Page 65 of Karma
He came long and hard, emptying himself inside her, feeling her slick walls wrapping him in snug warmth and heat. She writhed above him, giving in to her climax. Her nails clawed at his shoulders, and her face burrowed deep into his neck as she came.
Beneath her, as reality refocused around him, Liza sprawled over him. Dare stared up at the night sky and wondered what the hell had just happened between them.
***
Liza pulled herclothes back on in silence. Dare did the same. She was too shaken up by what happened between them to pretend otherwise. He gathered some things from the patio and headed inside while she cleaned up the rest. By the time she returned from dumping the trash in the garage, Dare was waiting for her in the kitchen.
He’d splashed cold water on his face and pulled himself together. She needed some time to do the same and hoped he wouldn’t ask to stay the night. Space would be a good thing right about now and not because she planned on freezing him out or turning her back on him.
She needed to find her equilibrium because he’d blown it to hell and back.
He held out his hand, and she accepted the gesture.
He didn’t push for more, and she was grateful. Wasn’t she? So what was the disappointment winging through her stomach that he wasn’t asking for more than she wanted to give?
“We need to talk about the car.”
She blinked, startled by the subject he chose. “That’s really not necessary. I mean, the more I think about it, the harder time I have believing that anyone deliberately cut the brake line.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Mason said—”
“Mason’s a small-town mechanic. I’d rather wait and see what Sam turns up before panicking.”
He nodded slowly.
She doubted he agreed, but he wasn’t arguing. “Besides, I have a police car driving by periodically, right? So in case there is some phantom person, they’re looking out for me.”
“It’s not enough.” He hesitated before speaking. “I should stay over.” Yet he looked torn about it.
Boy, what had happened on the patio hadn’t just shaken her up. It had thrown Mr. Confidence into a tizzy too.
At least she could reassure him on that score. “Hey, I’m not looking to insult your manhood, but let’s face it, if someone did cut my brakes, they did it while you were here in the house.” She squeezed his hand. “Really. I’ll be fine here, and we obviously need space.”
“But not a break.”
She managed to smile, so relieved the cramping in her stomach eased. “No. Not a break.”
“We’re still together,” he said.
“Yes.” Byherdefinition of a relationship, not his.
Not that he needed to know that. Liza would find her equilibrium and, with it, the safe place she’d carved out that let her tuck her feelings away where nobody could hurt her. Not her parents, not her alcoholic brother, and definitely not another man.
“Good.” Dare grinned that sexy smile she adored. “Then I’ll get going.”
She walked him to the door. “Thanks for dinner. And the wine and the flowers.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She nodded. Before she could open the door, he pulled her into a mind-blowing kiss. And then he was gone.
***
Dare woke upSaturday to a full weekend off, and man, he needed it. After a normal workday on Wednesday, he’d switched shifts as a favor for a friend. On Thursday, he’d worked an all-nighter, then pulled a late afternoon through early evening shift on Friday. Today and tomorrow were all his own. No sooner had he rolled out of bed and his feet hit the floor than his thoughts turned to Liza.
He hadn’t spoken to her since he’d left her house Tuesday night. They’d played phone tag for the better part of the week. Between her busy schedule and his, they’d completely missed each other. Dare could have tried harder to reach her, but he’d needed breathing room.
Even for a man who liked relationships, this thing with Liza had thrown him. The feelings she aroused in him were new to the point he didn’t recognize parts of himself anymore.