Dean murmured, “Is that—”
Kira and Aiden’s voices were just outside the door.
“Shit,” I hissed.
Chapter 59
Dean
I straightened with a groan while Lily grabbed me by the wrist and ducked around my side, leading me into the living room where we took a seat on her pastel blue couch.
She fumbled for the TV remote on the coffee table and turned the TV on. A cooking show appeared on the screen, and she settled back into the cushions, looking far from relaxed or comfortable as she attempted to tame what my hands had done to her dress and hair.
When she realized I was watching, she dropped her hands to her lap and offered me an apologetic smile.
It was Aiden who put me in a foul mood, and he wasn't even inside yet. I didn’t think I had the patience to deal with him anymore. Just the thought of sitting through another of his conversations was giving me a headache already.
I sighed, and then pulled my arm around Lily's waist, scooting her across the couch so she was sitting closer. The motion made her smile grow and she rested her head on my shoulder.
Right in time for the front door to click open.
Here we go...
Aiden was still talking as they entered the apartment, carrying a guitar in his hands. He shut his mouth once he and Kira stepped into the living room. His expression fell flat as his eyes came to me first.
I could almost see the replay of our last interaction playing in his head.
Kira slapped her hand to her mouth on seeing us, her face quickly filled with regret as she cringed. “We’ve crashed your date! I’m so sorry.”
“No, you’re fine.” Lily tucked her legs up to kneel beside me, turning her body toward me to face them too. Her knees brushed my thigh and I gently squeezed one, grabbing her attention long enough for me to narrow my eyes slightly at her.
I had plans to bury my face between your legs on this couch, was what I wanted to say.
Lily squeezed my thigh back and then looked at Kira and Aiden again. “You’re off work early.”
Kira shrugged her bag off, dropping it by her bedroom door. “Yeah, the owner wanted to shut the shop early for a family thing—”
“And my shifts at the bodega have been moved around,” Aiden cut in, moving into the living room to flop into the couch adjacent to us. His back to the living room window. “So I got to finish work with her.”
I had never wanted to shove someone out of a window more than in that moment. His very existence pissed me off.
“Exactly.” Kira’s smile was dim. As if she realized this, she blinked and looked at Lily and me. A more genuine smile spread to her face and she began pulling her vibrant red hair into a bun. “How was your date? Before we crashed it.”
“You didn’t crash it,” I said.
But he did.
I wouldn’t have a problem if it was just Kira. She was a good friend to Lily, so I trusted her. Way more than the dipshit sitting with us.
Kira half smiled before Lily went on to tell her about our day. I was half listening as I kept an eye on Aiden, anticipating the moment he cut Lily off or shut down what brought her joy. Instead, he scoffed quietly and got to his feet, leaving his guitar resting against the couch as he headed for the kitchen. Lily didn't mind as she spoke mainly to Kira anyway, who sat down on Lily's other side.
With Aiden occupying himself with the orange juice from the fridge, I figured he wasn’t going to say anything after all.
Until he did.
“You went to a bookstore on your date?”
I breathed in sharply, propping my elbow up on the arm of the couch, and covered my mouth with a clenched fist.
