His lips brush my temple. Then he inhales deeply, as if he’s smelling my hair. “I missed you,” he murmurs.
“I missed you too.” Swallowing, I ease out of the hug and meet his gaze. “I don’t need any more alone time.”
A slow smile curves his lips. “Thank fuck.” He flops on the edge of the bed and tugs me into his lap. “I’ve been going crazy without you these past few weeks.”
“I know. But the time apart was good for me. I needed to take a look at my life, and to take a look at myself, just me, and not the me that’s always in a relationship. I needed to know I could be alone.”
“And can you?”
“Yes.” I scrape my fingers over the dark blond stubble on his movie-star jaw. “But I don’t want to be alone. I want to be with you.”
He kisses me. Soft and sweet, no tongue. Just his lips brushing mine, over and over again until I’m whimpering for more. Just when I part my lips to invite his tongue, he pulls away.
“Wellsy said you’re thinking of turning down the Fox pilot.” There’s a chiding note in his voice.
“Argh. Why is everyone giving me shit about this?” I sigh. “I haven’t made my decision yet.”
“But you’re planning on turning it down.”
I hesitate. Then nod.
It’s his turn to sigh. “I know why you’re doing it, babe, and I’m sorry, but I can’t let you.”
I blink and I’m off his lap, my butt hitting the mattress. Dean walks over to where he dropped his coat. He reaches inside one of the pockets and his hand emerges with an envelope.
Oh no. Stupid aliens are déjà vu’ing my brain again.
He slaps the envelope in my hand and says, “Open it.”
I open it without a word, and yep, I find the same fucking thing that Sean tried to give me. Confirmation numbers for two flights to Los Angeles. For crying out loud. Do all guys share one brain or something? Like a collective consciousness that causes them to make the same bone-headed moves?
“You’re not coming to LA with me,” I inform Dean.
He looks startled.
“I’m not turning down the part because I don’t want be away from you. I’m—”
“The ticket isn’t for me.”
“—turning it down because—” I stop. “Wait, what?”
“It’s not for me,” he explains. “It’s for your dad. I know you don’t want to be away from him. So I figured instead of you giving up your dream to stay on the east coast with him, you keep the dream and he comes to the west coast with you.” Dean shrugs. “I already ran it by him and he’s on board. He said he’ll start looking for a place to rent once you give him the word.”
I’m…shocked. I can’t help but remember the day at the coffeehouse with Sean, when he insisted on coming with me. And now here’s Dean, insisting on me going without him.
My dad was wrong. And right. He was right and wrong. Dean fell apart, yes. But maybe he needed to fall apart in order to learn that life isn’t perfect, that bad things do happen and you can’t stop living when they do.
Smiling, I hand the envelope back to him. “I’m turning down the project.”
He looks annoyed. “Allie-Cat—”
“Not because of my dad,” I cut in, “although I’m glad to know he’s willing to relocate if I do end up working in LA. I’m turning it down because the project isn’t right for me. I don’t connect with the role. And the contract requires me to commit to seven seasons if the show takes off. I’m not signing away seven years of my life to play a part I can’t stand.”
“Oh. Well, fuck. I guess I should’ve asked you before I bought these non-refundable tickets, huh?”
“You think?”
Chuckling, he yanks me back in his lap, and I wrap my legs around his hips and my arms around his neck. I try to kiss him, but he speaks before my lips can connect with his.
“I made some decisions too.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Oh really? Like that?” When his cheeks turn pink, I pounce immediately. “Holy shit, are you blushing? Okay, now I’m really curious. What’s going on?”
“I’m, ah…gonna be a gym teacher.”
My jaw falls open. “Seriously?”
He looks embarrassed. “I spoke to Coach Ellis about my options. Turns out private schools play it fast and loose with the requirements you need to teach there. I don’t need a degree in education, but it helps. And when I was in New York, I hopped on the phone with the admissions officers at NYU and Columbia. Both told me the same thing—I can upgrade my degree. It’s just an extra year of classes, kinesiology, health and wellness, that kind of stuff. But I’d be able to teach at the same time, depending on the school that hires me.” He shifts awkwardly. “I did something crappy.”
“Uh-oh. What did you do?”
“I used the Di Laurentis name with those admissions officers.”
I fight a laugh. “Oh sweetie, that’s okay. It’s for the greater good, right?” Because Dean working with kids is good, damn it. He could really make a difference. He could help those kids build confidence, become better athletes, better people.
“And then I spoke to the new hockey coach at my prep school and asked him to let me know if there are any openings in the private school sector, either for a PE teacher or a coach.” He sounds excited now. “There’s an opening for both at a school in Manhattan, grades one to eight. The job would start in the fall. Phys. Ed classes for all grades, and coaching the girls’ hockey team.”
“Girls?” I grin. “That should be fun.”
“I think I might interview for it.”
“Damn right you will. If this is what you want to do with your life, then it’s what you need to do.” I pause as something occurs to me. “Wait. Does that mean you’re not going to law school? Did you tell your parents?”
“Yes and yes. That’s why I went to New York this weekend. I sat down with my dad and we talked for hours. Did the same thing with Nick later, before you called me to check on your dad. They were both really supportive.”
I’m not surprised. Dean’s family is awesome. “I’m proud of you,” I announce.
“I’m proud of me too.” He nuzzles my cheek before planting kisses along my jaw. Then he sucks on my neck and pleasure ignites between my legs.
Oh sweet Moses. It’s been way too long since we had sex. Almost a month. Or maybe more than a month? God, I can’t remember. The feel of his warm, wet lips traveling along my throat is turning me on beyond belief.
“Dean,” I murmur.
“Mmm?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” He licks the shell of my ear.
“But I don’t want you right now.”
His head jerks up, his expression beyond insulted. “Can you repeat that please?”
“I don’t want you.” I flash an impish grin. “I want Little Dean.”
My boyfriend throws his head back and laughs. Then he unzips his pants and gives me exactly what I want.
35
Dean
April
Graduation is looming. I’m kinda indifferent to it, if I’m being honest, but whatever, I’ll wear that cap and gown and throw my diploma up in the air, because I know it’ll make my parents happy. Me, I’m just happy in general, because I’m in love with the greatest girl in the world, and the greatest girl in the world is in love with me.
And even though the team didn’t make it to the playoffs, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any news on the hockey front. My man Logan was signed by the Providence Bruins, the farm team for the Boston Bruins, which means in a year or two? He might actually get called up to play for the pros. As for Garrett, his agent is working hard behind the scenes. Apparently several teams have shown interest in G, and I’m crossing my fingers that he ends up somewhere good.
I already know where I’m ending up—Manhattan. Last week, I interviewed for the teaching position at Parklane Academy. Yesterday morning, the headmaster called to tell me I got the job. It’s a two-year contract, the second year conditional upon whether I upgrade my degree.
And I guess my sister is on to something about her universe theory, because an hour after my call with Parklane Academy? Allie’s agent phoned with news that made her shriek so loud that Garrett heard her all the way from his shower and flew into my room buck-naked, armed with a hockey stick.
Once we assured him everything was okay—and commented on how pretty his dick looked—Allie revealed she’d been offered a role on a cable show being developed by hotshot director Brett Cavanaugh, who she did a play with last summer. No audition necessary—Cavanaugh liked working with her so much that he offered her the role outright. The best part? The show is being filmed in New York City.
Allie says she still wants to do theater too, when the show is on hiatus, or if it bombs, which I don’t think it will. But the most important thing to her is that she wasn’t cast as the ditzy airhead. This new role is serious and “meaty”, as she likes to say, and I know she’s looking forward to the challenge.