“Is that part of your plan?” I asked. “Lying in wait for innocent, unsuspecting girls to fall into your trap so you can steal a kiss?”
Reed arched an eyebrow with a shrug.
“It worked, didn’t it? I caught you, after all.”
Before I could reply, Dean grabbed the hood of Reed’s jacket and yanked him backward. Reed yelped with surprise, stumbling to catch his balance.
“Beat it, kid,” Dean growled.
“Hey, asshole,” Reed snapped. “What’s your problem?”
Then Dean moved in front of me, using his broad shoulders to completely block me from Reed’s view.
“If you don’t fuck off, the only kiss you’re getting under the mistletoe will be my fist connecting with your teeth. Got it?”
I gasped and tugged on Dean’s arm. Holy hell, I couldfeelthe tension straining in every muscle of his body. He waspissed.
“Dean—oh my God—we were justtalking,” I hissed.
Reed adjusted his coat with a huff.
“Take it easy, old man. Are you her dad or something?”
Dean took a threatening step forward, snarling.
“Why don’t you come a little closer and find out what thisold manis capable of doing to a jumped up little shit like you?”
I sputtered in shock. Dean could be just as protective as Dad on occasion, but nothing quite like this.
Reed hesitated for a moment before hurrying away.
I punched Dean in the shoulder.
“What the hell was that?”
He turned to face me with a disapproving glance.
“Really, honeybee? You were about to stick your tongue down that scrawny punk kid’s throat?”
I crossed my arms.
“Actually, I was thinking aboutkissinghim. Notsticking my tongue down his throat, as you so crudely put it. I’m an adult, Dean. If I want to make out with someone, that’s my decision.”
Dean huffed, skeptical. A muscle flexed in his jaw and I could have sworn his eyes darkened for a split second with…something too fleeting to define.
“You can do better than that, Ruby,” he said. “Get yourself a real man. Someone who treats you like a princess. That goddamn kid was just looking for a chance to get his rocks off when you bumped into him.”
I frowned.
“Well, what if I wanted to get my rocks off, too? Did you ever consider that?”
This time, Dean’s eyes definitely darkened. He started to turn away, then paused and came closer. Towering over me. Fuck, I never truly realized just how big and intimidating he was when he wanted to be.
He studied my face for several long seconds, utterly silent. I bit my tongue until I tasted blood, holding my ground.
I was lying my ass off, but Dean didn’t need to know that. I had no intention of sleeping with Reed. Or anyone else for that matter. At least…not yet. Despite my reputation as a shameless flirt, my virginity was still intact. Sure, I had plenty of opportunities to change that. But every time I tried, I chickened out and couldn’t go through with it.
Back in high school, a rumor started circulating around school that I lost my virginity around fifteen or sixteen. So, I rolled with it. Not that it was any of their business in the first place.
