Double Dog Dare You Read online

  “His wife knew what she was signing up for,” she states, glancing my way. “They met in high school. She went off to college when he joined the Army. They dated long distance for four years before they got married, and she moved to where he was. Alabama, I believe it was at the time. I always wondered how they make it work, but they do. My nieces were born in different states, but Quentin and Lydia wanted them to be as stable as they could through school. So they’ve stayed in Alaska for fourteen years.”

  “Wow, that’s admirable,” I reply, and it is. They put their kids first, or as close to first as you can with a job like his. I know it’s not easy to do, so he must be fairly high up in rank.

  “My parents go visit every year. I always say I’ll go again, but it’s hard to do sometimes.” When our eyes meet, there’s guilt there.

  “Do they ever come here?” I ask, finishing off my water.

  “They do. Most years, Lydia and the girls come. Sometimes Quentin too, if he’s not overseas.”

  I don’t know why, but I reach over and take her hand. To offer comfort, maybe? She seems sad, and maybe a little lonely talking about her family like that. When I was overseas, I missed the hell out of my own family, but I was always so focused on my job, I didn’t let it get to me too much. Not until that last tour after Dad died.

  That’s also the reason I never settled down. I couldn’t imagine leaving my wife and kids back at home and going off to fight. I’d constantly be wondering what was happening, worrying about them. No way could I focus on my job, which is what was asked of me every time I strapped on my helmet and grabbed my gun.

  Needing a redirect from the heavy shit, I ask, “So where’s your dream vacation destination? You’ve already been to Alaska.”

  She sighs deeply. “The history buff in me would love to go to Rome or Egypt. Somewhere with culture and a story, you know?”

  “That would be cool. I was able to do a little sightseeing while I was in New Zealand,” I tell her.

  Her eyes dance with excitement. “That would be amazing. I’d love to see the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and the Olveston Historic Home. Not to mention the Larnach Castle.”

  “I think I have some photos on my laptop still. Not the same as seeing it in person, but definitely beautiful sights and country,” I add. I find myself just smiling over at her, loving the way her blue eyes sparkle with excitement as she mentions historical places around the world.

  Her breathing seems to change, right before my eyes. Her face goes from joy to something a little darker, a little dirtier. Suddenly, I’m pretty sure she’s not thinking about historical places at all. Which is good, because I’m abruptly thinking about her, naked. Maybe even at those places she mentioned someday. But right now, it’s here. On her bed. Her underneath me.

  Movement on the porch catches my attention as Jack plops down at her feet and sighs. Quinn reaches down and pets his thick coat, yet keeps her eyes locked on mine. The air thickens around us, a sexual haze that makes it hard to see anything but her. I’ve felt desire plenty of times, but this is…different. Yes, it starts in my crotch, but it spreads through my veins like fire and kickstarts my heart and short-circuits my brain. It’s scary, actually, how I respond to her, and no, not just my dick.

  Though, I’m still ignoring those other responses.

  “How about that tour now?” I ask, reaching for my empty bottle and her half-full one.

  She jumps up and almost trips over the dog at her feet. I reach out, grabbing her arms and pulling her into my chest. She fits so fucking perfect against me. My arms wrap around her tiny frame, so slender and right for my bigger body.

  I lift her over Jack, but set her back down on the ground, take her hand, and lead her inside. I whistle for my dog, who comes eagerly. Inside, Quinn locks the door and looks around. “Will he be okay in here by himself?”

  I glance around, not really seeing anything he can get himself into trouble with. “I think so.” I turn to my pup and say, “Lie down, Jack.” He walks over and plops down on the rug in front of the fireplace, his eyes closing instantly for a nap. “He’ll be good for a bit.”

  Quinn nods and then pulls me down a short hallway with three doors. She points to the first one on the left and says, “Bathroom.” To the farther door on the left, she adds, “Guest bedroom.” Then, she turns to the only door on the right and steps inside.

