“You’re Victoria’s daughter?” he asks, stepping into the apartment, positioning the bag in one hand and holding out the other.
“And Pete’s. Reed’s?” She stops and thinks. “I guess I’m kind of like Reed’s daughter too. I’m moving in with him.”
“Dean met Reed and your mom at Hannah’s party.”
She smiles. “I love her dog Lucy.” She gets a lovesick look in her eyes. “Do you have a dog?”
“Yeah, his name is Grover,” Dean says.
“Do you have pictures? Why didn’t you bring him?” She perks up, moving to sit at the edge of the couch.
“I would have had I known.” He heads to the kitchen. “I’ll put these away and then I’ll show you some pictures.”
Jade shrugs, turning on the video again after Dean and I disappear into the kitchen.
“Care to fill me in?” Dean unloads the groceries. Whipped cream, cherries, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, butterscotch sauce.
I put everything away and then hold open the freezer, waiting for him to hand me the ice cream.
“I told Vic I’d watch her tonight. They had some big fancy dinner thing for Reed.”
Dean folds up the paper bag. “Cool.”
“Did you forget the ice cream?” I ask, my eyes bugging out of my head. If I don’t send Jade back high on sugar what kind of faux aunt am I?
“I didn’t buy any.”
I shut the freezer door. “Were they out?”
He places the paper bag on the counter, his hands landing on my hips, and he thrusts me into his arms. His nose glides over my jaw and neck. “I thought you were going to be the sundae.”
I giggle in his arms.
“I had plans of licking whipped cream and chocolate off your delectable body. Why do you think I bought extra cherries?” His teeth latch on to my earlobe, giving a firm tug.
“Well, maybe you should have a sleepover tomorrow night.”
He squeezes my ass. “Is that a sly way of telling me no sleepover tonight?”
“Since Jade sleeps with me, I’d have to say no.”
“I have a question for you.” He draws back, leaning on the counter and I’m suddenly rethinking my plan. An entire night of not being able to touch him feels like torture at the moment.
“What?” I ask.
“Am I here as a test?”
I wrinkle my brow.
He raises his.
I tilt my head.
He tilts his in the opposite direction.
“What?” I feign ignorance.
“You heard me.”
“I don’t want to say.”
He captures me before I can escape back into the living room and his fingers torment me with tickles. “Admit it.”
“No.” I laugh.
He laughs. “I’m not going to stop.”
I wiggle and slide around but he’s got me cornered and let’s be honest, I’m not trying very hard to get away. If I really wanted to, I’d knee him in the balls.
“Fine. Maybe.”
He stops for a second. “Maybe as in yes.”
“Maybe.”
He tickles me, but his hands skitter up my chest. “God, I want to strip you right now. These damn clothes are a fucking tease. I can see the outline of your body, but there’s still a barrier.”
“Aunt Chelsea,” Jade calls out. “Someone just knocked on the door.”
“Don’t answer.” I look at Dean. “Not a true test, I just wanted to see how you’d fit into my life now. How you’d handle it when it’s not just all about us.”
A cocky smile plays on his lips. “Like everything else, with perfection.” He presses his lips to my cheek. “I’ll grab the door.”
My hands grip the counter, preparing myself for a night of temptation.
By the time I get to the living room, Dean’s shutting the door and he’s got the pizza in his hand.
“The money was on the table.”
He shakes his head.
“I bet you’re a cheese girl, right Jade?” he asks.
“How did you know?” She follows him to the small kitchen table.
“Is that the floss?” Dean asks, placing the pizza on the table and opening the box.
“Yeah.” Jade’s hips start moving and her arms swinging from side to side.
Dean steps back from the table, watching her and then he juts out his hip. “Move your arms back when you swing your hips sideways.”
Jade looks like the kid from the video and Dean looks like if you put the video in slow motion.
I lean against the doorframe of the kitchen watching the two interact.
Jade’s easy, I know that. She’s not going to act like a brat or give him a hard time. She’ll say her pleases and her thank yous. Still, it’s nice to see the two of them joking around.
“Have you ever done the Cupid Shuffle?” Dean stops attempting the floss and starts singing the cupid shuffle song and doing the dance.
Jade watches his feet, mimicking him.
“Wait, wait. We need the music.” Dean grabs the remote from the table and searches Cupid Shuffle on YouTube. A minute later after an ad, the song begins and Dean pushes the coffee table against the couch.
He motions for Jade to come to the dance floor. She looks at me and I nod, then she runs to join him. Dean takes her hands and the two follow the directions of moving to the right and then to the left. They go through the entire dance together, her following Dean’s steps and movements. Even the flexing of the bicep.
“Can we do it again?” Jade asks with a big smile and sparkling eyes.
“If Chelsea joins us.” Dean looks in my direction, clearly issuing me a challenge.
Jade runs over to me, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward them.
“The pizza will get cold,” I protest.
“Excuses, excuses,” Dean says, tsking me.
“Watch us,” Jade says, eyeing Dean to press play.
“Sweet Jade, I’m the master.” I puff my chest out.
“What happened to the pizza-will-get-cold girl?” Dean teases, stepping to the side to give me some space.
“I just didn’t want to show you up.” I wink at him.
Dean laughs, and presses play. “Then show me up, beautiful.”
Jade’s all in and has most of the moves down. Oh, to be a kid again. She’s strutting along the floor, her hips in sequence to the rhythm and she’s even singing the lyrics. “You’re really good, Aunt Chelsea.” She shoots a fleeting look in my direction.
Dean dances over to the pizza, grabbing a slice and eating it while he watches us.
“A plate wouldn’t kill you,” I say over my shoulder.
His deep chuckle grows closer and he leans over my shoulder, biting a piece of the pizza.
“You want to see Aunt Chelsea flip out?” Dean asks Jade.
She turns and continues her dance as she watches us.
“You’re buying me a new rug if you drop it.” Although it’s making me slightly worried, I’m going to let this go.
“Deal.” His arm wraps around my waist and he holds it up in front of my face. “Live on the edge and take a bite.”
“Nuh-uh.” I shake my head.
“Come on Aunt Chelsea.” Jade jumps up and down next to us.