Page 8

RIVER

“The good news is whoever threw the blanket on the flames helped contain the fire and it didn’t spread past the apartment.”

I let out a heavy breath. Seeing as I’m his next-door neighbor and the most likely to sustain damage, I’m relieved by the firefighter’s words.

“Ha!” Dean points to me like he’s the smartest man alive, feeling extra proud of himself for helping contain the fire he started.

“But whoever threw water on the grease wasn’t too bright and could have burned the entire building down.”

I don’t even bother trying to hide my smirk as Dean cowers into himself, full of embarrassment.

Good. Moron.

Who doesn’t know that the one thing you definitely do not do is throw water on a grease fire?

And to think he’s teaching our youths…

Though, if I am being one hundred percent fair…I didn’t know this until I also threw water on a grease fire and almost burned my own house down.

Suppose Dean and I now have something in common.

Technically, two things: grease fires and pie.

But I’m not giving him the satisfaction of ever admitting my mistake out loud.

Dean looks to the firefighter. “What’s the bad news?”

“You burned your apartment.”

“Fully aware.” His teeth gnash together, jaw tight with frustration. “I meant?—”

“Is that a turtle?” the firefighter interrupts, pointing to Leo, who is sitting between us in his hut at the back of the ambulance. “Were there any other pets inside the apartment?”

“Just Leo here.”

“You named your turtle Leo?” The man huffs. “How original.”

“Thank you!” I toss my hands up. “That’s what I said!”

“He’s actually named after Tolstoy.”

“Uh-huh. I’m sure that’s what you were going for and you didn’t just come up with that after you named your turtle after the Ninja Turtle and people made fun of you for it.”

“I don’t have to answer to you, especially when you’re dressed like a baked potato.” Dean’s eyes drift down my body.

I don’t get the same chills I got when he raked that gaze over my towel-clad body earlier. The hair on my arms doesn’t stand on end, and my whole being doesn’t tingle with something I haven’t felt in a really long time.

No. Now, I’m mortified.

I look ridiculous.

Like the idiot I am, so wrapped up in my anger at Dean, I ran next door to yell at him in nothing but my towel.

By the time I’d realized it, it was too late to turn back. He was opening the door, and I am not one to back down from a challenge—no matter how ridiculously dressed I am.

Then the fire happened, and the last thing on my mind was putting on clothes. I just wanted out of the burning building because the last person I want to die next to is him .

Now I’m standing at the back of the ambulance wrapped in some spacesuit-like blanket looking like a fool while our neighbors glare at us for ruining their day.

I’m glad Caroline is at work and isn’t around to witness this—though I’m sure Cooper, who is trying his damnedest to hold back a smirk, will relay the debacle in complete detail.

I give him a wave, and he tips his head to the side.

You okay? he mouths, like the gentleman he is.

I shoot him a thumbs-up and he grins, accepting my answer.

Like I can feel his eyes on me, I glance up at Dean, who’s staring down at me with a look I can’t quite decipher.

“What?”

Ignoring me, he turns back to the firefighter. “What’s the damage?”

“Your apartment is burned.” The firefighter laughs when Dean’s face twists with frustration. “I’m just screwing with you, kid. Sometimes you have to find a way to laugh on a tough job like this.”

He doesn’t respond, just stares at the first responder with unamused eyes.

The guy clears his throat. “Well, like I said, the fire was semi-contained, so much of the damage is to the kitchen. However, because of the open concept of the apartment, my men are reporting that part of the living room was damaged as well.”

“Leo’s terrarium?”

“Your wannabe Ninja Turtle’s house is intact.”

Dean lets out a relieved breath, one I’m certain he’s been holding since we ran from the building. I can’t imagine Leo’s setup is cheap, and since my mother was a teacher, I am more than aware of how little he makes.

“I’m happy to hear that. I’m glad Leo’s okay.” Lucy makes everyone jump by appearing out of thin air like she frequently does.

“Aw, crap. Lucy, I am so sorry. I didn’t…I wasn’t thinking. River came barging over to my apartment under the guise of another noise complaint when I’m certain she was just lonely and needed company but was too afraid to ask. I?—”

“You ass!” I yell at him, trying hard not to smack him upside his head.

He just smirks down at me, and I shrink into myself.

I’m sure me showing up in a towel didn’t help at all, but that is so not what I was doing there.

Dean ruined yet another day of mine—first by stealing my pie, then by getting me all riled up and stressed when I’m already stressed. Next he had to go and ruin my bath. The one thing I had going for me today, he screws up.