  Her room is exactly as I’d pictured it. Spacious, feminine, and pretty with a floral print comforter and cheerful décor. Even as the sun fades in the sky, I can tell this place is her sanctuary, her solace after a long day.

  “There’s a small en-suite bathroom and walk-in closets. I don’t have a lot of clothes, but those babies are what really sold me on this place,” she says, turning to meet my gaze, a bright smile on her face. I can almost picture her initial excitement at discovering those deep storage spaces along the back wall.

  “It’s perfect,” I tell her, pulling her back into my arms. “This space is very much you.”

  She smiles the most genuine grin I’ve ever seen, and the result causes my heart to thunder in my chest. I swear she can probably hear it pounding, but if she does, she doesn’t say a word. I silence the noise by kissing her soft lips. My hands skim around her waist and land on her lower back. She presses her chest to mine, her delicate body molding against me.

  Quinn reaches down and grabs the hem of my T-shirt, pulling it up and over my head in a quick motion. Her eyes—fuck, the way she looks at my body—devour me, as her soft fingers trace every ab, every ridge on my chest. “You’re very pretty to look at,” she confesses sweetly, blushing as she meets my gaze.

  “You’re not so bad yourself, Bestie. In fact, I’d rather enjoy the view of you wearing less clothing, if you don’t mind,” I reply, grabbing her own shirt and pulling it over her head.

  “Better?” she whispers.

  I reach around her back and unfasten the closure on her bra. The material slides down her arms, and she drops it on the floor. “Now it’s better.”

  She giggles, throwing her arms around my neck, and plasters her bare chest to mine. “Even better yet.”

  I take her lips with mine as I move her to the bed. My mind starts to spin with all the different positions I want her in. I know last night wasn’t enough, and if I’m being honest, I’m certain tonight won’t be either. She’s the drug I crave, a desperate shot of alcohol to a recovering alcoholic.

  Laying her back, I come down on top of her. I position one knee between her legs and can feel the heat of her body. She rocks into my leg, as if seeking out precious contact where she aches for me. My mouth waters at the thought of tasting her again, and as sweet as her mouth is, there’s something I want more.

  I start to make my move down her body, tickling and sucking on her soft flesh. She arches her back, pressing her glorious tits up into my face. I take the first nipple into my mouth, my cock getting painfully hard when she moans in pleasure. “Fuck, I love your tits,” I tell her, licking and toying with the little buds.

  She gasps when I draw one hard nipple into my mouth. “I think they love you too.”

  Chuckling, I pay a little more attention to her chest before continuing on my voyage downward. When I reach the buttons on her simple khaki shorts, I glance up and make sure she’s all right with what’s coming next. Her eyes are eager, her mouth gaped open as she lightly pants. She doesn’t tell me to stop, nor discourage me any, so I go ahead and pop the button. Her eyes flare with desire as she watches me remove her shorts.

  Glancing down, I spy basic pink panties with lace trim around the legs. “I see you found some underwear,” I state, recalling how mangled the ones she wore last night ended up.

  She blushes even harder. “I did. The others had to be scrapped, no thanks to you.” I know she’s teasing, but there’s something primal that flares to life in my chest.

  “Let’s see if we can keep these in a little better shape,” I state, slipping my fingers under the waistband and moving th
em down her legs. “See? Perfect condition. You may be able to wear them again.”

  She hums. “Except those are all wet.”

  Fuck. I knew they were, but now that she’s drawn my attention to them, all I can think about is how soaked that cotton is and how badly I want that taste in my mouth. Refusing to deny myself any longer, I bend down and bury my mouth between her legs. My tongue delves into her pussy repeatedly, her body starting to quiver and shake as her hips rock.

  I slide a finger over her clit, lightly pinching it as I fuck her with my mouth. The only sound in the room is her panting and the occasional slurp from me. With each pump of my tongue inside her pussy, she gets closer and closer to coming. I start to work my fingers faster and can feel the pressure building. Her orgasm is right there, within reach. All she needs is to be tipped over the edge.

