Dare to Tempt - Carly Phillips Page 0,58
Damon. “You’ve got this?”
“Of course.”
“See you guys later.” Mack nodded his head and strode off, headed to his car.
Left alone with Damon, she realized that with his case resolved and John finally behind bars, the main reasons for them being together had been wrapped up. Her need to stay with him was finished. Their short-term, this is fun fling? Probably over, too.
Except she recalled what he’d said to John. And she wasn’t ready to say goodbye, which was the antithesis of what she should be feeling. What every wall she’d built around her heart told her she should be feeling. But this was Damon, the man who’d been by her side every step of the way in dealing with John. Who’d supported her. Who seemed to show her he cared.
She turned to him, ignoring the people rushing by on the sidewalk, and met his gaze. Drawing on the bravery that had gotten her this far today and the words he’d said when he’d confronted John, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Did you call me your girl?”
His hands slid to her waist and he pulled her against him. “You know it. You can fight it all you want, Evie, but you’re mine.”
She had insecurities and questions that went along with that statement, but for now, she rose to her tiptoes and sealed her mouth over his. He speared his tongue between her lips and kissed her senseless on the sidewalk in front of the police station.
“Hey, take it inside,” a female voice said.
Blushing, Evie pulled back to find a woman rushing by with her little boy. “Sorry!” she called after her but the mother ignored her.
Damon looked at her and grinned. “I say we take this to the bedroom.”
“Umm, my car’s at the coffee shop parking lot,” she said. “I was brought here by the police.”
He shook his head. “We’ll come back for it later.”
She nodded, wanting this time with him and knowing they needed to talk.
She slid her hand into his. “Lead the way.”
* * *
If Damon could freeze this moment in time, he would. Buried inside Evie’s warm body, knowing she was safe, that his life was almost back on track thanks to her, well, it was perfection. She was perfection. Now if he could just find a way to keep her here.
A little while later, he lay sated, Evie curled in his arms. He could almost hear the gears turning in her brain. “Just this once I’m going to let you overthink things. What’s going on in that head of yours?” he asked, tangling his fingers through her hair.
She sighed. “Okay, well, your case is almost finished. At least my part in it is.”
He nodded.
“And my situation is resolved. No need to hide out here for protection.”
“Nope. You no longer have to be here,” he agreed. “But there’s been more to us than just those two things.”
“Right. We’ve been having fun and enjoying the moment,” she said.
Which was the crux of the problem. He’d agreed to what amounted to an affair because he knew she’d never admit to wanting more. But now he was ready to push and push hard. He knew how happy she’d been that he’d called her his girl. He just had to get her to see that he was all in.
“Except we turned into something more and you don’t want to face it.” Calling her out on her fears was the first step.
She froze in his arms.
“Are you going to deny it?” he asked.
She shook her head and pressed her lips against his chest.
“Good, because I know how I feel about you. I love you, Evie Wolfe.”
Obviously startled, she sat up in the bed, pulling the sheet up to cover her breasts. “You love me?”
“I love you and I want a life with you.” He held his breath as she absorbed his words.
The color drained from her face. “I … I didn’t see this coming.”
“Because you didn’t want to see. But we’re good together. We click on every level, so why can’t we give a serious relationship a shot?” God knows he’d been doing it for almost the entire time they’d been together.
Her fingers curled around the sheet. “I’m scared. You’ll be reinstated any day, and your life will go back to full-time football.”
She licked her lower lip and he stifled a groan. “So?”
“So, you won’t have time for a girlfriend, and let’s face it, you’ve never wanted or tried a relationship before. Now add the pressure of a contract