Dare To Love Series: Dare's Wild (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  Damn you, Tanner.

  “I’ve heard much about his reputation.” The disappointment in Mr. Lindsey’s features almost killed her. “But I never would have expected that you…” He fiddled with his tie, looking all kinds of uncomfortable.

  “It’s nothing like that.” Tanner’s current reputation had come later. After her.

  “Your personal life is none of my concern. I expect the utmost professionalism from my associates, as you know. If you feel you can’t conduct yourself in the manner with which I expect, maybe we do have an issue I was unaware of.” His tone hardened. “You are the most knowledgeable agent I’ve got. Riley Dare is a personal friend of mine. Can you do this job or not?”

  Could she?

  How can I know you’re what I want when you’re all I’ve had? There’s a big world out there, Abby, and I’m just getting started.

  The ten-year-old pain woke up and stretched inside her ribcage, leaving things tight and aching. And as she stared into Mr. Lindsey’s face, it was clear Tanner Wild had once again turned her life upside down. If she said no, she might as well quit and move to Arizona, because losing the respect she’d worked so hard to earn would ruin her.

  She didn’t want to leave Miami, and she needed that commission.

  She could do this. She could.

  “Yes, Mr. Lindsey.” Praying her ability to lie had improved within the last twenty seconds, she tacked on, “I’d be happy to help Mr. Wild find a home.”

  She was absolutely going to throw up.

  Chapter Two

  She didn’t sleep a wink. Her body might’ve been exhausted, but the second Abby’s head hit the pillow her brain queued up a seven-hour Tanner Wild rerun marathon. Tanner laughing. Tanner naked. Tanner playing football. Tanner naked. Tanner heavy-lidded with desire. Tanner na—well, the pattern was obvious. And disturbing.

  In truth, during the course of the last ten years she had tried her hardest not to think about Tanner. She hadn’t actively sought out information. She hadn’t needed to. His fun-time-party-guy lifestyle in California ensured his name popped up in the news at least once a week. Sometimes she couldn’t change the channel fast enough. Other times—the times she felt vulnerable and self-depreciating—she hesitated on purpose, desperate for the details of his life she had no right to.

  Like a woman starved, she would eat up the images of him that flashed across the screen. She memorized the subtle changes. The wrinkles around his eyes. A fresh scar on his forehead. How his youthful frame had filled into that of a full-grown man.

  Why the media never commented on the smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes or the way his shoulders slumped was a mystery to her. How could those reporters say he was living the high-life when he was clearly unhappy? Had he changed so much over the years his old tells were no longer relevant?

  One thing was certain. The boy she loved was long gone. The man was a complete stranger to her.

  After pumping her eyes full of Visine and hitting up the coffee shop for an industrial-sized triple macchiato, Abby did what she always did when the world went wonky on her. She called her mom.

  “Hi, honey,” her mom chirped in way of greeting, her voice reverberating through the speakers hidden somewhere in the dashboard of Abby’s car. “What’re you up to?”

  “You’ll never guess where I’m headed.”

  “Arizona?” Her mom’s hopeful tone made Abby laugh.

  “Not until Christmas.” Abby hoped. All she had to do was sell Tanner a house in the next few weeks and her troubles would be over. Easy peasy, right? Her stomach did a quick little gymnastics routine, reminding her nothing about the next few weeks would be easy.

  “That’s so long to wait!”

  “It’s only eight months. It’ll be here before you know it. Besides, I can’t leave right now.”

  “A woman can dream, right? Does the reason you can’t leave right now have anything to do with where you’re headed?”

  “You could say that.” Abby took a deep breath and vocalized what had kept her up all night. “I’m on my way to meet Tanner.” She didn’t bother tacking on his last name. Her mom would know. Her mom always knew.

  Silence. Followed by more silence. Had they gotten cut off? The call duration timer on the dashboard display continued to advance, indicating no. The call hadn’t been disconnected.

  Abby turned onto the highway and headed south toward Coconut Grove. “Mom? Did I lose you?”

  “No. No. I’m here. Sorry. You caught me off guard. Tanner, huh?”

