“I’m Erin. And…and you?”
“I’m Dare,” he said softly into her ear, and the way he said it made her shiver.
Dare. What an unusual name. But it certainly seemed appropriate for this man holding her close on the dance floor, so bold and unapologetic.
The strains of the song died away and Erin took a deep breath. This was her chance. She cleared her throat.
“Thank you for the dance,” she began then gasped as the man, Dare whatever his name was, grasped her hand and started walking off the dance floor, pulling her along with him.
She looked around frantically. Where were the girls? She needed to be rescued. Now. Her eyes skimmed the sea of people but in that mass of bodies there was hardly any chance she would find her suite mates.
Tugging her arm, Erin blurted, “Where are you taking me?”
Dare spared her a backward glance. “This place is getting too crowded for me. Let’s get out of here.”
Get out of here? To where? He was forgetting that they hadn’t arrived at the nightclub together.
“Excuse me,” she tugged again, “but I’m not going anywhere with a stranger.”
The man ignored her.
By this time they were out a side door and onto a terrace surrounded by an abundant tropical garden. Dare let go of her wrist and leaned his shoulder against a cast iron trellis through which flowered vines twisted and coiled. As he lounged he folded his arms across his chest, watching her.
“So what was that about us being strangers?” He gave a dry chuckle. “After all we’ve shared – a hug, a dance, a dunk in the pool. I thought we were more than that?”
She bit her lip and looked away. She could understand how it all looked. As far as he was concerned she’d been the one doing the pursuing. She could only guess what he must think of her.
She took a deep breath, thinking fast. Should she tell him the truth about the stupid dare or would he think her a crazy college student who would do anything for kicks? Maybe that wouldn’t paint her in such a good light but she could at least tell him about the stalker in the nightclub. He would surely understand her actions then.
She opened her mouth to speak and the man chose that moment to reach out and pull her to him. Caught off guard, she tilted into him. He took the opportunity to turn with her then backed her up against the trellis, pressing her into the flowery metal frame.
Dare raised one arm and rested it on the metal bar above her head, effectively trapping her between himself and the wall. His eyes glinted in the moonlight as he stared down at her.
Erin’s heart thumped and she swallowed hard. Goodness. How was she going to get out of this predicament in a dignified manner?
“Kiss me.”
“Wh…what?”
“That’s what you want, isn’t it? Now’s your chance.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She glared up at him, shocked by his audacity.
“You threw yourself at me twice in one day. I have to reward all that effort. Now kiss me.” Dare’s tone was commanding. He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face toward his.
Erin’s heart pounded. He was going to kiss her. And she wanted it, dear God she wanted it. But she’d always been “the good girl”. Did she dare?
She did. When his lips touched hers she did not stop him. She did not pull away. Erin closed her eyes tight and clung to his muscled arms. His lips were hard, unyielding. His arm snaked around her and he pulled her tight against his body, so close that she could feel the rippling muscles of his torso against her breasts.
She kept her eyes closed, not daring to look into those enigmatic gray eyes, not wanting to read what lay in their depths.
Then all coherent thought flew from her mind as Dare softened his kiss, his lips moving sensually over hers, stealing her breath away. Erin leaned into him, her nipples as hard as pebbles, and then she was kissing him back, answering his passion with a fervor that was alien to her. She moaned under the caress of his lips.
Erin trembled in Dare’s arms. Her body was responding to him like she’d done with no man before. And as she stood there wrapped in his arms Erin knew she was in deep trouble.
Chapter 3
Slowly, Dare lifted his head and stared down into the dazed eyes of the girl in his arms. What was she doing to him? He’d meant to dominate her, knock her off balance with his kiss. After all, she’d been pursuing him all day. It was time to take her up on what on what she was offering, maybe even teach her a lesson in the process.
But, to his chagrin, it was he who was caught off guard. The kiss had left him breathless. Damn, was he getting soft?