Dare to Dream (Truth or Dare #2)

by Sloan Johnson

  Chapter 4

  Lea

  I lean my head back against the seat as Colby navigates through downtown Nashville like a native. There will be time for sightseeing, but right now I’m fighting just to keep my eyes open. As I’m just about to drift off to sleep, I remember the envelope Aaron slipped to me while Colby was talking with Pete and Cameron.

  “Babe, Aaron said to open this before heading back to his place.” I slide my finger under the back flap of the envelope since Colby’s a bit occupied with driving. “It’s a note. Do you want me to read it?”

  Colby responds by turning on the map light in the headliner. As I unfold the slip of paper, he rests his hand on my thigh, gently kneading my leg. I read the note out loud to him, amazed by the generosity of Aaron and his wife.

  Colby and Lea,

  We figured you wouldn’t want to spend your week together with us and the kids, so Rebecca pulled a few strings to get you a room at the Hermitage. All you have to do is give your name and driver’s license at the front desk. Everything is taken care of. The only thing we ask is that you enjoy your time together.

  Aaron

  PS. Rebecca also told me to tell you that if you don’t at least make an appearance at the house so she can meet Lea, you might want to start sleeping with one eye open after you get back to the house.

  The truck slows and Colby pulls up the address on his GPS. Five minutes later, we’re pulling up in front of the most opulent hotel I’ve ever seen. There are nice, upscale hotels back home, but nothing can compare to the marble and stained-glass adorning this lobby.

  “Holy crap, Colby. How in the world did Aaron’s wife pull this off?” I whisper in Colby’s ear as we make our way to the registration desk. I’m pretty sure we couldn’t afford to stay in the housekeeping closet of a place like this.

  “I have no clue. Let’s just do as Aaron says and enjoy our little vacation.” He places a gentle kiss on my forehead before releasing me to check-in. While Colby takes care of the paperwork, I pull up the hotel on my smartphone and nearly choke when I see that this is the type of hotel that plays host to U.S. presidents when they’re in town. Definitely not a hotel for a college student and her fledgling musician boyfriend to use as a temporary love nest.

  We’re escorted to our room by a bellman, which is ridiculous in my mind since the only luggage we have with us is my bag. When I try to tell him that we don’t need his assistance, he assures us this is standard for all hotel guests. The moment he opens our door and flips on the light, I wonder if his primary responsibility is to start CPR while the ambulance is en route when guests fall over at the sight of their accommodations.

  We step into a beautiful living area with rich buttercream walls, a desk, small dining area and sitting area. Beyond that, we find the bedroom decorated with slate gray walls. The bright red club chairs by the window seem completely unnecessary because I have no desire to go anywhere other than the regal king size four poster bed.

  “Baby, you have to call Aaron and tell him we can’t accept this,” I say breathlessly. He’s a giving man, that much is clear, but this is too much. Even with all the strings in the world, I would lay money that this room costs more per night than Colby makes in a week.

  “Already on it,” Colby says, dismissing the bellman after handing him a tip. “Aaron, it’s Colby… Yeah, we got the note… I appreciate it, but we can’t stay here. I’m pretty sure Lea’s scared to touch anything…” There’s a long pause while Colby listens to whatever Aaron’s saying. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”

  I turn to Colby when he tells Aaron goodnight, waiting to hear what we’re going to do and see him walking across the room to me. He slides his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him. I lean back so I can look into his golden eyes. When I see the way his eyes glisten with emotion, the breath is once again stolen from my chest. “He won’t take no for an answer. Apparently, Rebecca’s firm does a lot of work for this company and they frequently give them comp rooms, always the best they have available. Aaron said he wants us to stay here to celebrate everything that’s coming my way and that he’s proud of me.”

  And now I know the reason for the emotion threatening to spill over Colby’s thick eyelashes. Other than me, I’m not sure anyone has ever said those words to him.