  Abby stuck to the basics. “He’s moving back to Miami. I’m on my way to show him a house.”

  “How did that come about? Did he seek you out?”

  “No. I’m not sure if this information has gone public yet, but apparently he’s been traded to the Miami Thunder for the coming season. Riley Dare contacted my boss about helping Tanner find a place to live. Mr. Lindsey’s schedule is insane for the next few months, so he asked me to step in.”

  “And how do you feel about it?”

  Leave it to her mom to cut to the chase. “The commission should be nice.”

  “Abby.” God, her mom’s tone was so gentle, as if she thought Abby would shatter without careful handling.

  Abby let out a long-suffering sigh. “Okay, fine. I’m freaking out a little.”

  “Why? You’ve worked with men you dated before. You helped … well, I can’t remember his name, but you helped him and his bride find the perfect home, didn’t you? What makes working with Tanner any different?”

  Because I didn’t love Justin.

  “Tanner and I didn’t exactly part on the best of terms.”

  A sympathetic hmmm drifted through the speakers. “So goes the majority of teenage romances. Keyword, teenage. You were kids, Abby. You were heartbroken when Tanner left, but it’s been a long time. What are you afraid of?”

  Seeing him. Spending time with him. What would she do if he flirted with her? How would she feel if he didn’t? And why the hell did she feel like a freaking sixteen-year-old?

  “I know it’s been a long time, Mom. I know we were kids. I don’t want to be nervous. I don’t want to feel anything at all.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being nervous, for goodness’ sake. You and Tanner share a tumultuous history. He was your first love and now he’s back in your life, however temporary. Let me ask you something. Are you the same girl Tanner knew?”

  “In some ways, I am.” She still loved sci-fi movies, running on the beach, and horror novels. She still liked to sleep in on Sunday mornings, and eat popcorn in bed. She still dated only one man at a time. “But, no. I’m not the same girl he knew.” She dated but avoided long-term commitments. She guarded her heart now with the same ferocity she had used it to love Tanner.

  “And he’s not the same boy you knew. He’s a grown man now, with a very public job and what I can only imagine are hefty responsibilities. I’ve heard what’s been said about him over the years, but I didn’t raise you to be judgmental. You are loving and kind and you know better than to make a decision about a person’s character without firsthand experience. The statute of limitations on your firsthand experience with Tanner has long expired. The fact is, you don’t know who he is anymore than he knows the woman you’ve become. You’re an adult, Abigail Lyn Nash. It’s beyond time to forgive him and let go of the past. Drop those preconceived notions you’re clutching and focus on doing your job. Tanner is just a man. Imperfect, like the rest of us. A relative stranger to you at this point, right?”

  The use of her full name got her attention.

  Good lord. Not only did she feel like a sixteen-year old, she was acting like a sixteen-year old. And hadn’t she come to the same conclusion earlier? She didn’t know Tanner anymore. He was just a guy looking for a house, and she was the realtor who would sell him one.

  “How do you always know what to say?”

  “The super-secret mom handbook. Tell me I don’t need to be worried.”

>   Abby pulled into the driveway of the house Mr. Lindsey had scheduled for her to show Tanner. She parked on the far side, leaving the space closest to the front door open for him.

  “You don’t need to be worried.”

  “You’re still nervous.”

  Did the super-secret mom handbook come with some kind of offspring-emotion tracking device? “Well yeah, but I’m sure it’ll pass once the reintroduction is over.”

  “Remember the good times, sweetheart. And if he turns out to be a total asshat, then you can offer up thanks for dodging the bullet.”

  “Mom!” Abby laughed.

  As they said goodbye, she felt rejuvenated. Her mom had a way of centering her, realigning her perspective.

  Abby let herself into the house and went about opening the blinds and turning on lights.

  Remember the good times.

  She remembered the first time she and Tanner fooled around. God, they’d been so young. Nervous and stupid, too. They hadn’t even considered condoms. Both virgins, and she had been on birth control to regulate her periods. What was the point?

