Sly was really upset about it. Was it really because he thought Jagger was pressuring me? Or was it jealousy?
Deciding it isn’t something I want to ask, I grab my bag and start searching for something to wear. Black and white plaid material catches my eye, and I smile, knowing exactly what I want to wear. I set it aside, knowing it will only take me a few minutes to get dressed, then I head over to where Jagger is sitting on the large couch.
He sees me approach and pats the spot next to him. I happily sit down and snuggle into his side, his arm wraps around me as he plays with something he ordered yesterday. They called it a tablet. It works similarly to a phone.
I watch as he scrolls through the online store, adding a few things to the cart. “I guess we’re staying here for two nights so that we can get some more stuff?” I ask. He nods, then passes it to me with an eyebrow raised in question.
I take it, thinking about a couple of things I wanted to get. When I type in my search for the first one,Jagger squeezes me tight. I look up at him, and his blue eyes stare at me intently, like he wishes he could tell me something. I shrug and lick my lips as I try to explain. “If I have an ASL book, I can learn and teach the others while you drive.”
He tilts my chin up and starts to lower his face toward mine. My heart thumps heavily with anticipation, and I close my eyes just as his lips brush across mine in the briefest of kisses. He pulls back way too soon, and when I open my eyes, he kisses my forehead, then pulls me back in to rest against his chest.
Feeling that flutter of butterflies in my stomach, I try to relax against him as I continue my shopping. When Pete joins us, sitting right next to me, I pass the tablet to him. Sly turns on the TV and stops flipping channels to some nature show.
I watch with interest as a boat idles in the ocean, and something dark starts to move in the water below. Something large breaks the surface, and a large gust of water blows high into the air. My eyes widen in surprise. “Was that a whale?” I ask, leaning forward to get a better look.
“Yeah, a blue whale, I think,” Sly tells me as I watch the large creature move around the boat.
“It’s huge! I thought they were like… I don’t know, six feet long?”
“Some are a lot smaller, but several species are much larger. The blue whale is the largest mammal in the world. I believe they can grow up to around a hundred feet.”
“No way!” I inch forward on my seat, watching with rapt fascination.
Of course, I’d learned about whales and other animals as part of my education growing up, but it was brief, and seeingthem on TV was a lot different from seeing an illustration in a book.
Eventually, the show shifts to squids, which are also fascinating, but I excuse myself to get ready for my date.
I change in the bathroom and look at my reflection nervously, hoping Dex likes my outfit. Taking a deep breath, I step back out into the living space and move around to where the three of them are still watching TV.
“Um, guys?” Three sets of eyes turn in my direction.
“Fucking hell,” Pete says with a groan as he grabs a pillow and pulls it into his lap, his green eyes moving up and down my body, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.
“No,” Sly says, and I turn to him with a frown. He shakes his head. “No way. Go change.”
My shoulders slump at his apparent disapproval of my outfit. “You hate it?”
Pete laughs, and movement from Jagger has me look up as he signs,“You look beautiful.”
My cheeks heat at his praise. “Thank you.”
“She can’t go out like that. Everyone will be staring at her,” Sly says, throwing an arm out in my direction.
“They’re gonna look at her no matter what she’s wearing,” Pete says with a grin as he continues to look up and down my body.
There’s a loud knock at the door, and my eyes widen in alarm. Sly jumps up, squeezing my shoulder as he passes. “You wait here, I’ll see who it is.” He heads over and looks out the peephole, his shoulders dropping when he sees who’s there.
“Wren, it looks like your date has arrived.”
I pinch my eyebrows in confusion, and he beckons me over. As I approach, he opens the door to reveal Dex. He’sholding a bunch of flowers in his hand that look like they don’t quite belong together. A button-up shirt stretches so tightly over his chest and biceps that I’m worried it might rip at the slightest movement. He’s styled his hair back and smiles at me as he passes me the flowers.
“These are for you.”
“Thank you, Dex,” I say, taking the flowers and giving them a sniff. “They’re lovely.”
“Why don’t I put those in some water for you, so you can get going?” Sly asks, and I pass them to him with a thanks.
I say goodbye to the others, then Dex takes my hand and leads me down the hall to the elevator. As we wait for it to arrive, he turns me toward him and looks me up and down, and nerves fill me at his perusal. Will he hate it as Sly does?
