Dare to Love (Pride Oregon Book 5)

by Jill Sanders

  As he walked her down the street to drop off her books at her place, the rain continued to pour down on them. Thankfully, they managed to stay dry under the overly large rainbow umbrella she carried.

  “This thing is huge,” he joked as he tried to shut it just outside her doorway.

  She laughed. “When you live in Oregon, you have to invest in a really good umbrella.” She bent to pick up one of the two cats who were wrapping themselves around her legs.

  “True,” he agreed as he set the thing just inside her doorway. When he turned around, she was watching him again with those haunting blue eyes as she stroked the cat. “What?” He stopped just inside the doorway.

  “I have an idea.” She smiled and set the cat down. “How about I cook for you instead of us going back out into that.” She nodded towards the doorway.

  “Depends.” He moved further into the room. “Can you cook?”

  She laughed. “I took lessons from my father.”

  He removed his jacket and hung it up on the rack by the front door. “Then I guess my stomach is in your hands.”

  She smiled as she removed her jacket as well. “Perfect.” She rubbed her hands together.

  He moved over to the bar area and rested a hip against the stool. One of the cats jumped up on his lap, having apparently decided his owner was not going to give him any more attention. Carter started petting it.

  “You remember Alley and Gutter?” She nodded to the cats.

  “Yeah, they’ve grown,” he said absently as he watched her. “What do you have planned for dinner?” he asked as the cat, who’d had enough attention, jumped off his lap while the other still nudged his leg. Bending over, he picked up the other one and gave it attention. “Needy little guys, aren’t you?” He chuckled as the cat rubbed its face against his.

  “They love attention, just like me.” She smiled at him. “I grabbed some fresh salmon on my lunch break and was planning on having it tonight.” She moved into the kitchen and started pulling items out of the cupboards. “I wanted to try out this new recipe I found online. Pan-seared salmon in lemon garlic cream sauce.” She continued to chat as she moved around.

  “Anything I can do to help?” he asked when the second cat jumped off his lap and walked over to sleep on the windowsill with its sibling.

  “How about pouring us some wine?” She nodded to a small rack that held several bottles. “The glasses are…” She motioned with her elbow, since she was descaling the fish.

  After opening the wine, he set a glass near where she was working.

  “What else?” he asked.

  “If you want to set the table?” She quickly told him where to find everything. Pulling out what they needed, he added a small touch by lighting the candles on her small table. Then he set his phone in her iPhone speaker and started playing one of his favorite stations.

  As music filled the space, he sat back down and watched her move around the kitchen as if she were dancing.

  “I bet your father taught you that too,” he said softly.

  “Hmm?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

  Raising his voice over the music, he answered, “How to move around the kitchen with confidence. Not a lot of people can make it look as if it’s a dance.”

  She shook her hips to the beat and laughed. “My mother claims I got all my rhythm from her.”

  He laughed. “It’s funny, when I first met your family, the only one I thought you really took after was your aunt Lacey.”

  She laughed. “I get that a lot.” She flipped the salmon over. His stomach growled loudly in response to the wonderful smells filling the space. She chuckled again. “It’s almost done.”

  “I would have never pegged you and your brother for twins. Most twins I’ve met at least look somewhat alike.”

  “Jacob looks like my dad and my mother.” He could hear a hint of something in the tone of her voice.

  “Is that an issue?”

  “No.” She set the pan of salmon aside and went to mixing the sauce. “Both of my brothers are Jordans through and through.”

  “Not you?” he asked, curious what she meant.

  “Oh, I am. I’m a dead ringer for Lacey, and she’s most definingly a Jordan.” She smiled.

  “What then?”

  “I had just hoped…” She stopped what she was doing and turned towards him. “I want to be taller,” she said after raising her chin.

  He couldn’t help it, he laughed. “I like you just the way you are.”

  “Yeah.” She frowned and then turned back to the stove. “So does everyone else.”

  “You could always wear more of those heels you wore for the party?” he suggested.

  She threw a look at him over her shoulder. “I barely made it through one night with those things.”

  “I like shorter women.”

  She was silent for a while, then after turning off the fire on the last burner, she turned to him. “You do?”

  He slowly stood up, walked around the counter and placed his hands on her arms.

  “Very much.” He nudged her closer. “So much so that I’m having a difficult time staying away from you. Even though I keep telling myself I don’t…”

  “Deserve me,” she finished for him. “Yeah, my cousin and I have talked about how Corey felt the same way about him and Lilly. At least at first.”

  He sighed, slowly letting the rest of the tension escape from his body. “I don’t.”

  She shook her head. “Carter, if anything, I’m the one that’s not worthy.”

  “How do you figure?” He was slightly shocked at her words.

  “You run your own business…”

  “So do you,” he added in quickly.

  “It’s not the same.”

  He laughed at that. “It’s exactly the same.”

  “I had a loving family standing behind me in case I failed.” Her meaning sank in. “You moved to a new place and put every last dime you had into your dream. Sure, I put everything I had into Classy and Sassy too, but you can bet that if it had gone belly up, my family would have been there to scrape me off the sidewalk. You and your brother were alone. Are alone.”

