If We DareSwoon Series
J.H. Croix
Contents
If We Dare
1. Jade
2. Walker
3. Jade
4. Walker
5. Jade
6. Walker
7. Jade
8. Walker
9. Jade
10. Walker
11. Jade
12. Jade
13. Walker
14. Jade
15. Jade
16. Walker
17. Jade
18. Walker
19. Walker
20. Jade
21. Jade
22. Jade
23. Walker
24. Jade
25. Walker
26. Jade
27. Jade
28. Walker
29. Jade
30. Walker
31. Jade
32. Walker
Epilogue
Excerpt: Steal My Heart
Find My Books
Acknowledgments
About the Author
If We Dare
Have you ever gone on a fake date? With your brother’s best friend?
It all started when he rescued me from a dumpster. Not my best moment.
Grumpy, broody, too hot to handle Walker needs a date for a wedding. Let the complications begin.
It’s not even a real date. I’m not even supposed to notice smokin’ hot Jade. I don’t believe in love, and weddings give me hives. Jade is smart and feisty, and she claims she’s man-proof. She’s perfect.
Perfect until we’re stuck together for the weekend, and I can hardly keep my eyes, or my hands, off her. Perfect until I kiss her, and one kiss turns into so many more. And more.
She stole the covers, and then she stole my heart.
One wedding. One weekend. Two hearts. It’s all for show, right?
“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” ~Amelia Earhart
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2020 J.H. Croix
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Najla Qamber Designs
Cover Photography: Wander Aguiar
Cover models: Forest Harrison & Jessica Tolon
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Chapter One
Jade
“Hey!” I called, my eyes trained on the jerk who was getting a little too handsy with a woman at the bar. I’d served her and her friends a few minutes ago, and tonight was her twenty-first birthday.
The woman in question, Megan something or other, tried to laugh it off, politely taking a few steps away. It was crowded in the bar tonight, though, so there wasn’t far for her to go. The man immediately closed the space between them.
“Hey!” I called, quickly lifting a section of the counter at the back of the bar, slipping out, and aiming right for the group where they were standing.
Megan wasn’t alone, but her friends were tied up flirting. Striding up to the man, I tapped him on the shoulder. He turned back, a leer affixed to his face. “Oh, hey, hot bartender, what can I do for you?” he slurred.
I silently cursed the other bartender on duty tonight, Joe, who tended not to pay too much attention to just how drunk people were getting and continued to serve them anyway. That was a problem for another evening, though. Narrowing my eyes as I looked up at the lumbering jerk standing before me, I rested a hand on my hip. “Back the fuck off. It doesn’t look like she appreciates your attention.”
Megan’s eyes met mine—I only knew her name because I’d carded her—relief passing across her face. “Thank you,” she mouthed.
“Since when do you speak for all women?” The man punctuated this sentence with a long burp, which got a few guffaws from his friends surrounding him.
I cast a sharp gaze amongst the group. I had no problem throwing every single one of these guys out. “Like I said, back off. Consider this my last warning.”
The asshole still didn’t get it. He leaned down, getting a little too close to my face, and slurred. “Fuck off. Get back behind the bar and serve my friends some drinks.”
Perhaps I should’ve been afraid, but I wasn’t. For starters, the bar-back and Joe were around and nearby. I also had friends here tonight, even if they didn’t happen to be in this precise corner of the sprawling Lost Deer Bar where I was only covering a shift as a favor tonight.
“That does it. You’re out of here,” I said, gesturing over my shoulder toward the door as I reached for the guy’s arm.
“Hell no! I’m not fucking leaving,” he grumbled, reaching for poor Megan, who was pinned against the wall at this point, doing her best to look invisible. He snatched her hand. Well, fuck it.
Ignoring the rumble of voices around me, I lifted my boot and kicked him right in the knee. I decided to go for that instead of his balls as a starting point. In the back of my mind, I was legitimately wondering where the hell my help was.
The guy cried out in pain. His broad face turned a mottled red as he dropped Megan’s hand—that was my goal, so I took that as a win—and stepped toward me. Next thing I knew, he’d grabbed me by the waist with both hands and heaved me in the air.
I didn’t scare easy, but now a little bit of fear bolted through me. I was known for getting myself in a pickle here and there, and I just might’ve gone and done that now.
Before I could make a peep, a voice came over my shoulder. “Put her down. Now.”
Whoever spoke wasn’t waiting. Next thing I knew, a hand shot out, slamming into the guy’s elbow. Something happened to the guy’s knees too. He stumbled and cried out sharply. Just as I began to tumble loose from his hold, my savior caught me with one arm and pulled me against his side.
I glanced up into the face of Walker Hudson. My body felt as if a live wire had grazed
