He shrugged, then opened his other eye. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
Huh?
I jerked my head up to meet his eyes as he sat up. “What do you mean you don’t have a girlfriend?”
“I mean exactly what I said,” he replied, his abs rippling as he stretched. I wasn’t surprised this time when my nipples hardened in reaction to him. “Maya and I… are no more.”
“What happened?”
“Well it was already heading downhill, but she overheard me and Nick talking about you, and decided to turn it into worst case scenario.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “So she did think you were cheating. Mel and I saw her one day, and she told me she thought you were giving her gifts and things to cover up.”
“I wasn’t. I was just… trying to be good to her. Then when I did do something — kissing you— I found out she was sleeping with one of her employees, and it was … it was done.” He shook his head, then raised his fingers to massage his temples.
My heart pounded so hard in my chest I was certain it was about to burst out. What happened next? What should I do, now that this was actually happening? Even now that my mind was clearer, and the only emotions I was managing were my own, I was still scared. I was still scarred, and that was something I couldn’t rationalize away… but then again, neither was the flame of passion and emotion I’d felt when Avery walked through my door, nor the terror I’d felt when he walked out.
We watched each other, not saying anything, and I wondered if he was feeling the same thing I was — scared and confused, but happy.
“What are you smiling about over there?” he asked, suddenly pushing me onto my back and covering my body with his.
I turned my smile on him, gazing up into his eyes. “This,” I said truthfully. “Whatever it is. I like how I feel when I’m around you.”
“You tryna make me blush?”
“No,” I giggled. “I’m serious. I’m also seriously scared, if that helps keeps you from blushing.”
“Okay, so talk to me about it. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know… I guess I’m wondering where we go from here. I mean, I’m willing to give it a chance, but still. I’m… afraid.”
“That’s why you didn’t tell me we were a match? Cause you were scared?”
I looked up at him as I nodded. “I told you about the last time I matched myself with a client. That was awful, and I was scared it would happen again. Especially when I felt so strongly about you. I didn’t want to take a risk of trying it again, only to have it still not work. Hell, I’ve got that same fear now.”
“Tori, slow down,” Avery said, placing a kiss against my temple. “It’s ok to focus on the moment, at least for now.” He flipped us over, so that he was on his back with me straddling his lap. “Tori, I’m crazy about you. It’s okay to be scared, you think I’m not? But what I’m not gonna do is let it paralyze me, and you shouldn’t either.”
I closed my eyes as I lowered my mouth to kiss him. “So what do you think we should do? What are we doing?”
“We don’t have to make any big declarations about anything right now. I’m not trying to force you to be ready for something that you’re not, so let’s just … take it slow. What I can do is you give you my best, one day at a time. It’s probably not gonna always be perfect, but if we can turn a day at a time into a week at a time, then two weeks, then a month, then six, then a year… who knows what could happen?”
“Where the hell did you come from? Why are you so perfect?” I asked, cupping his face in my hands.
“I’m not,” he laughed. “Far from it. But you, on the other hand…”
I grinned, shaking my head. “Oh please. I’m way too irrational to be perfect. Chasing you outside half naked in the rain, remember?”
“Don’t remind me. You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were really hurt.”
“I was.”
Avery stared at me for a moment, then extended his arms, gesturing toward me. “Come here.” I lowered myself into his arms, snuggling against his chest. “I still can’t say it?” I felt the laughter building in his chest as I shook my head. “But you know it, right?”
I lifted my head to smile at him. “I do. And like I said, me too… I just think we should give it a little time first before we say it. No pressure, okay? Let’s just be Avery and Tori.”
Neither of us had the answers, not really, but I couldn’t choose a better companion for the journey of finding forever. We could figure out the rest along the way.
— the end —
—A word from the author –
I hope you enjoyed Tori and Avery’s story.
I would love you know what you thought! You can share with me by leaving a review, visiting me at my website www.beingmrjsones.com (you can email me there, from the contact page) adding me as a friend on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Christinacjones or connecting with me on twitter, at @beingmrsjones
Want updates on new releases and Giveaways? Join my mailing list!
Other Titles By Christina Jones:
Love and Other Things
Strictly Professional
Unfinished Business
The Trouble With Love
Coming Soon:
Catch Me if You Can
&
The sequel to Love and Other Things: Nothing But Love
Finding Forever Page 23
