Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

DEAN

Shae was always a terrible liar. It was one of her endearing qualities. She never lied about anything of substance, just little things. Like the time Mom had made a batch of cookie dough and put it in the fridge and the girls ate half of it. When confronted, Jenna said nothing and Shae shrugged, rambling about how maybe the dog had opened the fridge somehow and gotten into it. Or when Jenna dinged my car with hers, but Shae tried to take the blame, so she didn’t get into trouble. Except her car was a different color than Jenna’s and some of the paint was left on my fender. Plus, Jenna’s car had a dent and Shae’s didn’t. The funny part was, my mom would have still told Shae’s mom since they were so close so she was willing to get in trouble with both of them just to save her friend.

She stepped closer, and despite my heart racing, I didn’t move and tried to keep my face neutral. She looked up at me and my cock twitched in my pants. That was the same look she had when I was piling blankets over her. But it wasn’t just a look. If I didn’t know her so well, I could write it off. Seeing as how I’ve known her for her entire life, I knew it was full of hope and desire.

With that reminder, I moved slightly to the left and corrected my posture. She was Jenna’s friend and again, I’d known her since she was born. She dropped her gaze once I moved but reached into the cabinet and got another mug down. She pulled another packet of cocoa from the box and went about making it, pouring hot water over it. Once it was stirred, she turned, handing it to me. “Thanks for making mine. Here. Warm up.”

I took the mug, sipping the hot creamy liquid. “Thanks. Now will you please go sit by the fire?”

Her lips quirked but she didn’t argue. Instead, she went back to the living area, grabbed a few blankets and tossed them onto the sofa. I slowly walked back that way, trying to figure out what she was doing as she went to the cooler.

She grabbed something out and held it up with a huge grin, but her hand was beet red. I rushed toward her, setting my mug down on the side table and grabbing the bottle of Fireball she had fished from the ice. “Geezus.” I grabbed her hand with my other and wiped off the cold water then rubbed it over my sweatshirt. “It’s too cold to be digging through the ice.”

“But if we add Fireball to the cocoa, it’ll warm us up faster and I’m on vacation.”

Rolling my eyes, I continued trying to dry her hand. Her eyes watched me again, and I let go of her hand. “Go wrap up please and I’ll put Fireball in your cocoa.”

“And yours.” She smiled without moving an inch.

“Fine.” I motioned to the sofa. “Sit.”

She kicked her shoes off and curled up on the sofa, pulling the blankets over her legs that were tucked to her chest. I opened the bottle and poured a shot in. She obnoxiously cleared her throat, so I poured a little in mine then closed the bottle and put it on the table.

Sipping, my eyes went wide. “That’s really good.”

“You’ve had that before, haven’t you?”

I took another sip then walked to poke at the logs in the stove. “Nope. Usually Bailey’s in the cocoa but someone else was in charge of that. Plus, I don’t get hammered.”

“Because you’re still the mature adult on the trip?”

“Ha. No. I’m the third wheel. Or ninth, whatever. And the geeky older brother.”

“What? Nobody thinks that.”

I turned back. Her brow was furrowed, and her lips had turned into a pouty frown.

Shrugging, I said, “It’s okay. It’s not like I have anything else to do.”

She shook her head. “Dean, nobody thinks you’re a third wheel. We thought you liked coming with us.”

“But I am a geek?” I laughed it off, but she didn’t correct me on that.

“What’s wrong with being a geek? I could be a geek. I’m stuck behind a camera or my computer most of the time. Isn’t that what geeky is? Introverts with lots of screen time?”

“You’re far from geeky. Or introverted. And you turned your passion into a career. That’s awesome.”

“So did you. So why do you think you’re geeky since you seem to think it’s a bad thing?”

“Okay fine. I’m not a geek.” I tossed another piece of wood in, stoking the embers that finally were getting hot.

“You said it, not me. I wanna know why you think that.” She patted the sofa cushion next to her.

Sighing, I walked over and sat. Fighting with her was futile. Not that it wasn’t fun to try.

Before I could talk, she leaned across me, her heat warming my chest. But as quickly as she was practically in my lap, she leaned back, clutching the bottle of Fireball. After she worked the lid off, she poured more into my mug, then some into hers. “Vacation,” she said with a shrug, still holding the bottle.

I swirled my mug, trying to mix the liquor, then took a sip. “Whew.” My face pinched. “Vacation indeed.”

She put the bottle on the table next to her then settled back into her ball of blankets. “So. Tell me.”

“Huh? Oh. Geeky. You know, quiet, computer kid, now computer guy, I game a lot, I don’t date–”

“You don’t date…at all?”

She said it like it was bad. “So what? I don’t like people.”

“You seem to like us? Surely, you’ve had someone you were interested in.” She sipped her cocoa, her eyes still staring me down.

