Truth
or Dare
Dare
to Love # 1
By: Mira Lyn Kelly
Releasing September 16th, 2014
Loveswept
In
a deliciously sexy twist on the classic game, USA Today bestselling author Mira
Lyn Kelly proves that when playing truth or dare—always choose dare.
After her one attempt at commitment ends with the
discovery that her fiancé already has a wife and kid, Maggie Lawson vows that
the only people she’ll love ’til death do they part will be her friends.
Unfortunately that means Maggie letting her bestie rope her into a year-long
dating dare: score a new date each month or pay a penalty. Seems doable—until
Maggie’s date stands her up, leaving only one option: the sexy stud who just
moved in upstairs. The problem? He and Maggie can’t stop fighting—and that’s
just the beginning.
His name is Tyler Daniels and the last thing he
needs is his neighbor distracting him with her girl-next-door smile and sharp
tongue. Tyler’s in Chicago for one reason: to woo back his selfish ex in order
to reclaim the child he once thought was his—and that means keeping Maggie out
of his bed. A tall order, since Maggie has become a bigger temptation than he
ever expected to face. But before they can even consider leaving the past
behind, Maggie and Tyler must accept a brand-new dare: real, forever love.
EXCERPT
“Maggie, you’re killing me,” he said, the air crackling between them.
“I’m sorry. It’s just—” She wet her lip with the pink tip of her tongue and he fisted his hands to keep from reaching for her. He was so focused on not giving in to the compulsion to sweep his thumb across that damp path she’d laid, he almost didn’t hear the rest. “Maybe we’re missing what’s right in front of us. Maybe we’re so hung up on not blowing our friendship and being careful of each other’s feelings and remembering what our priorities are outside of this sizzly thing we have going . . . that we’re ignoring an obvious solution to a mutual problem.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we’re already clear on all the rest of that stuff. Neither of us wants or is available for a relationship. You’re waiting for an opportunity with Gina so you can get your son back, and honestly I think that lack of availability might be the only reason I feel safe enough with you to want this at all. We’re friends, yes. But maybe, this once, we could be more. Get it out of our system and then start fresh.”
He shook his head, mostly because he’d been telling himself “no” for so long he didn’t know how to stop anymore. But even as his head swung in that negating denial, he was asking, “Just once?”
“Just once. Wouldn’t it feel good to let go? Knowing we’re on the same page about tomorrow?”
“Maggie. I don’t want to use you.”
“What if I use you first?” And there was that single arched brow, the teasing smile and challenge mixed with a breathless sort of anticipation he couldn’t ignore. “What if I use you harder?”
“Maggie,” he warned, though the only thing she was going to get if she kept it up was exactly what she was asking for.
“Tyler,” she mimicked sternly. Then, meeting his eyes with the calculating look that had gotten to him all those months in the hallway, she added, “I’d totally use you harder.”
And that was it. He was done.
Because Maggie challenging him with that demon glint in her eye and her whole body exuding a sensual need with his name on it—yeah, she’d hit his button and there was no going back.
“You want hard, Maggie?” he asked, reaching for her as she reached for him, meeting in the middle of a bad idea that suddenly didn’t seem so wrong at all and, holy hell, felt all too right.
“Yes.”
“And you seriously believe we can do this without it screwing up our friendship?”
He might have put a little more faith into the nod she issued if it hadn’t come on the heels of a shuddering breath following the press of his thigh high between her legs. But then maybe he’d gone too far for something so trivial as the truth to matter.
“I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t.”
Christ, she was so pretty, staring at him with those sex-hazed eyes and parted lips.
Palming the firm curve of her ass, he pulled her higher over his thigh, rocking it against her heat. He kissed her, getting lost in the pliant give of her lips and the soft moans escaping them. Fisting the mess of hair at the nape of her neck, he urged her head back so she opened to the hot thrust of his kiss.
Yes.
Maggie knew what she was doing. This was what they wanted. What they needed. The no-strings solution to an itch desperate to be scratched.
It wasn’t a mistake.
“God, Maggie, are you sure about this?”
“I’m sure,” she gasped, her hands sliding up and down the hard contours of his chest. “This is sex. No expectations. Just two people taking advantage of an opportunity they seldom see.”
She was reaching for his mouth with hers when he pushed her back. Searched her eyes.
“I'm pretty sure this is an opportunity available to you any day of the week.”
She shook her head. “You know it’s not.” For too many reasons. She never felt this kind of attraction, this kind of need and draw. And more than that, she never felt the trust.
And maybe the two went hand in hand. Maybe after what happened with Kyle, she couldn’t have the desire without the sense of safety she found with Tyler.
The hand at her ass pulled her in tight against him, so she could feel the hard ridge of his cock unyielding against her belly.
“I want this,” she whispered. “I want you.”
His mouth landed hard over hers, his tongue thrusting between her teeth, filling her with the hot, wet promise of what more there was to come. He kissed her like he couldn’t get enough. Like she was his next breath. Like she was the question, the answer, the everything.
He kissed her like she was kissing him.
And then he was bowing her back, devouring her mouth as his hand slid down her thigh, catching her at the back of her knee and pulling her up against him.
She was tugging at his shirt, her hands everywhere—under it, over it, fisting the fabric at the side of his ribs as she pulled, desperate to get him naked. Desperate for the hot press of his bare skin against her own.
“Tell me what you want,” he growled against her ear.
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Author Info
USA
Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned
her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life
while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right
around the corner from her back home. Having spent her twenties working and
playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural
Minnesota, where their four beautiful children provide an excess of action and
entertainment. When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the
kids, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls, and cooking with her
husband and friends.
Author Links
This is my first time reading this author's work and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The sexual tension between Maggie and Tyler was well-written, with the reader being able to follow the progression of their feelings for each other, instead of insta-love. I liked that fact that while Maggie was caustic, she still had a bit of insecurity, and that came through when Tyler stepped in when her monthly date stood her up.
I will say that sometimes the text flow seemed a bit off, I had to go back re-read several passages because they were confusing, it was hard to grasp exactly what the author was trying to convey; also some pop cultural references went over my head and I had to look up a couple of things (like the Ross from "Friends" double fist bump).
I will say that while there is a HEA, this book won't make it easy to get to the HEA; but that's what made it such a fun read. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
RATING
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for honest review.
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