Range Rover.” I huff out a soft laugh and walk over to him, pressing my hands to his chest that’s still tense with rage. He looks away from me, his jaw muscle ticking as he takes his glasses off and pinches the bridge of his nose. I cup his whiskered jaw and make him look at me. “Look, I appreciate the friendly offer of vandalism, but I don’t care about any of this. Nate is…Nate. He was always kind of awkward when we were kids.”
Dean tilts his head and narrows his eyes at me. “Clearly not too awkward for you to let him fuck you. You must have been desperate back then.”
“Ouch,” I croak, pulling myself away from him like I’ve been burned. “That was harsh.”
Dean cringes at my shift in mood. “Look, I’m sorry, but this whole night was bullshit, Norah. I was blindsided back there.”
“By what?”
“You could have told me you slept with him.”
“So what if I slept with him?” I bark, crossing my arms over my chest. “What difference does it make?”
“I’m playing the part of your boyfriend to keep you away from a guy your mom thinks is perfect for you because you told me you don’t want to be with him. But in fact, you have been with him. Biblically!” he mocks, throwing my earlier word back in my face. “I’m trying to figure out what the hell you needed me for.”
“Just because I slept with him back then doesn’t mean I want him now,” I snap, stomping my foot and clenching my own fists because Dean is acting like a jealous boyfriend. This entire fight is ridiculous because one, he’s not a real boyfriend, and two, there’s nothing to be jealous of. “You know I have no interest in being in a relationship and that’s clearly all Nate is interested in.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’re not interested in any sort of real relationship because you’re going to leave this life behind for Paris, someday, right?”
“Maybe,” I exclaim, feeling my own rage bubbling up inside me. This issue isn’t even about me. This is a cock-measuring competition and nothing more. Dean’s just mad Nate touched his toy first. “Why does any of this matter? I didn’t know we were supposed to share past hookups! If so, I’d love to hear more about buzz-cut Barbie back there. You sure like ’em young, huh, Dean? No wonder it was so easy for you to fake it with me. I’m nowhere near your type, so there was no chance of you catching any actual feelings.”
“Lala isn’t my type…she was a mistake.”
“Ya think?”
His eyes snap to mine. “I don’t need to be judged by you right now. You apparently like douchebags with no table manners. I don’t know why you’re bothering with me when you so clearly want to give Douche Mower more of your cookies.”
“Shut up. I do not want to give Nate any of my cookies.”
“You flirt with him like you do. I’m surprised you didn’t ask him to take a number so he could be next in line after me.”
“I was not flirting,” I exclaim and shove my hands through my hair. “I was caught up in memories, that’s it. My cookies have been well taken care of recently, so why the hell would I want to dip them in someone else’s milk?”
The room goes silent as we both stare daggers at each other, and when my lips twitch, that’s all it takes, I burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of what I just said to Dean. He shakes his head and fights back his own smile.
“Oh, my God.” I giggle, shaking my head and covering my cheeks. “If someone heard me yelling about giving someone my cookies, I’d never be able to show my face in Boulder ever again.”
Dean’s face relaxes as he laughs along with me. “The dipping in milk part was especially inspired.”
“I thought so.” I exhale all the tension away. “For a fake couple, we sure did a great job at having a real fight.”
Dean’s smile falls, and he pins me with a look. It’s a dark, needy look that fits right in with the roller coaster of emotions we are experiencing. His Adam’s apple slides down his neck as he swallows and pushes himself off the counter. “We should probably fake make up then,” Dean says, his voice deep and husky as his eyes dip to my lips.
“Seriously?” I reply with a huff, my arms folding and unfolding nervously in front of