  I’m like a man possessed, hell-bent on feeling her come around my tongue. With a few more pumps and flicks of my fingers, she detonates, coming in the most beautiful way I’ve ever felt. Her pussy squeezes against my tongue as her hips rock, riding my face. Experiencing her orgasm could almost trigger my own, but I hold back, needing to be inside her when I finally blow.

  “Jesus, I could watch you come all day long and never get tired of it,” I confess, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

  She’s spread out across the top of her bed, the comforter still gripped in her hands. “I think you should put your money where your mouth is and do it again.”

  I laugh hard. “My mouth was just all over your pussy.”

  Her blue eyes sparkle like sapphires under the sun. “Any chance you brought a condom with you on your outing this evening?”

  I reach into the pocket of my shorts and toss it on the bed beside her. “Just like the American Express card. Never leave home without it.”

  I shove my shorts and underwear down in one swoop and toe off my shoes. I grab my socks and toss them in the pile of discarded clothes and reach for the protection. Quinn takes it before I can and sits up, ripping open the package with her teeth.

  “May I?” she asks.

  Stepping forward, I aim my erection at her and wait. “Be my guest.”

  With gritted teeth, I try to hold absolutely still as she palms my cock, her hand sliding along the entire length. She fumbles a little as she pinches the tip and positions it over the head. I’m pretty sure my blood is all south of my waist because I can’t seem to think straight. All I want to do is thrust and drive into her body, letting myself be overtaken by the sensations.

  When it’s in position, she gives me a smile, like she’s proud of herself. “I’ve never done that,” she says. Something primal erupts in my chest at the thought of being her first anything.

  “You can do that anytime you want,” I say, crawling over her body. “Scoot up a little.” She does, moving to the middle of the mattress.

  I take her legs and position them over my shoulders. I’m already lined up perfectly. Before I thrust, I get a good look at Quinn, lying there, ready and waiting. She places her hands on my knees, a touch that seems to calm my racing heart and spur me on. So I don’t deny either of us what we want.

  I press forward.

  I don’t thrust, even though the pleasure threatens to completely override my brain. I make my movements slow and deliberate, savoring the feel of her tight body stretching around me. With her legs up, almost together, her pussy hugs my cock even firmer.

  Gently, I pull out, but my hips start to do all the talking. I push in, my movements more hurried than before. Her eyes are wild as I hold her legs straight up, creating a tighter fit that threatens to steal my breath. Her little gasps of pleasure are like lava in my veins. Blue eyes lock on mine as her hand reaches between her legs. My gaze follows, zoning in on the delicate motions of her fingers as she strokes her clit.

  I swear my cock swells even more. I couldn’t look away if I wanted to. Her noises fill the space around us as her pussy squeezes hard. Her second orgasm is triggered, a beautiful eruption that spurs my own release. I can’t think, can’t breathe. I can only feel.

  So. Fucking. Much.

  Her legs are still in my hands, and the moment I release them, we fall into a heap of boneless limbs. “Wow,” she whispers, her warm breath tickling my shoulder.

  I grunt in reply, unable to formulate words, apparently.

  “You okay there, Slugger?”

  “I’m fantastic. You?”

  She giggles and kisses my bicep. “I can’t feel my legs, but it’s so worth it. Soooo, worth it,” she sings, a tender smile on her lips.

  “Mind if I use your bathroom?”

  “Of course not,” she replies through a yawn.

  I find myself smiling as I get up, my legs a little shaky, and step into her bathroom. I dispose of the condom, wash up, and grab a warm washcloth for Quinn. Funny, I was doing the exact same thing last night.

  And, again, early this morning.

  There’s no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

  The moment I slip back into her bedroom, Quinn hops up and excuses herself into her bathroom. I stare at the bed, wondering what I’m supposed to do now. This feels a bit like déjà vu, and I realize, this is the exact moment I’d slip on my jeans and leave. Yet, all I want to do is climb back inside and hang out a little more.

  The door opens behind me, and her delicate fingers slide across my upper back and wrap around my arms. “Do you have to head out?” she asks. It’s a simple question, yet feels loaded as hell.

