Free Her Daring SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 5) by Caitlyn O'Leary Page A

in between a pedicure and a root canal, and I think you’re looking forward to the root canal more.  Damn right I’m laughing.”  Darius got off his knees and went to the table and helped himself to another strawberry.
    “Do you want some food?” he asked.
    “In a minute, I’m still not done.”  He filled up two plates.  Then he reached for the bottle of champagne.  In vino veritas .  In wine comes truth.  He wasn’t sure his ego could handle much more truth from Rylie, but maybe she might tell him a little bit more as to why she didn’t like sex.  He needed some specifics.  He knew she was drawn to him, and she responded to his touch.  He needed a little more information, so Darius poured the champagne.
    “How are the toes coming?”
    “Done!  What do you think?”  She shoved her cute little toes towards him, and the wind started to fill his sails.  God, she had beautiful feet.
    He left his food on the table and gestured for her to scooch over next to the nightstand and set her plate and glass down.  Then he sat down on the bed and placed her legs over his.
    “What are you doing?”
    “You’re going to eat a little snack, sip a little champagne and talk to me a little bit more.”
    “But I’ve already told you everything that matters.”
    “Not really, Rylie.  You haven’t given me the name of your references.”
    She grimaced.  “I’m not planning on giving names.  Now it’s four more minutes, ten if you want to have that snack.”
    “How about we go for twenty, and you let me massage your feet.  You let me do it in the hotel room in Houston six months ago.  I remember you liked it.” He held one dainty foot and began to caress it, pushing into her arch with his thumb.
    “This is dumb, we need to eat and get done with it.  The sex I mean.”
    “This is foreplay.  This is part of ‘it’.”
    She gave him a perplexed look.  Yep, that man from her past, definitely needed to have his ass kicked. 
    “Foreplay isn’t necessary.”  She reached for her plate, but he stilled her hand. 
    “Just relax for a minute.  Are you telling me you don’t like having your feet rubbed?  Come on be honest,” he coaxed.  He shot her a sideways grin.
    “Okay, I like it a little,” she admitted.
    “Now you earned some food.”  He smiled and pushed the plate back next to her.
    “Eat.”  He pressed in.  “Drink.”  He watched as she took a strawberry and bit into it and slowly chewed.  Yep, his sails were now full.  Fuck, he was never going to survive her eating all of those damn strawberries he’d put on her plate.
    “Where were we?”
    “You were going to tell me about your references.  But I suspect there aren’t that many names.”
    “How’d you know?”
    “Just a wild guess.”
    She picked up the champagne flute and took a delicate sip.  “You’re right, I only have the one.”  She was lost in thought.
    “Honey, we don’t have to talk about this.  I’d prefer to just rub your feet and kiss you.  I think anything else tonight is too much too soon.”
    “I was kind of messed up when I got involved with him,” she said baldly. 
    Dare kept caressing her foot, waiting for her to continue.
    “It’s an ugly story, Dare.”
    “I was in foster care too, Rylie.  Even though I was lucky, I know how ugly it can get.  My past isn’t filled with unicorns and gumdrops.”
    “Shouldn’t we just focus on the positive?”
    “Whatever you want, honey.  You’re in charge.”  She let out a heavy sigh. 
    “Nothing makes sense if I don’t explain why I hooked up with Roger.  Can you tell me your ugly first?”
    Dare looked down at the small foot in his big hand.  Only Mason knew about this.  He wasn’t proud of his behavior. 
    “This was before I joined Mason’s unit.  I was young at the time, and some of the missions we go on aren’t always good.”
    “From what I’ve read, they’re awful.”
    He kept his head down and concentrated on her blue