This whole thing is his fault, and I refuse to take any of the blame for it.

Nope. Not going to happen.

Ever.

Lucy pats Dean’s shoulder. “Don’t sweat it, dear. I’m just glad everyone is okay, the damage was contained, and the apartment below you was empty. We’ll let insurance take care of everything.” The corners of her lips tip down. “I am sorry about you having to find new living arrangements.”

“Is the apartment not habitable at all?”

“It is. However, as building manager, I can’t have you staying there, for insurance purposes. I’m sure you understand.”

Dean’s face falls, all the color vanishing in a flash.

His shoulders slump as the reality of everything starts to set in.

“I’ll hold the apartment for you once things get back in tiptop shape,” Lucy tells him.

“Oh, hell. Fucking hell. Where am I going to live? There’s no way I’d ever go back to my parents’, and my best friend’s place is way too small for the two of us and Leo.” His eyes widen with fear. “Leo! Ah, crap, crap, crap. I could go to a hotel but…oh, hell. Shit. I am completely screwed. I?—”

“Dean,” Lucy says in that soothing voice of hers as he gulps in air. “We’ll figure it out. Just take a breath. Relax.”

“Relax? I can’t relax, Lucy! I just almost burned down your entire building!”

“Oh, dear…” She steers him a few feet away, talking softly, trying to get him to cool off.

The firefighter whistles. “I’ve been in this business long enough to know insurance can move slow as all heck. It could be a rough couple of months for him.”

Months? Dean could be out of a place to live for that long? And Leo too?

Shit. That makes me feel bad for Leo.

And I guess Dean too.

But only by default.

“Damn. Tough break for him.” The gentleman shakes his head, then turns to me, hitching his thumb toward his crew. “I’ll send one of my men over to finish up taking your statements. You just let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks,” I murmur, shooting him a quick smile, then diverting my gaze back to the scene in front of me.

It’s hard to take my eyes off Dean.

He towers over Lucy, his head in his hands as she speaks to him in hushed tones.

He’s more upset than I’ve ever seen him before—and that includes the time his football team lost the big game…or whatever it was he cried about for a week.

I’m sure everything coming up in the next few months is running through his head on a loop, including summer school, which he’s scheduled to start teaching in a couple weeks.

A nagging feeling starts at the base of my spine and slides up my neck.

Crap.

Maybe I do feel bad for him, and not just because he’s Leo’s handler.

I like little Leo, not that I’d ever admit it, and I don’t want Dean to have to give him up just so he can have a place to stay. That’s not fair to either of them.

I do have a spare room…

No! That’s ludicrous.

I can not have Dean staying with me. There is absolutely zero good that can come of it. We’ll kill each other.

There’s no way we’d survive it.

But Leo…

“He can stay with me!”

They swivel their heads my way, and I slap my hand over my mouth as my words register in my own ears.

What the fuck did I just say?

Dean lifts that one brow he always lifts, cocking his head to the side. I hate that brow. “What was that?”

“You can stay with me.”

No! Stop talking, River!

“What?”

I groan, pulling my spacesuit tighter around me, suddenly feeling more exposed than when all I had covering my body was the world’s tiniest towel.

“Do not make me say it again, you ass.”

“No, I don’t think I heard you. I?—”

“Unless your head’s filled with as much smoke as your apartment is”—Lucy sasses, making him cringe—“you heard her perfectly fine, dear.” She moves toward me, clapping her hands together with a smile on her lips that I decidedly do not like. “ That is a wonderful idea, River.”

“You cannot be serious.” Dean comes up beside her. “There’s no way you’re serious.”

“I am.”

Holy shit.

I am serious.

I’m willing to let Dean stay with me.

It’s just a month or two, right? I’m sure I can keep from murdering him for that long.

“Are you Punking me? Ashton? Ashton Kutcher? You can come out now!”

I purse my lips. “Yes, because I brought Ashton Kutcher here to screw with you and not to screw him myself. In your dreams, idiot.”

“That would be in your dreams.”

I huff, and Lucy laughs.

“Oh, yes.” She smashes her lips together, trying to hold in a grin. “This is going to work out perfectly.”

“I want a contract.” I point at her. “Like a good one. A legit one. Something that’s going to keep that menace from freeloading off me for the rest of his days.”

“There are so many things wrong with that statement. The first one is that you actually think I’m the menace.”

“You’re the one who plays music way too loud! That’s exactly what got you into this mess!”

“No, what got me into this mess was you waltzing over to my apartment looking sexy in nothing but a freaking towel.”

“Did you just call me sexy ?”

