Beautifully Decadent (Beautifully Damaged Book 3) (34 page)

“You’re staring at Avery like she’s going to disappear.”

“Just enjoying the show.”

“Yep, that’s what you’re doing.”

Shifting my focus from Avery, which annoyed me since I really was enjoying the show, I studied Trace. “Have you got something on your mind?”

“Only that I hope you appreciate what you’ve got there.”

“Meaning?”

“Having been in your shoes, captivated by someone to the point of worship. I just hope you appreciate what you’ve found.”

Oh I appreciated Avery, had been one lucky bastard the day she drove up my drive, but the more I thought on Dad and my conversation, the more I realized being with me put her in danger. And as much as I hated to admit it, even to myself, her being with me put me in danger—likely far greater than the threat I posed. “I know exactly what I’ve found, just not sure I can keep it.”

Trace understood, better than anyone, the conflict I felt since he had felt similarly with Ember. “Not sure you have a choice, my friend.”

There was always a choice.

Trace placed his bottle down, his focus still on me. “I get where your head is at. Trouble’s brewing, you don’t know all the players and so you can’t guarantee her safety. Plus she’s gotten under your skin and for guys like us, that’s uncomfortable. I get it, but learn from my mistake. You fuck that up with her, you may not get a second chance. And I got to tell you, Rafe, Ember’s the best fucking thing that ever happened to me. She and Faith, the fucking air I breathe.”

Trace didn’t say much, but when he did the man made a hell of a lot of sense. And he was right. A coward would run; I wasn’t a fucking coward. “Thanks brother.”

Satisfied that I’d heard his words, he reached for his beer and grinned. “And so it begins.”

Before I could ask what the hell that meant, the women and Kyle returned; Avery’s face was flushed, her eyes sparkled. I had never seen her looking more beautiful.

She settled next to me, reached for her beer and took a healthy pull, before she asked, “Are you getting out on the dance floor?”

“No.”

“You don’t dance?

“No.”

“Why not? Kyle was dancing.”

“Kyle’s hiding.”

Her brows furrowed, a line creasing the area between her eyes. I wanted to kiss her there. “Hiding from who?”

I jerked my head to the crowd standing behind our table, napkins and pens in hand, staring at Kyle like he was the second coming. “His adoring fans.”

Twisting around to Kyle’s fan club, she turned laughing eyes on him. “That’s quite the following.”

In response, Kyle blushed as his head lowered and he studied his beer as if it was the most fascinating beer in the world. “It can be a bit overwhelming.”

Understanding moved over Avery’s face. Her thoughts very transparent, not knowing if the women were interested in Kyle or the person he was on stage. Instead of whatever she had intended to say, she simply said. “I bet. I get the groupies though. Your band is incredible. You have such a grass root, organic sound and I love that you feature the acoustic guitar in most of your songs.”

Kyle was now studying Avery like she was the most fascinating thing in the world and despite myself I actually got a bit annoyed. Stupid, Kyle was a friend, but it didn’t matter.

Returning home, I let Loki out while Avery showered. I walked the perimeter of the yard, checked all the buildings for signs of forced entry. I was acting paranoid, but there was a threat and with Avery living here, any threat was unacceptable. I wanted to pack up her things and send her away for her own safety, but Trace had been right. Fucking things up with Avery wasn’t something I was willing to risk.

My thoughts turned to what Dad had shared—the likely link between Mom’s family and the robbery. What was that shit? The woman lost her kid and her man and then stood quietly by as her father took even more from us, likely being behind Dad going to prison and me into the system. How does a mother sit back and allow that to happen? Did she know? Why hadn’t she made any attempt to warn Dad? Especially knowing how much of a prick her father was. Dad did his time and instead of getting his feet back under him, the past was coming back to knock him down again. Not if I could help it.

After the scan of my property, I waited for Avery in the kitchen, leaning against the counter drinking a beer. She’d be over after her shower; it was kind of an unspoken thing, her sleeping in my bed. Fucking loved waking up with her hair on my pillow and her scent on my sheets.

I should have realized my fate had been set seeing her in the market that day, swinging her celery and knocking tea boxes from the shelf. Instead of wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into, I had been congratulating myself on what I had gotten myself into.

“What’s put that look on your face?”

So lost in the memory, I hadn’t heard Avery enter the kitchen. “You.”

“Me?” Surprise and pleasure weaved through that word.

“The day in the market with the celery.”

There was a touch of embarrassment in her expression now, which surprised me since I’d tasted every inch of her body, knew her as intimately as a person could, and still she could feel embarrassed with me. I’d have to work on that, even while finding the flushing of her cheeks endearing. “I can only imagine what you thought of me.”

“I thought you were adorable and sexy as hell.”

“Right. Swatting tea boxes off the shelf with celery is really sexy.”

Setting my beer on the counter, I pulled her to me. “When you do it, fuck yeah, it’s sexy.” Brushing my thumb over her cheek, I didn’t like the dark circles under her eyes. “You’re tired.”

“I don’t want to be, but I am.”

My dick hardened, even knowing I wouldn’t be enjoying her body tonight, the disappointment in her voice over that fact was like a fucking aphrodisiac. “There’s always the morning.”

“I like the way your mind works.”

Placing my bottle in the sink, I took her hand and led her to the bedroom. Loki was already there, at the foot of the bed, snoring. She climbed under the covers as I stripped. Her gaze on me as I did, turned me rock hard. Knowing the effect she had on me, she smiled coyly. Joining her, I pulled her to me, her head coming to rest on my shoulder. She was sound asleep a few seconds later.

