Avery: Sensual Desire: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 2) (3 page)

“
I can’t dance,” I admit and pull back a little, because we’re standing just too close for comfort.

“
Just move along with me.” He smiles. “My name is Coop, by the way.”

“
Hi, Coop … I really am an awful dancer, so you better look for someone else if you want to have fun.”

“
What’s your name?”

“
Dale,” I reply.

“
Isn’t that a guy’s name?” he says, sounding unimpressed.

“
Uh, do you know where Delsin and Cami are? They invited me,” I explain, hoping to get rid of him that way.

“
They’re back at the campfire. Want me to take you?”

I shake my head. “I can manage on my own. Thanks, Coop.”

He finally lets me go, whereupon I turn around and push my way through the guests quickly, so nobody else can grab me and pull me close. Of course I don’t go looking for Delsin and Cami; I don’t even know them. Instead, I head for the stairs. I take two at a time and don’t turn around again. I just want to go home and snuggle in bed with a book. Well, snuggle on my couch with a book.

When I arrive at the top of the stairs, I turn toward the bus stop.

“
Dahlia?” a voice asks.

I slowly turn to see who addressed me.

“
It’s me,” he says. “Avery.” He’s standing to my left, leaning against the stair railing and smoking.

“
Hi,” I greet him shyly.

“
What are you doing here?” he asks, sounding genuinely interested.

“
I went for a walk. Uh, but now I have to rush, or I’ll miss the bus and have to wait forever for the next one.”

I start walking again, but he says, “If you want to, I can take you,” he says in a friendly voice. My car’s right here, and it’s really far … at least, to my grandmother’s neighborhood. I don’t know where you live … ”

“
That’s not necessary.” I give him a reluctant smile and push myself to keep walking.

He follows me, and then takes my arm tentatively. “I know it’s not necessary, but I don’t want you to ride the bus alone at this hour.” He pulls me around to face him again.

His warm hand makes my cool skin prickle. I shake my head. “I do it all the time.”

“
I still don’t like it,” Avery whispers.

I need several deep breaths to regain my composure. “But I do.” I pull my arm from his grip.

“
You don’t like me, huh?”

I stop again and first avert then close my eyes. “I’m just shy, Mr. Morrison.”

“
Now it’s back to ‘Mr. Morrison,’” he sighs. “I know why. You think I’m a jerk, too, because of what Pearl said.”

Well, isn’t he a quick-witted one
. “That’s not it,” I lie. “I really am shy and … I’m sorry. I’m just a bit shaken, too,” I admit sheepishly.

“
Why?” He looks worried.

“
Oh, I had to walk through all these people down there, and it was crowded. It’s nothing. But now I really have to catch my bus.”

“
Let me give you a ride,” he repeats.

Again, I take a few deep breaths, exhaling forcefully in the end. “Okay,” I surrender. I’ll just let him drop me off somewhere on the way, to shorten the trip. But if he takes me to his grandmother’s neighborhood, it’ll take me far longer to get home. So I need to prevent that.

“
Let me tell my friends real quick. Do you want to come with me?” Avery asks.

“
I’ll wait here,” I say.
And run away
.

He descends the stairs. With his long hair and his outfit, he looks like a young god. He’s wearing denim cutoffs, a muscle shirt, and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt on top, an ensemble that would look ridiculous on most guys. But not on Avery. He’s really handsome and also way out of my league, not only because he’s gorgeous, and taken, but also because we come from totally different worlds. When he’s halfway down the stairs, I whirl around and sprint toward the bus stop. I have to hurry, or else I really will miss the bus, and I don’t want to walk home. But neither do I want Avery to drive me.

At some point I might have to face him again at Trudy’s, but if so, I’ll deal with him then.

With burning lungs and a stitch in my side, I barely reach the bus in time and jump inside. I hand the driver my quarters and walk all the way to the back of the bus, where I flop down in an empty seat. It’s a long drive, so I lean back and close my eyes.

