Dare to Hold

by Carly Phillips

  “Oh God, Scott, love you,” she cried out at the moment she peaked and fell, her slick walls clasping him tight and sending him spiraling out of control as he came.

  “Oh fuck, Meg, love you,” he said, his hips slamming into hers, his hot come filling her. Love you, he thought. Don’t leave me, came next. But with everything in him, he knew that she would.

  Awhile later, they lay in his big bed, the silence surrounding them almost painful. Meg curled into his side, one hand on his chest, her naked body pressing against his. He savored the warmth and the feel of her wrapped up in him.

  “I have to leave,” she said softly, her tears dripping onto his bare chest.

  The words hurt as much if not more than he’d expected. “Yeah, I know. But I have to tell you a few things before you do.”

  She sniffed and nodded.

  His throat hurt, but he forced out the words. “If you’re leaving because at any point I convinced you that I don’t want a family or the fucking fairy tale I said doesn’t exist, that’s just not true anymore.”

  She stiffened, and he used her shock to his advantage, pulling himself over her, staring into her beautiful face.

  “Dare I ask what changed your mind?” she asked.

  The answer was easy. “You did. I can’t live without you, and I don’t want to. I love you. I am going to love that baby, and I want us to be a family.” The words, once out, felt freeing. “I mean that. I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay here, with me. But if you don’t stay, make sure it’s for the right reasons.”

  “Scott—”

  He silenced her with a long kiss, losing himself in her sweetness before pulling back. “Go because you need to prove to yourself that you can get by without a man. Without me. But know that I’ll be here waiting when you’re ready to fight for us.”

  She cupped his face and ran her hands over his clean-shaven cheeks. “I love you too. And you’re saying everything I ever wanted to hear.”

  “But you’re leaving.” He braced himself for the final slam.

  In her big brown eyes, Scott saw all the hurt and pain he himself was feeling.

  She nodded. “Like you said, I have to prove to myself I can be an adult and not the needy woman who chose a man, any man, as long as she wasn’t alone.”

  He was so damned surprised she didn’t know herself yet. Didn’t see herself the way he did, as a strong, self-sufficient, woman capable of raising a baby alone. But she didn’t have to.

  “Okay,” he said, forcing himself to roll to the side, off of her lush body. He felt the chill deep in his bones. “I’m not going to stop you or beg you to stay.”

  She bit down on her trembling lower lip, her eyes still damp. “You’re not?”

  He shook his head, his clenched fists the only outward sign of how difficult this was for him. But inside he was dying. “I told you, I’ll always give you what you need. So if you need to go, go.”

  Scott didn’t have a plan. He didn’t know what he’d do or how he’d get her back. Instead, he breathed in deeply, searching for a sense of calm he didn’t feel, only to inhale the musky scent of sex and Meg.

  * * *

  Meg drove herself home and Scott didn’t argue. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that she totally missed him telling her what he wanted her to do. It wasn’t that she’d always listen, more that his expectations told her he was thinking about her, her welfare, and that he cared. Like he cared enough to let her pack up her things and move out.

  Idiot, a very large part of her brain told her. Who leaves a man who loves her with everything he has? Who walks away from the best thing that ever happened to her? Apparently, she realized, as she strode into the apartment she called home, the empty apartment that no longer felt like home, Meg wasn’t finished making stupid, wrong, bad-for-her decisions.

  Because as she unpacked her clothes and toiletries, she couldn’t help but feel like she was in a strange place. A place she’d lived both with Mike and alone. And as she picked up the phone to order pizza, because she had no food in her pantry or refrigerator, she was forced to ask herself, was being alone taking a stand? Who was she proving a point to? Not herself. She was miserable. She had a lump in her throat, her chest hurt, and she missed Scott like crazy. What was she accomplishing?

  She sat alone at her kitchen table, a box of uneaten pizza in front of her, and she hated herself for her decision.

  Her phone rang, and she dove for it on the first ring like a crazy person, but it wasn’t Scott, it was Lydia Ashton.

  “Hi, Lydia. How’s Walter?” Meg asked. She’d called the hospital, but since she wasn’t family, they wouldn’t give her any information.

  “He’s doing well, thank you. In fact, they’re releasing him as long as he promises to take it easy, and you can bet I’ll make sure that he does,” the other woman said, relief in her voice.

  “I … I don’t know how to thank him for what he did for me,” Meg said.

  “Don’t worry, honey. He knows.”

  Meg sighed.

  “There’s something else I wanted to tell you. It’s about Mike.”

  Meg stiffened but forced herself to remain calm and listen. “Yes?”

  “Walter and I talked to Mike. We told him we would pay for his lawyer if he signed away his rights to the baby.”

  “What?” Meg asked startled.

  “We explained that if he did, we’d hire a lawyer whose goal was to get him into a prison with treatment for addiction. If he doesn’t sign the papers, he can go with a public defender and hope for the best,” Lydia said, her voice cracking with emotion.

  It was hard not to feel sorry for her as the mother of a man with serious issues. “Do you think he’ll sign?” Meg asked.

  “I do. He swore he would because the thought of being left high and dry by us is more than he can handle. He realizes there is no situation that will give him access to money he can use to fuel his addiction. That should also help.”

