Come To Me (Dare With Me Series Book 3)

by J. H. Croix

  “Sounds good.” Aside from the view, I enjoyed watching him maneuver the plane with ease and confidence.

  When he glanced to the side at my reply and his eyes caught mine, heat chased like a scatter of hot sparks over my skin. With nothing more than a glance, the intensity contained in his gaze set my nerves alight.

  Chapter Eight

  Diego

  Gemma took a bite of halibut and let out a moan as she swallowed. “Oh, my God,” she said when she finished chewing. “That’s incredible.”

  I knew she was commenting on the food, obviously, but I was focused on the sight of her tongue darting out to catch a drop of sauce on the corner of her mouth and thinking I shouldn’t be so turned on by watching her eat.

  “I don’t think I’ve had that yet,” I replied, managing to drag my brain back to the topic at hand.

  “You have to have a bite,” she insisted.

  She pushed her plate closer, so I took a bite. The halibut was flaky, but also rich with a creamy texture. It had been drizzled with some kind of a lemon dill sauce.

  “Absolutely delicious,” I offered.

  “I see why this place is so busy.” She glanced around the restaurant, taking in the crowded space. Every table was full, but the space didn’t feel crowded.

  The lodge was originally only open in the winter for skiing. The Hamilton family, who owned the place, had expanded the business since they brought it back to life after years of being closed. They offered hiking, biking, and coordinated with a number of other local tourist services, including Flynn’s flight business, to keep their guests happy.

  This restaurant occupied the main building of the lodge. It had views of the ski slopes and mountains immediately surrounding it, along with a beautiful view of a slice of Kachemak Bay in the distance. The large room had a tall ceiling with beams crisscrossing the space. It had a modern, yet woodsy feel to it.

  Delia Hamilton came out of the swinging doors from the kitchen into the restaurant, checking in at a few tables and then stopping beside ours. “How is it?” she asked, looking between Gemma and me.

  “Always amazing,” I replied quickly.

  Her blue eyes swung to Gemma expectantly. “Delicious,” Gemma replied firmly.

  “Excellent. Do you need anything?”

  “Not at all,” I replied as Gemma shook her head.

  “I’m planning to get to one of your yoga classes soon,” Delia offered. “I’m on my feet all the time, so I’m hoping it’ll help me loosen up my back.”

  “I’ll be glad to have you,” Gemma replied with a smile. “This place is really nice.”

  “Delia is the chef and runs the restaurant. Her husband, Garrett, owns this place with his brothers and sisters. He’s a lawyer, so I try to stay on his good side,” I quipped.

  Delia chuckled. “He is, but he’s not vicious. These days, he’s traded his corporate career for things like fishing and hunting issues and property disputes. He loves it.”

  “I imagine there’s no shortage of interesting cases here in Alaska,” Gemma commented.

  “There is certainly plenty of variety,” Delia added. “I need to run check on things up front. Nice to meet you Gemma, and I’ll definitely come by one of your classes soon.”

  Delia hurried off, her honey blond hair swinging in a ponytail as she crossed the restaurant and disappeared through the archway into the reception area.

  We settled in to enjoy our dinners, with a few interruptions, including one from Gage Hamilton, who’d resurrected the ski lodge. Or, so I’d been told by Nora, who kept all of us up to speed on all the local gossip, seeing as she’d grown up here.

  “Good to meet you,” Gage said with a quick smile toward Gemma before he disappeared into the kitchen.

  “Is there anyone you don’t know?” Gemma asked as she pushed her plate away and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

  “There are plenty of people I don’t know,” I replied with a chuckle. “I’ve lived here for five years though. If you stick around, you’ll discover it’s hard not to get to know all the locals. Tourist season is another ball game. We know these guys well because we send people to them, and they send people to us. It’s a two-way street. That’s mostly how I’ve gotten to know people here. You’ll see, it’ll happen for you. Are you planning to stay?”

