Page 69 of Dare (Fighting Fate)

Daniel tapped the door with his fingers and took a step back. “Only for you, Jess. We’ll be in as soon as Aiden and Emmy get here. These two hulks are staying on watch with Lance,” he said, pointing at the two large forms standing in front of the car. He gave the hulks a jovial nod and a wave. “Let them through.”

They nodded and stepped to the side, setting the gate in motion. As Eli edged his truck forward, I gave the guys a wave. “See you inside.”

I watched Eli pull into a parking space with my lips pressed together with thought. “Why do I get the feeling tonight’s going to get out of control?”

As he cut the engine, he gave me a withering look. “Probably because you girls always get out of control when you’re together like this.”

Trying for a surly look, I realized I wasn’t going to be able to pull it off when I knew he was right. These events usually did bring out the crazy in us girls. But we were older now, so who knew? There might be some kind of maturity going on. But I was doubtful. “I’m not even going to try arguing with you.” I laughed.

Throwing the door open, I stepped out and looked up at the dark veil above me. All the cloud cover had gone over the last couple of days, so the stars were shining nice and bright in the late winter sky. It was beautiful.

Eli stepped up beside me and slid a hand over my lower back. “Are you ready?” he asked softly.

The way his gaze penetrated mine told me he wasn’t just asking about my readiness to go inside. It was more to do with the fact that this was the first time we’d be amongst the group as a couple, and considering it had been such a long time coming, we were expecting some teasing.

“I’ve been ready for a long time,” I said, turning and sliding my hands onto his hips. “I just didn’t know who I was supposed to be ready for.”

A soft smile curved Eli’s lips as his hands pulled me against him. “Then we were opposites, because I’ve known it was you for a long time, I just didn’t know when I’d be ready.”

Running my hands over his back, I searched his gaze. “Well, too bad if you weren’t ready,” I said, one side of my mouth tugging upward. “I’m always going to be a just-do-it kind of gal.”

He didn’t laugh, and he didn’t offer a joke at my expense. He just watched me, his gaze heated and intense. “I’ve loved you for three years, Jess. It might not have been the kind of love Noah and Kaeli have, but it was the start of it. It just needed your spark added to it,” he said, his hand reaching up to brush the side of my face. “I’m always going to be here for you. Whenever you need me—even if you don’t realize it at the time. I’m yours.”

My heart stumbled and my breath stalled. His words were everything I’d been wanting to hear for so long, but the honesty I saw in his eyes was what had me melting into a puddle at his feet. It was right in that moment that I knew what I had—what we had. And it was the most amazing feeling in the world.

Emotion swelled inside me to the point of tears. I felt them prick at my eyes with wonder. Wetting my lips, I tried to swallow against it all, and gave him the tiniest of smiles. “Thank you,” I whispered.

Slowly, he leaned forward and kissed my forehead, his lips lingering sweetly. When he finally pulled away, he glanced down at me, head cocked to the side, and squinted with uncertainty. “Just how long do you think it’ll take for them to let it go?” he asked.

Taking his hand, we started up the stairs. “At least until Christmas.”

I heard him groan just as we walked inside and were hit with a chorus of welcoming voices. Kaeli was the first to envelope me in a hug. Even though we’d seen each other a few times over the last week, she was still super freaking excited about the prospect of us dating brothers. As much as I shook my head at her, it was nice to know how happy everyone was about us being together.

“Is your excitement ever going to die?” I asked her as she pulled away.

Throwing her head back, she let out a full belly laugh. “Probably not,” she said, stepping back to let Noah in to kiss me on the cheek. “Our weddings are going to be epic.”

Both Noah and Eli exchanged slightly worried glances, but that only made us laugh more. It wasn’t the first time she’d teased about the whole wedding thing. We all knew she was only joking, but the slight uncertainty in the guys’ expressions was as funn

y as shit. And I had a feeling that now Kaeli knew it, she was going to give them hell whenever she could.

Spotting Amber and Amy coming our way, I grinned and opened my arms for Mae, ecstatic when she willingly lurched out of her mother’s arms toward me with a smile. It had been a couple of months since I’d seen her, and as far as time went to an eighteen-month-old, it was more than long enough to forget someone. I was just thankful Amy put in the time to constantly show Mae pictures and talk to her about her big, extended family.

“Hello, gorgeous girl,” I said, squeezing her to me. “I’ve missed you so much. You look so beautiful tonight. Your dress is so pretty. And look at your hair,” I cooed, touching her little blonde pigtails.

Amy stepped forward and gave me a hug. “Remember Jess, Mae? She has very pretty hair, doesn’t she?”

Mae watched me with wide eyes before reaching up to touch one of my curls that had fallen over my shoulder. “Da,” she babbled.

“Yeah,” Amy said, smiling. “Pretty hair.”

Turning, I glanced at Eli, who was watching me with a soft smile on his lips. “Look, Mae,” I said, reaching out to touch Eli’s arm. “This is Eli. Can you say hi to Eli?” Picking up her hand, I helped her wave.

Eli gave her a little wave back. “Hi, Mae. I like your pretty shoes,” he said, running a finger over the shiny pink leather.

Looking down at her feet, she wiggled them happily and grinned.

Amber leaned forward and mock whispered in Mae’s ear. “It’s called the Murphy charm, Mae. They’re all like that. You need to be careful.”

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