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Chapter 28

No. Fucking. Way.

Anger tore through him and he detangled himself from Scarlett as gently as possible before he got out of bed and went to the balcony. Once outside, he gripped the railing and grit his teeth.

What the fuck am I thinking?

Dean's knuckles paled from the grip he had on the railing. His shoulders were tensed and his anger was spiking with every breath he took. He wouldn't do this to her. He couldn't do this to her. Hell, she'd suffered enough pain and she sure as hell didn't need his sorry ass in her life. Pain shot up his arm from the knuckles he'd so happily put through the wall. The pain killers had dulled the pain but Dean's death grip on the railing had caused it to flare back up again.

A groan pierced through his cloud of anger and made him let go of the railing. He straightened and waited. Then he heard it, a whimper and a choked sob. Dean turned and walked back inside to check on Scarlett. She was writhing on the bed, the covers pushed off of her. Her face was contorted in pain and she was gasping for air.

Nightmare.

His anger dissipating at seeing her in such a state, Dean slid into bed and took her in his arms once more, shushing her. She jerked and spasmed but slowly calmed down to shuddering every now and then. Dean rubbed up and down her back, the remainder of his anger ebbing away into nothing. He sighed in relief when she curled against him, her head finding its place on his chest and her arm sliding across his waist.

Dean froze at the contact. He'd forgotten he wasn't wearing a shirt up until now. The feeling of her hand touching his flesh as it slid across to hold onto him was something he'd never thought of experiencing. His breath was pushed out of him when her legs tangled with him and a part of him was brought to life as she let out a sigh of content.

This is not the fucking time to get hard, Ambrose! He yelled at himself as he felt his blood run south, waking a part of him that had been sleeping peacefully. Dean grit his teeth and tried to ignore the pulsing between his legs. The way she snuggled into his chest didn't help either. If anything, her scent was stronger as she lay against him. The sweet pea smell mixed with something exotic, a scent he'd come to associate with her. Dean suppressed the groan that was bubbling up inside him.

God he felt like a lecher. He had a raging hard on while Scarlett slept peacefully in his arms. What was wrong with him? He had to get rid of his erection somehow.

Vince McMahon in a bikini! Dean let out a sigh of relief as his hard on deflated as the image of his boss in a bikini swept through his mind. Then he cringed at the image before shaking his head.

I'm in a shit load of trouble.

~oOo~

Scarlett's eyes cracked open before closing again as her body woke from its slumber. She reached for her watch on the side table to check the time, except her hand enclosed on something warm and hard. Scarlett's eyes snapped open and she stared as her hand was resting against a man's pec. Panic coursed through her momentarily before she gathered herself and her surroundings. What had initially been panic then morphed into silent hysteria with her eyes going wide and her mouth dropping open.

She was sprawled across Dean's chest, her legs were tangled with his while he had a strong arm wrapped around her shoulder to hold her close to him as he slept. Scarlett took several gulps of air to calm herself and avoided the urge to look at him some more. In his sleep, he looked at peace. There was no sign of anger or frustration on his face, only calm. Although the image surprised her, she found that she quite liked the calmness on his face as opposed to the anger that always seemed to be threatening to burst out at any given moment.

Slowly, Scarlett removed his arm from around her so she could get out of bed. She'd maybe managed to scoot two inches away from him when he rolled over onto his side and his arm landed on her waist, wrapping around it once more. She reached down to unhook herself from him but when he tightened his grip, she glanced over at him. Scarlett's heart skipped a beat as she looked at him.

Peeking out from sleepy eyes were two orbs of blue that were watching her lazily. There was a small curve on his lips and she found herself entranced by how… how perfect he looked as he lay there looking at her.

This was not good.

"Good morning," he said, his voice gravelly from sleep.

"Morning," she replied softly. Scarlett let out a shaky breath when he scooted over to her, covering the two inches she'd moved away from him so that he was close to her once more.

"You're warm," he noted before he leant his head down against her shoulder and let out a sleepy sigh.

"RISE AND SHINE LOVEBIRDS!"

The two of them jumped as Seth threw open the door and marched inside. Scarlett moved around to get away from Dean but he answered by pulling her closer and hide his face against her collarbone.

"Dean," Scarlett said softly, trying to get free from him.

"Yo, Dean. Wake up. It's the perfect weather to go to that mall with the big food court," Seth said coming around to Dean's side of the bed and poking him in the back.

Dean mumbled something against her and she looked up at Seth helplessly. Seth, on the other hand, was too preoccupied in trying to get Dean to wake up.

"What?" He asked when Dean mumbled something again. Dean lifted his face away from her to look at Seth.

"Fuck off," he said before turning back around to hold onto her once more.

"I can't. I'm hungry," Seth said, scratching the back of his head. Scarlett would have laughed if she wasn't so embarrassed at being caught in this position with Dean.

"Dean, please let me go. I'll get breakfast up and running in fifteen," she said.

"Why are you worrying? He's a big boy. He can make himself breakfast," Dean said loosening his hold on her so that he could look at her as he spoke.

"Out of the three of us here, Scarlett's the only one that has talent in the kitchen so let her go so she can feed me," Seth said shrugging. Dean looked at him over his shoulder.

"Is your guest gone?" Dean asked. A confused expression came onto Seth's face and Scarlett couldn't help the smile on her face.

"Guest?" He asked.

"Yes. Last night you brought in a guest that you were supposedly entertaining?" Dean said slowly, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. Seth seemed to recall his words and he nodded.

