Fearless Attraction (Cassie Series) (4 page)

             
This time it's my lips on his and it doesn't take long for the kiss to deepen. Our tongues are reintroducing themselves after a month apart, and they're loving every second of it. A moan escapes my mouth and Avery swallows it. I pull back just then and allow my breathing to catch back to normal. "We shouldn't," I start to say.

             
Avery understands what I'm saying and agrees. We shouldn't go any further than a kiss right now, because we do need to slow down. We've had sex, a hundred times, and we've dated, twice before, but right now, it's like we're starting over. A new start, a fresh start.

             
I put out my hand. "I'm Cassie, nice to meet you."

             
Avery flashes his boyish grin that I've missed so much, and I'm thankful I'm sitting because my knees weaken almost immediately. "Avery, nice to meet you Cassie. Can I tell you something?"

             
"Of course you may," I say, playing along.

             
"You remind me of something." I lift my eyebrows, waiting to know what I remind him of. He smirks even bigger than before. "You remind me of an angel, simply perfect in every way imaginable."

             
I blush, but I'm not sure why. He has called me an angel for years, he has called me perfect more times than I can count, yet his words have me so happy, I'm not sure I can contain myself.

             
I wink at Avery before I speak again. "So I've been told," I say but can't hold back the laughter.

             
Avery kisses my lips one more time, but leaves it simple. "So, what are we watching?" He grabs the remote and runs through my DVR list, then clicks it on Vampire Diaries. "You and your damn vampire shows."

             
I look over at Avery, staring at what I consider perfection, and I'm thanking my lucky stars. I know things won't be easy, but isn't there a quote that says,
nothing worth anything comes easy
? They’re the truest words I've ever heard.

             
After watching the last two weeks episodes, Avery leans over and whispers in my ear, even though he doesn't have to.
What a tease!
"So, since we're doing this slow, does that mean I have to sleep at my own place?"

             
I have to think on it for a minute, then I look over and smile. "You can stay the night, as long as you keep your hands to yourself."

             
"So I can't do this?" He reaches over and intertwines our fingers. Even that simple touch causes me to panic, but in the best way imaginable.

             
"You can do that," I tell him, a bit breathless. I turn the TV off, and walk us hand-in-hand to the bedroom. When I reach near my bed, I unlock our hands and pull my sweatshirt off, which reveals the tiny white tank top and black yoga pants I'm wearing. I look over at him to see he can't keep his eyes off my chest. It's then I remember I had taken my bra off when I had gotten home and forgot to put it back on. I look down to notice my nipples are hardened, but instead of covering them, I walk to the bed and sit on my side. I pull back the covers on the side he normally sleeps in, and ask if he is going to join me. There is a grunt of frustration that leaves his mouth.

             
He shakes his head back and forth, giving me a scowl. It is probably the cutest thing I've ever seen him do. "Tease," he says, then pulls his jeans and shirt off, showing me how amazing his chest and arms still look, even after three months with no fighting or training. Physical therapy has obviously done him some good. Which reminds me.

             
"First off, you're a tease too," I say while pointing at him, and giving him a scowl in return. Then I let him know I'm being serious. "Have you been going to PT still?"

             
He smirks and nods his head. "Yes ma'am." He gives me a two finger salute and makes his way towards the bed. "If you're referring to me looking like shit lately, it isn't because I haven't been attending my PT sessions, it's because it's been hard for me to sleep or eat without you. But now that I have you, I'm sure I'll look stunning again in no time."

             
"Cocky much?"

             
"If you don't want to go too fast, don't say any word resembling cock, because you're going to make things very difficult."

             
I laugh and roll my eyes at him. Then I decide to push the buttons, although I know I shouldn't. "You mean, I'm making things... hard."

             
After he shoves me away, and grabs the remote for the TV in my bedroom. "Another naughty word out of your mouth and I'm tying you down and taking advantage of you."

             
I laugh again but this time I don't say any naughty words. Although, his threat is very tempting, I honestly think this is what is best for the two of us.

             
Less than twenty minutes later I hear snoring and look over to see Avery passed right out. He really must not have been sleeping so well, because it's very rare for him to fall asleep to the TV. I give him a simple kiss on the cheek, leaving my lips there a little longer than normal, in case this is a dream of some sort, then I click off the TV and cuddle up next to Avery.

Chapter Three

             
While sizzling bacon on the frying pan the next morning I hear Aubrey enter the apartment. I turn to say hello and see her eyes are puffy and red. "Oh my God, Aubrey, what the hell happened?"

             
"Hormones," she grumbles.

             
She sits down on the stool at the bar and points to the coffee maker. I make her a cup and slide it across the counter to her, knowing she needs some caffeine before she will tell me what is going on with her. I continue with the bacon, put some bread in the toaster, and finish whipping up some eggs with cheese.

             
"Why are you making a feast?" she asks after a few minutes.

             
Facing towards the stove I answer her. "Just wanted to make Avery a special breakfast." That's when I remember that I hadn't told her that Avery and I made up and were back together. The silence that remains tells me she must be shooting daggers through the back of my head.

