Dare wasn’t sure exactly what he was supposed to say, but knew he should act surprised, so he did. He raised his dark brows as if somewhat astonished. “Your mother named you after me?”
AJ nodded. “Yes.”
Dare stared at AJ for a moment before asking. “Why did she do that?”
He watched as his son drew a deep breath. “Because—”
“Sorry I took so long. I bet your mom thinks the three of us have been kidnapped.”
Both Dare and AJ turned to see Mr. Westmoreland walking toward them. But Dare was determine his son would finish what he’d been about to say. He returned his gaze to AJ. “Because—?”
AJ looked at the older man walking toward them, and then at Dare and, after losing his nerve, quickly said, “Because she liked your name.”
“Because she liked your name.”
Later that night Dare shook his head, remembering the
reason AJ had given him for Shelly’s choice of his name. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that AJ had come within a second of finally telling him he was his son before his father had unintentionally interrupted them, destroying that chance. But Dare was determined he would get it
again.
Once they’d returned to his parents’ home, there had been no private time, and on more than one occasion he’d been tempted to suggest that the two of them go back to the
store and pick up some item his mother just had to have, but since his brothers and Jamal hadn’t yet returned, his
mother put him to work helping his father grill the ribs and steaks.
Now it was past eleven and Shelly was gathering her things to take a tired and sleepy AJ home. He had gotten worn out playing table tennis with his uncles for the past couple of
hours.
Dare studied Shelly, as he’d been doing most of the night. She was wearing a pair of jeans that molded to her
curvaceous hips and a blue pullover top that, to him,
emphasized her lush breasts. Breasts he’d been kissing
and tasting quite a lot over the past few weeks. Her body had always been a complete turn-on to him, and nothing
had changed. He’d been fighting an arousal all night. The last thing he needed was for his brothers to detect what a bad way he was in, although from the smirks they had sent him most of the evening, he was well aware that they knew.
“AJ and I are going to have to say goodnight to everyone,” Shelly said smiling. “Thanks again for inviting us.” She met Dare’s gaze and blinked at his unspoken message. He
was letting her know that he would be seeing her later
tonight.
He slowly crossed the room to her. “I’ll walk the two of you out.”
She nodded before turning to give Delaney and Jamal, the elder Westmorelands and finally the brothers hugs.
Dare frowned at Storm when he deliberately kissed Shelly on the lips, trying to get a rise out of him and knowing it had worked. As far as Dare was concerned Shelly was his, and he didn’t appreciate anyone mauling her. He had put up
with it the first time they’d seen her at Chase’s restaurant, but now he figured that it was time Storm learned to keep his hands and his lips to himself.
When Shelly and AJ walked ahead of him going out the door, he hung back and growled to Storm. “If you ever do
that again, I’ll break your arm.”
He ignored Storm’s burst of laughter and followed Shelly and AJ outside.
It was a beautiful night. The air felt crisp, pleasantly cool as Shelly closed the back door behind her and raced across the backyard to the place where she knew Dare was
waiting for her. She hadn’t bothered to put on a robe, since he would be taking it off her anyway, and she hadn’t
bothered to put on a gown, preferring to slip into an
oversized T-shirt instead.
It had taken her some time to get AJ settled and into bed
after arriving home from the Westmorelands. They had
talked; he had told her that he’d come close to telling Dare the truth tonight, but that he’d been interrupted. She knew
the longer he put it off, the harder it was going to be for him.
“Shelly?”
She sucked in a deep breath when Dare emerged from the shadows, dazzling her senses beneath the glow of a full
moon. She immediately walked into his arms. Dark,
penetrating eyes met hers and then, in a deep, ragged
breath, he tipped her head back as his lips captured hers.
The whimpered sounds erupting from deep within her throat
propelled him forward, making the urge for them to mate
that more intense, urgent, imperative. He gently lifted her T- shirt and touched her, discovering she was completely bare underneath. With unerring speed he lifted her off her feet,
wrapped her legs around his waist and walked a few steps to a nearby tree.
