Page 48 of Chase Our Forever

“They’re my clothes. I can carry them.” I should just hand them over to him, but we’re close to the truck anyway. If he hadn’t decided to stop me, I’d already have them loaded in the truck, and we’d be on our way out.

Dean lets out an aggravated growl. He reaches forward and grabs the bags from my hands. Before I can even argue, he’s turned around and stomping to his truck.

I stand there, watching him angrily walk back to his car. My heart pounds as I try to figure out if I want to address what just happened in the dressing room. I think I have to. I know it could all be in my head, but I swear we had a moment back there. And if he’s going to be upset with me anyway, I might as well bring it up so I can know once and for all if the tension is one-sided or if he feels it, too.

“Did I do something wrong?” I yell over the sound of the rain. It’s gotten heavier than when we first walked into the store. It beats against my face, making my hair stick to my cheeks. I don’t care. I barely feel the drops of rain as I focus all of my attention on Dean.

His spine straightens the moment I get the words out. He stops what he’s doing, the door to the truck still hanging open as he turns to face me.

“Did I?” I shout, hating the pathetic shake to my voice. I know I should just sweep this all under the rug and pretend I don’t have feelings for him, but I can’t.

I’d bet everything I had—which isn’t a lot—that we had a moment back there. Whatever this is, he’s got to feel it, too. I’m sure of it.

And if he doesn’t, then I’ll pay whatever price I have to for bringing it up. At least then I’ll know the truth.

“You didn’t do anything,” he answers. His voice is void of any emotion as he puts my bags in the back seat.

“Then what happened back there?” I press.

“It’s raining, and you’re already soaked. Get in the car, Liv.”

I shake my head. My clothes cling to my skin because of the rain, but I don’t care. I’m too focused on finding out if Deanwants to kiss me as badly as I want to kiss him. “Not until you answer me.”

He slams the door shut. The intimidating way he looks at me from where he stands should scare me. It doesn’t. If anything, the hard set of his jaw and his hooded lids make my heart race even more.

“Get in the fucking truck.” His voice leaves no room for interpretation.

Hearing him sayfuckingsends chills down my spine. “Tell me what happened back there, Dean. Why’d you run out so fast?”

His shoulders rise and fall with a deep sigh. One moment, he’s standing against his truck with his angry eyes pinned on me; the next, his eyes are just as angry—maybe even angrier—but he’s standing right in front of me.

“You don’t want me to answer that,” he growls.

I let out a frustrated sigh as I throw my hands up in defeat. “Yes, I do.”

He stares at me, and I stare right back. His nostrils flare, and my chest heaves up and down with the intensity of my breathing. His hair looks jet-black, thanks to the rain. Stray pieces stick to his face as he glares right at me.

“Fine,” he says through gritted teeth. “You want to know what happened in there?”

I nod. “Yes,” I get out breathlessly.

“I left because if I’d allowed myself even a second longer in there, I was going to do something I have no business doing.”

At what point does a pulse get too high? Mine has to be getting close. It spikes in eagerness at his words. “And what’s that?” It feels like my words come out as barely a whisper, but he hears me anyway.

His eyes drop to my lips, and I know what he’s going to say before he even says it. “Like kiss you as if you were mine to claim.”

I suck in a breath. I can’t help but smile, feeling the biggest wave of relief wash over me that the tension between us isn’t all in my head. I know I shouldn’t say my next words, but I say them anyway. “Then what are you waiting for?”

29

DEAN

“Liv.”Her name comes out like a warning—or maybe it’s more like a plea. I’m desperate to do what she’s asking. I desperately want to kiss her. It’s the only thing I’ve thought about since the moment I left the dressing room.

But I shouldn’t for a multitude of reasons.

She’s my daughter’s nanny. I’m her boss. She could leave any minute. She’s also more than ten years younger than me. If we kiss, things are bound to get complicated. I can’t afford complicated. More importantly, Clara can’t afford complicated. She needs stability in her life, and kissing her nanny isn’t the way of providing that. We can’t risk losing someone else important in our lives.

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