Dangerous (18 page)

“No, honey,” Granny answered. “I haven’t seen hide
nor
hair of her.”

“No big deal,” I said. “I didn’t expect her to show up anyway.”

“I’m sorry, Dara.”

“
It’s
okay, Granny. I was just wondering. I have a date with Stone tonight, so I’m going to go in and take a shower.”

“Y’all have fun. I’ll probably be gone with George by the time you get out.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, Granny.”

“I would tell you the same thing, but then I think, no, I’d better not.”

“Granny!”
I shouted in feigned indignation. She had always acted much younger than her age, but since she had started dating Mr. Milton, I would swear that she was reliving her teenage years.

I opened the screen door.

“Dara,” Granny said, her voice sounding much more serious.

I turned back to look at Granny.

“On second thought, I think I’ll have George wait with me on the porch until you leave, just in case your mother does show up.”

I shot Granny a small smile. Since the day I had been dropped into her lap, Granny had always put me over her own pleasures. “Granny, go have a good time with Mr. Milton. I don’t want my mother to keep us from having fun tonight. Most likely, she won’t show. If she does, I promise I’ll call you immediately.”

Granny looked at me hesitantly. “It’s hard for me to believe that you’re all grown up now. I’m so proud of the young lady that you’ve become.”

“You’ve done a good job, Granny.”

She pursed her lips, and her eyes glistened.
“My sweet, sweet Dara.
What would
me
and Papa have done without you? You gave us a reason to get up in the morning.”

Letting go of the screen door, I went to her, hugged her neck, and kissed her on the cheek. I heard a car pull into the driveway, and I looked up to see Mr. Milton peering over the steering wheel while he navigated the graveled drive. I turned back to her. “I love you, Granny. Now go have fun.”

She patted my hand. “I love you, too, honey.” She wiped her eyes and stood up. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful. Mr. Milton’s going to have a hard time resisting a hottie like you.”

She smiled. “I hope so.” She sprang down the steps while Mr. Milton walked around the car and opened the passenger side door for her. When she reached him, she paused and called to me, “Call me if you need me.”

“I will,” I promised, waving to her. “Bye.”

She waved back at me, and I watched as they both got in the car and backed down the driveway.

I glanced at the time on my cell phone and rushed inside to take a shower, so that I would have enough time to get ready before Stone arrived.

I chose my favorite pair of blue jean shorts, a white fitted tank top with off-the-shoulder puffy sleeves, which showed off my tan, and a pair of brown cowboy boots. I was just finishing up my make-up when I heard a knock at the door.

When I pulled the front door open, Stone nearly took my breath away. He wore a fashionable pair of blue jeans with a black, V-neck, pullover shirt that clung to his sleek, muscular physique. The V-neck exposed the promise of well-defined pectoral muscles, and I wanted to reach out and trace his neckline with my fingertips, though I didn’t dare do it. His ice blue eyes were clear and focused on me, and I trembled at his close perusal.

I could feel my heart pumping furiously, and I wondered if I would ever be immune to his nearness. I breathed deeply, allowing the sexy scent of his cologne to fuel the fire already burning deep within me.

He cracked a smile. “Oh, yeah, you want me.”

I reached out and thumped him on the chest with my palm, though I wasn’t sure if it was really in indignation or if it just gave me a reason to touch him as I had wanted to do since I first opened the door. “Do not.”

He stepped over the threshold, pulling me into his arms, and whispered in my ear, “Oh, but you do. And I want you, too.”

Before I could process his words, his lips were on mine. He kissed me tenderly at first, and then his kiss deepened, leaving a trail of fire blazing through my body. By the time he pulled away, I was breathless, and I could do nothing but stare into his smoldering eyes.

His warm fingertips traced my bare shoulders. “In case you’ve forgotten, your name is Dara Golding.”

I thumped his chest again. “I’m going to have a serious talk with Granny about keeping my secrets, but in the meantime, don’t let my comment go to your head.” Dramatically, I pointed my finger in the air, as if I had forgotten something. “Oh, wait, it would be impossible for you to be any more conceited than you already are.”

He laughed and tugged me back into his embrace. “Conceited and a badass,” he whispered in my ear.

“What was that? What did you say?” I asked, pretending that I couldn’t make out his words. “Conceited and an asshat?”

Stone guffawed. “I see your hearing is as bad as your memory,” he said much too loudly.

“What did you say?” I shouted, feigning difficulty in understanding him for a second time.

He laughed boisterously again, fished his phone from his pocket, and began texting furiously.

I watched him, wondering if he had gotten a message, maybe from his mother or Mike or even worse, Jessie.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out and looked at the screen, surprised that I had a new text message from Stone. I smiled and opened the message.

Nothing will keep me from taking u out 2night. Not
ur
bad hearing or ur bad memory.
Dara Golding (that would
b
u),
r
u ready to go eat?

I bit my lower lip and tapped out a reply.
Only if you let me drive.
:)

Drive what?

Your motorcycle, of course.
;)

Stone laughed out loud and texted again.
U will never catch me riding on the back of a motorcycle. But I will let u rev my engine.

I finished reading the text and squealed when Stone unexpectedly scooped me up. My feet flailed in the air as they dangled over his right arm, and I giggled like a ten-year-old. Being held in his muscular arms and breathing in the heady scent of his cologne made me giddy. I didn’t know what it was about Stone Hamilton, but when I was near him, all of my senses went haywire. I had never felt this way around another guy.

He lowered me to my feet and pulled me against his body, one palm flattened against my back holding me firmly in place, and he kissed me, slowly, gently, purposely. His lips were soft and warm against mine, and he tasted of cinnamon. Gradually, he ended the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. “Have I told you how beautiful you are tonight?” he whispered.

