24. Dessert
DESSERT
KATIE
Amanda had made pancakes for breakfast. The smell of butter and syrup mingling with the crisp morning air was perfect to wake up to—minus the anxiety crawling in my stomach.
We exchanged light conversation, talking about the weather, the latest books we’d been reading, and the reality love show we had binge-watched the night before.
Just when I started feeling better, Dylan appeared in the kitchen. Sweatpants hung low on his hips, a t-shirt clung to his broad shoulders, and his hair was tousled as if he’d run his fingers through it multiple times. His boyish charm made my pulse quicken.
“Morning,” he said casually, pulling a carton of orange juice from the fridge.
“Where were you last night?” Amanda asked, eyeing him sharply as one of the fridge magnets tilted once the door closed.
“I was out.”
I leaned in to straighten it, but he slyly tilted another, as if daring me to correct it. I sighed, reaching out again, pressing the magnet back into place and covering it with my hand to avoid his playful tilting-fridge-magnet-until-Katie-gets-annoyed game.
“Dylan, stop playing Sisyphus with Katie,” Amanda scolded, smacking the back of his head lightly.
He grinned, rubbing his nape and sitting on the island stool. I narrowed my eyes at him and picked up my empty plate to wash it in the sink.
“As long as you live here, you have to inform me about your whereabouts or I’m kicking you out,” Amanda threatened him, and I looked over my shoulder to find him shoving the pancakes in his mouth and not meeting her eye.
Well, she definitely had no clue about her brother’s secret life as an escort or about Rented Romeo.
But why would he even do that? He didn’t need the money.
I shrugged. Maybe he enjoyed being arm candy for women who needed a date.
“I was just… out,” he said after swallowing a large bite. “No drugs, no alcohol, no sugar. I just had a small sip of champagne,” he added, as if trying to convince her.
Amanda crossed her arms, and he looked down at his plate.
If Anna, my older sister, were anything like Amanda, I wouldn’t be able to meet her gaze without feeling exposed.
Thank God, Anna wasn’t that scary.
“Uh-huh, sure,” Amanda said skeptically. “Then why weren’t you in your room?”
Uh oh.
I stepped in. “Amanda, can you help me pick out a dress for lunch?” I offered.
Both of the siblings snapped their heads to me at once. One suspicious, the other excited.
“Of course!” Amanda said, already grabbing my arm. “Let’s go shopping! It’s been ages since we did that.”
I smiled, but Dylan cut in.
“Great. I’ll drive you there.”
He was chewing pancakes so fast it was almost comical, an oddly adorable sight given how tense the atmosphere was moments ago.
“Who said you were joining us?” Amanda asked, raising an eyebrow.
His green eyes flickered to me. “I’ll help carry the bags.”
“And feed us?” Amanda asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Aren’t you supposed to be my elder sister?” he shot back, pouting. “Fine. Yes. I’ll treat you both to food.”
“And pay for Katie’s dress?” Amanda asked with a cheeky smile.
“Hey!” Dylan protested, but I was already retreating to the bedroom, wanting to get dressed before their bickering escalated.
I leaned on the closed door and chewed my lip, unsure how I felt about Dylan tagging along for our shopping trip.
When we were teenagers, he used to trail behind Amanda and me, disappearing into arcades or bookstores, barely paying attention to us.
I don’t think he would do that today.
Sighing, I changed into jeans and a dark tube top. I could go for a run after we returned and spend the night with Amanda before leaving early the next morning.
And hopefully, Dylan won’t budge me again.
Hopefully.
* * *
Shopping with Amanda was fun, even though the crowd made me want to go home. But Dylan was annoyingly clingy, trailing us through every single store without any shame.
“How about this dress?” Amanda suggested, holding up a dark blue number with thin straps. It was fitted at the waist and flowed down like liquid silk. Modest but elegant.
“Oh, you have to try it!” Amanda urged, pushing it into my hands. “If Justin doesn’t want to tear it off you and have you as a dessert, then he’s most definitely gay.”
“Amanda!” I whispered, cheeks burning red, praying no one overheard us.
Thankfully, no one did.
Except for Dylan, who looked pouty and utterly grumpy, scowling at me from across the aisle.
I sighed and went to the trial room. I could feel the back of my neck burn until I pulled the curtain. Pursing at my reflection, I stripped down and donned the dress.
It was hard to zip it up from the back, but the dress eventually slid over my curves, fitting my chest so perfectly it almost seemed designed for me. My breasts pushed out, creating a pronounced cleavage that made me blush.
But I looked… stunning. I twirled slowly in my sandals, the skirt cascading like waves, making me smile.
When I stepped out, Amanda’s grin stretched from ear to ear.
“This is the one!” she said excitedly, helping me with the zipper. “It makes your tits look absolutely delectable!”
I giggled, bowing playfully. “Why, thank you!”
“It’s alright.”
I looked to the side to see Dylan scowling, but his cheeks were unmistakably pink. Liar.
“Oh, shut up,” Amanda said, rolling her eyes. “She looks like a princess. Or maybe even a duchess!”
“Yeah, exactly,” Dylan said. “You could try something else, but—”
A ringtone suddenly rang shrill, breaking the moment. “Oh, shoot,” Amanda mumbled, glancing at her screen. “I forgot about the scheduled video call with Tina. Dylan, help Katie unzip. I’ll be right back.”
Before I could protest, Amanda disappeared, leaving me alone with Dylan. His tall, broad frame loomed over me, the scent of his musky cologne making my skin flush.
“Can you unzip it?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
His fingers went to work without a word, brushing lightly over my spine as he slowly lowered the zipper. The cool air from the air conditioning blasted against my exposed skin, making me swallow the lump in my throat.
Our eyes met in the mirror’s reflection. For a moment, all I could see was the raw desire pooling in his gaze.
Once the zipper was fully down, his hand lingering, his touch sending shivers through me. The tension hovering between us was too much for me to bear.
“I mean it, Katie,” he whispered, his voice thick with lust. His lips brushed the shell of my ear. “You’d look better in another dress.”
“Good thing you’re not my date.” I glared at him and said, “I’m sure Justin will like it. No, he’ll love it.”
He grabbed my hand before I could slip back into the changing room.
“Oh, trust me, darling,” he said, his voice dipping into something dangerously possessive.
“If you were my date, I wouldn’t leave a single stitch of clothing on you.
I’d have you as an amuse-bouche, appetizer, main course, and dessert. ”
Then, his eyes trailed downward, fixating on my chest.
“But my sister was right,” he murmured, licking his lips. “This dress… it makes your tits look… delectable. Fuckable, even.”
Blood rushed to my cheeks. I scrambled into the trial room, closing the curtain with a trembling hand. My heart pounded in my chest.
Fuckable? My tits? I looked down at them and wondered if it was even possible.