Fearless (Pier 70 #2) (26 page)

Thirty-Three

Tuesday, June 14
th

By the time six thirty rolled around, Dare was beginning to drive himself crazy. Ever since he’d dropped that letter into that boot yesterday afternoon, he’d been waiting for some acknowledgment from Noah. Something to let him know that he’d gotten it, and that he would or would not be stopping by. Since Dare had mentioned seven o’clock, there was still a little time before he had to panic, but his nerves were already rioting.

Everyone else had bailed on him about an hour ago. Cam had insisted that if he was going to pace the office, then he could handle any walk-ins. He had even offered to take Lulu back to his house for the night so Dare could get a break. Teague had told him he needed to get laid before someone punched him. That was Teague, prone to violence. Hudson hadn’t had anything to say, but that was because Hudson didn’t have to be around him. And Roan … well, Roan hadn’t been there all day, but he had shown up about half an hour ago to check on things before he’d once again headed out.

Hopping up onto the counter, Dare dangled his legs and waited, drumming his fingers on his thighs. He stared out at the parking lot, sucking in air every time he saw a car pass by on the main road. Since Noah drove a truck, it was a stupid reaction, but something he couldn’t seem to control.

Shit.

He should’ve told Noah to message him one way or the other. This waiting game was bullshit. He was antsy and irritable.

And fucking hungry.

He had skipped lunch because his stomach had been churning since he’d woken up that morning. Now, he could hear it rumble over the sound of tires crunching on gravel in the parking lot.

Wait…

Tires crunching on gravel.

Dare focused, realizing he was looking at Noah’s truck pulling into a parking spot.

He’d come.

Holy fuck.

A huge bubble of emotion built in his chest.

Dare hopped off the counter and grabbed his flip-flops from behind it. He slipped them on and then made his way to the door. Should he greet Noah at the truck? Or should he let Noah come to him?

Fuck.

Why the hell was this so hard?

Because he couldn’t stand still any longer, Dare flipped the open sign to closed, stepped outside, then locked the door behind him. When he turned around, he saw Noah rounding the front of his truck.

God, the man looked good.

Better than good.

The faded jeans he wore showcased his muscular thighs while the black T-shirt hugged his fantastic upper body.

Screw dinner. Dare no longer wanted food, he wanted…

“Hey,” Noah greeted, his tone flat.

He couldn’t produce a single word in response as he moved closer, eliminating the space between them before crushing his mouth to Noah’s. No greeting, no warning, only a mind-blowing kiss that stole what little air was left in his lungs. Dare cradled the back of Noah’s head in his hand, holding him to him. At first, he thought Noah was going to resist, but his lips parted and his tongue danced into Dare’s mouth. They were both attempting to take control, though it was clear neither of them could. This thing between them, it was stronger than either of them and more powerful than both of them combined.

Dare finally managed to pull away, remembering he wasn’t supposed to make this about sex, although that was his first reaction. With any man he’d come across, it had always been his first reaction. No strings, nothing serious. Only sex.

Except for Noah. Noah had been the exception, but he had also been the reason. After Noah had shattered his heart, Dare had refused to allow anyone else to do so again. And it had worked.

Right up until Noah had reappeared in his life.

“I wasn’t sure you were gonna come.” Dare forced his hands down to his sides even though he didn’t want to stop touching Noah.

“I wasn’t sure I was, either.”

Dare didn’t like the sound of that, but he’d learned to roll with the punches long ago.

“You hungry?”

“I could eat.”

Forcing himself to relax, Dare managed to smile. “Good. I know the perfect place. Come on.”

Noah felt as though he were in a dream. The moment his feet had hit the gravel, his heart had started pounding. Now, as he stood face-to-face with Dare, after another soul-stealing kiss that had rocked him in his shoes, he wasn’t sure what he was doing.

Oh, right.

Dare had just offered him food and had started to walk away, which should’ve been his cue to follow.

“Wait. Here?” Noah glanced around. “We’re gonna eat here?”

“Sure.” Dare nodded toward the building he had emerged from. “We’ve got a small restaurant down by the water. Nothing fancy, but they serve good burgers.”