             
I turn around, and yup, she is. "And you were going to tell me about this, when?"

             
"Sorry, I talked with him pretty late last night and we're going to work things out. You've been right all along, I was being dumb letting him go and ignoring him. I talked to my mom about it all yesterday too. But enough about me, what is going on with you? Why are you crying?"

             
She looks down at her cup and swishes her coffee around the mug. "I'm always screwing things up. My hormones get the best of me. Mason's ex-girlfriend called him this morning, while we were well on our way to getting hot and heavy, and he answered it. Which made me mad but I was willing to look past it. Then she said she needed his help with something, and he wouldn't tell me what, but he said he would be over later. I told him if he went over there, especially without telling me why, then we were done. And he told me I was being selfish and asked me to leave. So I did."

             
"Um, those are not your hormones getting the best of you Aubrey. That was a real jackass move of him. You deserve to know why he is going over there, and he shouldn't have asked you to leave. What the hell!" Wow, now I'm angry. I'd be crying too. In fact, if I were pregnant and my boyfriend was trying to pull that shit on me, there would be another World War happening.

             
Just as she was about to open her mouth again we heard my bedroom door open. She gave me pleading eyes, which basically asked me not to say anything, and I nod, letting her know I won't. I turn back around and finish what I'm doing before things burn.

             
Avery's voice is still hoarse when he speaks and it sounds way too seductive for his own good. "Smells amazing." He reaches up and grabs a coffee mug and pours himself some coffee. "Looks amazing too." He leans in and kisses my cheek while stealing a piece of bacon that is currently sitting on a pile of paper towels.

             
I smack his hand away and finish taking everything off the stove. "Hands off, I'm making us all a plate right now."

             
"What did Mason do this time?" I hear him ask, which I'm assuming is to Aubrey. Her eyes are too noticeable.

             
She makes a funny noise that sounds half like a grunt, half like a sarcastic laugh. "Nothing, don't worry about it."

             
"Need me to kick his ass?"

             
I place plates in front of the two of them, and in front of the spot I'll be occupying. I pour myself a second cup of coffee and join them at the bar. Aubrey shook her head no but doesn't say anything and I nudge Avery's arm and give him a warning look not to say any more. I'll have to talk to him in private and see what I can find out about Mason and his ex, maybe get an idea of why he would go over there without letting Aubrey know why.

             
"So, what's on the agenda for today?" I ask Avery with fluttering eye lashes.

             
When he finishes swallowing the mouthful of eggs he gives me a sort of sad smirk. "Shit, I had plans to go golfing today with Austin, but I can call and cancel them." Austin must be the guy I keep seeing him around campus with. I hadn't met him, but every time I see him walking around there is always either Mason or some blonde haired guy next to him.

             
"No, that's okay. You guys have fun. I have some homework to catch up on."

             
He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him, kissing the top of my head. "Too bad you don't golf, his girlfriend, Madison, goes with us. You'd like her I think."

             
I look up and give him my best smile. "You could always teach me. Or I could be the cart driver."

             
"You'd come with me?" The excitement in his eyes makes my smile grow, and although I find golf rather boring, of course I'd do anything to spend more time with Avery. We have a lot of making up to do.

             
After showering I slip on my bikini then a pair of capris and an adorable pink and green argyle tank top. I finally have an excuse to wear it. After putting my hair in a ponytail and slipping on white flats, I'm good to go. When I walk out of the bedroom, Avery is just coming out of the bathroom and he smells delicious. Mason has some of his body wash in there, and although it smells good already, it being mixed with Avery's natural masculine scent as me wanting to bring him back in the bedroom.

             
He looks at my clothes and starts laughing. "Babe, seriously, you don't have to wear argyle just because we're golfing."

             
I pout out my lips, being a baby, and walk in the opposite direction. I grumble under my breath, "I think I'm adorable," and keep walking.

             
Minutes later Avery put his arms around my waist from behind and whispers in my ear. "Don't worry, you
are
adorable. I wasn't laughing because you look bad, in fact, you look amazing. I just thought it was funny that you're wearing that only because we're golfing today."

             
I turn in his arms and kiss his lips and back away. He is wearing some of Mason's clothes, and they're tighter on him than normal. "Do you want to swing by your apartment on the way so you can change? You look hot, but I'm sure you're not going to be very comfortable in that."

             
"Yeah, that is probably a smart idea."

             
"And grab your swim trunks. I want to go to La Jolla shores after."

             
"Yes ma'am," he says with a wink. Yum. I miss that wink. And him. And his kisses. So I kiss him one more time, with a little more passion, and enjoy every second of it.

             
We arrive at the golf course before his friend, so he takes out his clubs and shows me the basics. He stands behind me, wrapping his arms around me to show me how to properly hold the club. I do a few swings, each one a little better than the last. Avery places a ball in front of me on one of those little triangle things that go in the ground and he tells me to swing, which I do, and it goes way too far to the left. He laughs and places another ball down, telling me to swing a second time, and I do. This time I take a little longer so I can line my swing up better and when I hit the ball, it goes straight, and goes a lot further than I expected.