“You were wearing a towel, River. A. Towel! I’m a man—I’d think Lucy was sexy in a towel!” Dean winces. “I mean, no offense, Lucy. It’s just…you’re as old as my grandmother…”

“None taken.” She waves her hand. “But just so you know, I look damn sexy in a towel.”

She waggles her brows, and Dean’s eyes grow to twice their usual size.

“I-I…” He flounders, trying to find the right words to say. “I…umm…”

Lucy ignores Dean being…well, Dean.

“You can have your contract, River. I will start working on it tonight and get everything squared away tomorrow morning. What needs to happen now is everyone getting back to their apartments and getting on with their day. You two need to rest. You’ve had a long day, and a good night’s rest is certainly in order.

” She smiles slyly. “It may be a few people’s last chance at that. ”

I groan.

“Why do I absolutely hate the way that sounds?”

“Because, dear, I’m likely right. Now, let me get everything wrapped up with those nice firefighters and we’ll all be back inside before we know it. Be right back.”

Lucy scurries away, leaving me and Dean alone.

Which I guess I should get used to because apparently he’s going to be living with me now.

Why did I say he could stay with me? Why couldn’t I just keep my big mouth shut? Damn Leo for making me feel bad.

I glare at the turtle, who looks not so happy about being back in his hut.

“Don’t give him evil eyes. He didn’t do anything to you.”

“Because he’s a turtle, not a person.”

“He has plenty of personality, which is more than I can say for you.” He sneers at me.

“I am full of personality—and sparkling personality at that. I’m a fucking ray of sunshine.”

“Oh, I highly doubt that.”

“Is that how you’re choosing to talk to me? The person who is kind enough to allow you to live in her apartment when you have a history of arson?”

Dean works his jaw back and forth. He wants to say something snarky, but he bites his tongue.

Smart man.

The first responders release everyone else back to their apartments. Most of our neighbors give us sad smiles as they shuffle back inside, but a few of them send daggers our way.

“It was all him.” I point at Dean. “Direct your fury at this guy.”

Dean smacks my finger away. “Stop that. We’ve been over this: you distracted me with?—”

“My towel—yeah, I’ve heard. You know, you keep bringing that up. It’s almost as if you have a little crush on me or something.”

He scoffs. “I already told you, I’d find anyone attractive in a towel.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself to help you sleep in the room across from me at night. Speaking of that…” I push myself up from the ambulance, facing him. “This whole you-moving-in thing is completely temporary.”

“That was my understanding too.”

“It’s just until your place gets fixed or you find other accommodations.”

He narrows his eyes. “Yeah, I got that.”

“And there will be rules.”

He exhales. “I figured as much.”

“Good. I just want to make myself clear.”

“You’re clear.”

I turn on my heel and start to head back into the building—then something hits me.

Dean said I was sexy.

A line needs to be drawn ASAP.

I turn back to him, and he looks at me with curious eyes.

“Yes, River?” Up goes the brow.

“You can’t try to sleep with me.”

He drops his jaw, stunned by what I’ve said.

Then, he bursts into laughter.

And not just any sort of laughter.

No. It’s the loud kind, the type that draws every eye in a hundred-foot radius.

That’s exactly what’s happening— everyone is looking over at us as he doubles over.

“Seriously?” I scowl, waiting for him to get himself together.

When he finally comes up for air, he’s swiping at his eyes like he’s brushing back tears.

“Oh, man. Thank you for that. I needed a good laugh. It’s been a long day.” Dean pushes up from the ambulance, grabbing Leo’s hut. He stalks toward me with confidence. “Don’t worry, River, I’m not going to have an issue resisting you.”

“Not even in”—I drop the spacesuit—“this?”

Dean’s eyes darken the moment the blanket hits the ground, his jaw clenching tightly as his nostrils flare.

He tries, I’ll give him that.

But he can’t fight it.

Slowly, his eyes drift down my body, and just like earlier, I can feel his gaze stroking all over me.

Except this time, it’s more .

It’s almost like I’m wearing nothing.

Like he can see all of me.

Even the parts I hide.

I regret tossing the blanket aside for only a moment.

Then power washes through me, and for once during the little game of back-and-forth we’ve been playing over the last year, I’m the one in control.

Dean is always the one to get the last word in. He’s always the one to walk away, leaving me feeling flustered and annoyed.

Not today.

No, I won’t give him the satisfaction

I lift my chin, not backing down. “Looks like that might not be the case after all, Dean.”

I spin on my heel, leaving him standing there staring after me.

And I know he is.

Because his stare is just as hot as the fire he set.