A Little Dare

decided to end the silence. “Speaking of AJ, where is he?”

Dare didn’t say anything for a moment, then he spoke. “He isn’t here.”

Shelly raised a brow. “Oh? Where is he?”

“Over at my parents. They dropped by and asked if he could visit with them for a while. I didn’t think you would mind, so I told them he could.”

Shelly nodded. “Of course I don’t mind.” After a few minutes she cleared her throat for the third time and said, “Well, I’m sure you have things to do so I’ll—”

“No, I don’t have anything to do, since the important package I was waiting for arrived already.”

“Oh.”

“In fact, I was hoping that you and I could take in a movie and have dinner later.”

Her dark gaze sank into his. “Dinner? A movie?”

“Yes, and you don’t have to worry about AJ. He’ll be in good hands.”

With a slight shrug, she said. “I know that, Dare. Your parents are the greatest.”

Dare smiled. “Well, right now they think their oldest

grandson is the greatest. Now that the secret is out, you should have seen my mom. She can’t wait to go around bragging to everyone about him since it’s safe to do so.”

Shelly’s stomach tightened. Now that the secret was out, things would be changing…especially her relationship with Dare. He wouldn’t have to pretend interest in her any

longer. Even now, she knew that probably the only reason he was inviting her to the movies and to dinner was out of kindness.

“Well, what about the movies and dinner?” Dare asked, reclaiming her attention.

She met his gaze. This would probably be the last time they would be together, at least out in public. There was no

doubt in her mind that until they got their sexual needs

under control they would still find the time to see each other at night in private.

“Yes, Dare. I’ll go out to the movies and to dinner with you.”

“Thanks for going out with me tonight, Shelly.”

“Thanks for inviting me, Dare. I really enjoyed myself.” And she had. They had seen a comedy featuring Eddie Murphy at the Magic Johnson Movie Theater near the Greenbriar

Mall. Afterwards, they had gone to a restaurant that had

served the best-tasting seafood she’d ever eaten. Now they were walking around the huge shopping mall that brought

back memories of when they had dated all those years ago and had spent a lot of their time there on the weekends.

Dare claimed the reason he was in no hurry to end their

evening was because he wanted to give his parents and siblings a chance to bond with AJ, and he thought the stroll through Greenbriar Mall would kill some time.

“How do you like the type of work you’re doing now, working outside the hospital versus working inside?”

This was the first time he had ever asked her anything

about her job since she’d moved back. “It took some

getting used to, but I’m enjoying it. I get to meet a lot of nice people and because of the hours I work, I’m home with AJ more.”

Dare nodded. “I never did tell you why I stopped being an agent for the Bureau, did I?”

Shelly shook her head. “No, you didn’t.”

Dare nodded again. He then told her all the things he had liked about working for the FBI and those things he had begun to dislike. Finally he told her the reason he had

returned home.

“And do you like what you’re doing now, Dare?” she

couldn’t help but ask him, since she of all people knew what a career with the FBI had meant to him.

“Yes, I like what I’m doing now. I feel I’m making more of a difference here than I was making with the Bureau. It’s like I’m giving back to a community that gave so much to my brothers and me while we were growing up. It’s a good

feeling to live in a place where you have history.”

Shelly had to agree. She enjoyed being back home and couldn’t bear the thought of ever leaving again. Although she had lived in L.A. for ten years, deep down she had never considered it as her home.

She sighed and glanced down at her watch. “It’s getting late. Don’t you think it’s time for us to pickup AJ? I don’t want him to wear out his welcome with your folks.”

Dare laughed, and the sound sent sensations up Shelly’s

body, making her shiver slightly. He thought she had

shivered for a totally different reason and placed his arm

around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him for warmth. “He’ll never be able to wear out his welcome with my family,

Shelly. Come on, let’s go collect our son.”

