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He laughed softly at her snippy tone, unzipped his jacket, and crouched down beside her ‘This is beco a habit’

‘Not a good one,’ she said tersely

She felt like a fool sitting on a gravel driveway in a tiny bikini while thisinvader ‘I can do it,’ she insisted when he went to examine her foot

‘I’nored her and wrapped his hand around her ankle, igniting every one of her raw nerve endings in his wake

And of course he noted her shiver, his brilliant blue eyes searching out hers

Carly kept her head down and winced when he gently brushed his thumb over the ball of her foot

‘Hold still,’ hehard

‘Ouch!’ Carly jerked her foot clean out of his hold She knew she was being a baby but being a doctor didn’t mean she was able to cope with pain any better than anyone else In fact she was the ultimate wuss, if the truth be told

Dare’s soft chuckle washed over her and ain He reached for her foot, ue and then pressed it against her skin ‘Does that hurt?’

Not trusting herself to speak, Carly shook her head and he lowered her foot to the ground but didn’t let go of her ankle

‘It should be fine now,’ he said, ‘and it’s not bleeding’

Carly knew her cheeks must be flushed because her whole body felt hot as she half sat, half sprawled in front of him, but she couldn’t move

She was also aware of how sheand her legs splayed apart

A deep longing rolled through her and she willed Dare to get up To release her and pretend the chemistry between them didn’t exist

‘Carly?’

His fingers flexed around her ankle and Carly shuddered ‘Benson’s not here,’ she said hoarsely

She’d meant to say the words to let him know he had wasted his trip, but as soon as she spoke she knehy she had said them She wanted hi it to herself?

And by the heated glitter in Dare’s eyes he knew it too

Rocks bit into her bottoe, but all Carly could focus on was the frantic beating of her own heart and Dare’s darkening eyes ‘Dare, I—’