Dare To Love Series: Daring the Hard Man (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Burke,Aliyah

  She rubbed the back of her neck. “Match.”

  “Right, match.”

  “I have to talk to him, Thomas. Can’t you get me in there?”

  “No. I’m sorry. You’re going to have to fix this yourself, Kat. That is unless you want him to get away. Because from where I’m standing, you’re in love with the ass. And while it kills me as your brother, because I don’t think anyone will ever be good enough for you. I actually like him. And he is in love with you.”

  Her heart skipped a few beats. “How do you know this?”

  “Because when we threatened his life, he didn’t back down, he stood his ground. If a man is willing to take on all your brothers and your father for you, he’s a keeper. He challenged Dad.”

  “He what?” She stuck her finger in her ear and wiggled it around. “Say that again.”

  “He challenged Pa about why we didn’t want him around you. Even the old man was impressed. Now, I will deny any of this, if you tell the others I squealed.”

  They began walking back to the house. Kaitlyn didn’t want to lose Luca but her job—damn it—was a dream come true.

  Back inside, her family had turned on the match between the Ospreys and the Tempests. Five minutes into the game and Luca got a warning from the referee for his tactic on the challenge.

  “Another challenge like that and the ref will be booking him with another yellow and that will accumulate to a red. Which would put Hard Man out of the match,” one announcer stated.

  “Not sure what happened to him but the hard man we’ve all remembered him being is back. He’s playing aggressive, almost angry. I feel sorry for anyone who gets in his way. He’s going to inflict some damage today.” This came from the other commentator.

  “Assuming, Dave, he doesn’t get kicked out of the match for having a red card. Angry is fine but he needs to make sure he’s not also being reckless.”

  Her family looked over at her and she held out her hands. “What?”

  “You two have a fight?” Her mother sipped her drink.

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Like that’s stopped this family before,” her father added. “He’s a totally different player than that first game.”

  “Maybe he didn’t like the fact all of you ganged up on him. I don’t know,” she spat, voice rising. “Then again, maybe I’m just a bitch because I’ve tried for my entire life to earn enough respect in this house as the one who knew from a young age, I would never be a cop and therefore not good enough in any of your eyes. So I’ve thrust away a good thing trying to fit in here, trying to be a part of the family!” She ran from the room, hopped in her car and sped away. She didn’t go home because she knew they would go there. Kaitlyn also wasn’t dumb and shut off her phone, so they couldn’t track her.

  At Lincoln Park, she furiously wiped at the traitorous tears leaking from her eyes and climbed out. She set out and began to walk along part of the seven mile lakefront stretch. There was no destination in mind, just the craving to be lost for a while.

  I can’t believe I yelled that out at them. It was true however, she’d always felt as if she wasn’t quite good enough since she didn’t wear a badge. She’d wanted to be a cop but her weakened lungs from a childhood illness and the resulting asthma wouldn’t allow her to pass the physical requirements. There were still days when she was down for days at a time, if it happened when she was at work, she was okay, just had to break for a bit but it wasn’t anything that could happen out on the streets.

  After a few hours of aimless wandering, she turned her phone on and called Jenny.

  “Hey, where’ve you been? Tried calling you.”

  “Needed some time, Jenny. Want to do dinner?”

  “Isn’t today family day?”

  “No.” She clenched a fists and attempted to stave off more pain and anger. “What do you say? My treat,” she coaxed.

  “Oh boy. I know that tone. I’m on my way. Usual place?”

  “Yes.” Kaitlyn headed back to her vehicle. “I’m in Lincoln Park, so give me a bit.”

  “I’ll start drinking without you if you take too long.”

  “I won’t be that long. Order me my usual please.”

  “Will do.”

  Kaitlyn sighed. Jenny would help her figure this out and get her head back on straight. That’s what friends were for. And she had one of the best. Plus, with alcoholic drinks, she’d be fine shortly.

