Dare Me (Dare Me Series Book 1)

Dare Me (Part 48 - Alexis)

I stand at the top of the staircase as Lesa comes up. I know I shouldn't have eavesdropped, but I did, so that's that. She stops when she sees me. We make eye contact, and I'm afraid she's pissed, but then she grabs the rail and keeps walking. She sighs when she reaches the top, looking at me. Her eyes are tired. "You should go comfort him." She looks down behind her. "He acts like he doesn't need anyone, but he does. Maybe more than any of us." She turns back to me. "I messed up, but he's made me see that my life can be better. He needs to see his can, too." She walks past me. He's laid back on a lounge chair, shirtless with a pair of basketball shorts on and a bottle of whiskey resting at his waist. I close the sliding glass door and walk over to him, taking a seat down by his feet. His eyes shoot to mine, but then he looks back out at his city view. "You all right?" he asks me. "Am I all right?" I ask lowly. "You're the one I'm worried about." He smirks. "Don't worry your pretty little head about me." His voice is slurred, and he's more relaxed than I've ever seen him. It's sexy and sad, and it breaks my heart. "It's too late for that," I say with a small smile. He lazily holds the bottle beside him. "You should get out while you can," he says to me as he brings it to his lips and takes another swallow. I reach out and gently grab it from him. Bringing it to my own lips, I take a sip, wincing as the harsh liquor goes down my throat. I want him to know we're in this together. If he drinks, I drink. If he's sad, I'm sad. I place the bottle down beside us. "I'm not going anywhere." He narrows his sad blue eyes. His face holds a five o'clock shadow, and his hair is growing out. The wind blows, and I can smell his scent—bright vivid green, forest spice. He's all man. He's all mine. He's fucked up mentally and emotionally. But so am I. We're two of the same. I know more about his life now. I understand why he is the way he is, and I care about him no less. In fact, I care about him more. Standing and careful not to kick the bottle over, I turn and lift my leg, placing it over his waist on the other side of the chair, straddling him. His hands go to my hips, and he looks up at me. Splashed in glowing moonlight, he looks beautiful, and I lean down and touch the side of his face as I kiss his lips. His hands tighten their hold on me, and he kisses me back, sitting up. He moves my shirt up as he lightly rubs my skin while our tongues taste and lick. It's slow and meaningful; it's earth-shattering and soul-searching. We don't rush anything. We don't go any farther.

We kiss.

We touch.

We feel.

I open my eyes to find him looking at me. Navy blues, hungry, bourbon drunk, and wanting.

He whispers words that kill me.

"You make me feel things I've never felt before."

He's drunk, but I am, too, in such a different way. I'm intoxicated off him. I'm high off lust and greedy need. He's got a lot of alcohol in him, and I know words tend to flow when bourbon swims in your veins so I try not to take his words to heart. I really, really try, but when he says, "Live with me," I stop and look down at him. "You're drunk, Brock."

"I'm serious," he says. I sigh, placing my hands against his chest and shaking my head. We just agreed to be an item, and he's talking about moving in together?

"Okay, serious, how about we go back to bed?"

He shuts his eyes. "I like it right here."

I laugh. "I swear, you'll like it up there more."

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September ends and October brings us weather cold enough for jackets and long sleeves. The leaves have all turned now, showing no sign that it was ever summer. Fall mums are being sold everywhere, as are pumpkins, and Alexis has decorated the shop with Halloween décor. She has a big wreath that says something about witches and ghosts hang out here. Spider webs are hung in the corners while a big cauldron of dry ice sits in the window display. I'm realizing quickly how big into the holidays she is. She turns into something I adore, and sometimes she looks at me like I'm the only thing worth looking at and it makes my heart freeze. This woman has changed my whole life. Our relationship couldn't be better. She bought me a little dirt bike key chain, and I think it's the best gift I've ever been given. Simply because it came from her. She's got candles all in my bathroom now and throughout the living room because she likes the way they smell and the soft glow of light. I've bought enough to last months, just to see her smile. I stay at her place several days a week when she isn't at mine because she refuses to move out and live with me. I'm also finding out that A can be a stubborn woman. When she has her mind set on something, there's almost no changing it, but I love the challenge every time. My girl says it's too soon to move in with each other. I say she's wrong. I want her with me every day. Which is why I haven't told the girls there's no need to worry about Cain anymore. The cops did find a fingerprint, but they haven't found Claire's ex and they won't. Turns out, my boy, Ben, was right. Bones and his crew are good to have on your side. They don't mind dirty work as long as there's a good payout. And I'll pay any amount to make sure Alexis and Claire are safe. I'd murder if one hair on my woman's body was harmed, and she'd be devastated if anything happened to Claire. I can't have either of those. While my relationship with my girl is going well, my brother's and mine is not, and it's something I've been meaning to deal with. But between looking for that fuck who dropped a knife in A's bedroom and trying to keep an eye on Red, I've neglected to do so.