  Gemma’s eyes held mine for a moment. I thought I saw uncertainty passing like shadows through her gaze, but she lifted her chin and nodded. “That’s the plan. I just need to make sure I can make it work financially.”

  “Your classes are always full when I’m there.”

  Her lips quirked with a smile. “That’s because Daphne corrals all of you guys there. She’s been great for my business. Classes are full, and that’s a good thing.”

  “What brought you to Alaska?” I asked.

  Alaska was filled with transplants. It was sparsely populated for many years and still was. Everyone had a story for the how and why behind what brought them here. Whether it was for a change of pace, or because they wanted to experience this kind of wilderness. We all had a reason.

  Gemma’s eyes cast down for a moment, and she took the last swallow of her wine. Her shoulders rose and fell with a breath, and I sensed trepidation from her. Even though I didn’t know the story, protectiveness rose inside me. We had only shared a kiss. Mind you, that kiss stood the test as one of the hottest kisses of my life. I’d only known her for a matter of months, and yet here I was, wanting to protect her from whatever I saw flickering in her eyes.

  “I needed a change. I wasn’t sure where I was going to find that change, but I actually won a trip here. Not to Diamond Creek, but to Anchorage. I loved it, but I didn’t really want to do the city thing and Anchorage is an actual city. A woman at the place where I was staying, suggested I check out Diamond Creek. I did, and I came across the job to take care of the horses. Since it came with the house, I took it as a sign because I love horses and riding. That job covers my bills, so I figured it was the perfect way to get started here. What brought you here?”

  “Air Force,” I said simply.

  “Were you stationed in Alaska?”

  I shook my head. “I was in the Air Force with Flynn, Elias, Gabriel, and Tucker. Flynn came back to take care of his brother and two sisters after their mother passed away. He invited the rest of us to come work for him whenever we left the Air Force because he needed pilots. Elias and I came up around the same time, about five years ago. Tucker and Gabriel made it another year later.”

  “You guys seem pretty tight.”

  “We are, they’re like family to me.”

  “Where are you originally from?” she asked.

  “I was a military brat. My father was in the Air Force too. We lived all over. I have four sisters, but both of our parents have passed away.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said quickly.

  “Thank you. It’s been a few years, and I still miss them. I was blessed. They loved each other and loved us, so we’re all still tight even though none of us live in the same place. What about you? Where are you from?”

  “Portland, Oregon. My parents and my brother still live there.”

  “What does your family think of you coming up to Alaska?”

  “They’re supportive, but they’d like me closer to home. I keep reminding them there are actually direct flights from Portland here, and it’s not that far.”

  I sensed Gemma was uncomfortable talking about her family, so I let it drop, commenting casually, “Most families wish everyone would stay in the same place.”

  After the waiter came to clear our plates and checked on dessert, Gemma passed. I almost ordered a dessert, but she caught my eyes. “I have brownies at my house.”

  “Does that mean I can have one?” I teased, loving how her cheeks pinkened.

  Her teeth dented her bottom lip, sending a sizzle of lust through me, before she nodded. “Of course, you can have one.”

  I asked the wai
ter to bring the check. When he left, promising to return with it, Gemma said, “We’re splitting the check.”

  I looked over at her. “I invited you to dinner, so I’m covering it.”

  Her lips pressed in a line. “No, we’re splitting it.”

  “How about you invite me to dinner and you can return the favor?” I countered.

  Gemma’s eyes glinted as she looked over at me. She let out a throaty chuckle, which sent a shot of lust straight through me. “Fine. Next time, I’ll cover it.”

  On the way out, I couldn’t resist resting my hand on her back, right at the dip of her waist, just above the sweet curve of her bottom. Only the fact that we were out in public kept me from sliding my palm over that curve. I knew how it felt, and I greedily wanted that sensation again. I wasn’t sure what I was doing with Gemma, but I was certain I wanted her. With a fierceness that surprised me.

