A Little Dare (56 page)

as
the
sheriff
pulled
money
from
his
wallet
to
pay
for
his

purchases.
When
they
walked
outside
to
wait
for
Mr.

Westmoreland,
who
was
still
inside
buying
a
few
additional
items
he’d
discovered
he
needed,
AJ
decided
to
use
that
time
to
ask
Dare
a
couple
more
questions.

“Can
I
ask
you
something?”

Dare
looked
at
him.
“Sure.
Ask
me
anything
you
want
to
know,
AJ.”

“Earlier
today
you
said
you
liked
kids.
If
you
ever
marry,
do
you
think
you’d
want
more
than
one
child?”

Dare
wondered
about
the
reason
for
that
question.
Was
AJ
contented
being
an
only
child?
Would
he
feel
threatened
if
Dare
told
him
that
he
relished
the
thought
of
having
other

children—if
Shelly
would
be
their
mother?
He
sighed,

deciding
to
be
completely
honest
with
his
son.

“Yes,
I’d
want
more
than
one
child.
I’d
like
as
many
as
my
wife
would
agree
to
give
me.”

AJ’s
face
remained
expressionless,
and
Dare
didn’t
have
a
clue
if
the
answer
he’d
given
would
help
him
or
hang
him.

“Any
more
questions?”

For
a
long
moment,
AJ
didn’t
say
anything.
Then
he
met
Dare’s
gaze
and
asked,
“Is
Dare
your
real
name?”

Dare
shook
his
head.
“No,
my
real
name
is
Alisdare
Julian
Westmoreland.”
He
continued
to
hold
his
son’s
gaze.
“Why
do
you
ask?”

AJ
placed
his
hands
into
his
pockets.
“Because
my
name
is
Alisdare
Julian,
too.
That’s
what
the
AJ
stands
for.”

Dare
wasn’t
sure
exactly
what
he
was
supposed
to
say,
but
knew
he
should
act
surprised,
so
he
did.
He
raised
his
dark
brows
as
if
somewhat
astonished.
“Your
mother
named
you
after
me?”

AJ
nodded.
“Yes.”

Dare
stared
at
AJ
for
a
moment
before
asking.
“Why
did
she
do
that?”

He
watched
as
his
son
drew
a
deep
breath.
“Because—”

“Sorry
I
took
so
long.
I
bet
your
mom
thinks
the
three
of
us
have
been
kidnapped.”

Both
Dare
and
AJ
turned
to
see
Mr.
Westmoreland
walking
toward
them.
But
Dare
was
determine
his
son
would
finish
what
he’d
been
about
to
say.
He
returned
his
gaze
to
AJ.
“Because—?”

AJ
looked
at
the
older
man
walking
toward
them,
and
then
at
Dare
and,
after
losing
his
nerve,
quickly
said,
“Because
she
liked
your
name.”

“Because
she
liked
your
name.”

Later
that
night
Dare
shook
his
head,
remembering
the

reason
AJ
had
given
him
for
Shelly’s
choice
of
his
name.
He
knew
without
a
shadow
of
a
doubt
that
AJ
had
come
within
a
second
of
finally
telling
him
he
was
his
son
before
his
father
had
unintentionally
interrupted
them,
destroying
that
chance.
But
Dare
was
determined
he
would
get
it

again.

Once
they’d
returned
to
his
parents’
home,
there
had
been
no
private
time,
and
on
more
than
one
occasion
he’d
been
tempted
to
suggest
that
the
two
of
them
go
back
to
the

store
and
pick
up
some
item
his
mother
just
had
to
have,
but
since
his
brothers
and
Jamal
hadn’t
yet
returned,
his

mother
put
him
to
work
helping
his
father
grill
the
ribs
and
steaks.

Now
it
was
past
eleven
and
Shelly
was
gathering
her
things
to
take
a
tired
and
sleepy
AJ
home.
He
had
gotten
worn
out
playing
table
tennis
with
his
uncles
for
the
past
couple
of

hours.

Dare
studied
Shelly,
as
he’d
been
doing
most
of
the
night.
She
was
wearing
a
pair
of
jeans
that
molded
to
her

curvaceous
hips
and
a
blue
pullover
top
that,
to
him,

emphasized
her
lush
breasts.
Breasts
he’d
been
kissing

and
tasting
quite
a
lot
over
the
past
few
weeks.
Her
body
had
always
been
a
complete
turn-on
to
him,
and
nothing

had
changed.
He’d
been
fighting
an
arousal
all
night.
The
last
thing
he
needed
was
for
his
brothers
to
detect
what
a
bad
way
he
was
in,
although
from
the
smirks
they
had
sent
him
most
of
the
evening,
he
was
well
aware
that
they
knew.

“AJ
and
I
are
going
to
have
to
say
goodnight
to
everyone,”
Shelly
said
smiling.
“Thanks
again
for
inviting
us.”
She
met
Dare’s
gaze
and
blinked
at
his
unspoken
message.
He

was
letting
her
know
that
he
would
be
seeing
her
later

tonight.

He
slowly
crossed
the
room
to
her.
“I’ll
walk
the
two
of
you
out.”

She
nodded
before
turning
to
give
Delaney
and
Jamal,
the
elder
Westmorelands
and
finally
the
brothers
hugs.

Dare
frowned
at
Storm
when
he
deliberately
kissed
Shelly
on
the
lips,
trying
to
get
a
rise
out
of
him
and
knowing
it
had
worked.
As
far
as
Dare
was
concerned
Shelly
was
his,
and
he
didn’t
appreciate
anyone
mauling
her.
He
had
put
up

with
it
the
first
time
they’d
seen
her
at
Chase’s
restaurant,
but
now
he
figured
that
it
was
time
Storm
learned
to
keep
his
hands
and
his
lips
to
himself.

When
Shelly
and
AJ
walked
ahead
of
him
going
out
the
door,
he
hung
back
and
growled
to
Storm.
“If
you
ever
do