  “Then that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” I say, placing my hand over his racing heart. Resting my head on Colby’s chest, I reach for the hem of his t-shirt, pulling it over his head so I can feel the heat of his skin against mine. “I think we need to start our celebration in that bathtub.” The only thing capable of drawing my attention away from Colby’s gorgeous eyes is the opulent tub that I could get lost in for days.

  Pulling away from Colby, I begin unbuttoning my shirt, letting it fall off my shoulders as I glance back at him playfully. As it falls to the floor, I kick off my black boots while reaching for the hem of my simple white tank top. Colby groans appreciatively behind me when the cotton drops to the ground, leaving me in nothing but his favorite pair of jeans and my white satin bra. “Are you coming?” I ask, leaning against the doorjamb leading to the bathroom.

  “Fuck yes!” He begins toeing off his cowboy boots when there’s a knock on the door. “Dammit,” he grumbles as he heads to the door.

  As curious as I am, I’m not dressed for company, so I close the bathroom door behind me. Once again, I feel as if we’re living in a fairy tale. The floors, shower surround and vanity are all marble and there’s a freaking television over the bathtub. I make a vow to myself that at least once before we have to leave this paradise in the heart of the city, I will fill the tub with bubbles and sit here long enough to watch a cheesy romantic comedy, just because I can. I start the water, taking in the assortment of gels and salts on a small caddy perched over the top of the tub.

  The door opens and Colby struggles to back his way into the room while holding a tray of some sort. When he turns to face me, I see that he has champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. “Let me guess, Aaron?” I ask, not sure if I love or hate that man right now. I love him for everything he’s doing to make this first visit special, but hate the fact that we’ll never be able to repay him for his generosity. Well, maybe we will if Pete was right when he said that Colby has something that makes him stand out from the crowd in a good way.

  “Yep. The card he sent along basically said the same thing he told me over the phone.” He sets the tray on the vanity, pouring each of us a glass. “I think I’m going to take the rest to the bedroom, otherwise the steam in here is going to melt the chocolate. Think you have the water hot enough?” He chuckles when I reach to adjust the temperature, assuring me that he doesn’t care how hot the water is as long as we’re in there together.

  “What can I say? I like a nice, hot bubble bath,” I laugh, kissing him tenderly as I reach for one of the champagne flutes. “I love you, Colby. This is all overwhelming, but Aaron is right. You do deserve everything. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you.”

  “For us,” he promises, wrapping his arms tightly around my body. “No matter what the future holds, it’s for us. Not just for me.” Another freaking tear escapes my eye as I watch him walk away. He tells me every night how lucky he is to have someone like me in his life, but tonight, I know that I’m the one who’s lucky.

  When Colby walks back into the room, he flips the switch for the overhead lights, leaving only the soft glow of the accent lighting to cast shadows against the wall. He walks over to me, reaching for the button on my jeans. Pushing the denim over my hips, he leans down, leaving a trail of kisses along the side of my neck.

  “God, I missed you so much,” he sighs, planting open-mouthed kisses down the center of my chest as he kneels before me. One at a time, he lifts my feet, freeing me of my pants so I’m standing before him in only a matching bra and panties. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?”

  “Not in the past hour,” I say breathlessly, weaving my fingers through his messy waves as he
continues kissing his way down to my calves, avoiding the area that is now begging for his attention.

  “How insensitive of me,” he says as he reaches behind my back, making quick work of the hooks on my bra. The languid pace he’s setting is sheer torture, but I can’t bring myself to rush this moment. He hooks a finger under each bra strap, easing them down my arms, dropping my bra on the floor between us. “You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. I still don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I promise, I plan to live every day trying to be the man you see when you look at me.”

  If I wasn’t already head over heels in love with Colby, I would be after that speech. Before I have a chance to respond, he clasps his hand against the back of my neck, closing his mouth over mine in a heated kiss. My mouth opens on a sigh, allowing his tongue to slide past my lips. Without allowing any space between us, I reach between our bodies as he nips at my lip, sweeping his tongue across the flesh to soothe the gentle sting.

