Page 45 of Maximum Dare
Her smile broadened, the brightness reaching her eyes, sending out a wave of loving energy that hit me with unexpected force.
I wanted to taste her lips, get to know her completely. I wanted to have her in every conceivable way. Fall back into that embrace…the one that made me feel whole.
All of this was impossible.
She would always hold Nick in her heart. The only way to undo this spell I was under would be to do the unthinkable.
Walk away.
Otherwise, these moments that had thrust us together would lead to more heartbreak. We could never be. I didn’t belong in this city—could never live here. London was her home. She’d never want to leave.
What I had hated about the way Nick had treated her, I now saw in my own actions.
We were both bad for Daisy.
“Be careful.” I threw that in as a warning to Ted as much as to her.
He rolled his eyes as he walked away to begin a conversation with the others. As he threw looks of contempt at me over his shoulder, I kept thinking of other ways I could piss him off.
I hadn’t been quite this immature since college—another good reason not to see Daisy again.
I tried to let her down gently. “Maybe being part of this club isn’t such a good idea. I don’t like you being placed in this kind of danger.” I shook my head. “It’s a mistake.”
Daisy tugged on my sleeve. “It really is helping, though.”
“Promise me you’ll stop this debacle.”
“Didn’t facing your fear of heights help?”
“I don’t need this.” I blinked at her with an attitude. “I don’t need any of this idiocy. And, quite frankly, neither do you.”
“Of course you don’t.” Her eyes narrowed with a cute expression.
“Not sure we can trust Ted.”
“He’s fine.” She leaned forward. “You know he’s gay, right?”
“He is?” I sounded more relieved than I should have. “I mean, he is.” I gave a nod as though I knew this. “Promise me you’ll not do anything like this again?” I said forcefully. “It’s reckless. Not to mention it messes with your head.”
She gave a nod to acknowledge she wouldn’t, which meant I’d no longer have to worry about her…or even think about her after this. Now leaving her here didn’t feel quite so wrong.
I let out a deep breath.
Stay.
There’s something unique about her and that’s what’s scaring you.
“Daisy, I’m flying back to São Paulo soon. So this is goodbye.” She didn’t need to know the details.
“Oh?”
“Let me drive you home.”
“We’re all going for drinks afterwards,” she said. “But thank you.”
I gave her a kind smile. “You’ll be okay, right? With everything?”
“Of course.” She stepped forward. “Do you feel it?”
