Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,175

as easily sold as my mom. I’ll be watching you.” She points her fingers to her eyes and then to Dean.

“Understood.” He nods.

A few other people come up to shake our hands, but Skylar keeps her distance. It isn’t until we’re at the bar that her fiancé, Beckett, approaches us.

“Chelsea,” he says, taking a swig of his beer. “Always making an entrance.”

I give him a sour look like I’m seven and boys have cooties.

“Beckett, great to see you again,” I say, dripping with sarcasm.

“How come I don’t think you mean that?” He takes another swig of his beer, his eyes landing on Dean. “Hey, I’m Beckett, Skylar’s fiancé.”

Dean shakes his hand. “I saw you two on the news.”

Beckett shrugs. “Not sure why it’s news, but I guess when two Winter Classics medalists get engaged, people find it interesting.”

Dean steps closer to me. “See Chels, at least we dodged that. Imagine if our short marriage was splashed on magazines and news channels.”

I roll my eyes. The pity of the entire U of I campus was enough for me to hightail it out there and head to concrete skyscrapers.

“So, you two?” Beckett leaves the question in the air.

“Yes,” I answer, and he takes another swig of his beer. “I’m glad. You seem happy.”

“If only your fiancée would actually talk to me tonight.” I really should leave this topic alone. Let Skylar act like I’m invisible and Dean isn’t here. Let her act like a childish brat when it has nothing to do with her.

“You know her. She’s a ball buster.”

“To everyone but you.” My tone turns bitter and Dean’s hand squeezes my hip, telling me to quiet down. He knows better. That move never worked on me.

“What can I say? It’s my charm I guess.” He holds his hands out to his side like ‘check me out.’

“I think it’s your dick.”

“Chels,” Dean says my name with warning and I have to say I like the way he’s trying to keep me in check.

“Listen to your boyfriend,” Beckett says with a chuckle.

“Are you suggesting your dick isn’t impressive enough for her to go easy on you?”

“And that’s our cue.” Dean’s hand slides across my lower back, capturing my hand, ready to pull me away. “We’re going to take a breather.”

Dean ignores my uncle Jim who tries to say hello to us on the way through the room and pushes open the back door into the alley.

I struggle to free my hand from his grip, but he doesn’t let it go until he cages me in with his body against the wall.

“I like your thinking.” My hand slides down the front of his shirt bumping along his abs until my finger slides under the waist of his slacks.

He takes his hand and stops me, spurring my gaze to shift to his.

“You’re cockblocking yourself?”

“What’s with you?” he asks, his eyes appearing darker than normal.

“Beckett and I have a mutual dislike of one another.”

He doesn’t say a word, just stands there brooding and silent. His hand eventually leaves mine and he places it back on the brick that’s currently scratching my back.

“Talk to me,” he says, all serious.

“How about I taste you?” I fiddle with his belt and again his hand clasps down on mine.

“Chelsea?” There’s that warning tone again.

“Dean,” I return the same one. “Since when do you not want to fuck me?” My hand wiggles out of his grip and I dip under his arm.

“What’s up with this whole night? You not telling your family I was coming? Not going up to Sky? Being a bitch to Beckett? I know you well enough to know you’re not dealing with something and that’s why you’re acting like this.”

I pace up and down the filthy alley that reeks of old spaghetti and spoiled veal.

“Skylar can do whatever the fuck she wants. She wants to be a brat, fine. I don’t care.”

He leans his shoulder against the brick, his arms crossed and lets out a long sigh.

Yeah, we both know I’m talking bullshit.

“This isn’t about Sky.”

I stop pacing, meeting his gaze. “It will never be like it is for them.” I choke back tears.

“Like what?” His arms drop, and he pushes off the wall.

“Beckett and Sky, everyone is so happy for them. No animosity, no anger. They just accepted him into the family.”

A tight smile forms on his lips and he slowly walks toward me.

“So maybe it does bother you more than you think that your parents don’t accept me?”

I shrug.

“It’s okay, you can tell me I’m