Dare Me (4 page)

“Feelin’ better?” Adam hoped.

Slick red lips. Slick black hair. Slick fitted dress. Everything about her was slick. Especially the way she sauntered across the room and straight into his arms as if she’d given herself a pep talk in private. Her change of heart made him curious, but he didn’t want to jinx a good thing with an interrogation.

Instead, he accepted her stocking-clad ankle as she slipped it between his calves, rubbing her leg invitingly against him—no questions asked.

“I feel…” Her pent-up peppermint-scented sigh tickled his cheek. “Good. Better than good.”

He cocked a curious brow, studying her face, searching for the uncertainty he’d seen before but it was gone. “Good enough to have your picture taken.”

“Yeah—about that…” A wry smile curved her pout. “Let’s forget the headshots tonight. We can do it at your studio another time.” Her tongue slid along the edges of her top teeth, from canine to canine.

“Sorry, slick…a deal’s a deal, and a contract’s a contract. It’s just one photo. Right now. And the rest of the night is ours.”

“I’m not feeling photogenic.”

“More champagne oughta fix that problem. Plus a little background music to loosen all the tightly wound bits ’n pieces.” He snapped on the radio and tweaked the dial, tuning in to an acoustic guitar playing bossa nova. Then filled her flute and carried it to the wing-backed chair beside the fireplace, luring her to follow.

“Tsk. You’re not gonna let me get outta this, are you?”

“Come on. It’s not that bad. Just do it for me.”

“Oooh, fine.” She sat like an obedient subject, fondling the velvet armrests, making Adam wish he were under those fingers. “What else ya gonna make me do for you?”

“I can think of a few things.”

“I bet.” Misty perked up. “Let’s get this over with.” She elongated her neck and torso, widened her Brazilian blue eyes, and leaned forward like a trained model.

He fought the urge to steal a kiss and backed up behind the lens instead. After fifteen minutes of rapid-fire photos, he turned off the flash. Scrolling through the images on the tiny digital screen, except for the few where she blinked, they were perfect.

“Well?”

“Sorry, slick.” Shaking his head, he lied, “Not so good.”

She slumped with a frown. “I told you I wasn’t photogenic.”

“Ya know what? Try standing by the bar.”

She complied with a forced pose, jutting her hip and tilting her head this way and that. “How do you want me?”

Bent over.
“Put your palms on the counter and lean forward.” He stepped behind her to adjust the angle of her chin. Pulled back her shoulders. “Wow. You’re tense.”

“Am I?”

“Yeah.” With one hand, he pinpointed the knots at the base of her slender neck. “Here. And here.” She went limp and dropped her head to her chest. The deeper he rubbed the louder she groaned. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

“Hurts in a good way. Don’t stop. Oooh…yeah. That feels good.”

Her head rolled back, face relaxed, eyes shut, lips parted, and it took all Adam’s effort not to kiss her. Instead, he slipped one hand in his front pants pocket to trigger the wireless remote and stole a few images of them together. With the flash turned off and the music drowning out the snicker of the shutter, Misty didn’t even notice.

“If you ever give up photography you can be a masseuse.”

“I’ll never give up photos. Ever. But I’d definitely give you a massage if you let me.”

“Promise?” She glanced over her shoulder through a fan of dark lashes.

“Trust me. Massaging you is one promise I’d never break. But it’s time for work. We can play later.” Although he didn’t want to leave the closeness of Misty’s warm body, he didn’t want to miss the call of his muse.

“Let’s play now and skip the photos altogether.” She caught his forearm but he slipped away behind the camera.

“Wait a sec. I gotta change memory cards.”

“Already? You took that many pictures of me?”

“Stuff from the whole day are on it too, not just of you,” he lied seamlessly as he traded the full card of Misty-shots for an empty one. “Maybe after we finish the headshots you’ll let me take a few more for fun?”

She cocked her head in scrutiny. “What’s that mean?”

“Glamour shots. Women come to the studio all the time for ’em.”

“Hmmm…maybe. If I can have some more champagne.”