Three weeks later, Shelly sat outside alone on her porch

swing as it slowly rocked back and forth. It was the third

week in October and the night air was cool. She had put on a sweater, but the stars and the full moon were so beautiful she couldn’t resist sitting and appreciating them both.

Besides, she needed to think.

Ever since that night Dare had taken her to a movie and to dinner, he had come by every evening to spend time with AJ. But AJ wasn’t the only person he made sure he spent time with. Over the past few weeks he had often asked her out, either to a movie, dinner or both. Then there was the

time he had asked her to go with him to the wedding of one of his deputies.

She sighed deeply. Each time she had tried putting

distance between them, he would succeed in erasing the distance. Then there were the flowers he continued to send each week. When she had asked him why he was still

sending them, he had merely smiled and said because he enjoyed doing so. And she had to admit that she enjoyed receiving them. But still, she didn’t want to put too much

stock in Dare’s actions and continued to see what he was doing as merely an act of kindness on his part. It was

evident that he wanted them to get along and establish

some sort of friendly relationship for AJ’s sake.

The other thing that confused her was the fact that he no

longer sought her out at night. Their late-night rendezvous in her backyard had abruptly come to an end the night Dare

had taken her on their first date. He had offered her no

explanation as to why he no longer came by late at night,

and she had too much pride to ask him.

He came by each afternoon around dinnertime and she

would invite him to stay, so she still saw him constantly. And at night, after AJ went to bed, he would sit outside on the

porch swing with her and talk about how her day had gone, and she would ask him about his. Their talks had become a nightly routine, and she had to admit that she rather enjoyed them.

She shifted her thoughts to AJ. He was simply basking in

the love that his father and the entire Westmoreland family were giving him. Dare had been right when he’d said all AJ had needed was to feel that he belonged. Each time she

saw her son in one of his happy moods, she knew that he

was glad as well as proud to be a part of the Westmoreland clan, and that she had made the right decision to return to College Park.

She stood, deciding to go inside and get ready for bed.

Dare had left immediately after dinner saying he had to go to the station and finish up a report he was working on. As

usual, before he left he had kissed her deeply, but

otherwise he had kept his hands to himself. However,

whenever he pulled her into his arms, she knew he wanted her. His erection was always a sure indicator of that fact. But she knew he was fighting his desire for her, which

made things confusing, because she didn’t understand

why.

As she got ready for bed she continued to wonder what

was going on with Dare. Why had he ended all sexual ties between them? Had he assumed she thought things were more serious between them than they really were because of their nightly meetings in her backyard?

As she closed her eyes she knew that if reality could not

find her in his arms making love, that she would be there

with him in the dreams she knew she would have that night.

Shelly smiled at Ms. Mamie. The older woman had broken her ankle two weeks ago and Shelly had been assigned as her home healthcare nurse. “I thought we had talked about you staying off your foot for a while, Ms. Mamie.”

Ms. Mamie smiled. “I tried, but it isn’t easy when I have so much to do.”

Shelly shook her head. “Well, your ankle will heal a lot

quicker if you follow my instructions,” she said, rewrapping

the woman’s leg. She made it a point to check on Ms.

Mamie at least twice a week, and she enjoyed her visits.

Even with only one good leg, the older woman still

managed to get around in her kitchen and always had fresh cookies baked when Shelly arrived.

“So, how are things going with you and the sheriff?”

Shelly looked up. “Excuse me?”

“You and the sheriff. How are the two of you doing? Everyone is talking about it.”

Shelly frowned, not understanding. “They are talking about Dare and AJ or about me and Dare?”

“They are talking about you and Dare. Dare and AJ is old news. Everyone knew that boy was Dare’s son even if Dare was a little slow in coming around and realizing that fact

Shelly’s mind immediately took in what Ms. Mamie had

said. She’d had no idea that she and Dare were now the

focus of the towns peoples’ attention. “Why are people

talking about me and Dare?”

“Because everyone knows how hard he’s trying to woo you.”