Dare To Love Series: Daring to Chance It (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Desiree Holt Read Free Book Online

was the middle of the week, so the parking lot at the restaurant was only halfway full. Sarah smoothed her hair, checked her makeup once more, and headed inside. The interior of the restaurant was dim, creating an intimate atmosphere
    The hostess smiled at her as she blinked to adjust to the change in lighting.
    “Do you have a reservation?” she asked.
    “No.” Sarah shook her head. “I’m meeting someone in the bar.”
    “Right through there.” She pointed to an archway off the small foyer.
    As she made her way into the other room, Sarah couldn’t help noticing the dark paneling on the walls, the soft lighting, the richly-colored tiles on the floor. She looked around for Beau and saw him rising from a booth in the corner. Of course. As cozy as possible. Well, cozy wouldn’t do him any good. All she wanted was to be able to get past this and get him out of her system.
    He reached for her as she approached the booth, and, for a moment, she wondered if he was going to kiss her. But he merely gave her hands a gentle squeeze and waited until she was seated before sliding back in. Then he sat there, staring at her so long and hard, she wondered if she had a smudge on her face or something equally distracting.
    “Beau?” She finally broke the silence.
    “What?” He blinked. “Oh, sorry. You’re just so beautiful, I can’t take my eyes off you.”
    Sarah snorted. “Please. Spare me the line.”
    “It’s not a line. I mean it.” He grabbed her hands again before she could move them away.
    The touch of his fingers on her skin was as electric as it had been six years ago. When she tried to pull away, he tightened his hold.
    “Beau, I—”
    “Okay.” He released her hands, but not before brushing his thumbs across her knuckles. Then he grinned. “I’ll do my best to keep my hands to myself.”
    “Thank you.”
    Now that she was here, now that he had touched her again, she suddenly wasn’t sure this was such a good idea. He was older, and the maturity looked good on him. The lines around his eyes were deeper, probably from squinting into the sun, and his face had a leaner, harder look. His hair was the same streaky blond but a little longer now, curling at his collar. And his eyes were the same melted-chocolate color, deep pools it would be so easy to get lost in. She had to admit he looked way too appealing in his red-silk sport shirt and his dark-brown slacks.
    Holy god, he was still Mr. Hot Stuff. And more.
    But worse than that, the same sizzle of electricity that had seared them that night in New Orleans apparently hadn’t diminished over time. Electricity that could burn her again if she let it.
    She probably would have embarrassed herself by staring more, but, fortunately, the waiter came over to take their orders. Beau asked for a beer, and, on a whim, Sarah asked for one, too. Beau lifted an eyebrow.
    Sarah gave what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. “Changing my choice of beverages along with the rest of my life.”
    “And speaking of that, can I say right now I was shocked as hell to see you at the Miami Thunder headquarters?” He rubbed his jaw. “The last I knew, you were headed back to Chicago.”
    “I’m surprised you even remember that much.” She had promised herself she wouldn’t do this, but she couldn’t seem to keep the note of sarcasm out of her voice.
    Beau leaned forward, his gaze so penetrating she felt it clear to her toes.
    “You will never have any idea how much I have regretted what I did. And still do.”
    “So, why did you?” She’d wanted an answer to that for six long years.
    He swallowed, the muscles in his throat flexing the way she remembered from that night. The way she kept remembering, even when she tried to blank her mind of every single detail.
    “This is no excuse,” he began, “and I’m not trying to make it one. It’s an explanation, nothing more, even if it’s not a very good one.”
    “So let’s have it,” she urged. “I’d like to put