“You can have all the champagne your little heart desires. But first you should eat something.” He guided her to the table set for two, pulled out her chair, then lifted the silver cover on the tray.

Adam wasted no time wolfing down everything on his plate while Misty picked at the asparagus tips.

He aimed his knife at her untouched medallion of beef. “You can’t have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat.”

“I’m full.”

“Nice try.” He pulled her plate closer to dice the fillet then speared a tiny piece with the fork and held it to her lips.

“I can do it myself.” She reached for the utensil in his hand.

“I’ll do it.” Adam retracted his arm. “I mean, I’d like to do it for you, if you don’t mind.”

With a coy smile, she accepted the glistening sliver of beef between her incisors and devoured it with a feline purr of delight. “Yummm,” she hummed then flicked out her tongue for more.

Piece after piece, he never broke eye contact longer than it took to find the next morsel, all the while longing to fill her with his own prime meat. It would be more than a mouthful. He hoped she could handle it.

“A girl could get used to this kind of TLC. Don’t spoil me or you’ll never get rid of me.” Misty licked the marinade from her lips.

“I have every intention of keeping you, Misty Morningside. Now that I have you, I’m not letting you go. Ever.” Hunger radiated from his gaze as if she were the next course.

Heat crept into her cheeks at his soulful secret that stole her breath. She dodged the last bite on the fork and swooped in for a first kiss but he stealthily avoided it.

“One more bite.” Adam fed Misty final morsel then dabbed her mouth with a white linen napkin.

He might be playing the role of a perfect alpha-gentleman, but beneath that proper tuxedo was the scrappy teenager notorious for cutting class to sneak onto the football field, under the bleachers with the flavor-of-the-week. She’d studied those smooth moves, watching bird’s-eye from the second story window of Scenic View High School, wishing she could be one of his many conquests. Now was her chance.

He held a fresh flute of champagne to her lips, but the mischievous twinkle in his whiskey eyes had her craving something else—something harder between her thighs.

“Ready for dessert?”

More than ready
. She clenched her lips to keep from saying something that would come back to bite her in the end and nodded instead.

God, what am I thinking? Where’s my mantra?
Drowning in champagne, so it seemed.

It was only fair to warn him her career came before everything, but she didn’t want to ruin the mood talking about work. Just because they were single, consenting adults didn’t mean this filly should break the stallion and make him her stud—not when her commitment to the family business left so little room for monkey business.

Then again…

If there ever was a perfect time to be fooling around, Valentine’s Day was it. Only a couple of hours remained, and by God, her libido deserved to go out with a bang. A great big mind-blowing she-bang. As much as she wanted to get her hands on the bridal boutique in the near future, she wanted Adam now.

Forget the mantra for one night
. She’d be sure to screw on her head properly tomorrow.

Besides, Adam Wright seemed genuinely sincere, what could go wrong?

“They had five different cakes to choose from. I didn’t know what you’d like so I ordered a slice of each.”

Moved by his thoughtfulness, she whispered without hesitation, “What I really want is you.”

“Trust me, once we’re done with your headshots you won’t be able to stop me.”

Satisfied by his statement, yet unsure she could hold on much longer, she held back a grin. “Fine. Let’s get it done.”

While he snapped a few shots of her against the red drapes, all she could think about was what it must’ve been like for the girls under the bleachers. “How many?”

“A few more.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Adam set the handheld camera on the bar. “What are you talkin’ about then?”

“Never mind.”

“No. Tell me.”

Misty saw the opportunity and seized it. “Fine—give me the camera and I’ll tell you.”

“You know how to work it?”

“Is it rocket science?”

“Far from it.”

“Then I can handle it. Can I use the one on the tripod?”

“Go right ahead. Where would you like me?”

Between my thighs
crossed her mind, but instead she swept the room with a glance. “How ’bout the bedroom?”

She expected him to crack a joke, if not a smile, but with the seriousness of a seasoned professional, he nodded. “Should I put the bow tie back on?”

“If you don’t mind.”