***

When I get off the bus, I hurry home. The area can be quite dangerous at night. Even though I know everyone who lives here, you can never know who else may be roaming around. I don’t want to risk lingering.

When I finally reach our tiny house, I lock the door behind me, all four locks Grandpa affixed to it, and slip into the living room.

“
Dale?” he asks in a tired voice.

“
Hey, Grandpa. Sorry I’m back so late,” I call out.

“
Where have you been? On the beach, thinking?” He sits up straight in his armchair and takes a good look at me.

“
Yeah, I was out there for a bit, letting the salty sea air whip my hair,” I reply. “I lost track of time, or I would have come back earlier.”

“
You only stay out late when something’s bothering you,” he insists patiently. “That much I know by now. So what happened?”

With a sigh I flop down on the couch. “Mrs. Morrison’s grandson and his girlfriend, that’s what happened. She made fun of my dress and called me poor. I was upset.”

Grandpa clicks his tongue. “You know, Dale, you can make heaps of money, but you can’t buy yourself a bigger brain.”

I can’t help giggling.

“
Ah, it makes me glad my little girl can still laugh,” he says with a smile.

“
But why do people always try to reduce me to our means, our money?” I ask softly.

“
Because most people are stupid and superficial. They rarely, if ever, look behind the façade to see what a person is really like. It’s easier to discriminate. They only see prey, not a human being.”

I don’t know what to say, so I simply nod. “I should take a shower and go to sleep.”

“
You do that, Dale. Have a good night.” He gets up from his armchair, gives me a warm smile, and starts up the stairs that lead to the two bedrooms, one of which—mine—is still uninhabitable.

“
Good night, Grandpa,” I whisper, looking at my hands.

When he’s out of sight, I plod into the bathroom, slip out of my clothes, and take a shower. The water is cold. The water bill probably went unpaid again, but I endure it silently. I wish we weren’t poor; I wish we could afford a spacious house with warm running water and all the stuff other people have. But that’s just an idle wish that might remain that forever.

***

The next morning I feel awful. And that’s no exaggeration. I’m nauseous and my head seems ready to burst. A migraine, if ever there was one. I have to go to Trudy’s anyway. With the face of a martyr. I search for my sunglasses. They’re old and ugly, but they protect me from the glare of the sun.

After getting dressed and puking three times, I head out. I hope her grandson isn’t there. He’s bound to ask about last night, and I don’t want to have to tell him that I ran away from him.

On the bus, I lean my head against the window. The smell and noise do nothing to alleviate my headache, but that can’t be helped.

***

Forty-five minutes later I get off the bus and trudge over to Trudy’s house. I hope she doesn’t want to work in the garden today. I don’t know if I can deal with the heat of the glaring sun.

My stomach is roiling. I forced myself to have breakfast, but there’s probably nothing left of that in my tummy.

When I finally reach her house, I open the door with a feeble hand, because I don’t want to wait for her to open it today, and step inside. “Trudy?” I call out and grimace, because my own voice makes my head want to explode.

“
In the living room, darling,” she answers.

I lock the door behind me and walk through the hallway. I’m still wearing my sunglasses, because the corridor is filled with light. “Good morning,” I greet her, taking off my glasses to be polite.

“
Good morning, Dahlia. How are you?” she asks.

“
I’m having a migraine, but that will pass. And how are you?” I ask softly, carefully.

Behind me a man clears his throat, so I turn around.

“
Hello, Dahlia.”

Great. Just great.

“
Hello, Avery,” I reply shyly, quickly turning to face Trudy again. “What do you want to do today? Maybe grocery shopping, or do you want to work in the garden again?”

With a shake of her head she gets up. “No, no, I’m going to see a friend today. Avery, please take Dahlia home. She doesn’t feel well.”

I take a deep breath. “Trudy, if I don’t work, I don’t earn anything. I’d like to stay.”

