“Where the fuck are your parents?”
“Someone get those kids off the lawn and find that one down by the street.”
“No, you can’t have a drink for the road, you little shit.”
I practically pant watching Dean, wondering why it’s so hot seeing someone breaking up all the fun. He lets go of my hand to snatch bottles of liquor and red Solo cups out of teenagers’ hands as they file past, piling everything up on a side table next to him in the foyer until it looks like the counter of Dockside Eddy’s after a Sunday Sharks’ football game.
Hunter Paige, a senior on Owen’s baseball team who can sometimes be a little jerk, is the final kid to shuffle by us. When he tries to sneak out with something behind his back, Dean stops him with a hand to his chest, then holds his palm open in front of the boy.
“Nice try. Hand it over.”
Hunter lets out a huge sigh, then whips his arm out from behind his back, smacking what he was holding into Dean’s waiting hand.
We both look down at it in silence.
“What the fuck?” Dean finally curses.
“That doesn’t look like booze to me,” I speak, biting down on my bottom lip to stop myself from laughing.
This isn’t funny. Nothing about this is humorous. My grandson threw a party with underage drinking while his parents are out of town. I’m turned on by a man yelling at teenagers. And I think I’m having an existential crisis, because for the first time in my life, I didn’t have to be the bad guy and am not alone dealing with bullshit, and I like it so much I think I might cry. Nothing about this is funny, and yet…
“Did you just… put a rubber dick in my hand?” Dean glares at Hunter.
“Not just any rubber dick, but a purple glittery one! That’s fun!” I nudge Dean with my elbow, and he shifts his glare to me.
That just makes me smile even bigger.
“It was the price to get into the party.” Hunter shrugs, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his joggers. “You know, a way to keep people out who weren’t invited. Bring a fake dick to the party, and we know you can come in.”
“Where did you even get this?” Dean questions, making the laughter bubble out of me as I watch this big, strong, threatening man shake a sparkly dildo in the air.
“Ever heard of the internet, old man?”
The humor over this situation dies in an instant. I quickly step around Dean and point my finger at Hunter.
“Watch your mouth, you little shit. Apologize, or I’ll call your mother.”
“Seriously? Apologize for calling him old?”
Dean’s arm is suddenly wrapping around my waist and tugging me back against the front of him as I start to lunge toward Hunter when he just chuckles.
“Easy there, tiger,” Dean says softly, dipping his head down right by my ear, his arm like a steel band around my waist while I continue glaring at the kid. “While incredibly hot watching you defend my honor, I don’t think you really want to go to jail tonight for punching a kid, right?”
What the hell am I doing? I mean, Hunter is eighteen, and he’s being a jerk, but still!
I don’t know what kind of look Dean gives Hunter over my shoulder from behind me, but it’s enough to wipe that smile off his face and have him mumble out an apology to both of us before he takes off running out the open front door.
“Tell your mom I said hello!” I quickly shout after him, trying to make up for my behavior as he jumps off the top porch step and darts down the driveway at full speed.
“Were you really going to put your hands on that kid for what he said?”
I let out a huff when I hear the laughter in Dean’s voice, the motion making me realize his arm is still tight around my waist, holding me against the front of him.
“It made me mad,” I mutter, starting to pull away from him.
Dean tightens his hold on me, dipping his head and putting his mouth right by my ear once again. “I like that it made you mad.” His voice is quiet, all teasing gone, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear.
My head automatically drops to the side, and my hand comes up to clutch onto his arm against my stomach. His lips are suddenly pressed to the side of my neck, the scratchy feeling of his facial hair and the warmth of his mouth on me sending a straight shot of lust coursing through my body, making me rub my thighs together and stifle a moan.