  αβ

  Three months later and she wasn’t so sure about that. Luca still didn’t return any of her calls and the rift between her and the family didn’t appear to be mending. She hadn’t been to a family dinner since the one she ran out of. She didn’t take their calls either. Kaitlyn had thrown herself into work and logged in serious hours.

  Right now, she had two days off and she lounged around in bed, taking advantage of the rainy day and the fact she didn’t want to leave her warm cocoon. The weather had dropped and she expected snow any day.

  She lay bundled up by the large white comforter and rolled over to fall back asleep when someone pounded on her door. Kaitlyn tugged the bedding up over her head. If I don’t answer, maybe they’ll go away.

  Four more times they knocked. Four more times, she ignored them. Eventually, the noise ceased and she drifted back to sleep. Jenny’s ring filled the air and Kaitlyn reached out of the bundle around her and fumbled for her phone. “Yes?”

  “Checking in on you. I came by earlier you didn’t answer.”

  “Sorry, been catching up on my sleep. What’d you need? And why didn’t you just come in?”

  “Forgot my key. Look, I have something to drop off for you, so unlock your door and I’ll just set it inside. That way, I don’t disturb you.”

  “You know it’s dangerous for me to leave it unlocked.”

  “Christ, I’m on my way now. Just go unlock it and crawl back in bed. I’ll lock it again, on my way out.”

  “Okay,” she stated. “But if I get murdered, you’re going to feel really shitty.”

  “I’ll risk it, now go.”

  Still staying wrapped up in the warmth, she shuffled out and undid the lock. Then she turned right around and headed for bed. “Done.”

  “Thank you. Now goodnight. Unless you’re going somewhere.”

  “Nope. It’s raining and my day off. I’m going back to bed.”

  “Sleep well, princess.”

  “Thanks Jenny.” She ended the call and fell forward onto the bed, phone still in hand. Sleep wasn’t far behind.

  αβ

  The scent of cooking food woke her. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes and called out, “I thought you were just leaving something by the door, Jenny. You didn’t have to cook me anything.”

  “She’s not here.” The masculine voice came from beside her bed.

  She screamed and lunged away, her escape hampered by the blankets around her.

  Luca stood there.

  “What the hell are you doing in my place?”

  “Jenny let me know the door was unlocked.”

  She sat and yawned again. Outside rain still fell, heavier now than when she’d gone to bed. “Not answering my question. What are you doing here?”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and she instantly gravitated toward him, body swaying and shivering from the knowledge of what pleasure he could and did bring her.

  “I’m here for you.”

  “Three months and now, you want to talk? I don’t think so. Get out.”

  “No.”

  She furrowed her brow. “No? What do you mean, no?”

  He crawled over the bed until he was over her. “I mean, no, you’re going to hear me out.”

  “I tried to talk to you.”

  “You did,” he acknowledged. “And I’m here for the discussion. This wasn’t one we were having over the phone.”

  “I have nothing to say now.”

  “That’s fine. You can listen.” He lowered his head and stopped right before their lips
touched.

  Her heartbeat accelerated and she wanted to have the press of his mouth on hers, his body weight on hers.

  Instead, he held there. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

  “That couldn’t be said over the phone?”

  “The World Cup is next year.”

  “I know.” Her fingertips burned with the need to touch him. She refused and kept them inside the blanket with her. She needed all the layers she could get.

  “I’ll be there for the Netherlands but as a player for the Chicago Tempests.”

  “Bully for—wait, what?” Hope kicked her hard. “You’re playing for Chicago?”

  “That’s what took me a while. I had to do some dealing to get transferred here.”

  “Why?” God, her chest took a beating from the speed her heart pounded.

  “I told you, liefje, because of you. You didn’t want to come to me, so I came to you.”

  “You were the highest paid person in Washington. Will you be here?”

  “No. I took a pay cut to transfer.” He kissed her finally, tongue sliding into her mouth.

  Kaitlyn moaned and freed her arms to wrap around him as they kissed breathlessly for a long minute. Then she pulled her lips from his. “That’s not fair to you.”