  When we’d texted about today, I told her I needed to pick her up because there wasn’t much parking at the plane hangar. Which was true, but not really.

  I’d wanted her to myself. Even more than that, I’d wanted her on my motorcycle again, this time not chasing after a horse.

  We got out to my bike again, and I handed her the helmet. “Do you always keep an extra helmet?”

  I shook my head. “Nope, just for you.”

  Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t say anything further. She climbed on behind me. I savored the feel of her curves pressing against my back as she looped her arms around my waist.

  In general, I didn’t take people for rides on my bike, much less women. I always had an extra helmet at the house, because I had sisters. Cat had once badgered me into taking her for a short ride. Much to my dismay, Flynn had agreed when I told her she had to ask him. She was like a little sister to me, and I didn’t want to worry about her safety any more than I wanted to worry about my own sisters’ safety.

  By the time I rolled up to a stop at Gemma’s place, I was thinking I needed to turn around on the bike and have my way with her right then and there. But, I didn’t. I had some manners, after all.

  Chapter Nine

  Gemma

  My body was humming with the vibration of Diego’s motorcycle when he cut the engine. I took a breath and reluctantly loosened my arms from around his waist. Tonight’s ride was different from the first one. Then, I’d been startled at Diego’s appearance and unsettled with Charlie running loose. Tonight, I knew what it felt like to be held by him and loved the feel of his muscled body against mine.

  Just when I was thinking it might be nice if he spun around and had his way with me on his motorcycle, I heard the sound of hoofbeats and glanced toward the pasture to see Charlie cantering over with two other horses right behind him. There were four horses here, but the oldest one tended to linger by the paddock. Shasta was the friendliest horse of the group, but due to his age he tended to be stiff. I babied him with treats on the regular.

  Diego swung his leg over, removing his helmet as he stood beside the motorcycle. I climbed off behind him and handed him the helmet, smoothing my hand over my hair. “Gorgeous night for a ride,” I commented.

  It was approaching nine at night, and the sky was just now fading from light to dark. It was that magical twilight time where the stars twinkled in the silvery light of dusk and the fading colors from the sunset lingered.

  Diego nodded, his eyes arcing across the pasture toward the view of the mountains and the water in the distance. “The horses are happy to see you,” he said with a slow grin when his eyes landed on mine again.

  What he said was benign, but the look contained in his gaze set butterflies alight in my belly and my pulse racing as heat spun through me.

  “They’re curious. Don’t worry, they’re not hungry. I fed them before you picked me up.”

  “Do they stay in the pasture all night?”

  I shook my head. “I need to put them in their stalls. Want to help?”

  “Of course.” He tucked the spare helmet into the compartment under the seat and set his on top of the seat before falling into step beside me.

  My senses were heightened, attuned to the frequency of Diego’s presence. The sound of our footsteps on the gravel was broken by an owl calling in the trees nearby. When the horses saw me heading toward the barn with Diego, they trotted over to meet us there.

  Stepping through the large sliding door into the barn, the soothing scents struck me—hay, horses, and an underlying hint of leather. These were the smells of my childhood when I rode horses. My mother had ridden horses, and we had neighbors who had a farm where we rode nearby. It was a calming spot in my childhood where it always felt like I was scrambling to catch up to the brilliance of my parents and my brother.

  Dyslexia was a common learning disability, but it was still confusing when nobody knew what was going on. Sadly, my parents’ high expectations for my brilliance had interfered with the school figuring out the issue sooner. Once doubt seeps into your soul, it lingers, like mold that you can’t get out of a room sometimes. I’d largely come to peace with that. I knew my parents loved me, but what happened had shaped my childhood. School is such a big part of childhood that when it’s not going well and you’re struggling, it could turn into a bundle of uncertainty and insecurity. Horses and softball were what I’d loved during those years, and only one of those loves remained unscathed.

  Diego glanced around. “Nice barn.”

