Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,163

watching the woman on the screen who’s barely clothed dance around.

“Inappropriate,” I mumble over the last bit of pizza.

“It’s Beyoncé.” Dean makes a face like whatever.

“Please Aunt Chelsea,” Jade begs from the floor, her hands clasped together.

“Let’s eat first.”

“I don’t think you should dance on a full belly.” Dean sits down in a kitchen chair, helping himself to another slice of pizza. “Not to mention this song is all about female empowerment. It sure put me in my place.” Dean smiles that smug look that somehow makes him even more attractive.

I narrow my eyes.

“Please Aunt Chelsea.” Jade pulls on my arm.

The video continues playing and Jade starts following Beyoncé’s dance moves in the video.

“One time and then we eat.” I put my finger up and Jade glances over her shoulder to Dean like we did it.

Dean doesn’t look surprised. He knew I couldn’t say no to Jade.

“Should I start from the beginning?” he asks like he’s not going to.

He starts the video over again and I start moving and shaking it like I’m in college again and half corked. I’m surprised I never forgot the choreography.

I keep my eyes on Dean the entire time, remembering him at that bar that night—him with his buddies, his ridiculous idea that we really should get hitched after I finished dancing.

Shit, I’m the reason we married. It was meant to be a joke, me and two of the other player’s girlfriends were playing around. They didn’t go to a chapel and marry their girlfriends. Only Dean.

The song ends and I almost collapse, leaning forward to catch my breath.

“You’re so good, Aunt Chelsea. Can we do it again?”

I pat her dark chestnut hair. “After we eat, okay?”

“Okay.” She skips over to the table eating the pizza Dean already has out for her. “Don’t you love Lou’s?” she says as cheese hangs from her mouth.

“I’m actually a Gino’s man.” Dean laughs, knowing he’s asking for a fight.

“My mommy loves Gino’s.”

I go to the kitchen to grab some water before I pass out.

“What about Reed?” Dean asks.

Jade starts talking about Reed liking whatever Mommy likes and how her dad loves Lou’s, but only the deep dish. Who knew a conversation about pizza could keep a girl so busy?

Dean comes up behind me while I’m shuffling things around in the fridge. He slides his arm past me into the fridge, his body pressed against my back. “Do the dance for me in private sometime?” he whispers.

“Depends how much it’s worth to you.”

He backs up after grabbing three waters with one hand.

Magic fingers, I’m telling you.

“If that little girl wasn’t here, you’d already be spread-eagle on the table with my head between your legs.”

I push him away. “She’s right there,” I whisper.

She’s on to Henry and her grandma’s pizza preferences now. Only in Chicago.

“That dance confirmed for me that I wanted to marry you,” he says in a serious voice.

“Let’s try to push that memory back.” I start to walk away, but he grabs my wrist.

“I never want to forget our first marriage. I don’t want to erase our past no matter how dark it was.”

He gives me that look again. The one that says we still have things to discuss.

“Not tonight.”

“I know not tonight, but this week okay?”

I nod. “Okay.”

“What about you, Aunt Chelsea?” I walk back to the table and take a seat.

“I’m a Lou’s girl.”

“You guys are split then?” she asks with astonishment.

“Not on only pizza. She’s a Sox fan.” Dean thumbs in my direction.

“Aunt Chelsea,” she whines. “I liked you the most.” She shakes her head in disappointment.

“I bet she’ll teach you that dance now,” Dean says.

I kick Dean under the table.

“Yay!” Jade’s face lights up.

“Yay!” Dean’s fists rise, and he shakes them in the air like he’s a cheerleader.

With a chuckle, I say, “Payback will be swift.”

His foot slides up my leg, inching my thighs apart. “You wanna make a bet?”

I shut my thighs. “Absolutely not.”

Smiling, I think of all the ways I can extend his torture—mostly with my mouth.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The following Tuesday, I’m deep in ad launches for the fundraiser, making sure every logo of each company that’s donated is accounted for when my phone dings with a text message.

Minute Man: Lunch at my place?

Shit, I never did change his name. I quickly edit his name.

Me: Why do I think I’ll be your lunch?

Heat rushes between my legs.

Dean: You always were a smart girl.

Me: Mr. Bennett, are you asking for an afternoon delight?

Dean: Call it whatever you want. As long as it entails