Noah glanced back at the lake, once again taking it all in. The sun was low in the sky, blazing across the still water, adding to the ethereal effect. It was as though Noah had done this before, although he knew that wasn’t the case. The last time he’d been here had been much different. However, eerily the same.

Dare touched his arm. “We could even eat outside. Watch the sun set.”

Okay. Yes, he’d go for that.

Noah nodded, then allowed Dare to take his hand and lead him down one of the wooden piers to another small building that sat right on the water. It only took a minute to place the order with the big guy behind the counter, then Noah followed Dare outside to the deck that overlooked the lake.

“This is incredible,” Noah mused, watching the glittering orange of the sun on the water.

“Didn’t think you were much into the water.”

Noah glanced at Dare, then back at the lake. “I enjoy it. Just don’t have nearly enough time to.”

“We’ll have to take the boat out one of these days. Let me get you naked out there.”

For some reason, that statement caught him a little off guard and Noah blushed. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed, but he hadn’t expected it, although he should have. Dare was still drawing the sexual tension tight between them. It had started on the cruise and ended a week ago when Noah had walked away. For some reason, he had hoped tonight would be different.

“So, how was the boot drive?” Dare prompted when they took a seat at a table.

“Good.” He didn’t want to talk about the boot drive and he could tell Dare didn’t, either.

“How’s your mom?”

It looked as though Dare was attempting to make conversation, but it felt a little awkward. Still, Noah answered. “She’s good. I had dinner with her a couple of days ago.”

“Yeah?”

Noah nodded. “And your grandmother? She doing okay?”

“As kooky as ever,” Dare said with a smile.

“And Cam and Gannon? They get back okay?”

Dare nodded, then turned to face him more fully. Noah could see that Dare was as uncomfortable as he was. “What do you say we chill for a bit, eat some dinner, then go back to my place?”

Without thinking, Noah agreed. He didn’t particularly want to go back to Dare’s place for the simple fact that privacy would be too much temptation for him at the moment. Since it was clear they were both edgy, neither of them knowing what to say, sex would likely be the next item on tonight’s menu, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for that.

Leaning back in his chair, Noah sighed as he took it all in again. Looked as though he would have to be on his game to keep up, because this certainly wasn’t what he’d expected.

He only hoped that Dare didn’t intend to make this only about sex. If he did, then this would end up being a wasted trip for both of them. Noah could only handle so much before he broke. And he was dangerously close already.

Thirty-Four

Dare couldn’t wait to get Noah naked and beneath him, there was no denying that. From the moment he’d seen him standing in the parking lot, he’d wanted to strip him naked and rub up against him like a cat. Hell, he’d almost done just that with the kiss he’d planted on him. A kiss he was still reliving almost an hour later.

Now that they’d finished dinner and suffered through some rather uncomfortable conversation, Dare was ready to get on with the rest of their evening. It was clear by their less-than-stimulating conversation that something a little more intimate would likely break the ice. Which, if he had anything to say about it, would involve the two of them very naked in the very near future.

“Follow me back to my apartment?” Dare asked when they reached the parking lot. The sun had gone down, and the only light was the one buzzing in the parking lot far above them, but it provided enough for Dare to see by, enough for him to watch Noah’s expression.

Noah didn’t respond at first and Dare realized he was considering his options.

“We can talk,” he clarified, not wanting Noah to back out on him.

Noah breathed in deeply, then nodded. “Sure. You live close?”

“About five minutes away.”

As Dare had predicted, it took right under five minutes to get back to his place, and that included getting in his truck and getting out. The apartment he lived in had been his primary residence for the past decade. Because of how small the town was, there weren’t many options, and since Dare refused to commit to buying a house—he actually had a long-standing issue with commitment of any kind—he had only one choice. In order to be close to Grams and the marina, he had opted for a complex between the two. Since it was just him, he’d picked one of the smaller units—a one-bathroom studio—and he used the money he saved to do what he loved to do. Water sports.

Well, that and his savings account had a pretty damn nice buffer, as well, in the event he ever did decide to do something as crucial as settle down.

