Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Keira
Lorraine’s footsteps moved away, and I straightened the hem of my dress. “Guess I’m buying this one.”
“No, I’m buying it. You should wear it tonight to dinner.”
That orgasm had my blood full of the good kind of chemicals. I watched as Dean adjusted the very visible ridge in his jeans, tucking his erection against his waistband. I was tempted to take care of that problem for him, but I’d rebelled enough for now.
“Okay. I’ll let you buy it for me on one condition.”
“That is?” he asked with a smirk, pulling me closer to kiss me.
“You have to let me pick something for you to wear tonight, too. Lorraine’s got a whole rack of shirts for men.”
He grimaced. “Keira.”
“You got all bossy over this dress. It’s my turn. Far as I know, you only have one nice shirt. The one you wore to Jessi and Aiden’s wedding and to every fancy occasion since I met you.” I paused. “Unless you bought another shirt in Switzerland or something. With some other woman.”
Dean touched my chin. “There have been no other women, not for a long time. You know that. There’s only you.”
Warmth rose to the surface of my skin. “Do we have a deal or not?”
He huffed a laugh. “Fine. I could probably use a second nice shirt. Also, you look amazing, so I’d better at least try to look decent.”
Yes, he looked terrible in that snug T-shirt right now. But he’d agreed, so I was taking the win.
We went out to the main area of the boutique and browsed the rack of menswear. Lorraine perked up. “Looking for something for Dean, too? I might have just the one.”
She came over and picked up a folded shirt from a shelf. It was a button-down, charcoal gray, in a soft fabric that toed the line between casual and dressy.
“You’re a genius, Lorraine,” I said.
“Well, aren’t you in a good mood. Must be that man of yours.” She gave Dean a wink, and I really hoped that didn’t mean she knew what we’d been doing in the dressing room.
Ugh, she probably knew. At least she didn’t seem mad.
Dean looked like he was holding back a laugh.
“Just need to decide on a size,” Lorraine added, picking up a second shirt. “This one is a slim fit, so it’ll hug all those muscles of yours. Depends on how daring you want to be.”
I smiled at Dean, thinking of how daring we’d both been just minutes ago. He cleared his throat, neck flushing red, and took both shirts. “I’ll try them on. Be right back.”
While Dean disappeared into the dressing room, I went with Lorraine to the register. “Could you snip off the tags for me?” I asked. “I’m going to wear the dress to dinner.”
“Of course, hon.” Lorraine produced a pair of scissors and did the honors. “You know, I was just thinking about you earlier today. Wondered if your ears had been burning from how often your name’s mentioned in town.”
My smile turned careful. “I have no doubt.”
“There was a very flirtatious young man at the market just yesterday, asking the checkout girl about you. Fellow with a cowboy hat and a flashy diamond earring.”
A jolt of cold dashed my happy mood. Was she talking about Donny Phelan?
“Do you know him?” Lorraine asked. “Perhaps another suitor, vying for your heart? Does our Dean have competition?”
“Um, no. Definitely not.” I reached unconsciously for my scarred shoulder, rubbing at it. Lorraine’s eyes followed the movement.
“You’ve certainly been through a lot in the past few months. But with Dean coming back, well… I believe it all happens for a reason.”
I nodded along, even though I wasn’t so sure I agreed.
“Has the sheriff caught the culprits yet?” Lorraine asked in a stage whisper.
“There’s been almost no word about suspects.
Everyone’s been concerned. Gunmen roaming around Hart County, shooting an innocent sheriff’s deputy in her own home?
We’ve had our issues over the years, but I thought that was behind us. What’s this place coming to?”
She reached over to grasp my hand. I managed to keep my expression pleasant.
“At least you have Dean. I just know he’s taking care of you.
The way he looks at you? That’s a man who cherishes the woman he’s with.
Trust me, my ex-husband didn’t look at me like that even on our wedding day.
But Dean? That’s a man head-over-heels in love.
You two have such a bright future ahead of—”
“Thanks, Lorraine,” I said, cutting her off. “I’m going to do a little more shopping.”
I moved away from the register, pretending to browse through a rack of blouses just to escape any more comments about Dean’s epic love for me.
That wasn’t love she was seeing. It was lust, mixed with affection and friendship.
I believed Dean when he said he cared about me. But if I let myself believe, even for a second, that Dean truly loved me? My damaged heart wouldn’t be able to survive that. Once, I’d been full of hopes about him, and I’d learned better. I would never let myself be so foolish again.
Sighing, I wandered over to a display near the shop’s front window. Then goosebumps rose all over my skin.
