Claiming Callie: Part two Read Free Page B

case…even if all I ever get from her are these few months where she pretends to like me, where I can touch her, hold her in my arms, and act like she ’ s mine, then I ’ ll take them. Even if this time is all I ’ ll ever have of her, it ’ s worth it. Just to feel what it would be like.”
    Emmett’ s usually joking demeanor evaporates. He moves forward and pats Dean on the back, his eyes warm, then climbs back up to his bunk. His silence speaks volumes. Dean knows he ’ s an idiot and that he probably sounds ridiculously pathetic, but he can ’ t help it.
    Jinny stan ds motionless for a moment, emotion flickering in her brown eyes, before she slowly walks up to him and wraps her arms around him in a giant bear hug. “Oh, Dean…”
    Sighing, Dean gives her a light squeeze . Why is it she ’ s the one that needs consoling?
    “God, that ’s just …” She sniffs and her body shakes. “That ’ s just the saddest and sweetest thing I ’ ve ever heard.”
    Dean groans and holds her away from him, peering down at her. “Are you crying?”
    She waves him away. “No. I ’ m fine. It ’s just … Well, as weird as it w ould be, you know…for you and Callie to get together…you ’ re my brother and she ’ s my best friend. I want you both to be happy. And I had no idea… I mean, there were times over the years, in high school and stuff, where I thought you might kinda like her, bu t I never thought…I never realized it was like this .”
    Dean shoves his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “The truth is, I have no idea how this will turn out. But for the first time I ’ m doing something about it, and it feels good. And who knows, maybe afte r being with her like this, I ’ ll realize she ’ s not the one for me.” Although, I highly doubt that.
    Jinny dabs at the tears in the corners of her eyes. “Aren ’ t you worried that when she finds out the truth, that you lied to her about why you wanted to do this, she ’ ll be angry? She might feel duped or betrayed. That kind of crap always happens in the movies.”
    “It ’ s a risk I ’ m willing to take.” He pulls a hand from his pocket, moving it around as he speaks. “Look, I knew it would take something drastic to ge t her to see me as a regular guy. Right now she sees me as some kind of brother stand-in. That role is a tough egg to crack. This is the only thing I could think of. I can show her what kind of guy I am. ME,” he says, pointing at himself. “Not your brother or her friend. But the real me. Who I am as a person, as a boyfriend, as a man.”
    Jinny nods, understanding washing over her features. “You ’ re right. I can see that.” She moves forward and squeezes his arm. “I might still see you as my gross, idiotic littl e brother, but I know you ’ re a good guy. You deserve the best. And, despite her issues, Callie ’ s just that. I hope it works,” she says, taking a step back. “If you need anything at all, just let me know.”
    Dean nods in answer and watches her as she leaves.
    That might be the nicest she ’ s ever been to me. God, what did that mean? Is my situation that hopeless? Does she really think I ’ ll get hurt that bad? She must.
    Dean plunks himself back down in his desk chair. It doesn ’ t matter, he reminds himself. This is his shot. And he ’ s going to take it.
    With that in mind, he picks up his phone and dials Greg ’ s number.
    #
    In the end, Greg agrees to Dean ’ s idea of a story on them, coerced in part by the prostitution story they ran and legal repercussions. A few days pass and it ’ s time for their interview. Despite their chat at Buzz, Dean and Callie have yet to really kick off their “relationship.” But today would be the big day. Today is the day Callie becomes his. Sort of.
    Dean picks Callie up at her apartment. She gets in the car, and as she does, the intoxicating scent of lavender and spice fills the air around him. He has no idea how this will go, but now that she ’