"Oh! That…uh…I mean her, yeah, she's gone," Seth said. "Now would you please let her go? I'm hungry as fuck and I need food."

Dean let her go and she slipped out of the bed. Seth made his way around to her and enveloped her in a tight hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Good morning," he said sweetly. She smiled at him and patted his back before he let her go so she could continue and make him something to eat.

~oOo~

They made quick work of the breakfast and Scarlett cleared up the kitchen as the men went to get ready. Scarlett informed them she would hang back as she wanted to make lunch and help Esme when she came. They'd made to protest but her decision was firm and they gave up trying to get her to come with them.

Her phone rang and Scarlett looked at it in confusion. There weren't many people on her contact list and really only two people called her: her lawyer, who kept her updated about her mother's shelter and Phil, the man who had begun to deliver groceries out to her when they befriended each other on her shopping trip to Chicago nine months ago. The number that flashed on her screen though wasn't one that was saved in her directory.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Morning babygirl," Roman's deep voice greeted her and Scarlett felt her lips stretch into a smile.

"Hi," she said happily.

"I accidentally dialed the wrong number and ended up calling an old woman who was convinced I was trying to scam her," Roman said. Scarlett chuckled and made her way to the TV room, flopping down on the couch.

"Mixed up the eight and nine," he told her gloomily.

"It's eight-nine-nine-eight," she told him.

"Yep. I now have it saved in my phone. What are you up to?" He asked. Scarlett told him about the day's plan and he whistled when she shared Seth's wish to take her dancing.

"Damn. I wish I was there. You'll enjoy yourself, babygirl," he said knowingly.

"Rome, these aren't really my thing," she told him, earnestly. For the old Scarlett, yeah, dancing was definitely up her alley along with booze. But this Scarlett, it seemed like torture and a waste of time.

"Stop thinking too much about anything, just enjoy the night. Besides, Seth and Dean are going to take good care of you," he replied. Scarlett felt something she couldn't identify as he said those words and it was when he spoke again to inquire about what she was going to wear did she realize what it was.

"I miss you, Rome," she said, her voice was barely above a whisper and Roman fell silent on the other end.

"I miss you too, babygirl," he replied, letting out a sigh. Just like that, the reminder that she had to leave soon came buzzing back and Scarlett's joy deserted her instantaneously.

"Scar, we're heading out," Dean said as he strode into the room. Snapping out of her daze she nodded at him.

"Roman on the line?" He asked.

"Yeah."

He made his way over to her and Scarlett held out the phone to him without waiting for him to ask. Dean disappeared out into the hallway as he conversed with Roman and Scarlett headed upstairs. She met Seth as he was coming down and he grinned at her, pushing his hair away from his face.

"We'll be back before you know it. Just make sure you're ready by seven," he told her.

"We're still on for tonight?" She asked wryly. Seth rolled his eyes at her and shook his head.

"You're not getting out of it that easily," he replied his hand reaching up to flick her nose before he headed past her.

~oOo~

"Sorry I'm late Ms. Rayer, the traffic has been horrible since the construction started near the freeway," Esme said making her way into the kitchen as Scarlett pressed the crushed graham crackers into the pie dish to make a crust.

"No worries, Esme. I just got started on the Key Lime Pie. I think Seth will enjoy it," she replied continuing her work.

"Would you like me to get started on beef?" Esme inquired.

"That would be perfect! I've already cut the meat into the pieces and placed them in the slow cooker. If you could just add the seasoning and the rest of the ingredients I told you to note down yesterday," Scarlett said, leaning over to check whether or not the oven was ready.

Esme got to work immediately, asking the quantities ever so often. Once the pie crust was in the oven to bake, Scarlett straightened and ran a hand over her face. A startled gasp escaping her lips as she realized she wasn't wearing her scarf. Her eyes snapped to Esme and the young woman looked towards her with concern.

"Ms. Rayer? Are you alright?" She asked. Scarlett's eyes widened and she turned her back to Esme.

"I'm sorry. Let me just go grab a scarf," she said quickly. But she didn't get very far from her spot for Esme stopped her by grabbing onto her shoulder. She turned around and found a hard look on the woman's face.

"Ms. Rayer, do not insult me by thinking I judge people based on their appearances," she said, her voice was firm and Scarlett looked down at her feet, resembling a child that had been chastised.

"You don't ha-."

"I've learnt a lot from you in the last couple of days, Ms. Rayer, and I can't tell you how happy I feel that Mr. Ambrose has found someone worthy of him and this house," Esme said. Scarlett lifted her eyes to her and found a sad face on the woman's face.

"The lady that used to be with Mr. Ambrose before never truly made him happy but since you've been here, he's been anything but," Esme went on. She smiled at Scarlett and nodded her head. The way she spoke, Scarlett couldn't help but wonder how long it had been since Esme had been working for Dean and who exactly she meant when she said "the lady that used to be".

Ding! The timer for the oven went off and interrupted her thoughts. After Esme assured her that there was no need to use the scarf to hide herself in the house, Scarlett moved to the oven and removed the pie crust from the oven.

There was nothing that could soothe Scarlett's racing mind other than the culinary arts.

Reviews make me happy. :)

- K.

To Marina: Welcome back! No worries at all. Haha, believe me I was equally happy writing this as you were reading this. Damn, if I were in that situation I'd probably need a medic. There's no way I would even be able to stay conscious, lol. Thanks for reading! xoxo