Ride Hard (Raven Riders #1)(55)

Turning, she found Dare watching her take in his place, and it brought heat to her cheeks.

“Make yourself at home,” he said, pointing to the stairs. “I’ll just be a minute.”

She nodded and watched him jog up the steps. And good God did he do all kinds of justice to a pair of jeans.

With furniture situated around the big stone fireplace, the living room drew her in next. An overstuffed recliner sat next to the front window, an old fleece throw draped over the back. It looked like the kind of thing you could curl up in with a book or for a nap, and Haven couldn’t help but try it out.

Sitting down, she reached for the reclining mechanism that had her laying back and stretching out. Despite the fact that it wasn’t much to look at, it was quite possibly the most comfortable chair she’d ever sat on in her life. She burrowed into the soft fabric and turned her body to peer out the window, the position giving her the most relaxing view of swaying trees and graying sky.

God, why did she feel so comfortable here? And why couldn’t she have found this fundamental sense of rightness with someone she could keep—or who would keep her?

The question made her think of her list, and that made her wonder if she’d find another man with whom she could imagine making all those experiences come true. What if she never found someone like Dare again? What if this—he—was her chance to really live?

Lying there in his home, Haven had the wildest notion to grab onto Dare while she had him, even if she couldn’t keep him, even if she had to leave him behind.

Maybe she could have him now. And it seemed to her that sometimes now was all that mattered.

Footsteps sounded out from the staircase, drawing her from her thoughts.

“You look comfortable,” Dare said, humor playing around his mouth. He carried a rolled-up bundle of clothing in his hand.

“I am,” she said. “I don’t know if I’d ever leave this chair if I lived here.”

That drew a real smile out of him as he crossed the room. Bracing his hands on both armrests, he leaned over her. “Would you rather stay here?” His dark brown gaze was intense and observing, making her feel like he could see inside her. Where once the thought of that scared her, now she almost wished he could see her darkest desires. Then he’d know, and maybe he’d act on them, too. It would save her from having to say all kinds of impossible words, wouldn’t it? Even if that was the chicken’s way out . . .

Haven shook her head. No way was she giving up the chance to see more of Dare’s body. “Nope. I’m still happy to go.”

Boxing her in, Dare leaned down and got right up in her space. “Whatever you want,” he said, his lips just inches from hers.

I want you. Her brain taunted her to say it, to just put it out there and see how he’d react. To maybe even tell him she’d like him to help her make a whole list of to-dos come true before she had to go. While she knew she was safe and that he would treat her right. The thought made goose bumps spring up all over her skin.

She tipped up her chin, offering her lips. “You sure about that?” she asked, the brazenness of the question nearly stealing her breath.

“Oh, Haven,” he said, “you have no idea what I’d be willing to do for you if you wanted me to.”

Her heart was suddenly flying, his words filled with so much seductive promise that Haven could barely believe she’d heard him right. She grappled for how to respond and wondered if this was her moment to just lay everything out there.

“Do you want my confession now, or do you want to just hang for now and talk later?” he asked.

The question threatened to ground her in reality, and she didn’t want that yet. She didn’t want problems or reasons why wanting Dare was a risk she shouldn’t—couldn’t—take. She still wanted the fantasy, the heady promise she felt when she was with him, the feeling that being with him was so right there was no way it could ever end. “Talk later,” she said.

Dare nodded. “Then let’s ride.”





CHAPTER 18


Dare wasn’t sure what he was doing right now, only that he didn’t want to be doing anything else.

Giving in to this attraction for Haven was probably going to make things even harder when it was time for her to leave—harder for both of them. But she didn’t seem to be resisting, either. In fact, her lack of resistance was f*cking with his head—making him think, making him want, making him regret. Toss into the mix the sexual tension that always seemed to be crackling in the air between them, and Dare felt like he was holding on to the end of a rope that was fraying at the middle and sure to give way.

With Haven wrapped tight around his back on his ride—something that felt more goddamned right than it should—Dare pulled out of his driveway and headed toward the lake. Luckily it was a warm afternoon, because the sky had grown overcast while they’d been in the house. It was probably good that she still wanted to swim, though, because watching her make herself comfortable in his space did things to him he didn’t want to think too closely about.

He’d liked seeing her there.

Somehow, her presence had brought the house to life, had made it feel less solitary. Dare didn’t think that was because she was one of the few women he’d ever brought there—and the only one whom he had any personal interest in. It was something about Haven herself, and the way she made him feel.