Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,161

the couch sipping her drink and watching the television.

“Your mom lets you watch this?”

Babysitting Jade for the night was a win-win for me. First, it does Victoria and Reed a favor so they can have a guilt-free night, not leaving her with Vic’s mom again. Second, I get to see how Dean will fit into my life. I’m not a partying college kid anymore. I’m not exactly domesticated, but Jade and my niece and nephew are a part of my life now.

“Yeah, Reed can do the floss. Mom.” She cringes.

I stand up, pressing the button to start another video. “If Reed can do it, I can do it.”

The video starts and some ten-year-old boy is swinging his hips so hard I swear he’s going to tear a muscle.

I move my hips and my hands, but they’re not going where they’re supposed to.

“No, Aunt Chelsea.” Jade giggles, falling onto the couch.

Being the perfectionist I am, I continue trying, but the only thing I accomplish is Jade spitting out her root beer all over my coffee table. Like mother like daughter.

A knock lands on the door as I’m scrambling back from the kitchen with a roll of paper towels.

“Here.” I hand Jade the roll of towels and then head to the door, checking the peephole to see Dean.

I open the door and he holds up a brown paper bag. “Sundae supplies. I got extra cherries.” He winks, and I open the door wider.

“Great, Jade loves cherries.”

Dean’s jaw drops slightly, but he recovers fast replacing his disappointment with a smile.

“You’re Victoria’s daughter?” he asks, stepping into the apartment, positioning the bag in one hand and holding out the other.

“And Pete’s. Reed’s?” She stops and thinks. “I guess I’m kind of like Reed’s daughter too. I’m moving in with him.”

“Dean met Reed and your mom at Hannah’s party.”

She smiles. “I love her dog Lucy.” She gets a lovesick look in her eyes. “Do you have a dog?”

“Yeah, his name is Grover,” Dean says.

“Do you have pictures? Why didn’t you bring him?” She perks up, moving to sit at the edge of the couch.

“I would have had I known.” He heads to the kitchen. “I’ll put these away and then I’ll show you some pictures.”

Jade shrugs, turning on the video again after Dean and I disappear into the kitchen.

“Care to fill me in?” Dean unloads the groceries. Whipped cream, cherries, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, butterscotch sauce.

I put everything away and then hold open the freezer, waiting for him to hand me the ice cream.

“I told Vic I’d watch her tonight. They had some big fancy dinner thing for Reed.”

Dean folds up the paper bag. “Cool.”

“Did you forget the ice cream?” I ask, my eyes bugging out of my head. If I don’t send Jade back high on sugar what kind of faux aunt am I?

“I didn’t buy any.”

I shut the freezer door. “Were they out?”

He places the paper bag on the counter, his hands landing on my hips, and he thrusts me into his arms. His nose glides over my jaw and neck. “I thought you were going to be the sundae.”

I giggle in his arms.

“I had plans of licking whipped cream and chocolate off your delectable body. Why do you think I bought extra cherries?” His teeth latch on to my earlobe, giving a firm tug.

“Well, maybe you should have a sleepover tomorrow night.”

He squeezes my ass. “Is that a sly way of telling me no sleepover tonight?”

“Since Jade sleeps with me, I’d have to say no.”

“I have a question for you.” He draws back, leaning on the counter and I’m suddenly rethinking my plan. An entire night of not being able to touch him feels like torture at the moment.

“What?” I ask.

“Am I here as a test?”

I wrinkle my brow.

He raises his.

I tilt my head.

He tilts his in the opposite direction.

“What?” I feign ignorance.

“You heard me.”

“I don’t want to say.”

He captures me before I can escape back into the living room and his fingers torment me with tickles. “Admit it.”

“No.” I laugh.

He laughs. “I’m not going to stop.”

I wiggle and slide around but he’s got me cornered and let’s be honest, I’m not trying very hard to get away. If I really wanted to, I’d knee him in the balls.

“Fine. Maybe.”

He stops for a second. “Maybe as in yes.”

“Maybe.”

He tickles me, but his hands skitter up my chest. “God, I want to strip you right now. These damn clothes are a fucking tease. I can see the outline of your body, but there’s still