  “Lydia, thank you,” Meg said again. “I don’t know what more to say.” The couple had chosen their grandchild over their son, and Meg would be forever grateful. “I’d like to come visit when Walter is up to it.”

  “We’d love that,” Lydia said. “We are looking forward to getting to know you.”

  Meg smiled. “I feel the same way.”

  “Good. And make sure that nice Scott Dare drives you. It’s a long ride. You need to take care of yourself,” Lydia reminded her.

  A knot of emotion welled inside Meg at the sincere sound of caring in the woman’s voice. She couldn’t bring herself to explain why Scott wouldn’t be with her or that she’d brought that on herself.

  “Take care and we’ll talk soon,” Lydia said.

  “Good-bye.” Meg disconnected the call and placed her phone onto the kitchen table.

  A glance told her there were no missed calls or texts while she’d been on the phone. Why would there be? Scott had offered Meg everything she’d ever wanted. He told her he’d always give her what she wanted. And she’d basically informed him she wanted to be alone.

  Brilliant, Meg.

  She headed for the kitchen and grabbed foil, wrapping the individual slices up and placing them in the freezer for another time. No way could she eat them now.

  She turned to go into her bedroom and paused. Was she really going to do this? Continue on with a decision she’d made that, in her heart and soul, she knew was wrong for her?

  Or was she going to correct it?

  * * *

  Scott appreciated his siblings more than anyone, but he really didn’t want company. Unfortunately, Olivia had heard from Tyler about what had happened this morning with Mike. Olivia had called Scott, asking to speak to Meg. Which meant he’d had to tell his sister that Meg had gone home. And that had led to her arriving on his doorstep with Avery to check on him. Luckily for him, Olivia had left Dylan at home. Not so luckily, his sisters were in the mood to talk, at least, Olivia was.

 
“Give it time. Meg’s been through a huge trauma. She needs to settle, you know?” Olivia propped her feet on a large ottoman in front of her chair in the family room.

  “Meg made it clear what she wanted from day one. I just barreled forward, thinking I knew better,” Scott muttered. And he’d had his heart gutted in the process.

  Not that he was giving up. He’d just retreated in order to regroup. And though he hated to give his bossy sister credit for anything, she was right. He had to give Meg the space she needed.

  He glanced over at Avery, who stared out the window beside her chair in pensive silence. He cocked his gaze her way and met Olivia’s gaze.

  She shrugged her shoulders, meaning she didn’t know what was going on with her either.

  “Listen, I appreciate you guys coming over, but I’m fine.” Or he would be once they left and he could drown his sorrows in Jack. “I’m sure Dylan would rather have you home.”

  Olivia eyed him warily. “Are you sure?”

  “Definitely.” He rose from his seat.

  “Come on, Avery. I’ll drop you off on my way home,” Olivia said.

  Scott strode over to his youngest sister and grasped both her shoulders. “I want my bubbly sister back. If that means I have to kick some guitarist ass, I have no problem doing it.”

  Avery glanced up at him, an appreciative smile on her face. “It’s a lot of things, all of which I’m dealing with. I promise. No need to get all big brother on Grey. Especially since he’s a client.”

  Scott blinked in surprise. “You know that Lola Corbin hired us to handle the band’s security?”

  Avery grinned. “I know a lot of things that would surprise you,” she said and patted his cheek. “Don’t worry about me. Just figure out a way to get Meg back. I want you to be happy.”

  Scott’s heart melted at that. He pulled her into a tight hug. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, baby girl.”

  Avery squeezed him back. “And I love you for it.”

  He walked his sisters through the front hall. “Thanks for coming by, and drive safe,” he said as he opened the door … and came face-to-face with the last person he expected to see.

  “Meg!” Olivia exclaimed. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “Thank you.” Meg glanced nervously at Scott as she replied.

  “Hi, Meg. I’m glad you’re out of danger too,” Avery said.

  “And we were just leaving,” Olivia said, grasping Avery’s hand and pulling her out the door.

  God bless his sister for having the good sense to get out quickly, Scott thought, turning his attention to the woman at his doorstep.

  “Hey,” he said, his grateful gaze raking over her. Though he’d seen her a few hours ago, she looked more tired than he remembered, and he wanted to pull her into his arms and carry her off to bed.

  Then he remembered he didn’t have that right anymore.

  “Did you forget something?” he asked, wondering why else she’d be here, even as he drank her in.

  Her long legs peeked out beneath a tank top dress. No makeup on her pretty face. And those big brown eyes stared into his.

  “Nope. I didn’t forget anything.”

  “Then you’re here because…?” he asked, tamping down on that elusive thing called hope.

  “I came home.”

  He blinked, stunned. “You’re…”

  “Home. If you still want me, I mean.” She bit into her lower lip. “I walked into my apartment, and I knew immediately I’d made a huge mistake. I was so wrapped up in thinking I had to stand on my own, I walked away from everything I wanted. Everything that was good and right in my life. And that’s you. So I came back.”

  His heart started beating again. Damned if he’d realized it had stopped, but now that Meg was here, back… “For how long?” he asked.