  It was a small barn and well-maintained. There were four stalls with an aisle in between. Crossing to the other end of the barn, I opened the door to the small paddock. My elderly buddy, Shasta, walked slowly into the barn, lifting his nose to nudge me in the shoulder.

  “Hey, sweetie,” I said, scratching him on the forehead. He turned his attention to Diego, curiously sniffing him and nibbling lightly on his shoulder as he passed by.

  “I think that’s his version of a kiss,” I said with a laugh.

  Diego didn’t seem bothered in the slightest, instantly endearing himself to me. He laughed as he greeted Shasta. Shasta had once been a speckled horse, as I knew from the photographs in the house, but he was almost all white now. He enjoyed being brushed, so I groomed him daily and took care of his mane and tail, which he flicked affectionately when he passed by. Shasta knew the routine well and walked into his stall, the closest one by the door to the paddock.

  Charlie came trotting through, stopping quickly to greet Diego and appearing to recognize him. “I think he knows he’s seen me before,” Diego said with a chuckle.

  “Probably. It was memorable, what with the motorcycle and all.”

  After Charlie went into his stall, the other two horses followed. One was a dark bay with a star on his forehead, owned by a woman who lived down the road and came by fairly regularly. The other was a chestnut with a wide white blaze on his face. He was also owned by a neighbor nearby, although his owner didn’t stop by as often.

  Once all the horses were in their stalls, Diego followed my lead without me needing to explain it, closing and latching their stall doors. We fetched some hay, and he helped me toss it into their stalls.

  As we walked out, my belly shimmied with nervous anticipation. I wanted to invite him inside, but I couldn’t remember the last time I had invited anyone into a place where I lived.

  Apparently, my mouth was ahead of my brain, and my question tumbled out. “Would you like to come in?”

  “Of course. Don’t you remember? You promised me the perfect brownie.”

  “Oh, right. Did I say the brownies were perfect?”

  “Maybe not exactly, but that’s why we passed on dessert. Now, if you’ve changed your mind, I won’t insist.”

  When I glanced sideways and saw his teasing smile, my belly did a few flips and butterflies spun like mad. “Oh, I insist,” I managed, feeling my cheeks heat.

  The place I was renting was a small, ranch-style home. We went in through the front door, which was in the center of the rectangular-shaped structure and had
a small curved porch. It opened into the living room. To one side was an archway that led into the kitchen and dining room area, and the other archway on the other end led into a hallway with three bedrooms and a bathroom. Like everywhere in Alaska, or so it seemed, the house had a view through the trees with a glimpse of the mountains to the side.

  Diego glanced around. “Nice place.”

  “I love it,” I said. “It came furnished and everything.”

  I kicked off my shoes by the door, and he followed suit. “Follow me.” I gestured as I began to cross through the archway to the kitchen. “I’ll get that brownie for you.”

  Chocolate was one of my favorite things, and I made incredible brownies, if I did say so myself. They were decadent with melted dark chocolate in the center. Heated, with vanilla ice cream, it was about the best simple dessert in the universe as far as I was concerned.

  Diego followed me in, taking in the kitchen. It had counters lining three walls with a small oval table by the windows in what served as a casual dining area.

  “Have a seat,” I called over my shoulder. “Do you want anything to drink with dessert?”

  “Just water will do.”

  I quickly sliced two brownies and heated them in the microwave. Only moments later, I was sitting across from Diego, watching as he took a bite and let out a rough moan. The sound vibrated through me. It seemed everything he did spoke to my hormones. They sent up a little cheer of approval.

  “Damn. That’s fucking amazing,” he said flatly. “It really is the best brownie I’ve ever had.”

  I didn’t know why I was blushing over brownies, but here I was.

  “I’m glad to hear it. I’m sure Delia has desserts just as good as this. Everything else there is five-star quality.”

  Diego took another bite. “Agreed that everything she makes is excellent, but I’m not sure she can beat this brownie. With the ice cream, it might be the food version of God.”