  Do I have to head out?

  Nope. I could stay another hour or two, maybe give her a third orgasm. Hell, we could even talk for a bit, and I’d be completely content with it.

  Which is why the answer to her question needs to be yes. It’s way too comfy and cozy here. Without realizing it, I’m entertaining ideas I have no business entertaining. This is fun. Nothing more.

  Yet, for some foreign reason, my mouth and brain don’t communicate, and I find myself replying, “I can stay for a little bit.”

  Shit.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Quinn

  His warm, wet tongue slides across my cheek. I can’t help but smile a little, even as his tongue glides across my ear. A giggle slips from my throat, and he nuzzles into the crook of my neck, the hair on his head tickling my chin.

  “Quinn?”

  My eyes crack open, but it’s not Royce’s now-familiar ones I’m staring into.

  It’s Jack.

  He’s lying on my side of the bed, his tongue hanging out. When he realizes I’m awake, he gives me another kiss across the face, this one right across my eyes. “Oh, Jack,” I grumble, wiping doggy drool off my face.

  I feel Royce shift behind me, my back pressed against him. “Jack. Down.”

  The dog just looks at him though. I swear Jack’s eyebrows arch in question, like he wants to know what Royce is going to do about it.

  “Shit, he probably has to go outside,” Royce mumbles against my ear.

  The moment the last word flies from his mouth, Jack jumps up, his tail wagging. He’s practically spinning circles in excitement. “I think you’re right.”

  Royce groans as I glance at the clock. It’s just after eleven. “I need to go,” he whispers, but doesn’t make an immediate move to get up. Instead, he tightens his hold on me and kisses the side of my head. Jack must agree, because he barks.

  I laugh, until Royce moves and starts to crawl out of bed. Then, my amusement turns to sadness. I knew he couldn’t stay, but a part of me really wishes he would. There’s still so much we haven’t talked about, but I’m trying to just go with the flow, even though a part of me wants to know what his intentions are where we’re concerned.

  I watch as Royce gets up and stretches, his erection isn’t fully hard, but I know all it would take for it to be is to throw my covers back and invite him to return to bed. Jack lies beside me, patiently waiting, as his owner slips on his underwear, shorts, and shirt. I stroke the dog’s soft fur as I take i
n the man before me. His…hardness—and no—I’m not just referring to what’s in his shorts. He’s fit in a way I’ve never really cared about before; not that I care about that now. I never really thought I’d find it so…attractive.

  When he slips his socks and shoes on, he stands up and turns my way. He shakes his head at Jack, who seems just as content to lie beside me than go home right now. “Come on, Jack. Let’s go home.”

  The dog perks up but doesn’t immediately jump off my bed. Instead, he nuzzles his wet nose against my arm and licks me. I scratch across his ears. “Good night, Jack. I’ll see you soon.”

  Jack barks.

  Royce laughs, places a knee on the mattress, and leans over to give me a kiss. It’s a slow, lazy one that makes my nipples hard. “I’ll talk to you later,” he whispers, placing one last peck on my lips.

  I reach for the comforter, but he stops my hand. “I can see myself out and lock up. You stay in bed,” he insists, getting up and heading for the door. Before he steps through, he adds, “I have to work late tomorrow evening, but maybe we can grab dinner this week?”

  There’s a nervousness in his voice that’s usually not there, which makes me wonder why? Is it because he’s concerned about my answer, or the question? I’ve already determined Royce isn’t a relationship guy, so does he see dinner as getting too close to something he doesn’t want? Right now, he’s far from the cocky, confident man I’ve come to know. Maybe that’s because he’s slightly out of his element.

  “That sounds great. We have a book fair fundraiser at the school Thursday, so that’s the only night I’m not available,” I tell him.

  He rocks back on his heels and gives me a grin. “Okay, I’ll text you.” Royce throws me that wink and any apprehension I saw moments ago is long gone. “Good night, Bestie Tami with an I.”