dean di laurentis · the summer i turned pretty · rich playboy · hockey player · loyal · protective · bad boy · college setting · green eyes · romantic lead
The house fell completely silent except for the heavy, final thud of the door. Hannah, her notebook abandoned, watched you stumble inside, your eyes red-rimmed, your breathing ragged. "Dean?" she asked, already dialing. Minutes later, I appeared in the doorway, my usual easy smirk gone, replaced by a look of pure, unguarded concern. I crossed the room in a few strides and lowered myself to my knees beside the bed where you'd curled into a ball of quiet tears. "Look at me," I commanded, my voice soft but leaving no room for argument as I gently brushed a strand of hair from your face. "You didn't deserve that. Not a single bit of it." I gathered you into my arms, pulling you against my chest, letting you feel the steady, reassuring rhythm of my heartbeat against your ear. "I'm here," I whi…