I pulled away, looking down at our fake-snow-covered feet. “Whoa.”
She picked white flakes from her hair and then glanced around, looking happier and more beautiful every second. “I also hate the little wrinkle above my top lip when I smile,” she said, smiling and pointing to it. “Are you going to change that, too?”
I shook my head. “I wouldn’t change a damn thing about you. What else you got?”
“Road trips.”
I leaned back. “Seriously?”
“Loathe them. I don’t think it’s possible to fix that.”
“Make a list,” I said without hesitation. Playing it cool or being aloof or hard to get wasn’t fun anymore. Avery didn’t want to play games, and there was no question I wanted Avery. I was all in, and I was hoping she meant what she said, or trying to wear my heart on my sleeve would blow up in my face.
“Global warming, the smell of coconuts and cigarette smoke, white ribbed man tanks, being the center of attention, overripe bananas, spiders, baseball, screaming children, bacon, drool, gagging, mucus, crumbs, Howard Stern, static cling, bad haircuts, leaving Costco without a churro, and the word elbow.”
“Is that all?” I asked, straight-faced.
She cackled. “What happens when we run out of things I hate?”
A lot of things came to mind. I didn’t want to ruin everything by saying even one of them. My brain was still buzzing from the way she tasted. I wasn’t sure how anyone could think under this condition. “We’ll make stuff up.”
Tugging her hand, I pulled her toward the clearing.
“We’re leaving already?” she asked, her bottom lip jutting out slightly.
I laughed at her pouty face. “I’m trying to be a gentleman, Avery, and a gentleman wouldn’t end the night pulling pine needles from his date’s ass, if you catch my drift.” I winked, and her lips spread into a wide, knowing smile.
“I may have some hot cocoa at my place.”
She raised an eyebrow as I concentrated on her soft lips. I wanted to be the good guy she needed, but it was becoming increasingly hard, in more ways than one.
A tiny gasp slipped from Avery’s lips when I spun her around. The passenger door of my car popped as I pressed her against it, and she startled. We both laughed, and then I dipped down to capture another taste of her mouth, relishing in her sweetness.
I reluctantly pulled back, wondering if it was this way with everyone. The more time I spent with her, the more beautiful she was. I pressed my forehead against hers, hoping to never wake up from this dream. Heavy drops of rain began to fall on us, breaking the magic of the moment. Avery laughed and looked up. I scrambled to gather Mrs. Cipriani’s belongings, and then Avery joined me. Our laughter grew louder with each item we put away.
“Here,” I said, handing her the box. I reached up, unhooking the glass balls from the pine tree and tossing them gently. She beamed as she moved the box to catch each one.
After the final decoration was packed, I took back the box and kissed her forehead. “Hot cocoa sounds pretty great,” she whispered. The air had cooled with the rain, and her hair and dress were sticking to her skin.
I brushed a damp, golden strand away from her eyes. “Let’s go.”
My stomach was in knots by the time I pulled up to Avery’s building. She hadn’t spoken the entire trip back to her place. I wasn’t sure if she was having doubts about me coming inside, and a guy like me shouldn’t chance assumptions with a woman like Avery.
Parking on the side of the road, I hurried to her side of the car and pulled the door open. She smiled shyly as she slipped from the seat, pushing down the silky fabric of her dress.
I could see the nerves eating away at her, so I slipped my fingers between hers, squeezing her hand gently as she led me into her building and up the stairs, guiding me to her door. Fumbling with her keys, she nearly fell as the thick metal gave way and she lunged forward.
“It sticks,” she mumbled while I closed it behind me.
“I can fix that for you.”
She blushed. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
I took a step closer to her, sliding my hands against her warm cheeks and pulling her face to mine. Her body stiffened, but as my lips met hers, she relaxed against me. She slid her hands up my chest, and I sucked in a breath, feeling the sensation of her warm palms pressing the damp fabric into my skin. I wanted to feel her flesh against mine as I explored every dip and curve of her petite frame.
Gripping my shirt from the back of the collar, I pulled it over my head and tossed it to the ground. Avery’s eyes danced down my torso as her fingers ran over the tattooed stripes on my ribs. Her brows pulled together, and I could see questions forming on her lips, but I didn’t want this moment to end. We had plenty of time to talk later. In that moment, I just wanted to fully enjoy every second without distraction before she came to her senses and realized she deserved so much better than someone like me.
Slipping my fingers to the back of her neck, I slowly pulled at the knotted purple fabric until it became slack and fell loose. I could feel goose bumps rising on her skin as I let the pad of my finger slide down her spine. Her lips turned rigid, and then she pulled away. Her hands shot up, holding her dress in place over her chest as she took a step back from me.
I reached out for her. “Jesus, Avery. I didn’t mean to—” Too fast. I always move too fucking fast. The girls I typically spent time with after dark didn’t care how many hours we had known each other before my hand was under their clothes, but I knew better with Avery. She didn’t need to let me fuck her in hopes it would keep me coming back long enough to feel something. I was the one hoping for more time.
“No. It’s fine. I mean, you …” Her voice wavered as she raked her hair back with her free hand.
Closing the gap between us, I wrapped my hand around hers and pulled it down to her side before reaching back to retie her halter top.
She didn’t look away, but she breathed through her nose, crushed under her embarrassment.
I pulled the fabric until it caught, and then held the soft skin of her cheeks in my hands. “I don’t expect anything, Avery. Not a fucking thing. Tonight was perfect, and if it ends here, we have …” Forever. “… plenty of time. I don’t want to rush if it’ll ruin anything.” I wasn’t sure if it would be ballsy or stupid to tell her how I really felt, but tomorrow seemed too small for what I wanted from Avery. Even forever felt like it could crash down around us. Every second I wasn’t with her was beginning to feel stretched, tearing gashes into the fabric of space and time.
“That sounds dangerously close to you planning to stick around a while.” She attempted to smile, but failed.
“Hey.” I lifted her chin. “You can talk to me.”
“I’m just …” She sighed, her smile fading as she struggled. “I’ve seen the women you chase, Josh. I’m not like that. I …” She trailed off, wincing with humiliation.
It took a moment to wipe the confusion from my face while I tried to process her words. I laughed once. “Thank Christ. That’s what I like about you, Avery.” Caressing her jawline with my thumb, I watched as the rosy color of her cheeks deepened.
“I probably haven’t done … a lot of things,” she said.
I shook my head, failing to stifle a laugh. Her expression turned from worried to pissed off. She pulled away from me, and I was learning quickly that I hated that.
“You’re laughing at me?” she snapped.
“No. Jesus, Avery. Is that what you’re worried about? A lot of this is new to me too, y’know. I’d rather be your first. And if I can’t be your first in something …” I gritted my teeth, willing myself to grow a pair.
“What?”
Her anger fizzled, but the worry in her eyes had returned. I would have to choose my words carefully. If I seemed like the old Josh, she was going to bolt. If I told her the truth, she was going to bolt too.