Dare to Love (Young Adult Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

matter.  I reconciled myself to my
fate as I climbed into my car for the long ride back to town.

Chapter Four
     
    As we neared town, I realized I
didn’t know where to drop Dare off.  We hadn’t spoken the entire ride home. 
“Well, where to?” I asked him.
    “The lady speaks!” he exclaimed.
    I shook my head.  “Well, I didn’t
hear you talking either,” I pointedly reminded him.
    “Thought I’d give you time to cool
off,” he said with a grin.  “Are you still mad at me?”
    I shrugged and turned toward him.  He
was watching me with a big, dopey smile on his face.  “How can you stay mad at
this face?”
    I had to admit, it wasn’t easy.  His
sky blue eyes twinkled merrily and I hadn’t noticed before, but when he smiled,
dimples appeared on his cheeks.  Nudging me with his elbow, he asked, “Well?”
    I shrugged resignedly.  “I’m not
mad.”
    “Great, where are you taking me for
lunch?”
    My eyes leapt in surprise.  “Lunch?”
    “Yeah, I’m starving,” he declared. 
“How about pizza?  Actually, I’ll even treat.”
    I glanced at his uniform, and he read
my thoughts.  “We’ll have to stop by the station so I can change and then we
can go.  Whatdaya say?”
    I hesitated for a few seconds.  “Well
... okay.  Pizza sounds good.”
    When we reached the station, I
watched him as he climbed out of my car.  “Coming in?” he asked me.
    “I’ll wait here,” I told him.  I
didn’t want to risk seeing my dad.  I figured he was still pretty angry with
me.
    “Okay,” he said with a smile.  “I’ll
be right back.”
    I studied his retreating figure.  He
sure looked good in a uniform.  It was so hard to believe that yesterday, I was
being hauled off to jail by him, and today, we were going out for pizza
together. 
    As I sat there, I thought about what
had happened at the river.  Dare had scared me to death with his tactics, but
he had taught me a lesson.  Maybe Dad and Jennifer were right.  Maybe I was
reckless.
    I wasn’t allowed to ponder the
thought for long, however, since I spotted Dare leaving the building.  He was
dressed in baggy cargo shorts, a t-shirt, and brightly colored skater shoes. 
He looked even better in civilian clothes than in a uniform!
    When he reached my car and was about
to climb in, Courtney and the other explorer pulled up beside us.  Dare
hesitated before getting into my car. 
    “We’re going to pizza,” he told
them.  “Wanna come?”
    I winced.  Just what I needed.  Lunch
with Courtney.
    The boy, who was driving, turned to
Courtney, then back to Dare.  “Sure, where?”
    Dare leaned into my car.  “Where to,
Laura?”
    I shrugged.  “Uh, how about
Leonardo’s?”
    He nodded, and then swung back around
to talk to the boy.  “Leonardo’s?”
    “Sounds good,” the boy said, “we’ll meet
you there.”  He and Courtney climbed out of the Blazer then.
    “Okay,” Dare called out as he climbed
into my car.
    I was about to start the car when
Courtney hurried over and peered into the passenger side window.  She didn’t
bother looking at me but she flashed Dare her most dazzling smile.  “Are you
sure you don’t want to ride with us?” she asked him.  Then her voice softened
to a whisper.  “What if she gets pulled over again?”
    “I’ll keep a close eye on her,” he
whispered conspiratorially.  “I think she’ll be okay.”
    I was about to get really angry, but
Dare turned and winked at me.  Then he turned back to Courtney.  “We’ll see you
at the pizza parlor.”
    Her eyes widened in surprise and she
drew back from the window.  “Well, okay,” she said, and then walked huffily
into the station.
    As I backed my car out, I shook my
head.  “I can’t imagine why she wants to be a deputy,” I commented.  A
statuesque brunette with emerald green eyes and a knock-out figure, Courtney
hardly fit the profile.  “Isn’t she afraid she might break a nail?” I asked in
a saccharin tone.
    “They