Read Online Dare To Love Series: Dreaming Up a Dare (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Catherine Gayle - Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Gayle
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had a fight with New York’s captain after the guy laid out one of our young forwards with an ugly hit. Yeah, I’d had a Gordie Howe hat trick. I was still amped up when I got home a little after eleven.
Pepper was dancing in my living room to the beat of some music playing through her earbuds, so she didn’t hear me come in. I took a moment to soak up how fucking adorable she was in her barely there striped shorts and lavender tank top that left little to the imagination. No bra, since I’d be able to see the straps if she had one on. She must have already changed for bed, and I didn’t mind in the least.
She shimmied a couple more times and then did a twirl. That was when she saw me and almost fell over in her haste to stop.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” I said, doing my best not to laugh.
She tugged the earbuds free and tossed her phone on the cushion of the nearest chair. “Didn’t hear you come in.”
“Clearly.”
“You could have done something to get my attention.” She planted her hands on her hips in an effort at indignant annoyance.
“Could have. But I was having too much fun watching you.”
She scowled, but there was still a hint of a pout on her lips, ruining the effect. She was always too cute for me to take her annoyance seriously, unless she was putting me in a headlock.
“Mainly I was watching your ass,” I added.
“Watch it, or I’ll throw things at you.”
“Knowing your aim, I think I’ll risk it. Besides, like I said…I was watching it.” And enjoying the hell out of it.
She scrunched up her nose in what was possibly her most adorable expression ever. “I’d likely end up tearing a rotator cuff or something.”
“Probably.” I stripped off my suit jacket and tie, tossing them over the arm of a chair. I should probably have hung them up right away, but seeing her dancing like that had shifted my thoughts to focusing solely on Pepper for the time being. I crossed over and took a seat on the couch, patting the spot beside me.
“Damn it,” she said, but she came over and curled up beside me, tucking her feet underneath her.
“You’re adorable as hell. You know that, right?”
She rolled her eyes. They appeared to be almost as lavender as her shirt instead of their usual blue. Must be a trick of the lighting or something. She tilted her head until it was resting against the back of the sofa, leaving me tempted to touch the length of her neck. “And you’re a big, scary badass,” she said. She reached for my hand and examined my knuckles. “Tell me you didn’t hurt yourself.”
I winked, avoiding answering her question. “That’s why they call me Mad Dog.” My hand and face both hurt like crazy, but that was normal after a fight. Went with the territory.
“Good thing I know the truth.”
“And what’s that?”
“You’re much more puppy than pit bull.”
“At least you’re not calling me a teddy bear again. Don’t do that in front of the guys, okay?”
“No promises.”
“I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t force me to go to another party so soon, then…” There was some laughter in her tone, though, so she had to be coming to grips with it. She was still holding on to my hand, running her fingers over my swollen knuckles.
I took it back from her before she got any bright ideas about forcing me to put ice on it. I had other plans for tonight, and they didn’t have anything to do with her babying me. They had everything to do with finishing what we started last night. “I guess your hangover’s gone?”
“Gone enough.”
“And you haven’t been drinking tonight?”
She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “No…”
“Good. Because I want to go back to what we started last night.”
“So I can relive my embarrassment in all its drunken glory?” She reached for a throw pillow and held it against her belly like armor.
“I don’t want to embarrass you.”
“No, you just want to tease me to death, or at
Pepper was dancing in my living room to the beat of some music playing through her earbuds, so she didn’t hear me come in. I took a moment to soak up how fucking adorable she was in her barely there striped shorts and lavender tank top that left little to the imagination. No bra, since I’d be able to see the straps if she had one on. She must have already changed for bed, and I didn’t mind in the least.
She shimmied a couple more times and then did a twirl. That was when she saw me and almost fell over in her haste to stop.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” I said, doing my best not to laugh.
She tugged the earbuds free and tossed her phone on the cushion of the nearest chair. “Didn’t hear you come in.”
“Clearly.”
“You could have done something to get my attention.” She planted her hands on her hips in an effort at indignant annoyance.
“Could have. But I was having too much fun watching you.”
She scowled, but there was still a hint of a pout on her lips, ruining the effect. She was always too cute for me to take her annoyance seriously, unless she was putting me in a headlock.
“Mainly I was watching your ass,” I added.
“Watch it, or I’ll throw things at you.”
“Knowing your aim, I think I’ll risk it. Besides, like I said…I was watching it.” And enjoying the hell out of it.
She scrunched up her nose in what was possibly her most adorable expression ever. “I’d likely end up tearing a rotator cuff or something.”
“Probably.” I stripped off my suit jacket and tie, tossing them over the arm of a chair. I should probably have hung them up right away, but seeing her dancing like that had shifted my thoughts to focusing solely on Pepper for the time being. I crossed over and took a seat on the couch, patting the spot beside me.
“Damn it,” she said, but she came over and curled up beside me, tucking her feet underneath her.
“You’re adorable as hell. You know that, right?”
She rolled her eyes. They appeared to be almost as lavender as her shirt instead of their usual blue. Must be a trick of the lighting or something. She tilted her head until it was resting against the back of the sofa, leaving me tempted to touch the length of her neck. “And you’re a big, scary badass,” she said. She reached for my hand and examined my knuckles. “Tell me you didn’t hurt yourself.”
I winked, avoiding answering her question. “That’s why they call me Mad Dog.” My hand and face both hurt like crazy, but that was normal after a fight. Went with the territory.
“Good thing I know the truth.”
“And what’s that?”
“You’re much more puppy than pit bull.”
“At least you’re not calling me a teddy bear again. Don’t do that in front of the guys, okay?”
“No promises.”
“I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t force me to go to another party so soon, then…” There was some laughter in her tone, though, so she had to be coming to grips with it. She was still holding on to my hand, running her fingers over my swollen knuckles.
I took it back from her before she got any bright ideas about forcing me to put ice on it. I had other plans for tonight, and they didn’t have anything to do with her babying me. They had everything to do with finishing what we started last night. “I guess your hangover’s gone?”
“Gone enough.”
“And you haven’t been drinking tonight?”
She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “No…”
“Good. Because I want to go back to what we started last night.”
“So I can relive my embarrassment in all its drunken glory?” She reached for a throw pillow and held it against her belly like armor.
“I don’t want to embarrass you.”
“No, you just want to tease me to death, or at
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