  “We have my grandfather’s money now.”

  “Yes, but to begin with…” She reached up on her toes and laid her lips softly over his. “I only wish I was bold enough to take chances like you. To grab what I want as passionately as you do.”

  “What is it that you want?” he asked, his voice a whisper.

  Her eyes locked with his. “You.”

  “You have me.” He pulled her close and kissed her as if nothing else in the world mattered.

  “I’ve thought about what you said…” she said as he trailed his mouth down her neck. “About… this just being…”

  His growl of desire stopped the rest.

  “I’m okay with that,” she finished as she started to pull his work shirt over his shoulders. Again, her eyes met his. “I want you. However I can have you.”

  His shirt hit the floor.

  “Our food is going to get cold,” he said, hoisting her up into his arms. Her hands ran over the muscles in his shoulders as she kicked off her shoes somewhere between the kitchen and her bedroom.

  “I have a microwave,” she said. She leaned in for another kiss. “Make love to me,” she whispered against his lips. “Show me the world.”

  He stilled, remembering her admission that he would be her first. But the look in her eyes made him realize that there was no turning back for either of them.

  “I’ll be…”

  “Perfect,” she finished. “Carter, don’t think too much. I’ve made up my mind.” She leaned back as they stepped into her bedroom. “This is going to happen.” She took his face in her hands. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  He chuckled, then stilled and rested his forehead against hers. “Something tells me I’m going to be the one doing the damage.” He moved closer to her bed then stopped. “What about your family?”


  “They aren’t here.” She slid her body down his. Then she stepped back and pulled her shirt slowly over her head, exposing a bright pink bra and those perfect breasts of hers. He completely forgot about everything else.

  His hunger for her grew. Reaching up with shaky fingers, he brushed the back of his fingers down the curve. Her eyes closed and she rolled her head back with a slight moan.

  He watched her closely, wanting to see exactly what he did to her. How he made her feel.

  When he cupped those breasts, she arched into him and he felt her nipples pucker into his palms.

  “Carter,” she begged.

  “Trust me,” he said as his hands moved lower. He nudged her soft cotton slacks off her hips, exposing matching pink panties. “Wow, do you always wear these?”

  She glanced down and smiled. “I have them in every color.”

  “I love that you color coordinate,” he said before dipping his head down and running his mouth over the curve of her breast. His hands sank into her hips to pull her up against his erection, which was pressing against his jeans.

  She rubbed her body against him slightly and almost made him rush to take her quickly. But he’d told himself that he was going to show her everything he could first.

  He walked them backwards, not stopping until her knees hit the side of the bed. Then he hoisted her up and laid her down, moving her to the center of her bed.

  He could see a look of concern fill her eyes and knew he had to smooth it from her. Bending over her, he trailed kisses over her body, using his fingers to cause her nipples to peak even more. When he nudged the material aside and ran his mouth over her skin, her fingers gripped his hair, holding him in place as he sucked her into his mouth.

  “Carter, I want…” She tried to reach for his pants, but he moved lower, letting his mouth trail over her stomach, enjoying the way her breath hitched as he went.

  When he came to the top of her panties, he glanced up at her. “Are you enjoying it so far?”

  Instead of answering, she nodded slightly as she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. The simple move had his cock jumping in his jeans.

  Laying his head on her stomach, he rolled those sexy panties of hers down her legs, then found her with his mouth. She was hot and ready for him. She jerked under him, her hands going to his hair once more as her legs wrapped around his shoulders.

  The taste of her made him groan with pleasure. She was like a spring flower opening for him. Only for him. That thought quickly rushed through his head.

  He felt her building up and when he slid a finger into her, she cried out his name and fisted her hands in the sheets beside her now naked body.

  Sliding his body up next to hers, he pulled off his jeans and pulled the condom from his pocket.

  Gathering her up, he kissed her again until he felt her sliding under him once more. Her legs wrapped around his hips this time.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, poised at her entrance.

  “More than you know.” She smiled up at him. Then she tugged on his hips with her hands and he moved inside her.

  She was so tight, fit him so perfectly. He doubted he could last long. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she leaned up and returned his kisses.

  “Riley.” He tried to hold out for her again.

  “No, don’t stop,” she warned. “I’m almost…” When she groaned and lost control, he fell with her.

  He lost control of his arms and, worried he’d crush her, he rolled to the side. Even though he couldn’t hear or see yet, he pulled her body next to his as he waited for his body to settle after one of the best orgasms he’d ever felt.

  “Wow.” He registered her giggles when he finally surfaced. He was running his hands through her long hair, enjoying the feeling of it lying across his neck.

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “Wow.” He smiled. “I think I can see again.” He blinked a few times and then looked over at her. She had hoisted herself up on one elbow and was running her eyes over his body.

  “I like what I see,” she said, and then she bit her bottom lip again. He felt his body react once more, but knew he needed food first.

  “So do I.” He reached up and, cupping her face, pulled her down to kiss him again, just as his stomach growled loudly.

