Helen threw herself into Dare’s arms and his arms reluctantly slid around her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Can’t I come and visit my dad?”

“I’m not your dad.”

Helen fluttered her hand in the air dismissively. “Okay, my stepdad.” She glanced toward the dining room. “Oh, I see you have a guest. Anyone I know?”

“Helen, another time would be better.”

But Helen dodged past him and marched toward the dining room. As she marched toward Ashley, her expression suddenly switched from determination to one of confusion. Then she clenched her jaw and looked even more solemn. She stopped beside the table and glared at Ashley.

“I thought it was Jessica fucking my stepfather,” she muttered loud enough for just Ashley to hear. “But it seems you’re the little slut doing him.” Her eyes narrowed. “Well, believe me, I’ll make sure you pay for this.”

Part Two

Ashley’s stomach clenched. She hadn’t seen Helen in six years, and she had missed her, but now she was confronted by a vindictive, angry woman she barely recognized.

Of course, she could understand Helen being upset at finding Ashley here, in her stepfather’s robe, clearly having spent the night. She simply stared into Helen’s blazing brown eyes, at a loss for words.

“Helen, what are you doing in town?” Dare asked.

Helen had moved away from Autumn’s Ridge years ago, and Ashley had heard that she was living near her mother in Cambria, a town about a hundred miles south.

Helen dragged her gaze from Ashley’s, then her sour expression blossomed to one of adoration as she turned to Dare again.

“I heard you were in town on business for a while so I thought I’d come visit. It’ll give me a chance to catch up with a few old friends, too.” Her sharp gaze flickered to Ashley. “Of course I hadn’t expected one of them to be sleeping over.”

“Helen…”

At Dare’s warning tone, she sent him a sugary smile. “You don’t mind me coming to visit, do you?”

“Some warning would have been nice.”

“Yes, I suppose that would have prevented this awkward situation. So I’ll just go get settled in my room.”

She grabbed the handle to her suitcase and rolled it across the room, then down the hall.

Dare walked toward the table.

“I’m sorry about that, Ash. She does this kind of thing.”

“It’s okay. I’ll get dressed and head home.”

“You don’t have to leave.”

Ashley stood up. “But it’s best if I do. I don’t think either one of us wants to suffer the awkwardness of me staying.”

She walked to the bedroom and pulled on her clothes. She’d have to rush home to shower and change if she was going to make it to work on time. When she walked back into the living room, thankfully, there was no sign of Helen.

Dare intercepted her at the door and drew her into his arms. He was still in just his jeans and bare chested and the feel of his hot, hard flesh against her set her insides aflame. His lips found hers and the lingering kiss made her want to take his hand and drag him back to the bedroom.