, her ass looks sweet in that dress, too.

Raelynn glances back at me as I clear my throat.

“I have words, but they’re curses,” I say, causing her to grin. “You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she whispers. She holds out her hand, but then it falls to her side at the sound of Jackson’s laughter. Just because we’re going out to dinner doesn’t mean we can have any PDA going on. The times I have touched Raelynn around Jackson before I kissed her, they were more subtle. I doubt he saw them.

I take her hand anyway. Before she can tug it away, I say, “You hold Jackson’s hand. I can hold yours. Maybe I’m making sure you don’t fall in those heels.”

She laughs. “I wouldn’t wear them if I couldn’t walk in them.”

And she can walk in them too. Fuck me.

After a quick goodbye to Jackson, Bree, and our babysitters for the night, I whisk her to the garage and to my car. As I drive, I rest our interlocked hands on my thigh. I’m itching to bring up Christmas, but I don’t want to ruin tonight by making Raelynn uncomfortable, especially when I already know she’s hiding something. The ride to the restaurant is silent.

“Nervous?” I finally ask once we’re seated in a small booth at a fancy restaurant. It’s one of the most upscale ones I’ve ever been in. I wanted to treat Raelynn more than anything, and I thought maybe she’d like this.

“Not with you.” When I arch an eyebrow, she adds, “Not usually.”

“Then what was taking you so long?”

She laughs. “I said not usually.” She glances down at herself. “I’m not used to this. Any of it.” She looks around the restaurant again. “It’s a little nerve-wracking.”

“You just said you weren’t nervous.”

“To be on a date with you, I’m not. To be in this dress in this restaurant, I am.”

That makes no sense. “Would you rather go elsewhere?”

Horror fills her eyes, much like they would Jackson’s if he made a mistake and he thought he was in big trouble. “No, not at all. Just because I’m a little nervous doesn’t mean I’m not excited.”

I nod in acceptance and we take a few minutes to look over the menu. My plan tonight is to learn more about Raelynn. To learn as much as she’ll let me. And then, we’ll go home. Tuck Jackson in, read him a book, and I’ll hold my princess for a bit. After that, Raelynn is coming to my room where that dress is coming off. That’s my plan and it’s time to get started.

Every few seconds, I peer up from my menu to gaze at Elias. He looks freaking delicious in his simple suit. I still can’t believe we’re in a place this nice. It makes me feel self-conscious, but at the same time, I’m relaxed because I’m with Elias. Then again, I can’t believe I’m here with him. On a date. How crazy is that? I haven’t thought about dating or relationships in so long. That part of life has been sitting in the very back of a closet in the dark recesses of my mind ever since Henry left me.

Yet here I am.

With a handsome, hunky hockey player who is sweet, fantastic in bed, and a wonderful father.

“Do you know what you want yet?” Elias asks me as the waitress walks up to our table.

My cheeks heat for a moment. “I haven’t really looked,” I admit with a touch of embarrassment.