Page 74 of Meet Dare

Tonight is the monthly meeting for business owners in Winter Falls. Since Cedar doesn’t own a business in town, I didn’t expect to see him here.

“I was summoned.”

My eyes widen. “Summoned? Is something wrong? Are they suing you?” I lean close to whisper. “Do you need me to get you out of here?”

He barks out a laugh. Okay. A rescue is not needed. Duly noted.

He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me near. I enjoy the feeling of his body moving against mine entirely too much.Stop getting attached to this guy, Cassandra. Unfortunately,the voice of reason was overruled last week when I decided to graduate from friends with benefits to ‘something else’.

I refuse to give our relationship a name. Give it a name and it’s real. I’m still living in a fairytale land where I get everything I want. Where I deserve things such as love. Unicorns are real here, too.

Cedar glances up and groans. “Uh oh.”

“What? I’ve got a bug out bag. I can get you out of town in less than ten minutes.”

And, no, I don’t have a bug out bag because I’m some secret spy. How cool would that be? Unfortunately, the reason is boring. Much, more boring. Big protector brother Beckett insists we have them. Whenever I claim I forgot to prepare one, his head explodes. It’s almost as fun as watching Elizabeth’s head explode.

Cedar swivels us until I see what he does.

“Uh oh is right.”

The gossip gals charge up the stairs wearing hot pink t-shirts with the wordsMatchmaking: More than a dating serviceprinted on them. I guess the word ‘subtle’ isn’t part of their vocabulary either. Time to get out of here.

“Yeah.” Cayenne claps. “I’m glad Project Hermit is a success.”

“Don’t count your chickens before your eggs hatch. These two have issues to work out,” Sage says.

I grasp Cedar’s hand and try to drag him into the meeting room. I am not discussing my issues with the gossip gals. I’m not discussing my issues with anyone. They’re mine and mine alone.

Unfortunately, he can’t be dragged anywhere he doesn’t want to go. He tugs on my hand and draws me near to him until he can wrap an arm around my shoulder.

“Ladies.” He inclines his head in their direction. “How are you doing this evening?”

Feather looks us up and down. “Not as well as you two are doing.”

“Are you sure you don’t want some of my candles?” Petal asks. “You don’t have to enjoy wax play. I also have massage oil ones.”

Cedar’s arm tightens around me. “No candles,” he insists.

Eden stomps up the stairs. “Let’s get this shit show started,” she grumbles as she passes by. Someone is not happy about being selected mayor.

The gossip gals follow her inside, but when Cedar tries to guide me to the entrance, I stop him.

“How do you know?”

His brow wrinkles. “Know what?”

“About my fear of fire.”

“Because I pay attention to every single thing about you.” I frown. He can’t possibly pay attention to everything.

“You won’t go near the wood burning stove. You skirt so far away from it you have to climb over the sofa.”

“I do not.” I totally do, but I thought he hadn’t noticed.

He tweaks my nose. “And you took the candles in my living room and hid them under the sofa.”

“It was Diva.”

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