I stare her down. I am an asshole, I don’t deny it, but my stance remains the same. I have no problems with alcohol, but I am very aware that a hangover and a baby don’t bode well together.
“I am not fucking hungover,” She snaps at me, “I don’t drink alone, I just didn’t sleep.”
“Why didn’t you sleep?” I press, my mind whirling back to the possibility of her having a boyfriend who kept her up all night. The jealousy burns in my throat. There’s no fucking way I want this woman,none. I can think she’s attractive, but what the fuck does it matter if she’s taken?
“Was this in the contract?” She fires back.
“What?”
“A requirement to have every single detail about my personal life.”
“If it affects my daughter, then I should know.”
She scoffs, the sound rough and loud, “I’m tired. You never been tired before, Dean? Must be nice.”
A loaded silence falls between us as she glowers at me, the inside of her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Eventually though, I move to the side and let her in.
She’s careful as she passes by me, pressing herself as close to the wall as she can get so as not to touch me. Not sure I’ve ever had a woman sorepulsedby me before.
“I don’t sleep,” I offer to her back, kicking the door closed behind me.
“What?” She pauses.
“I don’t sleep either,” I sigh, adjusting Lily, “Even before Lily, I just never managed to get a good night.”
“I’m your employee,” She says icily, “Not your friend.”
I can’t help it, I laugh, “My, my, someone’s extra bitchy when they’re tired.”
“At least I have an excuse,” She gives me a saccharine smile and then spins on me again, heading into the kitchen to brew a fresh pot of coffee. I like this side of Sloane, but then, it’s the only side I know. We’ve never really seen eye to eye, after all.
Despite the sizzling animosity radiating from her, she pours two cups and fixes mine exactly how I like it. “Should I be worried you know how I like it?”
“Take your head out of your ass, Dean,” She rolls her eyes, “I watched you make it yesterday.”
My eyes flick around her face, noticing the tension around her eyes, the subtle downturn of her lips.
“If you’re tired, Sloane, the spare room is available for you to get some sleep in when Lily goes down for her nap.”
For just a moment, a flicker of time, I see her soften. But just as quickly as it came, it goes, and she returns to that hard-shelled woman I know.
“I’m a big girl, Dean. I don’t need you to look after me.”
“No?” I press, handing Lily over when she opens her arms for her. “So, who does look after you?” The prying question wasn’t one I had any intention of asking, but it slipped out anyway, a subtle prod for more information on whether she spends her nights alone.
“I do.” Is all she replies before she takes my daughter and leaves the room, shutting down all conversation.
Chapter Nine
Iwish I could lie to myself and say I wasn’t a little disappointed when Dean answered the door fully dressed this morning. I really could have used a little pick me up after the night I had, and man chests with nice abs and a nipple ring would have helped. But then he opened his mouth, and I remembered the nice abs and the nipple ring came with him, and we don’t like Dean.
My night was nothing new, nightmares and thrashing, a never-ending battle I can’t even escape in my dreams. There was blood and burning flesh and screaming, and it had woken me up just after two in the morning, and I’d barely gotten any sleep after that. I could have taken one of the sleeping pills my doctor prescribed months ago, but I dislike taking them. They make me feel out of control, too drowsy and weak, especially when I wake from them, and I’d rather be tired than helpless.
“Well, good morning, sweet girl,” I coo to Lily as she lays propped on the cushions on the couch, “Isn’t this a cute little romper?”
Dean has dressed her in this off-white romper that has little bunnies and flowers printed all over it, her dark mop of hair all messy on top of her head.
“If you need anything,” I look to Dean hovering in the doorway, “I’ll be downstairs.”
