Dare Me(21)

I begin laughing. I actually laugh out loud. “Holt, I am not staying the night with you again. I mean, we haven’t even talked about what happened last night!” I yell it in a whisper and glance at the door, betting money that Evelyn is listening on the other side.

“What is there to talk about?” Holt steps forward and closer to me—taking charge. “I enjoyed last night. You enjoyed last night. Why can’t we do that again?” He tugs at a piece of my hair and twirls it between his fingers. “I’m not ready to let you go yet, Saige,” he says softly. He’s a walking contradiction.

My throat dries and it’s hard to swallow. “That’s the problem. I don’t do casual sex, and I don’t want this to end badly when you decide to ‘let me go’.” I use air quotes to get my point across.

He sighs loudly. “That’s not how I meant it, Saige. It came out wrong.” He grabs both of my shoulders and tips my chin up. “I meant I want you with me . . . today, tonight, and probably other days and nights too.”

“Let’s take this one day at a time,” I suggest.

He smiles, satisfied. “Sounds good to me. Pack your stuff for tonight and later we’ll discuss where we’re sleeping the rest of the week.” He leans in and presses a quick kiss to my forehead. He’s insatiable. “I’ll wait for you out in the living room. That roommate of yours is a spitfire.”

I shake my head as he disappears down the hallway. Did that just happen? Holt Hamilton just invited me to spend the week with him. I shake my head in disbelief. I turn back to see the stack of clothes on my bed, and I brush my hand over the top of them.

After wavering for a moment, I unzip the large messenger bag and begin placing the clothes inside. I relent, just for tonight. The irresistible Holt Hamilton wins again. “Damn you, Holt Hamilton,” I say under my breath.



Overnight bag in hand, I tiptoe down the hallway to hear a lively conversation between Ev and Holt happening in the living room. “If you hurt her, I’ll f*cking dis-ball you with a dull razor blade. Did you forget I’m a nurse? I’ve seen the injuries a dull razor blade can inflict.”

I peek around the corner to see Evelyn leaning toward Holt on the couch, a very serious look on her face. I love her. I could not ask for a better or more protective friend.

He crosses his arms over his chest and raises his brows. “De-ball me? Nice, Evelyn. I have no intention of hurting her. In fact, I’m quite sure I don’t like to hurt anybody—but especially not someone I’m . . .” He pauses.

“Someone you’re what?” She asks, prodding him.

My heart races as I wait for him to answer.

“Someone I really, really like,” he finishes, leaning back and settling into the plush couch. He’s so relaxed yet confident, with his foot propped up on the opposite knee.

I pull the strap of my bag up higher on my shoulder and turn the corner. It’s now or never. “Ready?” I ask, trying not to look at Evelyn. I can only imagine what she’s thinking of me at this moment. I spent the night with my boss when I was supposed to just have a drink with him. Now I’ve packed a bag to spend the night again. This is crazy. I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my damn mind, I think to myself, but I push those thoughts aside.

“Ready.” Holt smiles tenderly at me and stands up. “Evelyn, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you again, as always.” He smirks at her.

I peek at her out of the corner of my eye, and I’m positive I hear her growl as she plasters a fake smile on her face. “Ditto,” she mumbles, pulling her laptop off the coffee table and setting it in her lap.

I shoot her a tight-lipped smile, and she turns her attention to her computer. Holt reaches for my hand and leads us to the front door.

“Everything okay?” I ask once we’re in the hallway.

He frowns, confused. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I thought I heard Evelyn giving you the third degree.”

He waves it off. “Hardly. She’s a great friend to you, Saige. She’s just looking out for you. Not everyone is as lucky as you to have a friend like Evelyn.” He smiles at me, and the knot I didn’t realize I had in my stomach begins to settle.



We spend hours walking the park, hand in hand. Holt only lets go for a few seconds at a time. We walk Navy Pier and blend in with the tourists. My heart is overwhelmed with happiness being back here at the pier, but a tinge of sadness lingers as I remember all the time spent here with my mom and dad. Things are different, yet so very much the same.

I glance up at the enormous Ferris wheel as it slowly spins, and Holt tugs at my hand. “Let’s do it.”

“No!” My heart begins to race. “I’m deathly afraid of heights.”

His eyes twinkle with a challenge. “Then even more reason we should do it.”

I squeeze his hand and hold my ground. “No way. I can’t.”

“You can.” He pulls me gently toward the line. “Trust me, Saige.” He looks away right after he says that.

“I’m scared,” I admit, swallowing down a lump in my throat.

Holt turns back to me and smiles. His eyes are sweet and begging me to trust him. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.” And I believe him when he says this, even though my insides are screaming at me to run far away from this Ferris wheel. I remember my dad begging me to ride it with him, telling me I could see for miles from the top. After all these years, I still struggle with the regret of many things I didn’t do or never got to do with my father.