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Like this man.
Carly’s breathing bottomed out as a slow panic set in like molasses sliding down the tip of a spoon. Before she knew it she was at the door and pulling it open.
‘Carly?’
Schooling her features, she pinned a smile on her face before turning back to the occupants in the room. ‘I’m just heading out.’ And never coming back. ‘Give you all some time together.’
She pulled the door firmly closed and barely registered the nurses’ station as she strode past.
‘Carly!’
Dare caught up with her just outside the lifts.
Carly stabbed at the button.
‘Where are you going?’
Carly stared at the lift doors, willing them to open. ‘I need to find a hotel for the night and—’
‘What are you talking about?’ he asked gruffly. ‘You’re staying with me.’
She heard the frown in his voice and made the mistake of glancing up at him. ‘Dare, I—’
‘Unless you’re going to say last night was a one-night stand.’
‘No, I—’
‘That I took advantage of your vulnerable state.’
‘I would never say that,’ Carly said hotly.
‘Good.’ He looked altogether too satisfied with himself and Carly’s temper spiked. ‘Then we’re decided.’
‘You might be,’ Carly snapped, ‘but I’m not. And I’m tired of you pushing your way arou—’
‘Carly?’ He said her name softly, a burning intensity entering his blue eyes as he stared down at her. ‘Stay with me.’
His earnest request was such a shock Carly’s anger dissipated as quickly as it had arisen. Then she shook her head. Staying would be emotional suicide. ‘Why?’
He frowned. ‘Because something is going on here.’ He placed his hands on her hips and a shiver raced through her. ‘Between us. I know you feel it. Damn, after last night... I’m not ready to let it go.’
‘Something?’ she asked, holding her breath.
He leant his forehead against hers. ‘I don’t have a label for it, but—’ he exhaled ‘—I can’t explain it except to say that I’ve never wanted a woman as much as I want you.’ He leaned back to look down at her. ‘Spend the day with me.’
Carly searched his gaze and felt that same surge of love she’d felt well up inside her when she’d stared at him before. And something else, besides. Hope? Was it possible he felt the same as she did but didn’t know it yet?
‘Don’t you have to work?’
He smiled down at her. ‘At this rate I’ll have meetings banked up until Christmas but I don’t care.’
He bent his head and kissed her softly. She moaned against his mouth, rose up onto her toes to kiss him back. The lift door pinged its arrival and they ignored it.
When a couple of the occupants tried to manoeuvre past, Dare shifted them both to the side without breaking their embrace.
Carly released a nervous laugh.
‘I want you.’ He clasped her face in his hands, his blue eyes intense. ‘All of you. Every bit of you.’
Every word was tautly spoken, his broad shoulders stiff with tension, as if he were the one standing on the edge of a cliff top wondering whether to go over. But that was only her, wasn’t it?
She looked up at him and said the only thing that she could. ‘Yes.’
CHAPTER TEN
DESPITE THE OVERHANGING grey clouds and constant threat of humid rain they had a glorious day. They walked along the Thames, had lunch in a tiny French bistro, and came across that horrendous art exhibition Dare had attended with Lucy. He had nearly groaned when Carly wanted to take a look inside, having the good sense not to mention that he’d already been.
‘It looks like the artist really disliked his last girlfriend,’ she mused. ‘Or boyfriend.’
Dare laughed and asked her what she thought of the white column thing that still looked like a table to him.
After that they talked about everything from politics to Hollywood movies and which was better, Thor or Iron Man. She waxed lyrical over Chris Hemsworth; he might have mentioned Charlize Theron once or twice.
‘Charlize, huh?’
‘She’s a fine actress,’ he explained with a straight face. ‘She’s won awards.’
