Page 57 of Sweet Passions at Bayside
And it sucked.
She fidgeted with the edge of her sundress, wondering if Dean was asleep yet. Were Tango and Cash curled up in her spot beside him? Or was Dean lying awake wondering whatshewas doing? They’d texted before she’d gone out with Desiree, and he’d told her he missed her already and to have fun.
She did have fun.
They even made plans to start looking at wedding dresses in the fall, even though Desiree and Rick hadn’t picked a date yet.
But now she was done. She’d caught up with her bestie.
Nowshe was ready forDean.
She pushed from the bed, stepping around the open suitcases and clothes that were hanging over the sides, and went into the bathroom. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. When she set her toothbrush down on the counter, even that felt lonely without Dean’s right next to it. Geez, she was really losing it. Since when did she eventhinkthis way? She pulled off her dress and tossed it in the hamper. She changed into a cami and sleeping shorts and sat on the edge of her bed again, this time holding her phone. Her finger hovered over Dean’s name on her recent call list.
Would he think she was clingy if she called? He’d asked her to stay. Surely he would be happy?
Or sleeping…
Ugh.But she missed him. How could she go to sleep without hearing his voice after having talked with him nearly every night for months on end, and being together every day since she’d come to the Cape?
She couldn’t be expected to gocold turkey.
That would be torture, and Dean would not want her tortured. Of that she was sure.
But maybe he wouldn’t want herat allif she were clingy…
She glanced at the bathroom, and an idea came to light. With her heart dancing to a nervous beat, she called him.
He answered on the first ring. “Hey, doll. Everything okay?”
The sound of his voice sent reliefwhooshing through her. She flopped onto her back and said, “Yeah, great.” Okay, shelied.
“Did you have fun with Des?”
“Mm-hm. We walked all over P-town, talked, you know. Caught up.”
“Good. And how’s your room?”
Lonely without you.She kept that to herself and said, “It’s fine, except…I was, um, just wondering if you could come check out my sink? It’s…not working right.”
“Your sink? Sure, when?”
“Now?” She closed her eyes, hoping that didn’t make her sound needy.
“Of course.” He made a noise like he was pushing to his feet, and she wondered if he was on the couch or in his bed.
“I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
“You are never an inconvenience.” His keys jingled. “I’m on my way, doll. Don’t you worry.”
THANK THE FREAKING powers that be.Dean had been lying on his bed looking at what he knew would be a long, sleepless night spent thinking about Emery. He climbed into his truck and sped over to the inn. It was faster than walking, and he needed her in his armsnow.
The inn was dark, save for the lights in Emery’s second-floor bedroom. With his toolbox in hand, he took the porch steps two at a time, reminding himself she’d asked him to look at her sink, not sweep her into his arms. The last thing he needed was to scare her off by wanting too much too fast.
He forced himself to slow down, and when he lifted his hand to knock, the door opened before he had a chance to. Emery peered up at him, looking beautiful and sexy in a spaghetti-strap top and silky pajama bottoms.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi.” He fought the urge to drop the toolbox and haul her into his arms. Why was he so nervous? He felt like everything was riding on how he handled things right this second. She’d called him for help, not to be carried back home. He didn’t know when that mental transition had happened, but he already considered his house herhome—regardless of how few days they’d spent together there. He had the feeling it had started before she’d even moved to the Cape, when coming home at night had meant hearing her voice on the phone or over video chat.
