Jennifer Probst - Dare Me

Raw emotion glimmered in his eyes. His jaw clenched. Unclenched. Then the words spilled out of his mouth. “I don’t want to let you go. I’ve never felt like this before. But I don’t know if I can commit to this lifestyle.”

“I dare you.”

He sucked in his breath. “Dare me to what?”

“To be honest with what you want. I’m not asking you to admit the lifestyle to your brothers or in public. This is private, between us. But I need to know you’ll explore it with me. And give me everything I ask behind closed doors.”

He seemed to struggle between the lure of his fantasy and the fear of reality. Her heart pounded and the blood squeezed through her veins. He needed to make his own choice or they could never work.

“I can’t do it yet, Summer. I’m not ready.”

She acknowledged his limitation and a heavy grief pressed into her limbs. Perhaps he would never be ready, but she needed to move down her own path and find her own answers. Tears pricked her eyelids. She leaned forward, kissed him, and slid out of bed.

“I understand, I really do. But I can’t follow you right now. Thank you for everything you gave me, I won’t forget it.” She paused. “I won’t forget you.”

She gathered her clothes and closed the bedroom door behind her.

Two weeks later…

Rafe watched his brothers tear into a plate of nachos and wash them down with a pair of matching Coors Lite. His stomach twisted with tension, but he’d made his decision. He needed to tell his brothers the truth—then get Summer Preston back into his life and in his bed.

When she’d left, something within him shattered. He’d pushed past the pain and got back into his old life, but everything changed. Dealing cards, sharing a meal with his brothers, and dating a bunch of pretty, nameless women left him cold. His soul gaped open with an empty wound and nothing seemed to fill it. When he’d looked up private BDSM clubs on the internet and wondered if she had a new sub, the sick anger nearly tore him apart. He belonged to her, and she to him. One night proved she was the woman he wanted to explore that lifestyle with. He wanted her both in and out of the bedroom.

He decided his biggest barriers sat beside him in the cracked leather booth, chowing down on appetizers in ignorant bliss. He tipped back his beer bottle for one last swig and faced his brothers. “I need to tell you guys something. Something that’s been bothering me for a long time.”

They shared a look. Rick dropped the chip he held in his hand and leaned in. Rome nodded with encouragement. “Go ahead, bro. We’re listening.”

Their rock solid support surrounded him. He took a deep breath. “I’m a submissive.”

Rick raised one blond brow. “Get out.”

His stomach turned but he kept his chin high and met his brother’s stare head on. “Nope. I’ve known this for a while now, but I turned chickenshit and refused to admit it. I spent the night with a woman who gave me everything I needed. She wanted more than one night though, and I blew it. But I’m gonna get her back.” He pointed a finger at Rick. “I don’t need to take any of your shit about this.” Then he glared at Rome. “From either of you. Got it?”

Rome studied him in a thoughtful silence and he inwardly squirmed. His brother wiped his mouth with a napkin, then leaned back in the booth with a big ass grin. “Holy shit, I never even suspected. That’s some secret, bro. No wonder you’ve been torn up for the past few years. Denying who you are sucks the soul out of you.”

He blinked. “You understand?”

“I’m surprised, but of course I understand. Did you really think otherwise?” Rome cursed when he saw the truth on his face. “You actually thought I’d have a problem with you being a sub? When my own wife is one? And Rick’s?”

Rafe rubbed his face to hide the sudden heat of embarrassment. “Figured it’d be different when you heard a man was a sub. Kind of odd, don’t you think?”

Rick shook his head, his voice tinged with anger. “No, I don’t. I see it all the time. I may not swing that way, but I respect the hell out of a man who knows who he is and goes after it. Tara and Sloane are some of the strongest, kickass women we know. Just because they’re subs in the bedroom doesn’t mean they’re weak. It’s quite the opposite. That’s basic 101 in BDSM. Figured you’d know that already.”

Relief poured true and clear from the core of his body. He couldn’t help the silly grin spreading across his face as he looked at the two men he loved and respected the most in the world. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate the support.”

“Are you going after this woman? What’s her name?” Rick asked.

“Summer Preston. I needed this time to get my head screwed on straight. Now I have to find her.”

Rome nodded. “I’ll find her for you. Give me an hour and I’ll check the local clubs and find out if they’ve seen her. I have a few friends who owe me a favor.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Umm, Rafe?”

“Yeah?”

“How strongly do you feel about this woman?”