  Giggling, she pulled back. “I guess we earned dinner.”

  “It’s probably cold by now.” He held her for a moment more, then reluctantly let her go. She jumped up and found his T-shirt from the floor. The fact that she didn’t act shy about her body or try to quickly cover up made him smile.

  No matter if she was new to this, she was secure in herself.

  “I’m going to…” She motioned to the bathroom.

  He nodded and watched her disappear. Then he noticed the small spot on her comforter and cringed. It had been her first time and he hadn’t gone slow enough. Sure, he’d built her up, but once he’d been inside her, his control had slipped.

  He tugged on his jeans and then pulled the comforter off and walked down the hallway to stuff it into her washing machine. He added detergent and hit the start button.

  “Thanks.” She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. “I would have gotten to that.” She rested her head on his back, just between his shoulder blades.

  Turning, he wrapped his arms around her. “I should have been gentler.”

  “No.” She smiled up at him. “It was perfect. You were everything I’d imagined.”

  He wondered for a moment if she was just saying that, but then she kissed him again and he realized that he could make it up to her next time.

  That thought had him pulling back. “I…” He thought about their earlier conversation about how he just wanted sex. The thought of a relationship like that with her made his stomach turn.

  She deserved more. He didn’t dare fall in love with her—he knew better than that—but he also knew he was a bastard if he thought he could just use her.

  “Wow.” She reached up and rubbed the spot between his eyebrows. “Whatever that thought was that caused the crease here”—she rubbed it again— “let it go.” She smiled. “Let me heat up the food. I’m starving now.” She kissed him again. “While I heat this up, maybe you can run downstairs and grab us one of Mrs. Kenny’s pies.” She dropped her hands and stepped back.

  “You’re wearing my shirt.” He ran his eyes over her. She looked damn good in it too. It hit her mid-thigh and was way too big on her, but knowing what she had underneath made his mouth water.

  “You’ve got a jacket.” She smirked as she walked into the kitchen.

  “So I do.” He pulled on his shoes and then grabbed his jacket. “Any preference on flavor?”

  She was putting the plates into the microwave and glanced over at him. “Chocolate.” She raised her eyebrows. “Is there any other kind?”

  “I like her apple pie just as much.”

  She frowned. “Yes, it is good, but it’s not chocolate.”

  He laughed. “Chocolate it is.” He zipped up his jacket and jogged down the stairs in the rain. He’d forgotten her large umbrella and by the time he walked through the front doors of Patty O’Neil’s grocery store, he was soaked.

  “Evening.” He smiled at Carol Kenny, one of the clerks that worked at the store. The woman was a great-grandmother who looked as if she were still in her sixties instead of her early eighties. She baked pies on a weekly basis and always brought in enough pies to last a week.

  “Evening.” She smiled at him.

  “Tell me there’s a chocolate pie left,” he almost begged.

  She frowned. “I’m saving the last one for—”

  “Riley?” he broke in.

  She laughed. “Of course.”

  “Good.” He sighed. “I’m here to collect it for her. He watched Carol’s eyebrows rise slowly. “Yes,” he added, “I’m having dinner with her upstairs.”

  “Oh,” she said as her eyes roamed over him. “Carter?”

  He nodded. �
��Yes.”

  “Good, for a moment there I thought I was going to have to box your ears for cheating on your fiancée.”

  He laughed. “I’d let you box his ears too if he ever came in telling you he was having dinner with another woman.”

  She laughed. “I like you boys.” She pulled a pie from the large refrigerators behind the cabinet and set it on the counter. “Riley always likes the Oreo ice cream with this. The Blue Bunny kind.” She motioned towards the freezer aisle.

  He nodded, then rushed down to get a carton of it. Pulling out his wallet, he paid for the ice cream and pie.

  “I heard about your problems up at your house,” Carol said as she pulled out his change from the register.

  “Oh?”

  “About the break-in,” she hinted.

  “Right.” He took his change and waited until she loaded the pie and ice cream into a paper bag.

  “I know it might not be anything, but there was a woman… I thought she looked a lot like that woman who pulled a gun on our girls, but… she was different.” She frowned.

  “Reece Walker?” His heart skipped. “When?”

  “Yes, that’s the one.” She nodded. “But there was something different about her,” she added.

  “When?” he asked again, his patience slipping a little. Even though he liked Carol, he knew that she could talk for hours to get to the point.

  “It must have been a few days ago. Two, three, no.” She tilted her head. “Maybe longer.”

  “The night of the party?” he suggested.

  “No, it was after that.” She waved him away. “But I suppose she could have been staying here then as well.”

  “She came in here?”

  “No.” Carol shook her head. “She met someone in the parking lot.”

  “Someone?” he asked.

  “Yes, a very tall man.” She nodded. “She got into his car and they drove away.” She shrugged. “I only noticed her because I happened to look up to see the time.” She motioned to the clock above the large windows. “She caught my eye because she had a scarf on. That was before the rain. The sun was out, and she was wearing a scarf wrapped around her head like…” She motioned to cover her hair and face.