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I duck to escape from his persistent gaze and gulp some of the wine, drinking from his cup. Dare doesn’t let me deflect. He takes the wine away, grips my chin and brings me close for a firm kiss. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and every nerve in my body buzzes and hums with electricity.
He pulls back, eyes half-mast.
I’m trembling from the magnitude of my love for him. The vulnerability, the softness Dare brings out in me is terrifying. It was fine when I knew I was falling, but it’s another thing to recognize howfarI’ve fallen.
I love that Dare is hearing.
I love that he’s so generous with his wealth.
I’ve come to terms with the things I once thought were too difficult to accept.
But now, I face the biggest challenge of all.
Dare himself.
This man can destroy me. I’ve given my heart to him. And if I ever lose him again…
He captures my chin, keeping my head up. “What are you thinking, Yaya?”
The words are whispered, but I’m able to lipread.
“Have some more wine,” I sign.
Dare grabs my hand before I can reach for the glass. Moonlight reflects in his chocolate eyes. “The wine tastes better on your lips.”
This time, when he kisses me, it’s not soft and tempered. It’s urgent. Hungry. Almost too rough. But I lean into it, sliding down further into his lap until I’m flat against his hard chest.
My legs spread even more, open and ready. Primed for all of him. Slight pain pinches my knee. The fabric of the wicker chair is a hard plastic, despite its outward appearance of hay or wood. It digs into my lower legs while Dare’s wicked fingers skate over my upper thighs.
It’s obvious how much he wants me, especially when he flattens one hand against the center of my back and pulls me even more into him, palming my hip.
I feel his touch like a snap of thunder. Like the stars are falling from the sky, burning me from head to toe. I grip his thick hair, curling my fingertips into his scalp and tugging for dear life to the tune of a thousand suns crackling under my skin.
He pulls back, mouth slack and glistening with my lip gloss. He drags his lips along the line of my jaw and then skims the sensitive skin right below my ear. My hearing aids jostle as he places kisses there.
I caress his neck, draping myself over him. Already spent. Already wrung dry.
And he hasn’t even taken my clothes off.
Say anything you want about Richard Sullivan… but the man cankiss.
I wonder if it’s from all that ‘experience’. Is this why my sister chose an older guy too?
There’s an ease, a confidence to the way he touches me. Like he knows exactly what to do. Like he has no doubt in his mind that he’ll have ruined me for any other man by the time he’s done.
Not that Iwantany other man.
Not that I can even think about…
Dare’s hand snakes under my white T-shirt and he reveals a brilliant display of dexterity when he discards everything underneath it in record time.
My hair swings forward to cover my face as I slightly lift and adjust myself on his lap, waiting for more undressing. Butmoredoesn’t come. His eyes move to my mouth and the attention of his fingers soon follows. He tugs on my bottom lip with his thumb and then offers me another bite of steak.
I’m fully clothed but I’m also bra-less. Hidden, but exposed.
I nibble at the meat, skin buzzing.
Dare slips his fingers under my blouse again and I almost choke on my steak. The side of his mouth curves upwards as he hands the fork back to me, one arm free while the other is completely disappearing under my clothes.