Read Dare to Resist (a Wedding Dare novella) (Entangled Brazen) for Free Online Page B

insensitive load he’d dumped all over her that night had just been a pack of lies. Fact was, Colton had seen her go in the pool house moments before. He’d sought her out. And he’d known she’d had a crush on him for pretty much ever.
    Thing was, by the time she’d hit her junior year of high school, he’d been crushing a little bit himself. His head saw the age difference, but his heart only saw someone who shared his interests, who could teach him things, and who made him feel . And the attraction only grew as he’d come home on leave and seen her, each time growing more and more into a woman. At his welcome-home party, she’d been beautiful and confident and so damn sexy that every rationale Colton had ever had for keeping his damn hands off had flown right out the window.
    In truth, when he’d retreated from her that night after Tyler had interrupted what had been one of the hottest make-out sessions of his life—mostly because it involved the woman standing in front of him—Colton had been the one deflecting. Big time. Because his only other option was to give in to what he wanted.
    Kady sighed. “I’m not that little kid anymore, Colton—”
    “I know.”
    “Do you?” she asked, peering up at him. She blinked away and shook her head. “Our age difference isn’t as meaningful as it was when we were younger, so I need you to see me as your peer, as your equal. Not as a little kid or a little sister who needs to be coddled or protected. I don’t need you to worry about me or intercede in anything professional for me. In fact, if you ever did, it would just make things worse. In this field, I have to work twice as hard and be twice as creative to get half the respect. So I keep my complaints to myself and ignore as much of the bullshit as I can because otherwise it’ll make me crazy and distract me from what’s important, which is the work. Which I love. And I’m damn good at it, too.”
    “Yes, you are,” he said without thinking. But some things were so true they didn’t require thought. They just were . Anybody would be lucky to have Kady Dresco on their team, so Bob— His thoughts froze midstream. Anybody would be lucky to have Kady on their team…including him.
    That thought was like a revelation, opening doors and windows inside his mind and making him wonder why the hell he’d never had this thought before. Because Kady would be an amazing partner—competent, brilliant, skilled, creative. She’d be the kind of person you could count on to get her shit done without needing oversight and to collaborate and brainstorm in a way that made everyone’s work better. Exactly what he needed. Though, for sure, the idea of working with her wasn’t without its complications.
    Forcing away that question, Colton released a long breath. Not only was she right in this situation, she’d been right three years ago, too. He hadn’t seen the real her. He hadn’t seen a strong, independent woman. He did now, though. In spades. Damn if it didn’t make her even more appealing.
    “Okay. You’re right. Though my gut instinct is to beat down any asshole who harasses you, I know you’re tough enough to handle it and I’d never want to make things worse. But if you ever want my help—with anything—all you have to do is ask. And if you ever want to blow off steam, I’m here to listen.” He pressed his lips into a line, hoping she wouldn’t turn this into a joke per their norm, because this was important to him.
    She stared at him as if evaluating his offer, and the seriousness in her expression mirrored what he felt in his gut. The pounding drumbeat of the rain on the roof above them drowned out all other sound, giving the moment an almost suspended quality. “Okay. I’ll try,” she finally said. “But I’m used to holding all this in, so it’s not easy. I don’t like to be seen as weak or incompetent.”
    Satisfaction roared through him at her serious reply. He felt like something important