Page 27

DEAN

“I cannot believe you brought your damn turtle to a roller derby game.”

“I can’t believe you can’t believe it.” I set Leo’s on-the-go hut on the chair next to mine. “He’s been looking lonely lately. With all the rain we’ve been having, I haven’t had the chance to get him to the park. He needs some action.”

“I thought turtles were loners.”

“Some are, but since he grew up with people, he’s pretty used to them and doesn’t spook too easily. He’s more curious than anything.” I tap the hut with my knuckle, and he bumps his nose against it. “Plus, look how cute he is. Do you really think I can leave him in his terrarium all the time?”

“You’re so strange,” she mutters.

“You like my strange.”

“That’s about the only thing I like about you.”

“Oh, I have it on good authority that’s not true.” I put my lips to her ear, and she shivers at the contact. “You like my abs. My mouth. My co?—”

She covers said mouth with her hand, and I laugh, pulling it away.

“Cooking skills,” I finish.

“First of all, cooking and you know what don’t even have the same vowel sound—you’re reaching. Second, I know better than anyone your cooking skills are trash.” Her red hair bounces as she shakes her head.

“Too soon, River. Too soon.”

I was worried last week at The Gravy Train that something had shifted between us, but everything fell back into place when we walked out of the bathroom.

Something was bothering her when she went in though, and I’d bet money it was me telling Sam we’re dating. Thing is, I was backed into a corner and had to cover with something. River’s mood shifted the moment I said I was her boyfriend.

I’m not sure if she was upset that I said it, or if she wanted it to be true.

Either answer has me sweating.

My insurance agent called this morning to let me know my apartment will be finished next week, about two weeks sooner than expected. On one hand, I’m glad to be done with this fire fiasco so soon. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t bummed my time with River is being cut short.

Looks like the clock on this game we’re playing is winding down, and we’re nearing the final buzzer.

The craziest part? I want to keep playing.

I just have no idea which team River’s on.

“I have literally zero idea about this sport,” she says, flipping through the program. “You’re going to have to explain it.”

“Your guess is going to be as good as mine. I’m a roller derby virgin.”

“Don’t worry,” Caroline says in front of us. “I’ll have Cooper explain it to you when he gets back with snacks. He loves it.”

“Coop is here? Thank fuck. Thought I was going to have to endure spending another night alone with River.”

“Hey!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” I throw my arm around her shoulders, but she shoves me off.

“Don’t touch me,” she says.

“Uh-huh. Just remember that later when you’re begging me to do just the opposite.”

A giggle comes from behind us and I peek at who’s listening in.

It’s the woman from the elevator, the one who said she always knew we’d get together. I still can’t remember her name.

“Such a cute couple.” She grins. “When did you two start dating?”

“Uh…” I scratch at my stubble.

It’s one thing to tell a twelve-year-old we’re dating for the sake of not explaining the term FWB, but it’s another to use the same lie with someone else.

That starts to make the lie a whole lot more real.

“A little over a month ago now,” River answers.

I raise a brow at her, and she shrugs with a grin.

About ten people around us, most from our building and a few from the diner, mumble and grumble. Someone sitting three seats down whoops with delight.

“Pay up, suckers!”

Caroline spins around in her chair, scowling at us. “You two just cost me fifty bucks.”

Money starts changing hands, everyone forking it over to the little old lady sitting at the end. It’s Mailbox Betty, a nickname earned for always sitting around the mailboxes snooping on packages and eavesdropping on conversations. Everyone in the building knows she’s the gossip queen.

“I told you all!” She collects the cash coming her way. “I had a hunch.”

“A hunch? You’re just a nosy old bat!” someone shouts from two rows to the left behind us.

“Uh, what the hell is going on?” River asks, looking around the crowd. “Caroline?”

She winces, her cartoon-like blue eyes filled with terror and remorse. “Funny story…”

I snicker, remembering what River said about that phrase.

“There was sort of a…pool going on,” Caroline continues. “In the building and at the diner.”

“A pool?”

“Like a giant betting pool,” I say. I sit back, crossing my arms with an amused grin. “You dicks have been betting on our relationship status, haven’t you?”

Several of them bob their heads up and down.

I laugh.

Of course they would.

“What!” River explodes, shooting up from her chair. “You guys have seriously been betting on us?” More nods. “That is messed up on so many levels.” She turns her heated gaze on Caroline. “And you knew? Participated ?”

She has the decency to look ashamed. “The winning pot could pay an entire month’s rent.”

“You are so fired!” River says.

Caroline’s jaw drops, and I shake my head. “No you’re not.”