In the morning when I woke, Avery wasn’t in bed, a fact I planned on rectifying. Detouring to the bathroom, I then went on the hunt. Found her in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee as she looked outside. Hearing me, she turned in my direction as her lips curved into a welcoming smile.

“Morning.”

“It’d be a better one if you were still in my bed.”

“I had a thought for a recipe, wanted to write it down before I forgot. The smell of the coffee was too enticing.”

She was too enticing, sitting there in her over-sized sleep shirt, her legs curled up under her, her hair down around her shoulders. Moving closer, I touched her chin to lift her lips to mine, catching her slight gasp of surprise, my tongue taking the advantage to sweep her mouth which tasted like coffee. The sexy purr that came from the back of her throat was all it took to turn the morning kiss into something more. Reaching for the mug, I set it on the table before lifting her into my arms. She giggled.

“I love that you can lift me like I weigh next to nothing.”

“You do weigh next to nothing.”

“Not with this ass I don’t.”

Tossing her on the bed, she laughed as I stripped out of my sweat pants and pounced. Her laughter died, desire replacing it.

“I love your ass. If you lose even one pound, I’ll insist you gain it back.”

Her eyes were glazing over, a sure sign that she had skipped ahead in her mind. Confirmed when she replied to my ridiculous comment with, “Okay.”

Closing my mouth over hers, I savored her flavor, savored the feel of her breasts pressing against my chest, her hips moving into me, her delicate hands running over my back as if she was memorizing me. Moving her shirt up and over her head, my gaze moved to her breasts, her nipples were hard and awaiting my attention. Touching her with just the tip of my tongue, I felt her body jerk, watched as she arched her back like an offering. I played, teasing that tight bud, while watching her body writhe in pleasure. Her nails scored down my back, her legs spread wider, her pussy rubbing against my cock and already she was wet and ready. Pulling her breast deep, fucking loving how sweet she tasted, my fingers moved to between her legs, searching and finding her, pushing in and feeling as her body trembled. My mouth joined my fingers and as soon as my tongue pressed on her clit, she flew apart, my name ripping from her throat as the orgasm crashed over her. Reaching for the bedside table, I grabbed a condom, rolled it on before lifting her hips higher and slamming into her. She was still coming down from the last orgasm; she flew right back over again. Never had I had someone so responsive. Watching the place where we were connected, feeling her tight, wet body taking me deep, holding me…I blew like an adolescent as intense pleasure rolled through me.

Catching her eye, she grinned. “Again.”

Rolling her so she sat astride me, I shifted my hips. “Give me a few minutes.”

Pressing down on me, she lowered her mouth to mine. “Take all the time you need.”

Round two commenced five minutes later.

“Hey, Mom. I’m on my way to work. Can I call you back during my dinner break?”

“Tell me that little trollop did not attempt to use you and your new job to get her baby shower at Clover.” With all that was happening between Rafe and me, I had completely forgotten about Dad and that lunch.

“How did you hear about it?”

“Your father called, upset over the argument you had. When he explained why he went to see you, I think I turned him deaf with how loud I screamed. That oblivious man didn’t even realize how what he was asking of you would hurt you. He knows now, not only did I give it to him but Harold gave him what for too.”

“No, he didn’t.” Harold was a very laid-back man; he rarely got upset over anything. In fact in all the years I’d known him, I had never heard him raise his voice.

“He called your father a blind fool for not seeing the manipulation of his wife and her horrible treatment of you and Nat. I swear I kissed the man’s face off while he was still on the phone with your father.”

An involuntary shiver went through me even as a giggle burned up my throat. “We’re getting dangerously close to you sharing too much information.”

“Your father may have a mind for business, but his people skills suck.”

“Truer words.”

“Are you okay? I know how much that had to have hurt. And don’t try and be brave. Tell me the truth.”

“It hurt, it gutted. Why the man thinks he’ll be any better the second time around when he failed so miserably the first time baffles me. How he could step all over my feelings. That he’s unable to see how not only his request, but also the fact that he talks so blasé about having another kid would affect me. Yeah, I had a good cry, but then I went back to my awesome job and came home to a killer omelet made for me by my fantastic landlord. That helped a lot in soothing the hurt.”

“I’m sorry, Avery.”

“I’m okay, but I got to ask. What was it that attracted you to him because I honestly don’t see it?”

Her exhale was loud enough for me to hear. “He was very charismatic, your father. And when he talked about his job, there was such passion and since we were talking about insurance, I assumed he was just a passionate man. After we’d been together for a while, the charisma faded and I discovered that his only passion was his work.”

“That had to be lonely for you.”

“I had you and Nat. I wasn’t lonely at all. And now I have Harold whose passion
is
me. He knows how I take my coffee. I never told him, he’s just so in tuned to me that he knows everything there is to know about me. We’ve been together for eleven years. Your father and I were together for twenty-three and that man doesn’t even know what my favorite color is. Enough about me, tell me about this Rafe.”

It was my turn to exhale on a sigh. “He’s incredible. Hot, yes, but thoughtful, hardworking, funny. He wanted to know why I was here alone, where my friends were, where you were. I explained you and Harold and Dad and how I never had many friends I’d be willing to help with burying the body. I told him I’d help him bury one, he said he’d help me too.”