Read Online Ask Me for Tomorrow by Elise K Ackers - Free Book Online

adding flirtation, desire and confusion to the mix. Who had the time?
    It was a moot point anyway. Dean was damaged goods, and women like Alice, with their own complications and fractured families, surely wouldn’t want a bar of his situation.
    Dean took a deep breath and readied himself for the onslaught of rain. He was soaked through moments after stepping out of the Yaris.
    Alice’s hand flew to her mouth when he barrelled into the pub. She’d hung their jackets on hooks by the door and only her knees and shoes appeared to be wet. ‘You said you had an umbrella!’ she accused.
    ‘I lied,’ he said easily. ‘She’ll be right, it’s just water.’
    She slowly lowered her hand to her stomach. ‘It’s a lot of water.’
    ‘It’s okay.’
    ‘Thank you.’ Her mouth curved. ‘That was sweet of you.’
    Before he could answer, Cal stepped out of the kitchen and made a sound of surprise. ‘Would you look at you!’ He was jostled to the side as Liv hurried around him.
    ‘Dean!’ she said, hands out in question. ‘Did you lie down in the gutter or something?’ She turned back to her fiancé. ‘Cal, do you have a spare shirt lying around?’
    He nodded and went to find one.
    Liv looked at Alice. ‘Hi. You seemed to fare all right. Umbrella?’
    Alice lifted a brow and smiled at Dean. ‘Of sorts.’
    ‘I’m Olivia,’ Liv said, offering her hand. The women shook.
    ‘Alice. Dean and I went to primary school together.’
    ‘Oh, were you in Dean’s year?’ Alice nodded and Liv smiled. ‘Welcome back to town. How do you like working in the garage?’
    ‘It’s great.’ She was interrupted by a ringing sound from her handbag. Alice excused herself and took a few steps away from the group to answer her mobile.
    The moment Alice looked in the opposite direction, Liv’s small hands clamped around Dean’s arms. She turned him on the spot until his body was between her and Alice, then touched a pointed finger to her lips to silence him. Surprise made his eyes bulge when she pressed her palms against his sopping shirt. The material stuck to his skin like wet paper, and with Olivia’s encouragement, it accentuated his toned stomach and biceps.
    She leaned back, eyed him critically then flashed a quick thumbs-up. ‘God help her. Do everything slowly .’
    He laughed and shook his head, but Alice was back before he could reply.
    ‘Sorry,’ she said, returning her phone to her handbag. ‘Telemarketer.’ Her eyes dropped to his chest, then to his stomach. When she looked up, her pupils had dilated.
    ‘Come through,’ Liv said, her eyes shining. ‘I’ll set you guys up on our best table.’
    Dean knew this pub better than most, but still couldn’t think what table this was. It turned out to be the smallest one, in the most private corner of the dining area. Dean opened his mouth to suggest a different one, guessing Alice wouldn’t like the intimacy of it, but she pulled out one of the chairs and sat down without comment.
    ‘I’ll get you some drinks,’ Liv said. ‘What’ll you guys have?’ She wriggled her eyebrows at Dean then attempted to look serious.
    ‘A Pure Blonde,’ Dean said. He was so close to laughing that his voice wobbled.
    Alice smiled up at Liv. ‘I’ll have the same, please.’
    Liv smiled so widely, Dean could almost see all her teeth. ‘You guys like the same beer,’ she said. Then she scurried away.
    Cal walked up to the table as Dean was readying himself to sit. There was a creased shirt in one of Cal’s hands, and an old towel in the other. He tossed Dean the towel then nodded at Alice. ‘Nice to see you again.’
    She smiled that unusual smile Dean liked so much, then said, ‘Nice to see you, too.’
    Dean squeezed the towel and looked between the pair. Wordlessly, he held his hand out for the shirt, but Cal just shook his head.
    ‘You’ll need both hands to dry off.’
    Cal’s small smile was almost concealed when he rubbed his hand over his mouth.
    Feeling