“Yes, ma’am.”
“And two.” Her face softened in disbelief. “He offered to have you made?”
“He did.”
“You didn’t accept though?”
I shook my head, smiling a little when her shoulders dropped. “I think I’m already involved with enough of his bullshit as is.”
“Maybe we should just lock ourselves in here.” She lowered herself again, huffing a laugh as she began absentmindedly tracing her finger across my chest and stomach. “We wouldn’t have to ever face the world again. And if Antonio came knocking, I’d smother him with a pillow.”
I chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “You’d willin’ly take out a mob boss for me?”
“Yes,” she said.
The matter-of-fact tone in her voice made me grin before I reached for her hand. Lifting it from my chest, I turned it upright and pressed my palm into hers. In comparison, her slender, unscarred, and uncalloused hands were much smaller. The tips of my fingers could curl over the tops of hers. I didn't realize I had drifted into my head until she threaded her fingers through mine and squeezed gently.
“You’re doing it again.” She was looking up from where her head lay.
“Sorry...” I tilted my head to get a better view of her face. “I was thinkin’ about the night we met.”
She laughed quietly and propped herself up on her elbow. “When Aiden was asking for a photo, or when I rolled the dumpster into you?”
I mirrored her position, pulling the sheet back over my thigh. “I meant the first time I laid eyes on you. When I walked out into the pit and saw you standin’ in the crowd in that green dress.”
Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled. “You remember what I was wearing?”
“How could I forget?” I half smiled. “You looked so overwhelmed but curious. I just remember thinkin’, how the hell did somethin’ that beautiful wind up in a place like that.”
Lily quickly schooled her features, until the corner of her mouth curved up. Definitely not the reaction I was expecting, especially when she started to laugh a little.
I smiled too, though with a little confusion as I watched her. “What?”
“I'm sorry. I think that was the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said." She was blushing and grinning.
“Are you deflectin’ my compliment?” I cocked an eyebrow, leveling her with a look of scrutiny that made her eyes widen.
“Dean, don't you dare—”
She let out a joyous yelp when I seized her waist and curled my fingers into her side. When she tried to roll out of reach, I pulled my arms around her middle and dragged her backward into me, pinning her against my chest as she squirmed.
“Accept the compliment and it stops,” I smiled against her ear, squeezing her side again. She tried to arch away from my body, laughing breathlessly as she pulled at my arms. They wouldn’t budge.
“I accept!” She laughed and I loosened my grip.
As she caught her breath, I kissed the back of her neck. And then her shoulder where the shirt had slipped off.
“You are beautiful,” I muttered against her skin.
I saw her cheeks rise slightly — she was smiling — before she arched into my body again. Her movements were slower, teasing, as she brushed her ass back. We were separated by the sheet and her underwear.
“Is that how you threaten everyone? With tickling?” she asked coyly, writhing her hips.
I hummed, bringing my mouth to the side of her neck while she tilted her head to give me better access. My hand slipped under her T-shirt and drifted down her stomach when I answered her without thinking. “Just my girlfriend.”
Lily froze in my arms and looked over her shoulder at me with her eyebrows raised in surprise.
Pulling back a little, I frowned at myself. “Sorry. I don’t know why I said that. I should’ve asked first—”
