I Dare You

My body curls into his as he pulls me against his chest and kisses me again, harder this time.

He works his way down my body at a leisurely pace, his lips toying with my nipples, plucking at them with his teeth.

I’m moaning as he slides farther down, his mouth finding secret places on my skin, the bend of my knee, the inside of my thigh. When his tongue slides across my clit, my lower body bows up and clenches, on the verge once again.

His hand pushes my chest down, holding me firmly in place as he works me over with the dance of his mouth. He devours me, giving me everything and not holding back. I’m panting when he finally comes up for air, my body trembling, ready to explode.

“Maverick.” I taste his name on my lips, and it’s so good. My hands tug him up to me, caressing his chest and hips, learning his skin. We kiss deeply, and the heat between us is the hottest I’ve ever been for another person in my life. His cock begs for me to take it in my hands, and I do, running my fingers over his length, lightly teasing the tip.

“Do you have condoms?” he asks between kisses.

I nod toward the nightstand. He reaches over, opens the drawer, and grabs one. I’m impatient, stroking him with my palms as he tears it with his teeth and slides it on.

He positions himself and enters me slowly, easing his thickness inside my entrance and then darting out, making me moan.

“More,” I tell him.

He pumps inside, soft and slow and barely there, making me crazy.

“Please,” I beg.

He bends his forehead to mine and kisses me as he adjusts my hips for a better angle, and then he slides all the way in, to the hilt, his girth filling me up tight as he moves inside me. With him on his knees, he takes me, hard and fast, his breath coming in pants as he works above me.

“All mine, Delaney.” His words are broken up, and I can tell he’s into this. There’s an intensity to him, and he’s staring at me like he’ll never let me go.

Arching his back, his fingers rub at my pussy, playing me in a synchronized rhythm with his thrusts. I come apart.

He watches me with a heavy-lidded gaze, his eyes eating up every detail of my orgasm. “That’s what I was waiting for, Buttercup.”

With a shout, he comes after me, his body tightening and straining as his cock hardens inside me, his body pumping out every last bit of sensation.

“Damn,” he says after a few moments of lying on top of me. His chest is heaving as he slides out and lies down next to me.

“What?” I ask.

“That was…that was…”

“The best?” I ask.

He grins. “I know it was for you.”

I smack him with a pillow and he laughs, pulling me into his arms for an embrace.

Later, we’re cuddling and talking in the dark.

“I can’t believe you’re He-Man,” I say, gazing up at him. “I’m still processing.”

He grins down at me. “I know. I was going to tell you at the party, but then the other stuff happened with Alex.” He plays with a strand of my hair. “Ryker was the one who first texted you that night.”

“Did he know who I was?”

“He just knew I’d torn a girl’s phone number off of the salsa sign you’d put up. I didn’t tell him who it was because I knew he’d be worried about the whole Alex thing. You should have seen his face when I told him it was Delaney Shaw. He freaked out.”

“Speaking of Alex…what’s going to happen now?”

He looks over at me. “Alex has nothing to do with us,” he sighs. “Hell, just you saying his name pisses me off.”

Oh. I bite my lip. “I mean, I know you have a lot going on, and I don’t want to mess up your game—or his.”

But isn’t this feeling worth it? I don’t say that, but I’m thinking it. My feelings for Maverick have merged with those I’ve developed through the texts with He-Man, and I’m in deep even though I know it’s dangerous to my heart.

“Football doesn’t start until this fall. He’s got time to get used to us.”

Us?

I smile and he leans in to kiss me. “Ready for round three?”

I laugh. “You think you’re up for it?”

“I’m up for anything with you.”

My heart swells.

The voice of Taylor Swift singing “Shake it Off” comes from another room. It sounds like a ringtone, but it’s not mine.

He heaves out a sigh and scrubs at his chiseled face. “Dammit.”

“Is that your ringtone?”

“Yeah, my sister’s. I need to go. I forgot I was supposed to check in on her tonight.”

“Oh…okay.”

He stands up, his head seemingly already somewhere else, and I do as well, grabbing a robe from the back of the bedroom door to slip on. He’s already dashed to the bathroom, grabbed his gym shorts, and put them on.

“I wish I didn’t have to rush off, but I’m staying there tonight because my dad’s helping a buddy out at his garage.” He grimaces. “It’s extra cash for them, so…”

I tighten my belt, following him out into the hall. “You do that a lot when he’s gone?”

He shrugs. “Sometimes on the weekends. Raven doesn’t need to be alone.”

How does he have a life?

“How do you do that between school and football?”

“Most days I’m barely hanging on.” A gruff laugh comes out of him as he quickly checks his appearance in the hall mirror, arranging his hair. “But really, her living with my dad didn’t start until after football season. If this had happened during the season, I’d have been screwed.” He rubs at the scruff on his jaw.

“Where was she before your dad’s?”

His teeth clamp together, and I know I’ve hit a nerve. “She was at a state-funded group facility paid for by insurance, but we weren’t happy with it. She had bruises and no one could explain them.”

I inhale. “That’s terrible. What happened when you asked?”

“Nothing. It’s a shitty place and I couldn’t leave her there, so we put her with my dad temporarily—but that comes with its own problems.”

Wow. It’s a lot to take in.

He must read my face. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle it.”

I clear my throat. “Do you want me to come with you? I mean, I don’t mind hanging out with you guys. We can watch TV or play a game or something?”

He rubs his hand across his lips and considers me, a frown twisting his face as he considers what to say.

“Maybe next time.” He kisses me on the lips, cupping my cheek. “I’ll text you, okay?”

I nod.

But…

I know he’s not telling me everything.

There’s a cagey look on his face, a wary expression that pricks at me.

Stop worrying, Delaney.

I want to, but now that the fun is over, my head is reminding me to guard my heart.

If you’re going to do this with him, be careful.

I head into the kitchen to pack up the food. “Okay, at least take this with you. I’m sure you guys need dinner.” I busy myself getting out containers to put at least half the nachos in, leaving some out for me.

“Delaney…” His voice is soft as he looks around at the preparation I did while he was showering. I chopped tomatoes and lettuce and got cheese and guacamole out of the fridge. I even put out real plates when I normally only use paper. I blush. “I didn’t do anything but make nachos.”