He complied. “With or without the jacket?”

“With. For now.” Her tone was sterner than she intended, as if handling the staff at the bridal shoppe. “Lean forward.” Snap. “Turn.” Snap. “Put your hand in your pocket.” Snap.

Adam looked like a glossy paged model through the lens.

What was going on behind those hooded eyes? That seductive smirk? Was he as turned on as Misty?

Before she snapped from curiosity, she asked the question burning her brain. “So, how many girls did you take under the bleachers?”

Adam tossed back his head with a guttural laugh. “You don’t want to know.”

“I do.” She stepped in front of the lens. “I really, really do.”

“I don’t remember, Misty. It was so long ago.”

“You can tell me. I can handle it.”

“I dunno.” He shrugged. “Six. Maybe seven.”

“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head. “It was definitely more.”

“More?”

“I can recall at least eleven times.”

“How would you know?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“My math class faced the football field. I flunked pre-calculus because I spent more time watching for you out the window than paying attention to the board.”

“Is that so?” Adam closed the gap between them like a predator ready to pounce on his prey.

Nervous, Misty jumped back behind the lens. “Get back in place. We’re not done. Take off the jacket.”

“Sorry you failed math on my account. I had no idea you were so distracted.”

“Not your fault. You couldn’t have known I was watching.”
Stalking.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I watched you too. Not through your math class window. I mean, getting on the bus after last period. I’d thought about askin’ you out a couple of times, but I didn’t think you’d be interested. You always avoided me in the hallway.”

“Really? You noticed me?”

“Misty. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since kindergarten. Don’t you remember?”

She nodded as her heart warmed at the distant memory. “You gave me a boost to reach the water fountain. You were my knight-in-shining armor at five years old.”

“How ’bout now?” With his hands in his pants pockets, he seemed harmless and alarming all at once.

“I…ummm…” She licked her dry lips then grabbed the champagne glass and swallowed the rest. “A few more photos. Take off the tie. Unbutton the collar.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Do you need a refill?”
Lord knows I do.

Misty wobbled toward the bar, but Adam leaped in front of her leaving no time to swerve out of his path. She smacked face first into his chest and he caught her by the elbows before she fell sideways.

“Sorry, slick.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head up. “I need to do this…”

Before she could ask any questions, he stole her breath with his powerful kiss. His warm tongue found hers and they swirled together in heavenly bliss. Misty melted into him helpless, reckless for more.

“I tried holding back,” he murmured against her mouth. “But I can’t help myself.”

When he finally pulled away, they were both gasping for air.

“God, I’ve wanted to kiss you since I saw you this afternoon. Since high school. Hell, I’ve been waiting my whole life for it. I’m sorry. I know I’m outta line.”

“No, Adam, please—there’s no reason to be sorry. I’m glad it happened. I wanted it as much as you.” She was dizzy from his lips. “I’ve gone from feeling guilty because I’d thought you were married, to thrilled you’re not. But I have so much going on in my life with the bridal shoppe right now, I don’t think I can handle a relationship on top of it all. I don’t want to say no to any possibilities between us, but I can’t say yes without thinking things through with a clear head. A one-night stand with you will never be enough for me, yet I can’t promise you anything more.”

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this much. I figured if you gave me the time of day we’d play catch-up and that would be the end of it. I’d hoped for something more to happen—something like this. I would’ve considered myself lucky if you’d just agreed to let me call you sometime. I never thought you’d be in my arms. But just so you know, I meant what I said about not letting you go.”

“It sounded so good, I figured it was a line…”

“I have no lines—not with you. But I, ummm, did order the Fantasy Honeymoon Surprise Package in case things worked out.”

Hidden in a compartment under the Room Service cart, he revealed a large gift basket sealed in purple cellophane.

“Ooh. That does look extra special.” The label read
COMPLIMENTS OF VIOLET’S VALISE
—the lingerie shoppe across the street from the bridal boutique. “Let’s open it.”

Misty raced Adam to the bedroom where he unwrapped it.