“No, I don’t think you have.”

He stepped back and held me at arm’s length. “You’re freakin’ gorgeous.”

I could feel my face burning a brilliant shade of red. “You look nice, too.”

“I look nice?”

I nodded my head.

“I look nice? Come on, Dara. You can do better than that.”

“You’re very handsome.”

“Handsome?” he repeated. “Don’t you find me sexy?”

I nodded my head affirmatively.

“Then tell me.”

I stared at him, horrified. What did he want me to say? I had already admitted that he was handsome and that I found him sexy.

He closed the distance between us and whispered in my ear. “Tell me that I’m a sexy beast.”

“You’re a beast, alright,” I blurted, gently pushing him back a step.
“Fish for compliments often?”

He chuckled softly. “What guy doesn’t want to hear those words from a creature as beautiful as you?

“Okay,” he continued, “my ego is wounded. I guess we should go now.”

“Your ego wounded?
A sexy beast like you?”
I clicked my tongue and shook my head. “Impossible.”

He laughed again. “I’ll take it. Now, we can go with my ego fully intact.”

I locked up the house and followed Stone to his bike. The wind on the ride to Awesome Sauce felt fabulous against my skin, and it wasn’t difficult to see why Stone loved his motorcycle so much. My arms were wrapped around his muscular torso, and my heart beat frantically in my chest as my body molded to his. If there was one thing that I had to admit about Stone Hamilton, besides the fact that he was dangerous, it was that he was exciting.

Awesome Sauce was packed. As we walked in, I waved at Crimson and Scarlet, who were sitting with Chance and another guy that I couldn’t recognize from the back. I wondered if it was Mike, but the mystery guy was quickly forgotten when I saw Jessie sitting at a booth closer to us, her eyes focused on Stone. A twinge of jealousy ricocheted through my body, and I forced myself to ignore the unwanted emotion.

Stone’s warm hand encompassed mine, fingers intertwined, and he led me to a booth on the opposite side of the building.

He sat beside me, his arm resting protectively around my shoulders, his fingers gently stroking my upper arm. “Do you know what you want to eat?”

I stared at the unopened, red-and-beige menu laying on the tabletop. I didn’t need to look at it. Eating at Awesome Sauce was practically a daily event for many of my friends and me. Stone and I agreed to split an order of nachos, and we each ordered a sweet tea.

While we waited for our food to arrive, I tried to make small talk. “Are you excited about your parents coming home?”

“I wouldn’t exactly say that I’m excited.”

“Don’t you miss them?”

He grunted, and I had no idea how to decipher it. I tried to fill the silence. “I know I’d miss Granny if she was gone for very long.”

“It’s funny, isn’t it? How different people’s lives are,” he mused, still stroking my arm.

“You know what else is funny?” I asked. “How much difference
one
person can make in your life.” I paused, and then added, “And how much difference
you
can make in one person’s life.”

“Time out,” Stone announced. “We sound like a couple of sixty-year-old philosophers, sitting around in velvet robes, writing on scrolls with quill pens, trying to solve the meaning of life. Shouldn’t we be talking about something more age appropriate?”

I looked at him and grinned. “I don’t know. I think you might look kinda sexy in a velvet robe.”

“Of course, I would. I’m a sexy beast,” he informed me, a lascivious grin on his face.

“What did you say?” I asked, cupping my hand around my ear as if I couldn’t hear him. “Did you say you’re a sexist pig?”

He laughed. “Just for that, I won’t wear my velvet robe for you.”

“Oh, darn,” I muttered as our server brought our sweet teas. “And I was so looking forward to that.”

“Did you hear anything else from your mother?” he asked quietly.

“Nope.
Not a word.”

“Are you okay with that?” He watched me with concerned eyes, and I was touched that he was checking on my welfare.

“It’s exactly what I expected. So, yeah, I’m okay with that.”

He squeezed my shoulders affectionately and patted my arm. “You’ve always got Granny.”

“Yeah, Granny’s my rock.”

The nachos were good, as always. Stone would pick some of the chips with the most toppings on them and feed them to me. I couldn’t help but imagine us lounging around in togas feeding grapes to each other. I wasn’t sure where the historical theme had come from tonight, but between the velvet robe and the toga, I wondered why I was picturing Stone in a dress. He was such a guy’s guy. Maybe that’s what made it so amusing. Then again, with his rock-hard muscles and undeniable good looks, he could probably pull it off. I figured while I was at it, I may as well picture him in a kilt, maybe playing a set of bagpipes.
Or riding his motorcycle.
I laughed out loud at that one. Somehow, I didn’t think a kilt and a motorcycle would be a good combination.

“What is it?” he asked, looking at me suspiciously.

“Nothing,” I answered, unable to wipe the silly grin from my face.

“You’re not a good liar, Dara,” he pointed out.

“Are you?” I asked.

He looked at me and frowned. “I’m good at everything.”

I burst out laughing. “Not everything.”

“What am I not good at?” he asked as if issuing a challenge.

“Modesty, for starters,” I answered. “And you’re not a very good kisser.”

It was his turn to laugh. “And I already told you that you’re not a good liar. But I guess if I’m not a good kisser, then I’ll have to wait for you to show me how it’s done. You have my word that I won’t kiss you again until you kiss me.”

He was right, of course. He was a fantastic kisser, but I refused to feed his ego.

“Are you ready to blow this
joint
?” he asked, raking his long fingers through his dark hair.

“Sure.”

“It’s your night. Where do you want to go?” he asked.