  Stupid and lucky. Thank goodness those pills had actually done their job.

  Abby went to the kitchen and fussed with the placemats on the table. She adjusted the vase of flowers used as a centerpiece to the perfect angle.

  The sheets had smelled like him.

  If she closed her eyes and concentrated hard enough, she could almost remember the nuance of that scent. The woodsy, masculine scent of sweat and Polo.

  Remember the good times.

  Tucked under him in a bed too small for the two of them, Abby had felt surrounded and safe. In love as only a teenager could be as Tanner’s hands shook and fumbled in a race to get her out of her clothes.

  The first time had been fast. Really fast. As in he’d come and slipped out before she had time to process the feel of him inside her body.

  It took them a few tries to get it right. Four, to be exact. Tanner had been determined to learn what turned her on. He touched and teased every inch of her body. Together, coupled with a bunch of awkward and slightly clinical back-and-forths, they had figured it out.

  Abby’s cheeks heated as she remembered her first orgasm. Scary and thrilling and so, so good. And when she met Tanner’s gaze afterward there was no arrogance. No hell-yeah-I’m-the-man glancing back at her. Instead, his expression had been filled with wondrous awe.

  She’d never forget that look.

  From that day on Tanner went after her orgasms like a dog with a bone, discovering all kinds of creative ways to make her come. Her body became his playground and no part of her was off-limits.

  A soft moan escaped her lips. He’d been diligent, she’d give him that. Her pussy clenched, moisture suddenly dampening her panties.

  Oh no. No-no-no-no-no. She could not be turned on right now.

  Fuck remembering the good times. He dumped you like a bad case of the clap.

  “Hello?” A rumbling baritone bounced off the walls.

  For some incomprehensible reason, her nipples hardened.

  Oh, this wasn’t good. Not good at all.

  

  “Hello?” Tanner called again. “Anyone here?”

  He hung by the front door in the event he’d wandered into the wrong house and needed to make a run for it. With no For Sale sign out front it was hard to be sure. The door did have one of those lock box thingys real estate companies used, but a visible fucking house number wouldn’t have been remiss. Strike one, as far as he was concerned. He didn’t think he could live in an area too snooty to mark the address.

  Tanner drew in a breath to call out one last time when he heard a distinct clack, clack, clack coming toward him. Only one thing made that sound. Women's high-heeled shoes against hardwood.

  He backed up slowly. Shit. Unless Mr. James Lindsey from Lindsey and Associates was a cross-dresser, he had wandered into the wrong house.

  He wasn’t an idiot. He was a big guy—six feet, four inches with two hundred fifty plus pounds of solid muscle. On the field his size worked to his advantage. In this scenario, however, his bulk and the fact he didn’t belong there would scream “threat.” Thank God Mitch had decided to hang back by the car for a smoke while he did the walkthrough. That bald-headed, tatted-up motherfucker was one hostile looking dude.

  Scaring the shit out of some poor unsuspecting woman wasn’t on Tanner’s to-do list for the day.

  Yep. Time to get the hell outta dodge.

  He fumbled for the door handle.

  “Tanner?”

  He froze, breath stuck mid-inhale.

  “Tanner Wild?”

  That voice. He knew that voice. Tanner pivoted, his gaze instantly locking on the familiar face.

  Abby.

  Her skin was smooth and tanned. The honey tone brought out the blue in her eyes. Eyes he knew were rimmed with flecks of green that darkened with anger. The delicate curve of her jaw sharpened some at her chin, her cheeks high and more defined than he remembered. Her dark-blonde hair was pulled into a bun, leaving her long, slender neck exposed.

  She wore enough makeup to accentuate, not to appear painted. Her simple white button up was open to show the curve of what looked like a black tank top underneath, both of which were tucked snugly into a straight black skirt he immediately wished was shorter so he could get a good look at her legs. And those spiked heels…

  His breath left his chest with a whoosh.

  She was, quite simply, the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

  “Abby-girl?”

  Her gaze dropped. An adorable blush crept up her neck and stained her cheeks. “No one has called me that in years.”

