Chapter 24

I had a meltdown. I’m not sure if that’s the right word to use but I was sticking with it. After my horrendous altercation with Kevin, I had a meltdown in my car and then spent the remainder of my day soaking up Tommy’s goodness. I felt better; in fact I felt so good the next day that I decided I needed a date with Dean. I never thought I’d ever hear a grown man squeal but it turned out, all I had to do was ask to see Dean for it to happen. He was happy I called. He got the impression after our last visit that I was through with our relationship. It was only one more thing to add to the pile of guilt I already had to deal with.

Tuesday night I had dressed in tight jeans and the lilac blouse Dean had picked for me on our shopping excursion. The weather was warming up as we neared spring so I paired the outfit with a thin jacket. Dean arrived promptly at six in the evening and I climbed in his car without a second glance at my house. I knew if I had then I would have been tempted to stay.

“So where are you taking me?” I asked after kissing Dean hello. He pulled out of my driveway and placed his hand on my thigh. He drove an automatic which meant he could hold my thigh the entire drive. I grinned when his hold tightened on the flesh on the inside of my thigh where my thigh and knee joined. He kept his eyes on the road while he spoke.

“My house.” I frowned in disappointment. We had yet to go out on a proper date yet and I was hoping we would have tonight. “I have a special evening planned for you.” He quickly turned his head and winked before staring back at the road.

“I can’t wait. What do you have planned?” I asked, my excitement growing.

“Can’t say but, I’m hoping to continue were we left off.”

“What are you talking about?” I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion.

He chuckled and let his hand travel up my leg until it stopped a finger length from my hipbone. “Saturday evenings’ fun activities.” He murmured and carefully rubbed the inside of my thigh with his fingers. I squirmed in my seat and lifted his hand off my leg and placed it on his own lap. He frowned in my direction. “What gives babe?” He demanded.

“Please focus on driving.” I pleaded.

“I want to hold you while I drive. I can drive with one hand, it isn’t that hard.” He reached for me again and I pushed his hand away. He scowled, “babe.” He hissed and I dipped my head to look at my lap.

“Please?” I begged. “Don’t you remember me telling you how I lost Maggie? It would make me feel a lot better if you concentrated on driving. Please?” He sighed and placed his free hand on the staring wheel. His forehead was still creased. I touched his arm and ran my finger along the width of his bicep slowly. “We can play at home.” I felt sick after I said the words but they had the desired effect on Dean. His body softened and his face smoothed out. We drove in silence until we reached his house.

Dean lived alone in a tiny apartment similar to Maggie’s old one that we still had to pay towards until her lease ended at the end of the year. Dean opened the door and I walked in quietly. I was hoping there would be candles covering the floor and rose petals on the carpet and we would share in a quiet floor picnic. Though it may be cliché, it was cliché because of how romantic it was. I wanted romance. Dean however; didn’t seem to house a single romantic bone in his body.

His home was empty of candles and rose petals but astonishingly filled with trash and dirty clothes. “Was my surprise that I was cleaning your house for you?” I asked. Dean laughed as though I made the funniest joke but I was being serious. I couldn’t see anything in his house that could have been titled a surprise for me.

“No Tori,” He grimaced and stepped around me to pick up a pair of his boxers hanging over the edge of the couch. “Sorry about the mess. I hadn’t had time to clean up.”

I shrugged, “it’s alright. So, are you going to tell me my surprise yet?” He chuckled and shook his head in amusement. He reached for my hand and I let him lead me towards another room which I guessed was the kitchen. Once we were in the kitchen, Dean opened his fridge and pulled out a sealed package. He gave it to me with a smile. I glanced at the package and stared in confusion. He had to be joking! I quickly looked back up to him and saw the genuine smile and excitement on his face.

He was serious and I was a fool. Dean’s idea of a surprise was a container of whipped cream. “I’m missing something aren’t I?” I asked confused once again. The more time I spent with Dean the more I struggled to keep up with how his mind worked. He reached for the bottle and held it up with a grin. He leaned down and nuzzled my cheek with his nose.

“The surprise baby is that I get to use this on you tonight.” He whispered huskily and I gasped.

“Dean!” I chastised. I took the bottle from him and shoved it back into the fridge. “Are you crazy?” He laughed and ran his palm down my hair.