  I fumble for the zipper on his tight jeans, feeling every rigid inch of him begging to be freed. Breaking the kiss, I begin my descent, kissing the soft ridges of muscle, grazing my fingernails along his sensitive skin.

  “Baby, you keep doing that and I’m going to embarrass myself,” he warns me. “It’s been too fucking long.” I love how strained his voice is, the way he doesn’t try to hide the need that mirrors my own.

  I glance over my shoulder and see that we’re about to flood the bathroom, which is a shame because I don’t want to step away from him. I make quick work of removing his jeans and briefs before pulling his hand to lead him to the tub. Taking a bath with a lover is something I’ve always wanted to do but never thought I would have the opportunity to turn fantasy to reality. It seems fitting that this will be a moment I will only ever share with Colby. There have been other times I thought I was in love, but what I felt for those men paled in comparison to the overwhelming love and desire I feel for the man standing before me.

  I motion for him to step into the tub while I drain enough water that it won’t overflow once we’re both comfortable. He leans back against the hard porcelain, allowing his head to fall back in a combination of anguish and pleasure as I taunt him with a little strip tease to remove my last remaining article of clothing. After kicking my underwear aside, I bend at the waist to pick my jeans off the floor, reaching in the pocket for a hair tie. I prolong the sensual torment as I gather my hair into a messy bun on top of my head.

  “Lea, if you don’t get your ass in here, I’m going to—”

  His words are cut off as I place my hands on the edge of the tub, capturing his mouth in a devastating kiss. “You’re going to what?” I ask huskily, staring down at him, almost losing the ability to play this erotic vixen when I see how hard it is for him to focus on my eyes instead of my heavy breasts hanging inches away from his face.

  “Enough with the torture,” he pleads, reaching out to steady me as I step into the tub. I settle between his legs and allow him to cup water over me as I sink into his body. “God, I missed you. How are we going to get through two years like this?”

  Part of me hates that he brings reality into this blissful moment. Right now, I don’t want to think about there being a life outside of these four walls. I want it to be Colby and me, enjoying one another. The reality of life can wait.

  “It’ll all be worth it in the end,” I promise him, praying to God that I’m right. Because if we’re not strong enough to get through my last two years of school, I know it will kill me. “Plus, you’ll be so busy soon that you won’t even notice that I’m not here. You just have to promise me that you won’t forget about me when you’re on top of the world.”

  It’s not something I’ve allowed myself to think about, but there have been moments when I’ve worried that he won’t need me once he makes it big. There will be no shortage of starlets and groupies willing and able to warm his bed while I’m being the responsible student.

  “That’ll never happen,” he says curtly. He crooks a finger beneath my chin, tilting my head back so I’m looking into his eyes. “I don’t care how big I get, you’re it for me. Please tell me you’re not already having doubts about us. If you are, I’ll come home right now.”

  I turn on my side, holding onto his arms so I don’t slide away from him in the water. “No, it’s not that. Forget I said anything,” I mumble, hoping he’ll drop the subject, hating myself for even allowing the doubt to creep into my mind, much less let it pass my lips.

  Neither of us can pretend I didn’t put our biggest fear out there, giving it a voice. We sit there, each of us lost in thought, holding onto one another, until the water goes cool, neither of us forcing the topic. Colby pushes me forward, stepping out and reaching over me for two towels. I hug my knees to my chest as I watch him dry off before holding out the other towel to me.

  He dries my body with a tenderness I didn’t know he was capable of and leads me to the bedroom. We slide into the bed and I wish I hadn’t opened my big mouth. Now, we’re tiptoeing around one another, trying desperately to salvage our first night in this magical place.

  As much as I want Colby to make love to me, to push the doubts out of my mind, I begin to fall asleep the moment my head hits the plush mountain of pillows.

