Page 11 of Sweet Passions at Bayside
Why did her ridiculous rationalizations make him smile? “I didn’t make the beer,” he pointed out. Not that he minded sharing with her. The first time he’d met her she’d sucked down his entire drink and that weekend she’d eaten half of nearly everything he had on his plate.
Emery rolled her beautiful eyes. “Same idea.”
“Dean, what’s going on over there? Are you trying to steal my best friend?” Desiree asked. “She used to drinkmydrinks.”
Stealing doesn’t come close to what I’d like to do to her.“Hardly.”
“First you keep her at your place all day,” Desiree said. “Now she’s sharing your drinks. I think you’re definitely trying to move into the number one BFF spot.”
“I told you I couldn’t get to the inn because of the traffic,” Emery reminded her.
“Deanliveson Bayside Resort property,” Desiree pointed out. “It’s about a five-minute walk from his place to my front door. Why were you able to get there—” Her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh. Are you two…?”
“What? No.” Emery sat up straighter, putting distance between her and Dean. “Wait. You liveonthe resort grounds? I didn’t see the resort.”
Dean scrubbed a hand down his face to try to hide his smile.
Rick belted out a laugh. “If you had followed the path through the tall bushes at the back of his yard, you would have come out near the far end of our property, near Matt and Mira’s cottage.”
Emery swatted Dean’s arm. “What the heck, Dean? You said you’d have to take me on the Jet Ski!”
“Uh-oh,” Drake said with a laugh.
“What?” Dean tried to play it off casually, as if it were no big deal. “I had no idea where the keys to the golf cart were, and it’s a long walk with all your stuff. I was only thinking of you.”
“Thinking of me, mybutt,” Emery said.
“Darn right he was thinking about your butt,” Violet said.
“C’mon, Vi.” Dean met Emery’s angry gaze. “Is there something wrong with wanting to spend time with my friend? You said Des was busy anyway.”
“Shewas, but you could have been honest with me.” Hurt replaced the anger in Emery’s eyes. “Besides, why did you give me directions all the way back to Route 6 if you’re on the same property?”
Drake and Rick cracked up again, but the hurt in Emery’s eyes cut him to his core.
Before he could answer, Desiree said, “You gave her thelongway? Em, all you had to do was go out his driveway and turn left. It’s literally a three-minute drive.”
Dean shrugged. “I thought it might be best if she learned how to get there from the main road.”
“You get more girls with truth than lies, Dean,” Serena added.
“It wasn’t a lie, and I wasn’t trying togetEmery.” He put an arm around Emery and pulled her closer. When she resisted, he tugged harder, unwilling to let this come between them. “I’m really sorry for wasting your time, doll, but is it a crime to want to spend time with the woman who texts me at two in the morning?”
“She texts you at two in the morning?” Serena slid Desiree a curious look.
“I can’t very well text Desiree anymore, can I?” Emery answered. “Rick would have my head on a platter.” She leaned back, giving Dean an eyeful of hergirls, as she said, “Besides, Dean doesn’t mind. He texts me all the time, too.”
Mind? He waited with bated breath for those texts.
“Sounds like the cold winter nights were warmed with sexting frickery to me.” Violet pushed to her feet and headed for the bar. “Speaking offrickery, I see an old friend. Catch y’all later.”
“Frickery?” Amusement rose in Drake’s eyes.
“Not my choice of words,” Violet said as she eyed Desiree, “but my sister doesn’t like the term fu—”
“Don’t!” Desiree snapped.
Violet laughed. “Can we get back to the sexting between Emery and Dean? That’s much more interesting than my toning down my language.”