Fierce emotion coursed through him at the image of her sweet face hiding a tigress’s soul. “I think I’m in love with her.”

Rome groaned and pounded his fists on the table. “This is freaking unbelievable. Madame Eve strikes again.”

Rick laughed and held out his beer in a mocking salute. “To Madame Eve and 1Night Stand. She took on one Steele at a time and changed our lives.”

“Let’s just hope the odds are still in my favor. I have a lot of begging to do.” Rafe stood from the booth.

Rome winced. “Bet you’ll have a sore ass by the time she’s done punishing you for letting her walk in the first place. Glad I’m not you, bro. Let me start making calls.”

As his brother flipped out his cell phone, Rafe prepared to win the biggest dare of his life.

* * *

“Summer, the scene is ready for you. But I have a new sub out front who insists he needs to speak with you.”

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. “Okay. Give me two minutes and send him in.”

She finished lacing her spiked boots and adjusted her corset. She may still be uncomfortable in bondage, but the club let her go slow, at her own pace, and gave her enough men to pick from to try different things. As she prepared for her first small, public scene, her heart mourned the only man she ached for. The one who’d left over two weeks ago.

Rafe Steele.

Agony speared her gut. She dreamt of him constantly, waking up with her hips bucking to empty air, and a wound in her soul that refused to heal. She understood his limits and respected his decision, but it didn’t help the longing that choked her when she stared at another man in handcuffs, waiting to obey her. Hopefully, she’d eventually meet someone she could share her days and nights with—a soul mate. But for now, she took it day by day with only one name hovering on the edge of her lips.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and brought herself under control. She’d already decided on her choice for the display with a young man she felt she could help, but had no idea who’d want to see her so close to show time.

The door opened and she stared at the entrance with curiosity.

Her heart plummeted with wrenching speed. The image of her dreams stood before her, and she practically choked on her own saliva. His bare chest sported a swirl of dark hair over rich olive skin. He stood with his bare feet spread apart, a tiny black scrap of fabric covering his impressive cock. A raw, pulsing need flooded her and left her shaking. She swallowed hard, and raised her chin high. His dark gaze delved into hers with an intensity that ripped away her breath. She forced herself to speak, the words a husky whisper. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for you, Summer. I’m here to make things right.”

Hope rose, but she battled it back, afraid to get hurt again. “No, you weren’t ready for this.” She swept her hands in the air. “I can’t make you be someone you don’t want to be.”

“The only man I want to be is the one who owns you just as much as you own me.”

“Rafe—”

“Permission to speak, Mistress.”

The title fell from his lips and she gasped. Her pussy clenched, and tears pricked her eyes. The strength and courage it took for him to find her and reveal himself deserved her full attention. “Permission granted,” she whispered.

He closed the distance between them and knelt before her. “This isn’t about getting attached to the first woman who introduced me to this lifestyle. This is about how I feel when I’m with you. One night and you wrecked my world. I tried to go back to what I considered normal, but I’m tired of being an empty shell. Give me another chance. I want to take you to dinner at my brother’s house. I want to court you with silly flowers, and take you to the movies and share popcorn. I want to hear your dreams and your nightmares, and submit to you in the bedroom. You took part of my soul, and I need it back.” His gaze glittered with fierceness. “I dare you, Mistress.”

“Dare me to what?”

He smiled. “Allow me to take the place of your submissive tonight in the public scene. To claim you as my Mistress.”

She closed her eyes against the tears and the joy, shuddering with want and need for the man who knelt by her feet. Pulling him upward, she drew his head down for a kiss.

His lips took hers, the musky, spicy flavor of male desire swamping her senses. His tongue slipped into her mouth and took everything she had. In that moment, she submitted to him as sweetly as he did to her.

“I accept your dare,” she murmured against his lips. “I missed you so much. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“I trust you’ll take care of me.”

“I will.” She nipped his lower lip playfully. “You do have a punishment due for allowing me to leave. This will be the perfect time to introduce you to the whip.”

He flinched, but she caught the wild excitement in his eyes. “That’s what my brother warned me about.”

“You told them everything?”

“Yes. I want you night and day, Summer Preston. No more secrets.”

She’d won the dare of a lifetime.

Love.

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons, one 4 and one 6, keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.

She is thrilled to contribute to the 1Night Stand series with her Steele Brothers stories, Catch Me, Play Me, and Dare Me. All of her books are available at her website or Amazon.

You can visit Jennifer at:

http://www.jenniferprobst.com