She cut Jane a glare. “We’re going home. Now.”
After one more disgusted look in Dean’s direction, she turned on her heel and left with Jane following a little reluctantly.
I sank back into the bed. “She hates me.”
Dean shifted, lifting the corner of the pillow up to look at me with one eye open. “She doesn’t hate you.” He spoke with that deep, husky, sleep-filled voice I had grown to like. “She’s just not used to things not going her way.”
“I just wish she wasn’t so stubborn all the time. If she’d just let me explain...anything, maybe she could understand that I’m not doing this out of spite.” I breathed in and sighed, resting my hands on my stomach. “I don’t even know how to be rebellious, for fuck sake.”
The bed shook slightly before I realized Dean was laughing quietly from under the pillow.
My eyes narrowed on him as I pursed my lips to stop from smiling. “Well, don’t laugh.”
“I’m sorry.” His cheek dimpled as he composed himself, continuing to hold the corner of the pillow up. “I’ve just never met someone who made swearing adorable.”
I rolled my eyes and turned on my side to face him, laying in silence for a moment as I studied his face. I said quietly, “I wish she could see you when you’re like this.”
His eyebrows rose but he remained silent.
“Beyond the tattoos and whatever stereotypes she’s put on you.” I brought my fingertips to his lips and traced them lightly. “You’re not bad. Or dangerous.”
Something flickered in his eyes before he propped himself up on his elbows and brought his face closer to mine. But I hesitated and he paused.
“What?” he frowned.
“We just napped. I have nap breath— I haven’t brushed my teeth,” I cringed, but then reconsidered because he didn't care, and neither should I. “Fuck it.”
I drew my arms around his broad shoulders and pulled him gently into a kiss.
He chuckled and muttered onto my lips, “My little rebel.”
Chapter 53
Dean
Lily made me appreciate all the little things. Like flowers. I had never given two shits about flowers until now. We passed at least three florists on the way to this pop-up gallery Kira had invited us to, and all I could think of was which bouquet suited Lily better.
I never bought flowers for anyone, not even for my mother when she was recovering in hospital. I didn’t see the point of buying someone something that was going to eventually wilt and die anyway. But now I wanted to decorate Lily’s bedroom with them; to see her face light up when I brought her a bunch; to tickle her soft skin with pink rose petals until she blushed the same color.
Fuck, I loved the way she blushed.
“Thank you for agreeing to come along to this,” she said softly, flattening out the creases in her light blue sundress as she patted the light fabric against her thighs. She matched her white sneakers and earrings (a tiny pair of white flowers) to the little white flower pattern on her dress. When I picked her up outside of her apartment this afternoon, I almost asked if we could cancel our plans just so I could spend time alone with her and that sundress. It hugged her body just right—
I nodded once, tapping my thumb on the steering wheel. “Anytime.”
She brought up this double date over breakfast at her place. While I loathed the idea of seeing Aiden again, I wasn’t comfortable with Lily being alone with him. Even if Kira was there with her. I didn’t trust him, so I agreed to come. Probably a little too quickly going off the surprised look on her face this morning.
I pulled my eyes off the road when we arrived at a red light.
There was a subtle smile on her face as she looked ahead, brushing her golden-brown hair from her shoulders as she fixed the strap of her dress. I wanted to lean across, gently slide that strap down, and replace it with my mouth.
“Dean.”
“Yeah...” I lifted my gaze from the dip between her collarbones to her blue doe eyes.
She smiled bashfully, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth as she pointed towards the windshield. “The light.”
Her words were echoed by the blasting of a horn from the car behind us, crashing through my daze.