Since Dare hadn’t had a place of his own because he’d lived with Grams back when he and Noah had been dating the first time around, he wasn’t sure what Noah would think. He’d always spent his time at Noah’s, and at the time, they’d both been young. Noah’s apartment had been nicely furnished—thanks to the fact his parents had money—but it hadn’t been fancy. Nicer than Dare’s place, though.

Apparently his insecurities got the best of him, because before they even reached the door, Dare started explaining. “I don’t have a lot. I’m not usually here. Only to sleep. I spend most of my time at the marina.” He stuck the key in the deadbolt and twisted. Once it was unlocked, he turned the knob and opened it. “It’s kinda small, but more space than I need, actually. I—”

“Dare.”

Dare turned to look at Noah.

“It doesn’t matter to me. This place is great.”

Well, he wouldn’t go that far, but it was home. He had just enough furniture to fill the space and still leave room to move around. In the far corner, he had a full-size bed (which he’d never once made since he’d gotten it) and a nightstand. In the beginning, for many years, actually, he’d slept on a lumpy futon that had doubled as a couch. Eventually, his old ass hadn’t been able to take it anymore, so he’d bought a bed.

To the left of the bed was the bathroom. On the floor just outside, a clothes hamper was overflowing, coughing up his dirty laundry. Oops.

On the left side of the open room, closest to the door, was a small kitchen that he hadn’t used once since he’d moved in. Cooking was not his thing, and he refused to do it. Needless to say, he’d had more than his fair share of hamburgers from the marina restaurant over the years. That or pizza. Speaking of … an empty pizza box sat on the counter above the trash can.

He did have a table that had become a sort of catch-all, a place to put his wallet and keys so he didn’t lose them, but he’d never eaten a meal on it. He probably should’ve cleaned up a bit, because there was also a couple of magazines, a pair of scissors, some Q-tips, an opened package of razors, and… Shit. He’d left the brand new box of condoms and the lube he’d purchased sitting right there for the world to see.

Too late now.

Flipping on the light, Dare stepped back and let Noah inside before shutting the door and locking it. He had a nosy upstairs neighbor who had been known to walk in from time to time. It was sometimes downright creepy, but up to this point, the old guy had simply been curious, probably lonely, too, so Dare hadn’t seen the need to do anything about it.

“I guess you don’t need a tour.” Dare was attempting to make light of the situation because he was nervous.

Noah smiled, then moved right up against him and put his arms around him. The gesture was comforting. Not to mention distracting.

Exactly what he needed right now.

“It’s nice. It definitely makes me think of you.”

“Are you saying I’m small and not well furnished?”

Noah’s hips moved forward, brushing against Dare’s semi-erect cock.

“There’s nothing small about you.”

Ahh. See, that was the exact direction Dare was hoping this evening would go. After what had transpired between them by the lake, he hadn’t been sure which direction it would take. Worst case, he figured they would spend the whole night talking. Best case… Well, this was the best-case scenario.

This he could do. Changing the subject to sex was always his specialty. It made things easier, less intense. And Dare was ready to get to that phase of their impromptu date.

Sliding his hand up the back of Noah’s shirt, Dare ran his palms over smooth, warm skin. Leaning in, he brushed his lips against Noah’s. “Wha’d’ya say we get you outta these clothes?”

Noah pulled back, seemingly studying Dare’s face for a moment. For a second there, Dare thought Noah was going to turn him down, but then Noah smiled and his eyes dropped to Dare’s mouth.

“I won’t complain about naked.”

Well, then.

Dare backed Noah up until he was against the wall, his body pressing intimately against Noah’s. God, he felt so good against him. Needing to get closer, Dare fused their mouths. He loved the feel of Noah’s lips against his, that exquisite, skillful tongue searching his mouth, seeking, tormenting. It was almost as good as sex. Hell, it
was
sex. The way Noah worked his tongue, fucking into Dare’s mouth … it was a wonder he didn’t explode. Good thing he’d jacked off that morning or he might’ve been pushed to the edge before he was ready.

Pulling his mouth from Noah’s, Dare ran his lips over Noah’s jaw. “Let me show you the bed.”

It was time to get this show on the road.

Yes, this was already headed in the direction Noah hadn’t intended for it to. However, he couldn’t seem to stop it. Something was off with Dare, but Noah wasn’t sure what it was. Something about Dare’s insecurity made him want to comfort him, made him want to go against his entire reason for being there tonight.