“
Nonsense. You go home, and I’ll just say you were here anyway.”

“
What if they come to check on you?” The agency sometimes does house calls. I have a bad feeling about this.

She sighs. “All right. Then you stay here, and I’ll go see my friend. She lives next door. Avery can stay with you.”

There’s a lump in my throat. “Oh, that’s not necessary,” I force out.

“
I don’t mind staying, Dahlia,” he says. “That way you can explain where you disappeared to yesterday.”

I suddenly feel like I’m carrying Mount Everest on my shoulders. That conversation is exactly what I wanted to avoid. What am I supposed to say?
I ran away so you wouldn’t see that I live in a rundown house in Liberty City?
So very embarrassing.

“
Sit down and get some rest, Dahlia,” Trudy instructs. “Avery, go and get her a glass of water and an aspirin.”

I sit down on the edge of the couch and fold my hands in my lap. Trudy says goodbye and as she head for the front door, Avery leaves the room. I feel too awkward to make myself comfortable. I don’t feel at home here. I’m supposed to
work
here.

Suddenly Avery is back. He looms over me and hands me a glass of water and two pills. “I think you should take two of them for a migraine,” he whispers.

“
Why are you whispering?” I ask.

“
Because of your migraine.”

I swallow back a smile and nod slowly. Then I put the pills on my tongue and wash them down with a sip of water. “Thank you.”

“
Don’t you want to lay down?” he asks.

“
That’s okay,” I murmur.

He sits down next to me and pushes me slowly back until I’m leaning against the back of the couch. “You really need to relax.”

Of course, I push against him. “Would you please stop? I don’t want to lean back.”

Avery immediately pulls back his hands. “Okay,” he murmurs.

After a moment of awkward silence, he says. “Let’s repeat my earlier question: Why did you run away yesterday?”

“
Because the bus was coming, I was tired, and I didn’t want to become Pearl’s repeat victim,” I reply.

“
It would have been faster in the car,” he insists.

“
Possibly, but I don’t have to talk when I’m riding the bus.”

“
You didn’t have to talk to me either.” He’s quiet for a moment then says, “I tried to follow the bus so I could at least take you home from the bus stop, but a red light thwarted my efforts. However … I know that bus line does
not
go to this part of town. Where do you really live, Dahlia?”

“
Not around here,” I say evasively. He’s not going to get a clear answer. I get up and walk over to the door. “I’m going to put my glass away, and then I’ll start cleaning the house.”

As I leave the room, I hear him say, “I knew it,” under his breath, but I don’t react. I don’t want to lower my guard and set the record straight, because I’m afraid he’ll treat me just as awfully as his girlfriend did. In the kitchen, I start polishing the counter. I have to distract myself from Avery Morrison’s presence somehow.

He clears his throat behind me. “Why are you always running away?”

I exhale in resignation. “I’m not running away, I’m just trying to avoid you. There’s a small difference.”

Avery smirks a little. “You would get along great with my best friend. She has a loose tongue just like yours.”

“
Is that so?” I say, showing no real interest.

“
Maybe you could come over to our place some time? We live right next to the beach. Well, I live with my two best friends—they’re dating. It’s their house.”

“
I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say. “I don’t want to meet your girlfriend again. One unwarranted attack is really enough for me. But thank you for the offer.”

“
So I should stop making an effort?”

“
Yes.” I throw the rag into the sink, as the counter is shiny enough.

“
Are you going to tell me whether or not Pearl was a little bit right about where you come from?”

And then I crack. I blurt out, “She was wrong! I’m not poor, even though my clothes might suggest otherwise. I just don’t strut around wearing fancy designer dresses like that ass from the fairy tale—the one who shits gold coins! I don’t want anything to do with you or your friends, otherwise I wouldn’t have run away yesterday. For the last time: please stop annoying me. I just want to do my job in order to pay for college.”