“I work a lot. And I don’t like crowds I guess.”

“There’s apps, you could pick up a woman at the store, I’m sure your mom has a list somewhere of eligible ladies.”

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Mom’s never mentioned trying to fix me up. She does talk about you a lot, though.” Fuck .

“Well sure, when it comes to Jenna. But we’re talking about you. Unless…has she suggested…”

“It’s Jenna. This stuff is making me say nonsense already.” I wasn’t much of a drinker. Not because I had anything against it. But my life was low stress, so I didn’t need to unwind at the end of the day and the only time I was with other people was on this trip or holiday and family functions. When you drank maybe six or seven times a year, it hit you hard.

Shae watched me closely. I didn’t think she was satisfied with my response. Mom had mentioned it. Lots of times. But I always reminded her that Shae was Jenna’s friend, and she was younger. Although, the age difference now wasn’t really that big of a deal. She was twenty-three; I was twenty-six. Mom told me about books she read where the age gap was twenty years. Three didn’t seem so bad now that she was also in her twenties.

“My mom asks about you all the time.”

I whipped my head to her. “Really? Why?”

Shae shrugged. “She always says you’re such a good boy. I was talking to her before you picked me up and she said to tell you hi. Shit!” She jumped up from the sofa, sending the blankets onto the floor.

“Are you alright?” I asked, putting my mug down and standing.

She rifled through her purse and pulled her phone out. “I forgot to text Mom we made it. And yep. She texted me three times already.” She sighed deeply and punched onto the screen.

Since I was standing, I went to poke at the fire and add another log. “I probably need to text mine, too. Did you hear from the others?”

I felt her behind me, so I turned. She had my phone in her hand. I tried to grab it, but she playfully snatched it back, so I grabbed her arm and jerked. “Gotcha.”

But I’d jerked her so hard, she was right against me, one of my hands holding her wrist, and the other landed on her hip. Her head was tilted back, and she licked her lips and I swore she was looking at mine. She didn’t move away, and I should’ve pushed her, but I didn’t.

“Dean, why do you come on this trip if you really thought you were the third wheel?” Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at me, pressing herself closer.

Do I tell her? Can I tell her? What if she’s revolted? But would she push herself against me if she was? The Fireball. She was buzzed.

Coming to my senses, I let her wrist go and pulled my phone from her hand. “Like I said before, I don’t get out much and y’all are the only people I feel comfortable around.”

Looking at my phone, my mom had texted, so I answered that we had made it. Then I read through the group texts from Jenna and the others.

“Nobody’s going to make it in tonight,” I said as I stared at the phone.

I pushed my hand through my hair then let it fall to my side as I kept reading the texts. A jolt of electricity shot through my arm straight to my chest as Shae’s hand grabbed mine.

Looking down then back up at her, I asked, “What are you doing?”

She took my phone and tossed it to the sofa. “Why do you come?”

“You’re buzzed.”

“But not drunk. I know myself. Answer me, Dean.” Her demand was firm but breathy and I wondered what my name would sound like coming from her as I pressed myself deep inside of her.

Clenching my jaw, I decided fuck it . Squeezing her hand, I used the other to cup her cheek. “To be near you.”

Her other hand circled my wrist near her face. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. “Dean, I–”

“I would never come between you and Jenna. And maybe I’m selfish for admitting this to you but I’ve wanted you so long. Longer than I should have. And this trip is the only time I can be with you without anyone knowing how I feel. And I just ruined that.”

Stepping away, I ran both hands through my hair, but she walked around me, grabbing at my hoodie. “You didn’t ruin anything. I’ve wanted you. But I thought I was just your little sister’s annoying friend.”

“You were a little annoying when we were kids.”

She punched my chest with a grin. “Ass. You’re annoying.”

I grabbed her face with both hands and pulled her to me, crushing her lips with mine. She melted against me and her lips parted, allowing me to push my tongue inside. It met hers and her hands gripped my sides. I dipped my head lower, deepening the kiss and swallowed the small moan from her.

She tasted better than I’d imagined. Her hands roamed from my sides to my chest, then down to my abs before pulling up at my hoodie.

I pulled away. “I have to tell you something.”

“You wanna tell me how a computer geek has those abs?” she asked as she tugged at my belt.

“I workout since I sit a lot for work. But that’s not it. This is serious.”

She stopped fumbling with my clothes and leaned back, looking up at me. A few loose tendrils from her messy bun fell, hanging loosely as the light from the fire danced over her face.

“Oh God, you’re married.”

“What? No.”

“Dean, I know. Just trying to break the tension. Tell me.”

Rubbing my forehead and trying to find the right words, I sighed. “I uh. I’ve never done this.”

Her brows pinched but she still didn’t seem to get what I was trying to say.

“Fuck.” I blew a breath through puffed cheeks. “I’m a virgin.”