If You Dare Read Online Free PDF Page B

it into his forearm.
    “Ow!” he yelled.
    Her eyes went wide for a split second, but she’d drawn back to hit him again. “Lily!” Hearing her name made her hesitate, but her body was already moving in an arc and he took another blow to the forearm.
    He snagged the watering can and yanked, but she tipped off balance and started to fall. Marcus dropped the can with a clatter and caught her around the waist, pressing inch upon inch of Lily McIntire up against his torso.
    God. She felt amazing.
    In no mood to cuddle, she yanked away from him and picked up the toy ax, swinging it at him full force. On the second connecting hit, the blade squeaked. She stopped swinging and frowned at the weapon.
    “Lily, dammit!” Marcus wrestled with the mask again, yipping as he pulled it off along with a bit of hair from the back of his head. He rubbed the spot while she blinked at him, eyes wide, mouth open.
    “Are you okay?” he asked. She didn’t look terrified anymore. She looked pissed .
    She lowered the ax and shoved against his chest with her free hand. “Am I ‘okay’?”
    “Relax, Lil, I’m—”
    But “sorry” didn’t make it out of his mouth. Lily wielded the plastic ax and swung it again. She was a lot stronger than he’d thought. Did she take jujitsu or something? She was going to maim him with the faux weapon if he didn’t stop her. He blocked his face with one arm and caught the toy with the other. “Lily, stop!”
    He attempted to drag the ax out of her hand but only dragged her with it. When she reached his side, he wrapped an arm around her one more time. To contain her, he told himself, but really he’d just wanted to hold her close until she calmed down. He hadn’t meant to scare the bejeezus out of her.
    With her against him, he took in Lily’s wild hair, narrowed eyes, and flushed cheeks with way more admiration than the situation called for.
    Especially since she looked downright murderous.
    “What the hell are you doing?” she shouted in his face. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”
    Not like he could tell her the truth. That he wanted her to give up the bet so he could take her on a real date. Silence was the only option. He gave her a sheepish shrug.
    She gestured at the mask in his hand. “You’re trying to scare me off?”
    He smirked, hoping he could save some face. “I’ve never been to Hawaii.”
    “Yeah?” She snatched the mask out of his hand and threw it into the front yard like a Frisbee. “Well, you’re not going now, either.”
    Lily shook out of his grip and stomped into the mansion with renewed purpose. She swung the door shut, or tried to, anyway. He wedged his hiking boot in the crack, preventing her from shutting him out.
    She glared through the gap in the door. “Move.”
    “Look, I’m sorry.” Marcus knew he needed to wipe the half smile off his face, but damn, she looked good tonight in black jogging pants that fit snugly around her butt and a matching zip-up hoodie, with the word “couture” emblazoned over her breasts.
    She continued glaring.
    He held his palms in front of him but didn’t move his foot. “It was immature, I know. Let me in, and I’ll explain.”
    Those blue eyes narrowed further.
    “Lily, come on. What do you have to lose?”
    …
    Frustration seeped from Lily’s every pore, thanks to the man gracing her doorway. She’d like to tell him where he could shove that explanation, and the mask for that matter, but as her adrenaline ebbed, so did her rage. The feeling now washing through her bloodstream felt a lot like…relief. The familiar sight of someone she knew was much better than facing someone who wanted to shish-kabob her.
    What had he been thinking, coming after her like a crazed madman? “You can explain from out there.”
    He dropped his arms, licked his lip, and bit down on it, his dimple showing in the pale light sifting through the doorway. She sort of hated how handsome he was when she was trying to be angry.
    “First