Dare Me (Dare Me Series Book 1)

Dare Me (Part 36 - Colby)

"I wanna kiss you." I grab her arm and pull her to me, catching her lips lift just before mine touch hers. She opens her mouth, and I kiss her softly. All the worry about how we're going to make this work evaporates with the taste of her lips. Her hands go to the side of my face and mine go to her ass. I lift her up, and she wraps her legs around me. Our kiss turns from a sweet compromise to a profound need I didn't know was in me. I feel as though I've been drowning all my life and she's at the surface, coaxing me to come up for air. Our tongues dance and our heads tilt. Air comes out in a rush and fingers dig into skin. I walk until her back is against the dresser. It moves and something falls off, but we don't let up. Her hands go to my head and she slips my hat off, dragging her fingernails across, sending chills down my spine. Man, I want her. I want to love her on every surface of this room so she'll think of me when she sleeps in here. I want her bed to smell like us, so when she lies down, she'll remember how I make her feel. I push into her, and she whimpers as I hit between her legs. I move us to the bed and lay her down. She bites my lip, dragging it between her teeth. My hand roams up the side of her body, lifting her shirt so I can feel her skin, dancing over rib bones until my thumb grazes the bottom of her breast. Her head falls as she arches her body, and I kiss down her jaw to get to her neck. I suck and bite, and she moans and marks my skin with her nails. She tastes like lavender and feels like velvet. "Fuck," I breathe out. I've never felt like this before, and it's terrifying. Our lips lightly touch, and the thought of her changing her mind about us crosses mine. I can't let myself go. I can't be in the moment and not have that little voice in the back of my mind shut the fuck up. It whispers constantly, This is a bad idea. She'll only break you if you let her. I squeeze my eyes shut and press my forehead against hers. My heart beats out of control and sweat slides down my back. "You'll break me," I murmur, shocking myself as raw emotion spills from my lips. "Colby," she says in a pant. I keep my eyes closed, holding myself up with one arm with her tucked under me. I feel a shake in my bones and a heavy feeling in my chest. "Look at me." She gently touches my face. I open my eyes and see her staring back at me. "I'm scared, too." I feel her fingers tremble. "You have no idea how hard this is for me. So, know that every time you doubt yourself, doubt us, remember, I'm doing it, too. Because that's what life has taught us. But there has to be a way to break this cycle we've been living, and I think... I think you and I together might be the answer we've been searching for." My chest moves rapidly, and I look between her eyes, seeing the truth. She's not lying. Whatever this is, it's different. It's earth-shatteringly different. A knock sounds on the door, and I groan. "Sorry to interrupt," Claire says. "I really need my taster here. Lex, you know Brennen is picky, and I don't want to hear his mouth." My forehead rests against hers, and I see her lips smile. "Gotta love my best friend." "No, I don't," I reply. Lexi laughs as I move back. "Come on. Everything this girl cooks is amazing. You've got to try, too." She pulls her legs out from under me and swings them to the side of the bed. I'm on my hutches with a hard-on as she bends down and grabs my hat off the floor. She grins at me as she places it on my head. "How many of these do you have?" "Several," I reply as I get off the bed. "And those?" she asks, looking down at my Nike's as I straighten out my shirt. "Same." She makes a cute face. "What?" I ask. "Nothing. I just already figured that." She tightens her wet, messy hair. "Come on, boy. Let's go try some food." I follow her into the living room, adjusting my hat as we walk into the kitchen. This place is small as shit, but it's got a warm feeling to it. Unlike my place, which is huge and cold. Probably because I hardly stay there and no one else does... well, until recently anyway. Now my drugged-out Mom is there detoxing and hating my guts. Claire's moving around the place a mile a minute and I'm wondering if she's on drugs, too. "Don't mind her," Lexi says. "She's always this way when she cooks, and she's always cooking several things at once." I smile down at my girlfriend. Whoa. That seems odd. Super fucking odd. "I heard that," Claire says. "I wasn't whispering." Lexi walks over to the bowl Claire was stirring when I walked in and dips her finger. "Use a spoon, please," Claire scolds. My girl rolls her eyes and walks over to me. "Try this." I look down at her finger as she holds it near my lips before I suck the cream cheese icing off. Holy shit, I'm not sure if it's because it's off Lexi's finger or because Claire made it, but it's heaven. "Good, right?" Lexi asks. "Very." "You're pretty good at this," I say to Claire. "Thanks." I nod, and the businessman in me starts thinking. Mugs and Books could use something more. What if we expanded it and put a kitchen in? "What are you thinking?' Lexi asks. "Nothing," I reply, not wanting to share my idea just yet. She narrows her eyes but lets it go. Alexis walks back over, dipping her other finger into the bowl, which earns her a smack on the hand from Claire. "Spoon," she says. "Oh, hush. It's only going to be Brennen, you, and me eating this, and it's not like we haven't eaten after one another before." She sucks on her finger and hums in approval. "This is insanely good." I get an odd feeling in my chest at her talking about the three. Jealousy? I never get jealous, but I find myself wishing I'd always been a part of this girl's life. I feel like I've missed out. Those three have been friends for a long time, and the fact that she said only they would be eating the cake rubs me the wrong way. Am I not invited to this birthday party they're having for Brennen? I adjust my hat, trying to rid myself of these dumb ass thoughts. I'm a grown man feeling left out. That's ridiculous. "Colby, tell me a little about yourself," Claire says as she opens the oven to check on something that smells mouthwatering. Instinctively, I put my guard up. "What's to know?" She glances back at me. "Lots, I'm sure." I know Lexi's looking at me, and suddenly I feel like I'm being interviewed or some shit. "I own a nightclub. Grew up on a horse ranch. I've got a brother, which you've met. I like classic cars." I shrug. "That's about it." "So, you grew up on a ranch?" She looks to Lexi. "How did you come to own a nightclub?" "I bought it." She laughs. "Well, obviously. What made you want to buy it?" Okay, this girl is pissing me off. I didn't come here to get asked twenty questions. "How about we chill on the questions?" Lexi says. I look over at her. It's like she can read my damn mind. Claire shrugs. "Just trying to get to know you. I mean, you seem like a great guy and all, but we know nothing about you. What happened to your mom the other night? Who beat her up?' "Claire, that's enough," Lexi says sternly. Her best friend looks from me to her and I'm not sure I like the fact Lexi told her that, but I know they're best friends so I can't let it bother me. "Fine," Claire says. This turned sour. "Look, I need to get going anyway," I say to Lexi. She nods. "Yeah, it's late." I turn and head for the door. "I'll call you," I say back to her.