Why Dare’s question made her blush, Molly couldn’t say. She looked down at her hands. “If you want, I’d be happy to.” The thought of Dare reading her both pleased and worried her. His opinion mattered, a lot. “Molly?”

When she looked up at him, he said, “I’m going to pick up your other books, too.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

He flashed her an intimate smile. “You’ve got me curious.”

Aware of Chris watching them, Molly cleared her throat. “What I meant is that I have my own stash of author copies, so you don’t need to buy them. When I get back to my apartment, I can package some up and mail them to you.”

Dare sent her a look. “I’ll have brunch ready in a few minutes.”

All she’d had was the cold cereal earlier, and the crepes smelled delicious. “Thanks.”

Then Dare said, “We’re heading up to your apartment today, but no need to mail the books back. We’re only going for a short stay.”

A short stay. Molly stared at Dare in disbelief. She had assumed they’d go up and back. She needed to see her sister and check her messages, but she didn’t want to stay there, where she’d been grabbed off the street, knowing that whoever had arranged for her to be taken was still out there somewhere, maybe just waiting for another chance at her.

“I can wait,” Chris said. He asked Dare, “Do you want me to forward your calls and emails to you?”

“Just the important ones. Everything else will wait. Trace will know to call the cell.”

At a loss, Molly rose out of her chair. She felt like running away.

Dare glanced at her, then said softly, “I met your father yesterday.”

Her breath strangled in her chest. “You did what?”

“I tracked him down at a club in Kentucky. He was there to play golf with some business associates.”

She couldn’t believe this. What had her father said to Dare? Oh, God, she could only imagine, and shame burned her.

Folding his arms over his chest, Dare leaned against the counter and stared at her. “When we get to your place tonight, you’ll call him and set up a dinner with the rest of the family for as soon as possible. I need to meet all of them.”

Molly shook her head, blindsided and dumbfounded by his audacity.

Concerned, Chris turned his chair to face her. “Molly?”

She ignored him, giving all her attention to Dare. “I don’t believe you.” Her voice was raspy and faint, and that irritated her even more. She spoke up, adding strength to her words. “Don’t you think you should consult with me about these major decisions?”

His brow went up.

Hurt clenched her heart, and she moved toward him with anger. “Especially when I’m the one paying for this!”

“It was off the clock,” Dare told her, and he watched her so closely that she felt exposed.

“No, absolutely not.” She pointed at him. “I’m paying you for everything. We agreed.”

He said nothing.

His silence drew a harsh contrast to her raised voice, making her feel foolish. “Damn it, Dare, you can’t just spring these things on me!”

He remained calm. “Do you object to seeing your family?”

“Well…” She wanted to see her sister, and she knew that sooner or later she’d have to see her dad and Kathi again. “No.”

He slanted a look at Chris and said again, “We’ll be staying at her place for a few days.”

“Ooookay,” Chris said, emphasizing the tension in the room. “Do I need to pack your suit?”

“No, but something nicer than jeans, okay?”

“Got it.”

Molly still stood there, so Dare gave Chris a telling look, and he said, “Yeah, I’ll just… Yeah.” He deserted the computer and left the room.

Dare watched Molly a second more, then carried a plate over to her. He set it on the bar and turned to face her. “You okay?”

“I’m—”

“Fine.” He sighed in clear frustration. “Why did I bother asking?”

“I am fine.” But she felt compelled to admit, “It’s a subjective term, Dare. Compared to a few days ago, I’m better than fine.”

“Got it.” He pulled her into his arms, and despite her annoyance at him, it felt so good that Molly wanted to stay there, just like that.

But of course if she did, she wouldn’t be able to write, or reassure her sister, or direct her agent on negotiations.

Life continued, and she wanted to move along with it, not hide forever.

With Dare’s scent filling her head and his warm embrace around her, she whispered, “You want to know how I really feel?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “I’m achy all over, especially in my shoulders and neck, but it’s not too bad, considering. Mostly I’m uncertain, and I’m still scared. I’m anxious to get my life back to normal, but then I think about what was normal and how naïve I was, and I don’t know if I really want that or not.”

His fingers threaded into her hair, kneading her skull, caressing her. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Molly could tell that he meant it, but what if it proved impossible to find the one responsible? She couldn’t expect Dare to put his life on hold for her.

He was the most capable man she knew, more capable than she could ever have imagined, but he wasn’t invincible. What if he got hurt trying to protect her?