“Crazy for you, yes.” I smacked his chest and grinned.

“Don’t be an idiot.” He pulled my arms and wrapped them around his waist.

“It was a joke. Loosen up babe.” He kissed my head and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“I don’t know how.” I said into his shirt. Dean rubbed my back slowly.

“Leave that up to me then.” He pulled away and tugged at my arms so that I would follow him. Dean pulled me with him until we reached the threshold of his bedroom. He pushed the door open and then led me to his bed. I stopped walking, causing Dean to stumble briefly.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea but I’m not ready.” I looked to the bed so that he knew exactly what I was referring to.

“I know. We aren’t going to do anything but have some fun. I’m going to show you how I unwind.” He wagged his eyebrows suggestively and I let him pull me the rest of the way. Dean stopped at the edge of his bed and suddenly picked me up bridal style. I yelled and then felt the air under me increase as Dean threw me, earning yet another scream from me. I landed with a bounce on the mattress. Dean jumped on after I landed and then reached for me with his arm. Once his arm was around my waist, he pulled me against his chest and kissed me.

I softened against him and let my brain turn off once again. Dean always elicited that kind of reaction from me. Whenever Dean kissed me, I forced my brain to shutdown; I didn’t want to think of all my troubles when I was with Dean. Maybe it was because his kisses were so amazing that all I wanted to do was get lost in his touch? Or, the more honest reason could be that in some horribly twisted way, I knew that the only way I could enjoy myself was when I stopped thinking about who I was with.

Our kisses increased intensity and soon Dean’s lips were attacking my neck and shoulders. He placed his mouth on the side of my neck and began to suck hard. I could feel my skin pull in his mouth and then the sting from his teeth sinking forcefully into my skin. He was giving me a hickey. I had never had one before and now I knew why. I hated the feeling. I tried to pull away but his grip was too strong. I gave up and let him brand me.

Eventually when he thought he had done enough, he pulled away and smirked. “Now everyone will know you’re mine.”

“Great.” I said dryly. I rubbed at my neck which felt numb and wet from his spit. Gross! Dean smiled down at me and pulled me closer to him. He turned on his side and held me against his chest with my back to him. We spooned in silence and after sometime I heard his breathing even out. An hour later, I joined him.

Piercing screams shook me awake from my deep sleep and I jumped up in bed. I searched around the room in a daze while I tried to remember where I was. I was still in Dean’s bedroom. I carefully pulled Dean’s arm off my waist and tried not to wake him. The screams rang again and I snuck out of bed in search for my cell phone. I crept down the hallway until the lounge where I could hear the muffled screams from my handbag.

I pulled my phone out and saw I had seven missed calls from both my mom and my dad. The clock also read three in the morning. Crap! I was in so much trouble. I frantically dialled my father’s phone since I knew he was the calmer of my parents.

“Where the hell are you and you better have a reasonable explanation?” My dad demanded through the phone.

“I’m so sorry. I fell asleep and I lost track of time. I’m on my way home.”

“This is unacceptable behaviour Tori.” I flinched. My dad was furious. “Get home now so that we can discuss this.”

“Yes daddy.” I ended the call and went to wake up Dean. Dean had rolled over on his back and let his one arm hang loose across his stomach. He didn’t react the first time I nudged him so I tried again. Still no reaction. I reached for a pillow and lifted it over my head and in one swell swoop, hit him on the stomach.

He yelled and sat up in bed. He shoved his fist forward but saw me before I became acquainted with his fist. “Tori?” He squinted and I reached for his bedside lap. I flicked on the light and we both hissed when our eyes burned from the sudden brightness. “What did you hit me for?”

“It’s three in the morning. I need to get home.”

He grumbled and fell back into bed. “Stay the night. I’m too tired to drive.”

“No.” I folded my arms against my chest and tapped the floor with my foot in annoyance. “Take me home or I’ll take myself.” Dean peered at me through droopy eyes. He sighed and climbed out of bed.

“Come on then.” He nudged his head towards the door and I followed. Dean reached for his car keys which were still in his pants pocket and walked out of the house and to the garage where his car was parked. We drove in silence; Dean too tired to talk and my mind too focused on the hell I was on my way to entering.