I lifted my eyes and found Donny Phelan just outside. Watching me through the glass.
Cocking my hip and raising an eyebrow, I glared back. To my surprise, he averted his gaze, dipped his blue cowboy hat, and slinked away down the sidewalk.
Now that was strange. Especially if the man had been asking people about me. What on earth could that be about?
When I’d first met Phelan, that night months ago that I was shot, he’d been brash and arrogant. Same when Dean and I had visited his house. But the man I’d just seen on the sidewalk had seemed…small.
Not like I’d ever feel sorry for him. But Dean and I were less sure all the time that Phelan was involved in my shooting. Nox Woodson and the other people at Crosshairs Security seemed to have the guy on some kind of leash.
We hadn’t figured it out yet, but we would.
When I returned to the register, Dean was there in the charcoal shirt. The neutral color made the blue of his eyes even more brilliant, and the fit hugged his chest and the trim lines of his torso.
“Looking good, Reynolds. Is that the slim fit?”
“I figured you’d like it.” He hooked my waist and kissed my cheek, then pulled back, scrutinizing me. “You okay?”
I thought about reporting the Donny Phelan sighting. But I didn’t want to mention it if Lorraine might overhear. “Yeah. I’m good. Happy.”
He kissed my forehead. “Then I’m happy too.”
Lorraine was tapping on a tablet screen. “He looks handsome, doesn’t he?”
“He does,” I agreed.
“While I’m paying, why don’t you grab us some drinks at the coffee shop next door?” Dean asked. “They have the really good chai there, right?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Yeah. But why does it seem like you’re up to something? I already agreed you could buy the dress for me.”
“Oh, go on, grab a drink, Keira,” Lorraine said with a knowing smile.
“Now I think you’re both up to something.”
But I agreed to play along. Lorraine had already picked up my shorts and top from the dressing room, folded them up, and tucked them in a bag for me. She handed my clothes over, and I headed next door to the coffee shop while Dean did…whatever he was really doing.
This coffee shop wasn’t as nice as Silver Linings Coffee over in Silver Ridge, but they did make an excellent chai.
While I ordered, I said hello to a couple of people I knew. Answered the inevitable questions about how I was healing, how my mom and sister were doing. When I would return to duty.
But my mind was still on the man I’d left next door.
The date tonight, the dress, the way Dean had of sweeping me away and making me forget everything else… It was too much. Every day, I fell deeper in love with him. But Dean would never truly be mine, no matter how many sweet things he did or said. No matter how intense our connection.
I’d never known love could hurt like this. A tear welled at the corner of my eye, and I brushed it away.
“Keira?” the barista said, setting my chai on the counter. “Anything wrong?”
“Nope.” I laughed. “Sorry. Allergies. Um, I need to run to the restroom. I’ll be right back for the drinks.”
Turning quickly to hide my face, I hurried down a short hallway toward the restroom.
Then someone grabbed my arm from behind. I dropped my bag and spun, instinct taking over, my hand already moving to where my weapon should be. But of course, it wasn’t there. Just the thin fabric of my sundress.
“You?” I spit out.
It was Donny Phelan. “We have to talk.”
“I don’t have to do anything.” I wrenched my arm free, anger flashing hot through my chest. “You’re following me?”
“I saw you come in.” His eyes darted around the hallway, wild and unfocused. “This is urgent. They’re watching me all the time. I have nowhere else to turn.”
“What’re you—”
I didn’t get to finish.
Dean appeared, moving so fast I barely registered it. He shoved Phelan away from me and against the wall, his forearm pressed across the man’s throat. Phelan’s hat toppled to the ground.
The look on Dean’s face was cold. Brutal. Every muscle in his body was coiled tight. This wasn’t the man who’d kissed me just a few minutes ago.
This was the sniper. The assassin.
“Give me one good reason,” Dean said, his voice dangerously quiet, “why I shouldn’t break your neck right now.”
“Dean,” I said carefully.
“I told you what would happen if you didn’t leave Keira alone.”
Phelan’s face had gone pale. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I just need help. Please.”
Dean’s forearm pressed harder. “Don’t Real Men handle their own shit? Take charge of their own lives? You sound pathetic.”
Phelan was shaking now. “They’re watching me,” he hissed. “Constantly. I can’t go anywhere, can’t do anything without them knowing. I barely slipped away today. Then I saw her, and I thought if we could just talk…”
“Talk about what?” I demanded.
“I think I know who attacked you that night a few months back. Shot you. If you help me, I’ll help you.”