  “You’re what matters to me, Kaitlyn, He kissed her lips. “From the second I laid eyes on you. I knew you were the one for me.” He kissed her again. “You dared me to let you go, or hold onto you forever and I’m choosing the holding on. I know marriage is a ways off, but I want to be a couple with you.” Again, with another smacking kiss. “Be at your family dinners if I can, celebrate birthdays and more.”

  The word kissing went on and she floated on cloud nine.

  “It’s not public yet, that I’ve moved teams that was a stipulation, I didn’t want it out before I could talk to you first.”

  She wriggled beneath him, trying to move the comforter, so she could feel his heat on her skin. “Do you have a place?”

  “Not yet. I landed and came here.”

  “Stay with me.”

  His green eyes singed her.

  Instantly, her pussy grew slick from the message she got from him.

  “Yes.” He claimed her mouth once more and the layers separating them were gone.

  “Yes,” she whispered as he slid his full length deep inside her ready pussy. Locking her legs around his lean waist, she arched into his forward thrust.

  “I love you, Kaitlyn. We’ll figure it out.”

  She trusted him. There were things to work out. But they would take and face them together. As a couple. “Love you too,” she muttered against his lips as he carried her to the highest pinnacle she would ever ascend while mortal.

  Luca laced their fingers together and stretched her out as he made love to her.

  Kaitlyn willingly took everything he gave and asked for more. He was her future and it looked bright as she won her dare with the Hard Man.

  Dare to Love Series by Carly Phillips

  Dare to Love (1)

  Dare to Desire (2)

  Dare to Surrender (3)

  Dare to Submit (4)

  Dare to Touch (5)

  Dare to Hold (6)

  Dare To Rock (7)

  Dare to Seduce (8)

  Dare to Take (9)

  OTHER BOOKS IN DARE TO LOVE KINDLE WORLD SERIES

  AUTHOR: Carly Phillips

  TITLE: Dare to Love | Dare to Desire | Dare to Surrender | Dare to Submit | Dare to Touch | Dare to Hold | Dare to Rock | Dare to Seduce

  NEWSLETTER:

  AUTHOR: Aliyah Burke

  TITLE: Icy Dare (smarturl.it/aqjm04)

  NEWSLETTER: http://www.aliyah-burke.com/newsletter.htm

  TAGLINE: Sometimes the most passionate heat resides behind walls of ice...

  AUTHOR: Rhian Cahill

  TITLE: His Daring Moves (http://smarturl.it/vqihfq)

  NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/byrsf

  TAGLINE: He’s got daring moves on — and off — the field.

  AUTHOR: Yvette Hines

  TITLE: A Kissing Dare

  NEWSLETTER: http://yvettehines.com/newsletter-stay-connected/

  TAGLINE: He's used to being the one doing the tackling, but when love is before him will he grab hold or let it slip by him?

  AUTHOR: N Khun

  TITLE: Lover's Dare

  NEWSLETTER: https://madmimi.com/signups/133960/join

  TAGLINE: Can they get over their past to love each other again?

  AUTHOR: Kaira Rouda

  TITLE: The Celebrity Dare (http://smarturl.it/CDAMZ)

  NEWSLETTER: http://www.kairarouda.com

  TAGLINE: Sometimes chemistry is more powerful than common sense and the ingredients of love aren’t always what they seem.

  AUTHOR: Sasha White

  TITLE: Dirty Dare

  NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/fdGJ-/

  TAGLINE: Sometimes a woman has to go after what she wants, to get what she needs.

  AUTHOR: Lacey Wolfe

  TITLE: Commit if You Dare (http://smarturl.it/pe4ycq)

  NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/hJpWw

  TAGLINE: Neither wants a commitment, but their hearts have different plans.

  Excerpt from Icy Dare

  Cold metal around her wrist woke her. Her watch had a cloth strap as metal attracted attention. Exhausted, she struggled to figure out the reason for the metal. She began to turn, only to find herself against a hard male body. Panic surged, and she struggled.

  “Did you really think three men would stop me?”

