Page 1 of Fearless to Love

Chapter One

DANTE

Ihad to get away. Ever since my business partner fucked me over, I’d been running myself ragged, trying to save Flux, and in turn, had spent every waking hour there. I was understaffed and if I didn’t get things under control soon, I was sure to lose my business. My sister had been trying to help me, but this wasn’t her expertise. She was more into spending money than making money.

When I glanced at the clock, it read a little past ten. Gathering my things, I headed out the back door to my parked Range Rover, but I didn’t want to go home yet. My place, although nice, was lonely. Instead, I decided to go for a drive, not caring where the road took me. Half an hour later, I found myself entering a small neighboring town, Fairlane, with a bar on the corner of the street. It was small but packed. The bright friendly sign read, Rocco’s, and I decided to check it out. What did I have to lose?

The moment I opened my car door, I heard loud music and laughter, along with people cheering. As I got closer to the door, Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard blasted out of the cracks of the door and windows. When I stepped inside, my eyes instantly went to three girls, two blondes and a brunette, dancing on top of the bar. Their dance looked choreographed and straight out of the movie Coyote Ugly. They were each dressed in the same tight white t-shirts with a red Rocco’s logo, black short-shorts, and cowboy boots, shaking their asses and gyrating their hips, all while singing. They looked like they were having the time of their lives.

When was the last time I had any fun?

My breath caught when my eyes met the brunette’s. She was absolutely beautiful. Her caramel colored hair was long, trailing down her back in waves, but it was her grey eyes that captivated me. They were the color of a storm ready to unleash its rain. I felt as if all my breath had been sucked out of me as I stood and watched her dance along the bar. The curve of her hips and her long shapely legs moved with ease. I couldn’t seem to move from my spot even when people bumped into me as they rushed to the bar and threw down their money. I was transfixed like she was my own personal siren, powerless as I stood there taking in the show.

When she turned and moved to the beat of the song with perfection, I nearly drooled at the sight of her ass in her short shorts. My jeans became tighter as I watched her rhythmic movement. As the song neared its end, the girls headed to the end of the bar where a short man with shaggy brown hair waited for them to finish before helping them down.

The crowd thinned out enough for me to make it to the bar where I could see the three women standing together and laughing. While I waited to order a beer, I tried to make it not appear as if I was staring at her, but who was I kidding? I was totally staring at her. I probably looked like a stalker.

“That was so much fun,” one of the blondes yelled over the new song playing. “I love it when Lily shows up and we get to do this.”

The man laughed, throwing his arm around her. “Anytime you want to strut your stuff for the customers, you’ve got my permission. We probably made more during that one song than we will all night. Why don’t you girls take your break? I think I can handle the chaos for a few minutes on my own.”

“Thanks, Rocco. Give me a minute; let me see what this handsome man wants to drink.” Turning my head to the voice, my siren was now standing right in front of me with a bright smile on her gorgeous face. “What can I get for you?”

For the first time in my life, I was tongue-tied. No words escaped me as I opened and closed my mouth.

“You’re not from around here, are you? If so, I’m sure I would have noticed.” She winked, leaning on an elbow.

Her words spurred me on. “No, I’m not from around here. I moved to Riverside a few years ago, but I’ve never been to your little town.”

“What can I get for you before I go on break?” She peered up at me from underneath her impossibly long eyelashes.

Emboldened, I stood straighter. “I’ll have whatever you’ve got on tap, and your name and number.”

Biting her bottom lip, which caused my dick to swell even further beneath the denim of my tight jeans, she looked down blushing. “Anything on draft?” she asked, still looking down.

“Whatever you think is good.” I hated I’d made her uncomfortable. I was afraid I’d come on too strong and ruined my chance. Normally, I didn’t have this problem with women.

When she came back with my beer, she had a shy smile on her face. “I’m Lily, and I’m not sure it’s very smart of me to give a complete stranger my phone number...”

I cut her off. “I understand and I’m sorry for coming on so strong. Why don’t you get to know me during your break? We can find a place to sit where everyone can see you and I can prove that I’m not a stalker.” She hesitated; her eyes darted around the crowded bar. Reaching over the bar, I introduced myself. “I’m Dante. Please give me a chance to win you over. I promise you won’t regret it.”

When she placed her tiny hand in mine, I closed my eyes at the unexplained warmth that filled me. A strong sense of never wanting to let her go hit me. I was normally a fuck’em and leave them kind of guy. They knew what they were getting into before the fact, but with this beautiful creature’s hand in mine, I was seeing visions of forever.

What the hell was wrong with me?

“Alright, don’t make me regret this, Dante.” She moved around the bar and came to stand in front of me. She was tiny compared to my six-four frame. The top of her head barely came up to my chest giving me an intense urge to protect her.

Seriously, what was going on with me?

I let her lead us to a booth to show she was in control. I was trying to win her over. Something I’d never done before.

Once we were seated across from each other, I took a large gulp of my beer.

Lily smiled brightly at me. “You probably think this happens all the time, but this is a first for me.”

“The first time you’ve ever been asked for your number? I find that hard to believe.” My smile grew impossibly wider. Surely, she got hit on every night with how gorgeous she was. Their uniforms certainly led to men drooling all over themselves as I did earlier when I first spotted her.

She blushed. Again. And I found it far too endearing.

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