Sharing a bed with Dean every night was an indulgence. One I never wanted to end, though of course it would eventually.
“Since we’re distracted anyway,” Dean said, “I was thinking we should do something else the rest of the afternoon.”
“Like what?”
“Been a while since we’ve gone into town, except just to get groceries.”
I reached up to run my palm over his lightly stubbled cheek. “What should we do?”
“How about some clothes shopping? I saw you looking in a store window the last time we were down for groceries. That place with the dresses.”
“Okaaay.” I dragged the word out. “You really want to do that? Shop for clothes?”
He shrugged. “Not like I mind it. Especially when it’s for you. And I want to take you out to dinner afterward. There’s a new place that just opened on Main Street, right? Looked nice.”
The light was too dim in here to see his expression well, and what I could see gave little away. But my heart was thumping a fast rhythm, lurching up into my throat.
It almost sounded like he was asking me on a date. A very boyfriend-y date.
Even though we were sleeping together, the wholedatingpart was still a cover story, and it had been working well enough without us making appearances at romantic restaurants.
That brunch with my mom and Stephie had been awful. Pretending to have everything I wanted when I didn’t.
Now, Dean and I weresort oftogether for real. I loved what we shared. Kissing him and getting to explore his body and sleeping next to him at night. But wouldn’t a romantic dinner be evenworsenow? It would just emphasize the fact that our “relationship” was a lie. We had no future.
“I don’t know,” I said hesitantly.
“You deserve something special. You’ve been cooped up here with me for weeks. We haven’t learned anything new about Woodson or Crosshairs in a while. I know you’re frustrated.”
His fingers touched my chin and moved up the side of my face, like he was trying to map out my bone structure. To see me better, even though it was dark.
“Let me do this for you,” he murmured.
My heart was in so much trouble. Dean was going to leave again, and the poor, battered muscle in my chest was going to get torn to shreds.
“Okay,” I choked out.
If he’d already ruined me for anyone else, why not enjoy every last bit of Dean that I could get?
Hartley’s Main Street was bustling that afternoon. It seemed like everyone was out to relish the summer sun. Some kids ran past us with ice cream cones, and there was a pick-up game of soccer in the park as we passed.
“That boutique you like is up this way, isn’t it?” Dean asked.
“Yeah. Next block.”
Dean held my hand as we walked, and his thumb traced lazy circles on my palm. We looked like any other couple enjoying the day together. The thought made my chest ache.
I’d taken extra care styling my curls into a loose braid, draping it over my shoulder, and I’d worn a cute pair of shorts, a stylish top, and sandals. A little dressier than my usual, even though this wasn’treallya date. It was… I didn’t know what it was.
Dean and I had grabbed dinner together countless times as friends. But he’d never been holding my hand or possessively touching my back.
I hadn’t known what his kisses tasted like or that sexy, growly grunt he made when he first pushed his cock inside me.
The bell chimed as we stepped into the boutique, and the shop owner looked up from behind the counter, her mouth forming a shocked O shape.
“Keira! Just imagine seeing you here today. And you’ve brought Dean with you? What a treat! Looking for anything special?”
“Hi, Lorraine,” I said. “Just doing some browsing.”