  Recognition sank in. “You! What the—how the—get out of my bed. How dare you break in here?” Anger lent her strength, and her shove rolled him off the narrow bed. Her satisfactory smirk lasted mere seconds before she was jerked off to land on him. And yet, not chest to chest. No, her luck was such that her face sat buried in his crotch. His cock stiffened against her lips as she sputtered. Her right hand was stretched away from her body, and her shoulder screamed in agony.

  It clicked in her head as to why. Handcuffs.

  “You cuffed me?” Her tone fell dangerously low. “Cuffed me?”

  As if she weighed nothing, he drew her up along his body, easing the pain in her joint. “Yes.”

  Non-apologetic. Steadfast.

  His hand—the one she wasn’t cuffed to—settled against her ass and flexed.

  Damn her traitorous insides that were all for being locked to him. “Uncuff me.”

  “No.”

  His cock was hard and pressed against her core. She nearly rocked herself against him. “We’re going to have a very ugly relationship, this way.”

  “I’ll uncuff you when we get to Miami.”

  “I’m not going there.”

  His chuckle blew warm air along her hypersensitive skin. “That’s what you think. I’m like a bounty hunter. Since you’re not the one who hired me, I’m bringing you back.”

  Her leg jerked as she tried to knee him. Bastard must have been expecting her move and blocked her before rolling them. She lay pinned beneath him, her legs wide and cradling him.

  Late morning sun filtered through the window and graced his features. Almost with hesitation. He wasn’t a pretty man. Hard. Chiseled. Drool worthy. The man over her was no boy.

  “You really think you can drag me all the way across the country?”

  “That’s what I was hired to do.”

  “I dare you,” she forced the words out between clenched teeth.

  “I accept.” His grin was akin to a teasing flick along her clit.

  Hell, she was in trouble.

  αβ

  Dorian had it bad for the woman beneath him. She wasn’t cowering or crying. Quite the opposite, she was pissed. Anger flashed in her brown eyes. Tyler had said to go easy. Dorian hadn’t. Still, this woman, who was running from someone, stood toe to toe with him. Or lay chest to chest with me.

  There was no denying the lush curves beneath him, and his body responded eagerly. He ro
se up, saving her from his weight.

  Sparks danced in her eyes—eyes that weren’t plain brown but mouthwatering chocolate.

  Go easy. Again, Tyler’s words echoed in Dorian’s mind. He had no wish to go easy. Hard. Fast. And against any surface he could use.

  This woman didn’t have the fear he would have expected. Then again—when someone was being pursued, he would expect them to seek or accept help. She’d done quite the opposite. Avoiding her brother. Going so far as to drop off the grid. That’s why it had taken Dorian the time it did to locate her. She was damn good at hiding. She worked for cash and had no credit cards to speak of. Not what he’d expected.

  Her knee swiped dangerously close to his cock, and he glanced down at her. “You really need to stop that.”

  “Fuck you,” she snapped.

  He grinned, enjoying her sass and the spark it gave him. “We could.” His smile fell away. “I’m still taking you to Miami.”

  Defiance swelled in her gaze before fading away. She shrugged as if she hadn’t a care in the world. “Do I call you asshole or do you go by a secret identity that hides this personality?”

  “You can call me Dorian.”

  She grunted, shifting beneath him and again, reminding him how long he’d been abstinent.

  “Feel free to get off me.”

  Her icy tone had him smiling once more. “That implies it’s my decision if I move or not.”

  “Maybe,” her reply curt.

  Conscious of her being attached to him, he rose cautiously and lifted her to her feet, as well. His cock pushed hard against the rough fabric of his jeans. On one hand, he felt thrilled to be commando, because it meant there was no choking from boxers or briefs. Yet, on the other hand, it was one less layer of clothing between them.

  Her scowl remained in place.

  He winked, and her frown increased. “We need to go.”

  “Uncuff me.”

  Heading to the couch, his body brought up short when her lack of motion resulted in his arm being yanked. “Not happening. I was hired to bring you back to Miami. That’s what I’ll do.”