Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,131

looking your best on the off chance,” Victoria says.

“Off chance there’s a silver fox around?” I ask.

“Hey now, I’m being nice. If you want to see me angry, keep talking about that man.” Hannah is kind of scary when we bring up the silver fox.

“Nope. I’m good.” I raise my hands in a placating gesture.

“Thought so.” She goes back to drinking her Vesper.

For the rest of the night, we talk about RISE and the gala, Hannah’s party and how she hired a planner to take care of most of the details. I swear the woman must roll around in cash. I can’t even imagine living her life.

It isn’t until my phone chimes that I realize it’s so late.

Minute Man: Can I swindle lunch with you tomorrow?

Hannah and Victoria are chatting about the renovations her and Reed are planning for their Barbie dream house.

Me: No.

Minute Man: Promise to keep my hands to myself.

Me: No.

Minute Man: I remember you being much more accommodating.

Me: And I remember you being much less irritating.

Minute Man: Want to make a new Rambo DVD and see how much endurance I really have?

Me: I have no idea what you’re talking about.

Minute Man: I’ll keep your secret if you go to lunch with me.

Me: It’s your secret, too.

Minute Man: It’s some of my finest work…I’d be happy to show it off.

Me: You’re bluffing.

Minute Man: Try me. I keep my copy in a Steel Magnolias case.

I laugh.

“Who is that?” Hannah asks.

I lift my head and they both smile, again sharing that damn look, so I return my attention to my phone.

Me: When was the last time you watched it?

Minute Man: Last night.

An eruption of butterflies fills my stomach.

Minute Man: I must say, I’m an awesome partner.

Me: Excuse me?

Minute Man: Oh, you stole the show, baby. No doubt about that.

The butterflies slow like they’re flitting through molasses and a wave of warmth runs from my head to my toes.

Me: I’m not sure I like you having a copy.

Minute Man: Technically, it’s mine. You have the copy.

He’s kind of got me there.

Me: I thought you turned off the camera?

Minute Man: Aren’t you glad I didn’t ;) Then you would’ve forgotten how I rock your world.

Me: You’re okay.

Minute Man: Care for a refresher course? I’m sitting alone in my apartment, you can swing by.

My body is screaming yes, yes, oh God what is wrong with you? YES! But I cannot allow my body to make the decisions where Dean’s concerned.

Me: It’s girl’s night. Gotta go. Have fun.

Minute Man: Okay, I’ll just pop in Steel Magnolias. I can never get enough of the female star.

I swallow, cross my legs and uncross them. God, why am I this aroused just knowing he’s watching the same DVD I watched a few nights ago? The one I almost took a lighter to last night because my willpower was waning.

Me: Have fun because that will never happen again.

Minute Man: Oh, sweet Chelsea, I’ll be under you again. I guarantee that.

My mind blanks. I have no smart comments to hammer back at him. I sit there staring at the text he sent because as much as I hate it, I’m woman enough to admit that this is the one time I hope I’m wrong and he’s right.

Chapter Eleven

A knock lands on my door at six o’clock on Saturday.

I twist the cap back on the mascara, examine myself in the mirror, and take a deep breath, silently telling myself that I’ve got this. I only have to be alone with him on the way there and back. A nice goodbye at the end of the evening and I’m done.

A knock hits my door again.

“Always impatient,” I murmur, leaving the bathroom and heading to the door. “You got this,” I remind myself.

I open the door and my pep talks from the past hour were all for naught. Dean stands there in a pair of black jeans, a black V-neck shirt with a black leather jacket over the top. His hair is styled messier than during his work day. He really is trying to torture me. Did he put on Chapstick? His lips are a light pink, his dark eyes even more mysterious when paired with an all-black wardrobe.

“I’m game if you want to stay in.” He walks past me into my apartment.

Uninvited I may add.

The only good thing about his entrance is that I get a view of his ass. Don’t worry, it matches the ensemble perfectly.

“The polite thing to do is wait to be invited in.”

He circles around, hands in