  “Forever if you’ll have me. I want everything you said. You, me, this baby. I want to be a family, and I want you.” She stepped forward, and he was there, pulling her into his arms and sealing his lips hard on hers.

  Relief poured through Meg as he kissed her thoroughly, as if he’d never let her go. The entire drive over, she’d been afraid he’d changed his mind, that she’d pushed him to his limit, that he’d turn her away.

  She threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him back with everything she had. When they broke for air, she met his inky gaze. “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t apologize for what you needed, baby. You’re here now, and we both know it’s because you thought things through and you want to be.”

  “I do. I really do.”

  The sexy grin edging his lips was one she could look at all day and never get enough. “Okay, then, but know this.”

  “Hmm?”

  “I’m not letting you go. Ever.” He lifted her into his arms, and she held on tight as he walked into the house and slammed the door closed behind them.

  Stay tuned for more DARE family stories in 2015 and beyond!

  Thank you so much for reading Dare to Hold. I would appreciate it if you would help others enjoy this book too. Please recommend to others and leave a review. More Dare to Love series stories coming in 2015 and beyond! Read on for an excerpt for the next book, DARE TO ROCK, Avery Dare and Grey Kingston’s story and for information on keeping up with Carly and the next Dare to Love series books!

  Dare to Love Series

  Book 1: Dare to Love (Ian & Riley) – FREE!

  Book 2: Dare to Desire (Alex & Madison)

  Book 3: Dare to Surrender (Gabe & Isabelle)

  Book 4: Dare to Submit (Decklan & Amanda)

  Book 5: Dare to Touch (Olivia & Dylan)

  Book 6: Dare to Hold (Scott & Meg)

  Book 7: Dare to Rock (Avery & Grey) 8/4/15

  Book 8: Dare to Seduce (Lucy & Max) coming soon

  *each book can stand alone for your reading enjoyment

  **The Dare to Love series is ongoing. Each Dare sibling will get a story!

  **Each book stands alone but also reads best if order for maximum reading enjoyment.

  *Dare to Surrender and Dare to Submit are about the NY Dare cousins: These exceptionally hotter type books while at heart still being a Carly Phillips story.

  Keep up with Carly and her upcoming books:

  Website:

  www.carlyphillips.com

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  www.carlyphillips.com/newsletter-sign-up

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  CARLY’S MONTHLY CONTEST!

  Visit: www.carlyphillips.com/newsletter-sign-up and enter for a chance to win a $25 gift card! You’ll also automatically be added to her newsletter list so you can keep up on the newest releases!

  And now an excerpt from Dare to Rock …

  Coming 8/4/15 and available for preorder!

  Dare to Rock

  Excerpt

  Preorder DARE TO ROCK

  DARE TO ROCK

  Avery Dare & Grey Kingston

  Dare to Love Series #7

  NY Times Bestselling Author Carly Phillips turns up the heat in her newest sexy contemporary romance series, and introduces you to the Dare family… siblings shaped by a father’s secrets and betrayal.

  Avery Dare lives a quiet life in Miami as an online fashion/makeup video blogger. She has good friends, a close, large family and if her love life is lacking, she likes it that way. But when she receives an invitation to one of her ex’s concerts along with an invitation to meet him back stage, she decides to take the risk … and comes face to face with the reality of his rock star lifestyle – the press, the crowds, and the half naked groupies.

  At eighteen, Grey Kingston left everything he knew and loved behind to seek fame and fortune as a rock star, and he found it as the lead guitarist and singer for the band, Tangled Royal. Fans adore him, women throw themselves at him, and he can afford everything he
couldn’t growing up. Yet at the height of his career, he’s ready to walk away and return home to a simpler life … and the woman he left behind.

  Except moving on isn’t as easy as Grey would like. When Avery is threatened by a stalker, it becomes evident Grey’s fans not only don’t want him to retire, they don’t want Avery in his life either. And Avery isn’t sure she wants the pressures that are part of Grey’s life … but she doesn’t want to lose him again, either. Can their recently renewed love survive the fallout?

  Prologue

  Sweat poured off Grey Kingston’s body and his heart beat a too rapid rhythm, the high and adrenaline rush from his performance still pulsing through his veins as he walked into the lounge backstage. He pulled off his soaked shirt and tossed it onto the floor, grateful for the stocked room and waiting pile of towels. He grabbed one and wiped his face and hair dry, deliberately trying to slow his breathing.

  The sound of Tangled Royal fans stomping their feet and demanding an encore echoed through the walls, but the band had performed their final set. But his pulse still soared as he glanced at the door.

  “Did she pick up the ticket?” Grey asked Simon Colson, their manager, who was busy texting on his phone.

  “What? Who?” Simon shoved his phone into his back pocket. “Great concert by the way,” he said to Grey, and the rest of the band.

  Lola Corbin, their lead singer and Grey’s best friend, was still bouncing in her heels, not yet coming down from their shared high either. “We did rock it,” she said, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder.

  Milo Davis, their bassist, grunted something and fell into a chair in the corner. Grey narrowed his gaze. Milo barely had the energy for a full concert these days and that worried him.