1.3 Loose Nights

The only perk to Dean's house was the bar out back and the pond located adjacent to the property. Dean used this perk to his advantage many nights to have the guys from work over for beers around the bonfire.

Tonight wasn't any different.

Outside the guys listened to loud music and yelled across the fire. Haleigh walked inside and sat her belongings in her room and peeked out her window to see two silhouettes dance across the trees. Figuring one had to be Dean, she walked outside to greet him.

Dean was seated next to the fire with Conner, his trusty co-worker. Together they had knocked out an entire twelve pack of beer. On deck was a second, unopened twelve pack. Haleigh walked around the corner and approached the guys, quickly realizing that she should have stayed in the bedroom.

It was too late to turn back, Dean was already up and offering her his place by the fire. He sat down on the ground, breaking into the unopened twelve pack. Dean greedily opened the first he pulled from the pack. Knocking back his head, he caught Haleigh gazing into the fire. Without thinking, he scooped up a second can and offered it to Haleigh.

Hours past and the fire died. The three headed towards the main house. "Goodbye guys!" Conner yelled at the sidewalk.
Dean stumbled over to Conner as fast as he could, to Haleigh the sight was hilarious, "Dude. Your." Dean stopped, placing his hand on Conner's shoulder. "Yourtodrunktodrive."
"Dude. What?" Conner said, tilting his head in confusion.
Dean raised his voice, repeating his last statement, enunciating each slurred syllable. "Dooode. You. Are. Tooooo. Drunnkk. To. Drive." Conner busted out in a fit of laughter.
"Dude. I live across the street."
Dean joined Conner in a fit of laughter and walked back Haleigh in the door way.

Haleigh opened the fridge to search for a snack. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dean leaning against the counter, watching her. "Stop staring at me," she said, closing the refrigerator door forgetting why she had opened it in the first place.

She turned to face Dean. Little had changed since she left him years ago. She toyed with the thought of kissing him like she used to. Before she could convince herself that alcohol was skewing her judgment, Dean reached for her and pulled her into his arms.

For minutes they stood there holding each other. Almost like old times.

Haleigh shifted in his arms and looked up at him. Her eyes looking deeply into his, reading his soul. Dean felt like he was possibly reading to much into this moment but he did not dare to break her gaze. Her words echoed through his mind. Those hurtful words from long ago. They tore him then and continued tearing him now. Then her eyes were mocking him. Laughing at his pain.
Sober, he would have realized this was his mind playing tricks on him. Causing him to believe that the one person he'd ever loved was mocking him.

"Stop it," Dean yelled, pushing her away.
"Stop what?" Haleigh shouted back, "What's your problem?"

Dean looked across the space separating them. She seemed so distant, just out of reach. Dean reached out and looped his arms around Haleigh's waist and pulled her close.

He stared into her eyes. They searched him, confused. Without thinking, Dean pulled her closer, taking in the scent of her hair. He gently placed his lips on hers, slowly teasing her lips open.

Haleigh resisted at first but Dean's arms were tight around her, holding her against him.

As Dean's tongue danced in her mouth, Haleigh was over come with the feelings she hid. He was no longer "Dean the asshole" but her Dean. The Dean she remembered. The Dean she spent endless nights with, laying under the stars, talking about college.

Within moments, the walls she had spent years building crashed down around them.

"I want you," Dean whispered into her ear. His voice dipping low, seductively. Haleigh indulged in his kisses. Each one more passionately than the one before. It wasn't until Haleigh felt the bed under her that she realized they had shifted rooms.

"Dean," she began to protest but he cut her short, "Shhh," he said before pressing her into the bed.