And what I should do.
Walk away. Go our separate ways.
“You have dust in your hair,” I blurt, and Dean reaches up, running his hand through his thick locks, messing it up and reminding me how he looked when I woke up in his bed. I take in a slow breath, talking down my libido. “I thought you stayed in the office all day.”
“I mostly do now since I’m preparing to take over once my dad retires, but I still go out and help out on job sites.” He brushes the saw dust out of his hair and off his shoulders. “We were hanging drywall today. I went by to help speed things along so I could send my guys home before the snow started.”
“That was very nice of you.”
Dean shrugs off the compliment. “It’s supposed to get nasty out there with a mix of ice and snow later.”
“Ugh, I know. All I hope is we don’t lose power. I don’t have a fireplace, and I really wanted to binge TV tonight.”
“I have a fireplace,” he says matter-of-factly. “And a generator. You can come over and take shelter with me.” His perfect lips pull up in a smirk again, and he knows exactly how good he looks right now.
I’m never one to turn down a snack when I’m starving, but I remember him giving this same exact look to that woman at the gym. Hell, he might have used this same exact line on her too.
“I’d rather take my chances at home.”
“It can take a while for the power to come back on. Last year we got hit with a similar snowstorm and the power was out for two days in some parts of town.”
“Oh no. How will I ever survive?” I roll my eyes.
Dean’s smirk turns into a smile. “Did your survival class cover how to build an igloo?”
“As a matter of fact, it did,” I snap, though by “cover” I mean we were given a piece of paper that I more or less glanced over.
“Well, you have my number. When the power goes out—which it always does after a snowstorm—call me.” His phone chirps with a text and he digs it out of his jacket pocket, grinning at whatever someone texted.
I’m sure it’s a woman, fawning all over his macho-man offer to keep them warm during a snowstorm. I blink and the image of us, naked on the couch while a fire crackles and pops in the hearth, flashes through my mind. My body reacts on its own accord, and I have to work hard to keep my resolve from crumbling and accepting his offer to ride out the storm together.
He lives closer to the hospital than I do. I could always run and grab a toothbrush and have what I need to get up in the morning and go into work.
All it will do is lead to more disappointment.
“Don’t hold your breath,” I huff and inch my cart forward. “I’ve been just fine on my own this far. I’m sure I’ll survive.”
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s better to be safe than sorry? I proved last time I can take care of you in more ways than one during a power outage, didn’t I?”
I roll my eyes. “Laying it on a little thick there, aren’t you?”
“Only because you’re so stubborn.”
My fingers tighten around the cart again. “We had our fun, Dean, but now it’s time for us both to move on. I know I’m hard to get over, but you’ve got to let me go.”
He stares at me for a good few seconds and then laughs. “But how can I when I know how good it feels to have you in my bed?”
My eyes widen and the older couple whose cart is full of bread and milk slows, giving Dean a dirty look. Witty comebacks have never been my forte, and I usually think of the perfect thing to say hours—or even days—after the moment has come and gone.
So instead, I do what I do best, and just stare at Dean in awkward silence, lips parted as my brain turns like a rusty wheel as I try to come up with a response.
“That’s what I thought.” He flashes a cock grin and takes a step back. “I’ll keep my phone by me,” he says with a wink. “Just in case.”
And then he turns and walks away.
Never in my life have I been so turned on and so irritated by someone at the same time. Damn you, Dean Dawson.“Perfect.” I bring my bowl of soup into my lap and turn on the TV. I’ve been home from the store for a while now, and plugged in my laptop and phone, just in case. I even took a quick shower and turned on the dishwasher while it was only half full.