Legal secretary, Olivia Warner enjoys being single and, aside from her closest gal pals, usually keeps to herself. But the night of her thirty-fourth birthday, she and her friends spend a fun-filled evening at a local bar where her friends dare her to approach a man, and spend the night with him. Olivia’s not one to turn down a dare, especially from her old college pals. She only hopes the man in question is in for some good conversation, because that’s all she’ll give him.
Darren âDareâ Shalvis has given up on women. He’s tired of being chased for his money, good looks, and prowess in bed. He prefers to meet a woman who, for once, wants nothing more from him than mere conversation. If only the woman asking him to spend the night with her wasnât his favorite legal secretary.
Accepting a dare has never been so temptingâŚ
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*****
Excerpt:
She gave a small laugh and lifted the glass for a drink.
Dare watched her lips as she drank. He wondered what theyâd taste like. It was something heâd considered many times lately.
He was drawn to her, but unsure heâd ever act on it.
Her whole demeanor said âhands off.â And he wasnât sure he was ready for the challenge.
âTell me about it.â
âIâll cut right to the chase.â As he turned on the stool, their knees brushed. Neither moved.
He thought he saw her eyes lit up. Perhaps Ms. Warner wasnât as immune as he thought.
âMy friends brought me here tonight for my birthday.â
âHappy birthday.â
She smiled. âThank you. The juryâs still out whether itâs happy or not. My friends decided that as a present theyâd get me a man.â She blushed and reached for her drink.
âGo on.â Intriguing.
She set down her glass and continued, âThey dared me. Dared me to find myself a man and spend the night with him.â
WomenâŚwho understood them? Heâd only ever participated in dares when he was younger. He didnât think anyone took them seriously anymore.
âAnd you need my help, how?â Dareâs heart rate accelerated. She wasnât asking him toâŚ
She stared up at him, her gaze steady. âI need you to spend the night with me.â
If he hadnât heard it with his own ears, he wouldnât have believed it. This night was the strangest heâd had in a long time. It was as if heâd been offered a million dollars on a silver platter.
Of course, he wanted to spend the night with her. Heâd fantasized about it many times. He just wasnât clear on what exactly she was asking. He didnât want any misunderstandings. âAre you asking me to spend the night with you toâŚâ Dare cleared his throat. ââŚbe with you?â
âOh! No, yes, I mean no. Dammit, Iâve screwed this up.â
âRelax.â He put a hand on her knee. âItâs okay. Letâs try thisâdo you want me to have sex with you?â
Olivia groaned. Dare love that sound, and heat filled his groin.
âNo. Not to have sex. God, this is mortifying.â Olivia placed her hand over his where it still rested on her knee. âJust to spend the night togetherâa movie, hang out, whateverâuntil eight a.m., when the dare is over.â
Dare laughed. She talked so fast he could hardly keep up. Heâd never seen her so animated before. He liked her flustered and breathlessâŚa lot. He wondered if she looked and sounded like that during sex.
He couldnât go that route. Not now.
âOkay, so let me get this straight. You want us to spend the night togetherâwith no sexâuntil morning? All because of a dare? Why didnât you just say no?â
âI canât. In college, the five of us made a pactâin blood, for Godâs sakeâthat weâd always be friends and never back down from a dare. Trust me, right now, I wish Iâd never made it.â
He chuckled. âYes, I can imagine how you feel.â
âIâm so tired after the day we had. This was the last thing I needed tonight.â
âYeah, when I stopped by the office today you seemed a bit irritated.â
She sighed and ran her fingers over his hand. Dare was surprised how comfortable it felt to have their knees and hands touch. He didnât think Olivia was even aware she caressed his handsâŚor wreaked havoc on his libido. If her innocent touches could send him into overdrive, he wondered what would happen if she put all she had into it.
âIt was the day from hell. I just wanted to meet the girls for a few drinks, then head home to soak the day away.â
Dare grit his teeth and tried not to think of Olivia in a bathtubâwater floating around her body, relaxed, languid. The image could send him over the edge.
âWell, youâre in luck. Iâm your man for the night.â
Olivia smiled and her eyes danced. âThank you. I really appreciate it. The last thing I wanted to do was have to pick up some random guy. Iâm so glad you were here.â
Pleased he could help her, Dare grinned. He realized he wanted to anything to put that carefree smile on her face.
âSo.â He took a sip of his beer. âWhat do you want to do?â
She scowled. âWell, we could go back to my place. I have a spare room that you can crash in if you want.â
Surprised, Dare took in her flushed face. âAre you sure?â
She nodded. âYeah. We donât exactly have to stay up all night. Itâs still spending the night together, right?â
He chuckled. âYeah, in a manner of speaking. Your friends werenât specific.â
A smug smile crossed Oliviaâs face. âNo they werenât. Which is a testament to how much they thought this through. I would have made a list of doâs and donâts.â
They both laughed. Olivia had a naughty streak and he liked it. Liked itâand herâvery much. A night with Olivia Warner wasnât what heâd expected.
Sure, heâd thought of her in his bed often, writhing and moaning with passion, but he never thought fantasy would become a reality. He couldnât let the opportunity go.
His buddies didnât call him Dare for no reason. He could never resist a challenge.
He placed both hands on her shoulders, drew her gaze from her glass, and put his cards on the table.
âWhat if we have an agreement?â
She frowned. âWhat do you mean?â
âFor us to spend the night together, we should have some ground rules.â
âGround rules?â
âI will spend the night with you. More than eager to do so, except one thing.â
âWhatâs that?â she whispered. He barely heard her but saw her lips move.
He wanted to taste them, desperately.
âI donât want to sleep in any spare room.â
âYou donât?â She gawked at him.
Her expression was comical but Dare didnât feel like laughing.
âNo. I want to spend the night in your room.â Dare had her full attention. She stared at him, eyes wide. âIn your bed.â
*****
The writer: Kacey is a multi-published erotic romance author who was encouraged to write by her beloved husband and quickly found herself writing fast and furiously. Not that sheâll ever tell him those three dreadful words that he longs to hearâŚâYou were right.â Kacey is a true romantic at heart.
The Wife and Mom: Born, raised and still living in her hometown in Ontario, Canada, Kacey found true love with her husband. As a Mom of three, Kacey has made certain that each of her children know the value of the written word and the adventures they could escape on by becoming book-a-holics in their own right.
Readers can learn more about Kacey’s books and contact her via âŚ
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