“Shut up, Dean. She is too.” She motions toward the other gamblers. “And ha! The joke is on all of you because we aren’t dating. We’re just friends with benefits.”

Several people exchange glances, all looking at each other to see if anyone had that piece of information.

Then one by one, they all fall into fits of laughter.

“Oh, honey,” Mailbox Betty says, swiping at her eyes. “What you two are is not friends with benefits. You’re dating.”

“No we’re not!” River argues back. “We are definitely not dating.”

I bristle at the hardness in her voice. Like she can’t even fathom someone suggesting such a thing in a serious capacity. Like dating me would be the worst thing in the world.

Guess now I don’t have to worry—she clearly doesn’t feel the same as I do about keeping this going.

That peculiar ache returns, and I rub at my chest, trying to get it to go away.

Several people give us a sad smile at River’s continued insistence. A few people put their heads together, whispering and pointing.

Okay then…

A pair of skates skid into my peripheral as Lucy skates to a stop in front of us. She removes her mouthguard, her hands going to her hips.

“Who won?” she asks.

“Lucy!” River admonishes. “You too?”

Our building manager grins. “Who do you think organized it?”

I laugh, and it gains River’s attention.

“Please do not tell me you’re in on it too. Tell me this is not some version of She’s All That or something where the hot guy gets the dorky chick to sleep with him all for a bet.”

“First, I’m so happy to hear you think I’m hot. Second, no, I’m not in on this. I’m just as surprised as you.” I glance around the group. “And flattered you all care about my sex life so much.”

A few of them snicker.

River drops back down into her chair. “Assholes. The whole lot of them.”

“Just some harmless fun,” Lucy says, tapping her skate against River’s foot. “We don’t mean anything by it, dear, though I am glad you two finally got together.”

“But we?—”

“Oh, just give it a rest and accept it already, River,” Caroline pipes up.

I’m surprised because she’s typically so shy and quiet.

“You’re sleeping together and living together.

You do everything together, include annoy the rest of us with your will they, won’t they schtick.

Just call it what it is: you’re dating.”

“For the record, I’m with her,” Lucy says. She looks at me. “Heard the good news about your apartment. You excited to get back in there?”

River freezes next to me.

Fuck.

I plaster on a false smile for Lucy. “Yep. I can’t wait.”

She nods, grinning back at me, but her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Good. That’s…good. Well, I better get to reffing. The game is about to start. I appreciate you coming out to see this old lady skate in a bunch of circles.”

She taps River’s foot again, drawing her attention.

“You’re not alone in your feelings.”

With a wink, she glides off to the center of the rink.

“What was that?” I ask.

River shrugs, staring after Lucy, face twisted in confusion. “I have no clue.”

“Huh.”

“Hey, guys,” Cooper says, sliding in between the seats. “What’d I miss?”

Caroline hitches her thumb over her shoulder. “You owe Mailbox Betty fifty bucks.”

We’ve barely said ten sentences to each other since Lucy dropped the news that my apartment is almost done.

On one hand, I’m glad River’s quiet about it. I don’t have to hear if she’s excited or not that I’m leaving

And on the other, it makes me absolutely fucking insane .

“You were going to tell me, right?” She rolls over to face me, peering up at me with round eyes. “About your apartment. You were going to tell me before you left?”

“No. I was just going to pack my shit and leave.”

Her jaw drops, and I laugh.

“Yes, River. Of course I was going to tell you. Why wouldn’t I?”

“It would be…I don’t know.” She lifts a shoulder. “Awkward? We said we wanted to avoid that.”

We said a lot of things, like no attachments.

I fucked that one up royally.

I’ve grown way too comfortable over here in the past month. Going back to my apartment is going to be hard, probably harder than I thought.

It’s not going to be harder than moving past this thing we’re doing and pretending nothing happened.

But if that’s what River wants…

I lift my hand to her shoulder and drag my fingertips down her arm in slow, sweet strokes. Her skin pebbles under my touch, and I can see her nipples do too. “We did say that, but I guess I’d hope you know me better by now. After…everything.”

“Everything,” she repeats quietly.

I’ve been with River for over a month now, seen parts of her I only dreamed of seeing.

But this moment?

It’s the most naked we’ve been.

Lying in the quiet room, nothing between us but a sheet.

“When?”

It’s whispered, so low I almost don’t hear it.

“Next week,” I tell her.

She exhales slowly, then nods.

Leaning forward, she lays her lips against mine. Not kissing me, just resting them there as she pushes me onto my back. She swings her leg over my hip, straddling me.

My cock brushes against the heat between her legs, and the desire I always seem to have for her swells to life.

“Then we better make it count, Dean.”

And we do.