Chapter 33 It’s Just Us
IT’S JUST US
DYLAN
I pulled away to see who had interrupted our sweet, intimate moment.
It was Amanda and Caleb with their arms crossed. Caleb was even smirking.
Fuck. Just my luck.
He was my senior at university and one of the best ethical hackers I knew, who had helped me a lot with my start-up.
“Well?” my sister asked, raising her brows. “What was going on?”
Katie cleared her throat, but I said, “There was something in her eye. I was helping her remove it.”
“Uh-huh,” Caleb drawled, glancing at Katie, who had glassy eyes.
“The dinner must be getting cold.” I coughed into my fist. “I’m really looking forward to the dessert.”
I barely glanced at Katie. My chest was tight with a mix of desire and frustration, because I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep pretending. I wanted to grab her, kiss her and shout to everyone that she was mine, like some caveman.
I walked past the narrowed eyes of my older sister and Caleb. But before I could go back to the party, someone called my name.
“Dylan.” Caleb jerked his chin for me to follow him.
Great. Just what I needed.
He led me down the hall and into one of the guest bedrooms. It was a simple space with cream walls, a queen bed, a wooden dresser topped with a lamp.
Caleb shut the door and crossed his arms, planting himself in front of it as if he wanted to stop me from escaping.
“Why are you messing around with Katie?” he asked, getting straight to the point.
I should have seen this coming. He was one of the husbands of Anna, her older sister, and also my senior.
“I’m not messing around,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “She’s just my sister’s friend. That’s all.”
He laughed, rolling his eyes. “Please. I know bullshit when I smell it. You’ve got it written all over your face. You look at her the way I look at Anna and Kyle when I think no one’s watching.”
“That’s flattering, Caleb,” I said with a cheeky smile. “But I think you’ve had too much champagne.”
“Don’t play dumb with me. She’s sweet. Innocent. And she means a lot to Anna—and to all of us. If you hurt her…” He tilted his head, his voice dipping low, “You’ll wish you’d never been born.”
“Wow. That escalated fast. From concerned brother-in-law to threatening your favorite junior for fun? I should complain to Anna.”
“Don’t test me, kid.” His words made me scoff. A kid? He was just a year older than me. “I’ve got a baby on the way, and my patience is already thin.”
I wanted to snap back, to tell him Katie wasn’t his business, but before I could, he uncrossed his arms and turned. He paused with his hand on the knob, throwing a stern look over his shoulder. “Remember what I said.”
Whatever. There wasn’t a single bone in my body that wanted to hurt Katie Martinez other than mild spanking.
By the time I got back to the party, dessert had been served with the vanilla cake. Katie looked more relaxed, her mom had left early when most of the guests departed. Only a handful of people remained. Anna, Caleb, Kyle, Amanda, Tina and a few of Katie’s girlfriends.
The atmosphere seemed lighter. Laughter echoed as we passed plates of cake and sipped champagne.
I had warned Amanda that Katie wouldn’t drink much, but she had bought the sweetest liquor to woo her friend, and it seemed like it was working.
Her cheeks were flushed from champagne and eyes sparkling. She leaned back on the couch, her feet on the edge as she nursed a glass of alcohol in her lap.
“Remember when she cried for an hour because she realized that Santa wasn’t real?” Anna teased.
I smiled as Katie groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I was seven!”
Everyone burst into laughter. I leaned back, taking a small sip of the sweet alcohol, and let myself watch her. The way she hid her smile behind her hands, the way her shoulders shook when she laughed.
I ignored the desire that made my stomach clench, wishing I could crawl over to her and kiss every inch of her.
Even though I was enjoying the cozy atmosphere, I couldn’t wait until everyone left.
Their talk turned to the high school years, and suddenly Amanda was grinning at me. “Oh! Tell them about Katie’s prom night.”
Katie sat up. “No.”
“Yes,” Amanda insisted, waggling her brows. “Do it, Dylan.”
How could she do that to her own best-friend? Amanda is scary.
I coughed into my glass, remembering the day crystal clear. “Uh, there’s nothing much to tell. She got a little too drunk and crashed into my room. The next morning she woke up convinced…”
“Don’t you dare,” Katie said, narrowing her eyes.
“That we slept together,” I finished with a smug grin.
Her face went red. “I was drunk! I didn’t know what happened!”
The whole table giggled, Anna nearly choking on her drink.
She was drunk because her ex was an ass, and I had tucked her in my bed when the house was full of horny teenagers.
“I was more freaked out than she was.” I laughed, shaking my head at the memory. “Do you know how fucking terrifying it is to have your best friend’s sister wake up in your bed and scream like you’ve ruined her life? I aged ten years in those five minutes.”
Katie covered her face again, groaning. “I hate you.”
But when she finally peeked at me through her fingers, there was laughter dancing in her eyes and… warmth. Our gazes lingered, making me feel giddy.
I remembered fucking the pillow where she had laid her head after she had left flustered and embarrassed, realizing nothing had happened, and ruined my sheets.
My mom was suspicious when I washed my bedding, insisting I do it alone.
I slid out my phone and sent her a text.
cant stop thinking about the lingerie youre wearing rn
Katie glanced at her phone, and her eyes widened as she glanced at me. I saw her bite her lip as she sent me a reply.
Katie: How can you be so sure I’m wearing any?
Blood rushed south so fast I nearly groaned out loud. I pressed my fist against my mouth, trying to hide the grin that spread across my face.
She was tipsy, giggling when Amanda leaned in to whisper something in her ear. I reached over, casually sliding the bottle away before someone could fill up her glass again. The last thing I needed was Katie drunk enough to blurt out something about the lingerie I had bought for her.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait to get her alone any longer. One by one, people began to leave, hugging Katie at the door. Amanda stumbled out with Tina, too drunk and wrapped up in each other to notice when I said I’d stay to help clean.
Caleb stayed long enough to catch my eye. He pointed two fingers at his eyes, then at me. He mouthed, ‘I’m watching you.’
I bit back a laugh, mouthing back, ‘Go home, Dad.’
Anna and Kyle ushered him out before he could charge towards me.
And then it was just us.
The house felt enormous in the sudden quiet. Plates and glasses littered the dining table, ribbons of gold and silver streamers still swaying from the ceiling.
Katie stood in the middle of it all, barefoot now, the thin strap of dress slipping slightly off one shoulder, her hair tumbling in messy waves.
She glanced at me, a small, tired but glowing smile tugging at her lips. “Looks like it’s just us, Dylan.”