He got the sense that Dare was trying to set things right between them, but sex was his go-to in order to relieve some of the tension. Noah had planned for them to be hands-off, but now that he was alone with Dare, he couldn’t seem to stop. He had missed him so much, and the proximity gave him comfort.

Sure, Noah felt the intense need coursing through his veins, a desire to be with this man so strong it was almost painful, but that wasn’t the only thing on his mind. Seemed that it was something that Dare was definitely battling. Which was the reason that Noah was pushing for the intimacy so quickly. Part of him wanted to talk a little more the way they had during dinner, only without the nervous tension. He wanted to get to know Dare, learn what he’d done for the past fifteen years, but, as they’d learned back at the lake, that hadn’t gone over so well.

However, the kissing was certainly doing a good job at persuading Noah to forget all about the talking. When Dare reached for Noah’s shirt, tugging it from his jeans before lifting it over his head, he sucked in a breath. Dare’s warm hands slid up his torso slowly, causing his heart to beat a little faster, a little harder.

“You work out,” Dare noted, chuckling as though he had just noticed Noah’s body.

“Every now and then.” Noah worked out most days, but it wasn’t something he focused his life around. He did it for work mostly because he needed to be in the best possible shape for his job.

Dare’s tongue slid across Noah’s collarbone, causing him to groan while he held Dare’s head, his other arm wrapped around his back. The heat from Dare’s mouth caused goose bumps to form on his skin. And when Dare’s mouth latched on to Noah’s nipple, he growled.

“Like that?” Dare continued to torment him.

“So fucking much.” He liked everything Dare did to him. His body came alive, reliving everything Dare had done to him when they’d been on the ship, making it nearly impossible to think about anything except the way it felt when Dare touched him.

Before Dare could work Noah’s jeans open, he managed to toe off his shoes, then help Dare out of his shirt. He damn sure didn’t want to be the only naked one here. Although Dare seemed to have a one-track mind, Noah wasn’t interested in quick tonight. He had spent the entire day thinking about Dare, obsessing over him, trying to figure out how to make this work. Since it was inevitable that they get naked and on that bed, Noah intended to ensure they took their time getting there.

Noah grabbed Dare’s wrists when he once again reached for Noah’s jeans. “Slow down. We’ve got time.”

Dare met Noah’s gaze, and for a few seconds, they held each other’s stare. It was intense. Despite Dare’s attempt to keep this simply physical, Noah detected emotion in his eyes. Noah could see the battle warring there, knew Dare was distancing himself from whatever he might feel, he just didn’t know why. Noah had picked up on that during their time on the ship.

Placing his hands on Dare’s sides, Noah slowly slid his palms upward, over the smooth skin, the tense muscles. He flattened his palms and glided them up Dare’s chest, spreading his fingers and pausing when he had the nipple piercings between them. Leaning down, he licked one nipple, then the other. Returning to the first, he took the piercing between his teeth and tugged gently.

Dare’s hands covered Noah’s, which were still flat on his chest. The intimate contact made Noah’s head swim. He continued to fondle Dare’s nipples, enjoying the soft moans and groans that rumbled up from Dare’s throat.

Noah wanted to relearn everything that drove Dare wild.

“You drive me crazy when you do that.”

Noah smiled to himself. That was the plan.

While he continued to fondle Dare, they managed to remove the rest of their clothing, tossing each piece on the floor before they found their way to the bed. Noah once again fused his mouth to Dare’s, trying to slow things down. They’d been in the apartment all of ten minutes and already they were naked. He knew he shouldn’t be complaining, but this wasn’t exactly how he’d seen this night going.

It took some effort, but Noah managed to gain the upper hand, getting Dare onto his back while Noah lay at his side, partially covering him with his body while he stared down at him.

“What am I going to do with you?” He didn’t expect an answer to his question, however, Dare seemed eager to give him one.

“Whatever you want.”

Noah wanted a lot of things, but only part of that involved sex.

As much as he wanted to push for a little conversation, he got the impression it would push Dare in the opposite direction.

So for now, he would settle for getting his fill.

If that was even possible.