LITMIR.BIZ

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instead of wretched. “But for what remains, may I sleep with you?”

      “Yeah.” He turned a little toward her. “I’d like that.”

      Relief robbed her spine of strength. Until he agreed, she hadn’t realized how tense she felt. “Thank you.”

      “You don’t mind sharing with two hounds? Because the girls look settled in for the rest of the night.” He reached over to pat the dogs. “They usually favor the kitchen, but they sense you’re upset, I think, and they want to stay close.”

      Somehow, Dare always took the most bizarre situations and made them feel … normal. Did nothing disconcert him?

      “I don’t mind.” Given how being alone had thrown her, the more the merrier.

      “Good.” He stood and reached out a hand to her. Molly let him pull her to her feet, and then she waited as he turned to the covers. “You won’t need this,” he said, and he took the quilt from her and tossed it to the foot of the bed, half over Tai, who didn’t stir.

      Molly wore one of the big T-shirts and her panties, nothing else, but Dare paid no attention to that.

      “In you go.”

      Trying to be discreet, she crawled into the bed and then scooted over as Dare got in next to her. He turned out the bedside lamp, reached an arm around her and pulled her in close. Her head fit nicely into the space between his hard shoulder and his chest. Already his warmth penetrated her. She felt the prickly hair on his legs and the softer chest hair against her cheek.

      She felt … at peace.

      The soft kiss to her temple offered so much comfort.

      “Okay?”

      Molly nodded. “I guess if this was somehow … sexual, it’d be different. But I know it’s not, and that makes it—”

      “Let’s try for a little more sleep before the sun comes up and the birds start singing. But Molly?”

      Her heart pounded so hard, it was a wonder he didn’t mention it. “Yes?”

      “If you need to, wake me.”

      She’d try her best not to do that, but all she said was “Okay. Thank you.”

      In that dark, quiet room, she could hear the dogs breathing, the wind outside the doors leading to a deck and the settling of an unfamiliar house.

      Odd, but it felt more like home than anyplace she’d ever been.

      HAIR STILL DAMP FROM his shower, carrying his shoes in one hand and his belt in the other, Dare came down the steps and across the hall. He paused by his bedroom door, heard nothing from inside and knew Molly still slept.

      Sneaking out on her had been easy. Even when he’d gathered up the clothes he’d need and had ushered out the dogs, she hadn’t stirred. The sight of her there, crowded onto his side of the bed, her dark hair spilling out over the pillows, had moved him in unfamiliar ways.

      He thought again of what she’d said, how holding her in his bed hadn’t been sexual.

      For her.

      For him, it equated to a true test of his control. All night he’d felt her warm breath on his skin, felt the softness of her thigh, her hair, her scent. Awareness of her body against his, separated only by a cotton T-shirt, had tortured him.

      He wanted her. Bad. It had been all kinds of sexual for him.

      Determined to do the right thing, Dare turned away from the bedroom door and went into the kitchen.

      Looking like death, wearing only lounge pants and a wrinkled oversize white T-shirt, Chris slumped at the table, eating cereal. Both dogs sat at the ready near his feet, hoping for a bite.

      Dare helped himself to coffee. “I’m surprised to see you up already.”

      Chris rolled a shoulder. “I wasn’t sure if you were serious about running the dogs or not.”

      “Already done.”

      Chris eyed him. “Then you could have fed them, too.”

      “I did—they just like your cereal. I told you not to start that or you’d regret it.”

      Lip curling in a sneer, Chris mimicked Dare’s words, then gave each dog a piece of cereal. “You know, I detest that super-efficient, do-it-all, know-it-all attitude of yours.”

      Dare saluted him with his cup. Right now, he wished he knew a little more—about Molly.

      As if reading his mind, Chris asked, “Did Molly get any sleep at all last night?”

      “Enough.” He helped himself to the coffee. “But she’s in my bed, so stay out of my room.”

      Eyes widening, Chris froze with the spoon halfway to his mouth.

      “Try to keep it quiet down here, and let her sleep as long as she needs to.” Dare met his gaze. “And shut up.”

      Dropping the spoon back into the bowl, Chris held up his hands and tried to look innocent. “I wasn’t going to say a single word.”

      “Yeah, you were.” Dare threaded the thick leather belt into his jeans. It looked to be a nice day ahead, so he’d only need his light jacket.

      “Okay, I was,” Chris admitted as he scratched his bristly chin. “I mean, you slept with her.”

      “Exactly. We slept.”

      “Ah …” He looked confused. “So it’s not …?”

      “No, it’s not, and that’s all the explanation you’re getting, so let it go.” Dare joined him at the table. “I’m taking off for most of the day. Without her.”

      “Huh.”

      “I did my own research last night. Her dad is on a golf outing only a few hours from here.”

      Chris’s brows shot up and he said again, “Huh.”

      He didn’t question Dare’s intel, knowing his personal resources were vast and accurate.

      “Don’t tell her what I’m doing.”

      “Easy enough.” Folding his arms over his chest, Chris said, “Because I don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”

      Since he wasn’t sure himself, Dare ignored that. “Just say I’m out on business—which will be true enough. I’ll get back as soon as I can.”

      Rocking the chair back on two legs, Chris considered everything and came to his own conclusions. “You don’t trust dear old dad, and you don’t want Molly walking into a booby trap.”

      “Emotional or otherwise.” Dare set his coffee aside and bent to pull on his shoes. “I went ahead and called Trace last night, too.”

      “Is he joining you?”

      “No.” Dare shook his head. “I don’t need him to, and like I said, he needs to be there for Alani. But he did some additional checking for me.”

      “And?”

      “No one has reported Molly missing. Not her dad, not her stepmom and not the sister that she trusts so much.”

      “But she was gone nine days!” The legs of Chris’s chair hit the floor. “And she doesn’t seem the type who disappears without a word.”

      “No, she doesn’t, does she?”

      Indignant on Molly’s behalf, Chris scowled. “That’s fucked up.”

      “Maybe.” Dare straightened again. “I don’t know what it means. Yet. But I want to get a sense of things before I take her back there.”

      “You didn’t want me to map out the trip?”

      “Already

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