Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Her head had begun to throb, and her anxiety level had kicked up a notch. His suggestion came just in time, and she nodded.
“I’m going to take Liza home,” Dare said to Ethan and Faith.
“Thank you so much for dinner,” Liza said. “It’s just been a long day.”
“It’s been a long weekend, I imagine.” Ethan’s wry tone expressed a combination of seriousness while still mocking his brother.
Liza couldn’t help but grin.
Dare pulled out her chair, and Liza stood. They said their good-byes, and as Liza passed by Tess, the teenager slipped her one of the precious chocolate chip cookies she’d taken from the kitchen while Anna had her back turned.
As acceptance went, Liza was officially blown away.
Dare walked Liza up to her front door. She’d been deliberately quiet on the drive back home, and as if sensing her need, he’d left her alone with her thoughts. Liza had used the time to compose herself and think about how her insular existence had changed in such a short time. Her brother had gone over the edge, and Dare Barron had insinuated himself into her life.
She didn’t mind his presence. Far from it. She liked him too much, even if his family could be overwhelming. And though she hadn’t been good company, and she’d been asleep more often than awake, he seemed to want to spend more time with her too.
The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the lights outside her house had gone on while the summer heat pulsed around them.
It seemed the right time for questions to be answered. “So how did you know I needed to leave?” She’d been wondering since he’d declared it was time for them to go.
His eyes twinkled with amusement as he shrugged his broad shoulders. “A hunch.”
“It was more than that. It’s like you know me.” As well as she knew herself. He’d picked the exact moment her flight instinct was kicking in.
He exhaled a long, hard breath. “It’s more like I can read you.”
She let herself process the statement, and it made her squirm. Not that he’d been able to read her, but that he’d wanted to try. Thanks to the humidity, she’d broken into an uncomfortable sweat, which didn’t help the discomfort in her head. She searched her purse and found her key.
“Do you want me to come in?” he asked before she could invite him.
She didn’t hesitate and merely nodded, hoping she knew what she was getting herself into with this man.
She locked up after him and leaned against the door, palms braced behind her.
“Now, where were we?” he asked. “Ah, yes. I said I’d read you. And realized you were uncomfortable with my family. Not that I blame you. They can be overwhelming on a good day, and Tess wasn’t exactly on her best behavior.”
“I like her, though.” Liza couldn’t help but grin. “And it’s not that I don’t like your family. I do. A lot. I definitely appreciate how nice they’ve been to me.”
“I know. But you withdrew into yourself at dinner. You’d stopped talking. You weren’t listening to anything anybody said.” He raised his hand before she could argue. “You were polite and friendly, but I could tell you weren’t comfortable.”
“Am I that obvious?” she asked, embarrassed.
“Only to me, I hope.” His intimate smile heated her from the inside.
She bit the inside of her cheek. “You’re right. I was uncomfortable,” she admitted. “I’m not used to close friends and family.”
He nodded, his understanding gaze meeting hers. “I know that too, and I wanted to give you the space you needed. And I’ll make sure you aren’t put in those situations often.”
She raised an eyebrow, surprised by his words. Enough that her breath caught in her throat. Her flight instinct was screaming at her again, but she understood she was facing a crucial moment. He’d given her an opening, one where she could find out what exactly he wanted from her and whether it was something she was willing to give.
Before she lost her nerve.
Liza ran her tongue over her lips. “Umm, just why would I be in that situation again?”
“I’d think that was obvious.” He grinned and stepped closer. “Because I hope you’ll be seeing a lot more of me.” He said hope, but he spoke with the certainty of a man comfortable in his own skin. Comfortable with himself and with her.
He was irresistible, Liza thought, which meant one thing. She was in deep trouble.
Chapter Eight
Dare took a step closer to Liza, crowding her against her front door, wanting to be sure they had a clear understanding. “Did you hear me? I want to see a lot more of you.”
She ran her tongue over her lips. On any other woman, he’d take it as a tease. With Liza, he knew it was an honest statement of nerves. “I want that too,” she said.