  Ten of them he’d bet, since it had been his own personal play on her given name. A crazy spark of possessiveness shot through him. He had no right, but he liked the idea the name belonged to him and no one else.

  He took a step in her direction.

  She’d always been tall, but with the added height of her shoes he wouldn’t have to bend too far to kiss those full, glossy lips he remembered so well.

  Bad idea, Wild. She’s not yours to kiss.

  Dragging his gaze away from her mouth, Tanner got with the program. “What are you doing here?” He tensed. “Is this your house?”

  “No. I’m…” She flung her arms and huffed. “I’m sorry, but I’m your realtor. I work for Lindsey and Associates.”

  Reliefhe wasn’t about to get clocked for breaking and entering his ex-girlfriend’s houseloosened his muscles. “Why are you sorry?”

  “I realize this might be awkward, considering our history. Mr. Lindsey’s schedule is booked, but he wanted to be sure you were taken care of. So, here I am.”

  She crossed and uncrossed her arms, drawing his attention to her chest.

  Jesus Christ.

  The outlines of her hard nipples were impossible to miss. It wasn’t cold in the house, which meant…

  His blood migrated south so fast it made him dizzy. “To take care of me.”

  “Don’t give me that look…”

  “What look?”

  Abby shook her head. “Nothing. Never mind.” She smoothed her hands down the sides of her skirt. “If you would rather have another agent, I completely understand.”

  Tanner had a speech prepared for this moment. Words of regret and sorrow. He wrote it the week after he left for college, when the emptiness in his chest refused to go away. In the end, he suckered out on calling her. She deserved better than a selfish prick like him.

  After awhile, he’d given up the thought of seeing her again. That hadn’t stopped him from thinking about what he would say if he did. He spent years perfecting, agonizing over every word to ensure he got it right.

  And he’d be damned if he could remember a single word now that she was standing in front of him.

  “What do you want to do? Do you want to work with me?”

  “If that’s what you—”

  “I’m askin
g what you want.”

  The blush in her cheeks deepened. She nodded. “Yes,” she said softly. “I’d like that.”

  Tanner closed the distance between them, ignoring her tiny squeak of protest as he pulled her into his arms. He told himself he would’ve let her go if she hadn’t snaked her arms around his neck and returned the hug.

  “It’s good to see you, Abby-girl.”

  I’ve missed you.

  She pushed against his shoulders and wiggled out of his arms. “It’s good to see you, too, Tanner. Now that we have that settled, are you ready to see the house?”

  Chapter Three

  No amount of news footage could’ve prepared her for the man trailing her from room to room.

  Tanner’s short black hair and gunmetal-gray eyes were the same, but his body … holy crackers. The guy was stacked. His biceps strained the sleeves of his T-shirt. The tight fabric showed off the strength of his chest and shoulders. Her own hands had discovered the hard planes of his back when he’d wrapped those beefy arms around her and pulled her against him.

  She’d wanted to purr like a kitten and rub her cheek against him. Instead, she pulled away. They’d agreed to work together. Anything beyond that was a bad idea. She wouldn’t be another notch in his bedpost. The damn thing had been hacked to pieces, if the rumors were true.

  The first one will always belong to you.

  The thought was strangely satisfying, all things considered.

  Abby stopped in front of the room she’d saved for last and waited for Tanner to catch up.

  He wandered out of what was currently the entertainment room. “There are how many bedrooms in this place?”

  “Five.”

  He looked appalled. “And seven bathrooms?”

  “Six and a half.”

  Tanner ran his fingers through his hair. “This is a great house, Abby-girl, but what the hell do I need with five bedrooms and seven bathrooms? Excuse me, six and a half.”

  “You could turn one of the bedrooms into an office space. The room downstairs would make a great gym. The master bedroom and bath would be yours, leaving two remaining bedrooms to use as guest rooms for family and friends. The bathrooms are great, because it means you wouldn’t have to worry about guests invading your personal space. And the one close to the pool ensures you and your guests don’t have to traipse through the house, leaving a trail of wet feet behind, to use the bathroom.”