  “Go to sleep, baby. Tomorrow, I’m going to show you how wrong you are if you think there’s anything in the world that could make me not need you.” I smile at Colby’s whispered promise, squeezing his fingers as he wraps his arms around my body. Held by the man I’ve loved for years, I sleep the best sleep I have had since the night before he left me to chase his dreams.

  Chapter 5

  Colby

  Lea looks like an angel, splayed out on the bed with the morning sun shimmering against her deep red hair. To me, she is that angel. That’s the only way to explain her presence in my life. She likes to tell me that if it wasn’t for me, she would have never come out of her shell, but I like to think that we saved one another that summer day over four years ago. Oddly enough, I doubt either of us realized that simply meeting one another in a parking lot filled with other wayward teenagers wasting time would have such a profound impact on our future.

  As much as I know I should let her sleep since it’s the first time she hasn’t had to be awake at the crack of dawn since the start of the school year, I’m a selfish bastard. Neither of us was in the right place to make love last night, but this morning, my cock is so hard I had to scoot away from her on the bed so it wasn’t pressing against her ass, no matter how much pain that causes me.

  Gently, I trace a single finger down the length of her arm, allowing it to fall to her hip. She squirms, letting out a soft moan of approval when her body finds my aching erection. I move my hand back up her body, gently kneading one breast until her nipple is a hard peak between my fingers. She rolls to face me, giving me a sleepy smile as she opens her eyes.

  “I’d love to be mad at you for waking me up but that feels too good.” This odd sound, somewhere between a moan and a giggle escapes her lips and I lean over her body, kissing her softly to see if I can evoke that sound again. “Mmm, a girl could get used to this.”

  I shift so my body is hovering over hers, kissing her more deeply this time as my fingers play with the dark, soft curls resting on the white sheets. Her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me down so my weight is resting against her body.

  “I need you, Lea,” I groan, draping one leg over hers, inching my way closer to the only place I want to be. Her fingers digging into the flesh of my ass, her hips lifting off the mattress, the taste of her lips against mine all work together to drive my need to the point of insanity. “Please, baby. I’ve waited too long to feel you again.”

  If there’s one thing we’ve learned in our relationship, it’s that time is a finite thing. It seemed like we were pulled apart as soon as we were together before, and I’m not about to waste another minute of the time she’s here with me. I have seven days left to
prove to her that, even though I haven’t said the words to her, this is it for me. Lea is my forever.

  Lea’s hand grips my bicep as I move to get out of the bed. “Baby, I’ll be right back…”

  As if she knows exactly why I’m trying to get up, Lea pulls me back to her, one hand behind my neck, the other reaching down to stroke my cock. Fuck, if I was any more selfish, I would let her keep doing what she’s doing until I blow my load.

  She breaks our kiss just long enough to utter three words that mean the world to me. “Nothing between us.” She looks into my eyes and I know what she’s asking me for. It’s something I’ve never done with anyone else since the first time I was with a woman. Never before has there been a woman worth the risk, someone I trusted enough.

  “Baby, are you sure?” I ask, needing to hear her reassurance that this is really what she wants, not simply a rash decision made in the heat of the moment. She bites her lip, nodding as she smiles up at me. I move back to her, pulling her body tight to mine. “Fuck, I love you so much, Lea. You need to know, you’re the first-”

  “Less talking,” she demands, catching me off guard just enough to flip me onto my back. Her hair falls over her shoulder, partially concealing her face as she straddles my hips. Her body lowers, gently rocking to coat my length with her arousal. “You’re mine, too. I went to the doctor after you came down here so we wouldn’t have to deal with condoms anymore.”

  As she says the words, she reaches down, positioning me at her entrance. Moans of pleasure fill the room from both of us as she impales herself on me. The feeling is so much more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced before. I have to hold her body down to keep her from moving long enough to drag myself away from the orgasm I feel building throughout body.

  Once I’m a bit more certain I won’t blow within seconds, I run my hand along the length of her spine as she slowly rides my cock, her head tossed back in ecstasy. “Come here, baby,” I whisper, twisting my fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck, bringing her mouth down to mine.