Page 87 of Double Dare
“I don’t fucking know. All I wanted was Laken. That’s as far as my future planning went. Do you?”
He shrugs. “I don’t even know. Maybe. Maybe not. Fuck…”
“Then let's drop it.” I shove him and we head back inside.
Laken smirks at Jed and immediately pulls me down the hall. Closing her bedroom door, she studies me. “What’s happening right now?”
“Nothing, I’m…” fucking hell, just admit it. “Happy. So fucking happy. I feel like some romantic douche, but fuck, Laken, I love you. I’ve wanted to say that for so long.”
Laken laughs, wiping my eyes and getting right in my face. “I like the romantic douche version of you just as much as the blunt asshole version. Do you have a servitude side that wants to bake me cookies and bring me snacks all the time?”
I smirk at her. “That’s what Gar’s for.”
“Fuck, that boy can bake.” She presses her lips to mine. Gar can do a lot of things, and most of them, no matter what they are, get my dick hard. “You’re okay?” She runs her fingers through my hair, the touch soft and reassuring.
“More than okay, Bossy.”
Her mouth is on mine, our tongues tasting and our hands exploring. I pull her in closer, reveling in the feel of her small body pressed up against mine. Backing her toward the bed, I lay her down, hovering over her to deepen the kiss and show her with my body what my mouth won’t say.
My primal, dominant, blunt self is contained, and in its place, the deeper, more emotional side of me comes out to be some new form of a lover. Connection is what I’m after, not domination.
Laken pulls my shirt over my head, tossing it to join my coat and hoodie on the floor. Standing, I slide her tights down her legs and watch her fingers undo my jeans. Stepping out of my pants, I pull her sweater over her head, wrapping my arm around her waist and sliding her up the bed.
“Laken.” Her name falls out, my eyes on hers, my body between her legs.
“I love you,” she repeats, making my whole body brim with need. “I love you, Kade.”
I slowly push inside her, keeping our eyes connected. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that.” And I’ll never get tired of hearing it. It doesn’t sound empty, and by the way she’s looking at me, holding me, I know this is real.
Her legs wrap around my hips, our bodies connected. And here comes more of my romantic bullshit because I’ve waited so long to tell her these things.
“I’ve loved you since day one, Laken. I’ve been in love with you this whole time.” I fuck her gently, loving the slow pace. “At first, I didn’t even know it was love, but holy fuck, I’m happy right now.”
Laken moans as I thrust deep, holding there. This isn’t fucking. This is making love, and it might be the best sex of my life.
When she pushes on my chest, I let her, rolling over so she’s on top. Pulling myself up, I lean my back against the headboard and pull our upper bodies together, kissing her.
Laken’s turquoise eyes watch mine as she slowly rides me, and it’s in her gaze that I know I’m allowed to be embarrassingly romantic with her. She really does love all my versions. I’ve never felt a connection to someone like this; I’ve never felt love like this.
When we come together, confessions of love fly freely.
Chapter 34
It’s New Year’s Eve, and we finally made it back to the Dare house in one piece. The storm is still raging, but it’s let up for a few hours, letting the road crews clear some of the streets in town and bigger highways outside of town. After being stuck at our cabin for a few days, it feels good to be back in Seward, ready to ring in the new year with the rest of the Dares.
The resort is on lockdown. Some guests are trapped in Seward longer than they planned, and others are trapped outside of town, unable to get to the resort. It’s made bookings a hell of a thing, but Rayne and Bo have been doing everything they can to keep everyone happy. Including throwing a makeshift New Year’s party in the restaurant and lobby.
I run through the snow, carrying a box of decorations to the resort. But my eyes are on the mountaintops through the low-hanging clouds. Once the weather clears, it’s going to be days and days of amazing fresh powder up there. I can’t wait to get out there on my board with Gar.
“Thanks, Lakes,” Rayne says, taking the box from me. She’s decorating the restaurant and the lounge for tonight, and she’s going all out. “Kade’s making a poster for me, and then we’ll be home, honey.”
I look at Kade. He’s at the front desk, drawing on a large poster board, his brow furrowed, the cap of the marker in his mouth. His sleeves are pushed up to reveal all his arm tats, and his lashes are low against his cheek as he concentrates. Shit, creative, artsy Kade is a literal wet dream. To see what his mind comes up with and how he translates that to a canvas is…sexy as fuck.
I walk over to him, watching him grin at my approach. He doesn’t look up, though. “Hey, Bossy. Wanna go fuck in the bathroom?”
There he is. Blunt Kade. When I don’t answer, he looks up at me, tempting me to say yes.
“You’re busy.” I nod at his drawing. “Doodling. Too bad.”