She saw it was another seduction, planned down to every detail. Evidently he’d kept himself busy while waiting for
her, she thought, noticing he had securely tied a huge pillow around the tree trunk. It served as a cushion for her
backside when he pressed her against it. And then he was breathing hard and heavy while unzipping his pants and
reaching inside to free himself. “I knew I couldn’t wait, so
I’ve already taken care of protection,” he whispered as he thrust forward, entering her.
At her quick intake of breath, he covered her mouth with
his, sipping the nectar of surprise from her lips, playing
around in her mouth with his tongue as if relishing the taste of her. How long ago had they last kissed? Hadn’t it been just last night? You couldn’t tell by the way he was eating
away at her mouth and the way she eagerly responded,
wanting, needing and desiring him with a vengeance.
She opened he legs wider, wrapped them around his waist tighter when he went deeper, sending shock waves of
pleasure racing through her. She felt close, so very close to the edge, and she knew she wanted him to be with her
when she fell.
She broke off their kiss. “Now, Dare!”
Dare began moving. Throwing his head back he inhaled a deep whiff of her scent—hot, enticing, sensually hers—and totally lost it. His jaw clenched as he thrust deeper, moved faster, when she arched her back. Desperately, he mated with her with quick, precise strokes, giving her all he had and taking all she had to give.
He was past the point of no return and she was right there with him. And when he felt her body tighten and the spasm rip through her, bringing with it an orgasm so powerful that he felt the earth shake beneath his feet, he held her gaze and thrust into her one final time as he joined her in a
climax that just wouldn’t stop. The sensations started at the top of his head and moved downward at lightning speed, building intense pressure in that part of his body nestled
deep inside her, and making him clench his teeth to keep from screaming out her name and stomping his feet.
The sensations kept coming and coming and he leaned
forward to kiss her again, capturing the essence of what
they were sharing. As his body continued to tremble while buried deep inside of her, he knew that even after ten long years, he was still seductively, passionately and irrevocably hers. She was the only woman he would ever want. The only woman he would ever need. The only woman who could
make him understand and appreciate the difference between having mind-blowing sex and making earth- shattering, soul-stirring, deep-down-in-your-gut love.
She was the only woman.
And he also knew that she was the only woman he would ever love and that he still loved her.
Moments later, Dare pulled his body from Shelly’s and,
gathering her gently into his arms, walked over to place her on the blanket. He stretched out on his side facing her as he waited for the air to return back to his lungs and the
blood to stop rushing fast and furious through his veins.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming,” he finally said some time later, the tone of his voice still quivering from the afterglow of what they’d just shared.
He couldn’t help touching her again, so he slid his hand
across her stomach, gently stroking her. He remembered the question AJ had asked him about wanting other
children, and he remembered thinking that he’d want more children only if Shelly were their mother. He wouldn’t
hesitate putting another child of his inside her, in the womb he knew he had touched tonight. Not only had he touched it, he had branded it his.
Shelly slowly opened her eyes as her world settled, and the explosion she’d felt moments ago subsided. She gazed up at him and wondered how was it possible that each time
they did this it was better than the time before. She always felt cherished in his arms.
Treasured.
Loved.
She silently shook that last thought away, refusing to let her mind go there; refusing to live on false hope. And she
refused to give in to the want, need and desire to give him her heart again, no matter how strong the pull was to do so. She broke eye contact with him and looked away.
“Shelly?”
She returned her gaze to him, to respond to what he’d said. “It took a little longer than expected to get AJ settled tonight. He wanted us to have a long talk.”
Dare asked, “Is he all right?”
“Yes. But I think he’s somewhat disappointed that he didn’t get the chance to tell you the truth today. He had planned to do so.”
Dare sighed deeply. His gut instincts had been right. “Do you think I should talk to him tomorrow?”
Shelly shook her head. “No, I think the best thing to do is to wait until he gets up his courage again. But I suggest you make things a bit easier on him by making sure the two of you have absolute privacy without any interruptions.