Page 65 of Against The Tide

When Cap falls at her feet, Avery half crouches and half bends to pat his head, making her tousled curls cascade over her face. Incapable of looking away, I take a half step forward, urged by the needy hum in my fingers to run through those luscious strands.

The very first instant I laid eyes on her, I thought she was pretty, but man do I feel like a fool for not realizing just how exquisite she is. Then she starts toward me, and my heart goes into overdrive. It takes everything in me not to fucking stare her out and drool like one of the dogs running around us.

“Hey, Doc!” Avery sings bashfully when we’re a few feet away.

Her voice has that nervous, high-pitched edge to it that draws me closer, in spite of feeling nervous myself. With Jo watching us, I might as well be back in high school, picking up my date with her mom watching me in warning.

Don’t fuck this up, and don’t hurt my girl!

“Sunshine,” I manage, but jeez, I’m so out of practice with the serious dating thing that we both stand there looking at each other.

I know I’m meant to compliment her, but I’m still trying to catch my breath. Which is impossible as the gentle breeze wafts her honeyed, floral scent my way, making my mouth water with the need to taste her again.

I have no idea how I’m going to make it through tonight with the way she’s looking at me, gnawing on her lip with a half-lidded gaze that calls my dick to attention.

“You ready?” I finally ask.

“Mmhmm.”

There’s a shy awkwardness between us that hasn’t been present in this way before. An underlying excitement that knots the pit of my stomach while I watch her sway in the breeze.

“How was Rowan’s?” I ask in order to break the stiffness of the moment. “I bet Iris was excited today.”

“You’re not kidding! I’ve never seen her so happy and…” Avery draws in a deep breath like she needs to steady herself.

She’s wearing her emotions on the surface, and I know that tonight needs to be perfect. This has to be the best night of her life. I need her to see what it would be like with me.

“She couldn’t wait for me to leave. Too bad Callie wanted to give me a makeover.” Avery tips her head to the side, looking a little abashed, while her hot pink, freshly manicured fingers tug at her earlobe.

“You didn’t need it.”

Taking a deep breath, she beams at me, her hand falling to splay beneath the curve of her breasts, making it impossible for me not to fixate on the low V. The way they sit high and full…

Now’s not the time to be a fucking perv, asshole!

I force my eyes back to hers, pausing momentarily on the column of her neck as she swallows and then on the way she rolls her bottom lip into her mouth, worrying it.

“Rhett…” Her whisper is croaky as she comes closer.

Coral glossed lips rub together, and my dick threatens to mast at the audible pop and the springing thought of what they might feel like squeezing around it. It’s not the first time the thought’s crossed my mind, but it’s almost impossible to shake myself free of it as she licks across the perfect line of her teeth.

Fuuuuck…

I have no idea what’s wrong with me. Only that our secret kisses and my fleeting tastes of her have awakened a hunger I haven’t felt in a long time. A hunger I can’t imagine having for any other woman. I’ve never craved anyone like this before, and it says a lot because of all the stupid shit I’ve done in my life.

Grabbing her hand, I lace my fingers with hers, walking her around the front of the car to the passenger side.

Avery pauses when I open the door for her, eyes widening on the corny, light-hearted gift I left on the seat before a laugh bursts from her. It’s perfection. Addictive too. I wish I could rewind and replay it on loop.

“I told you…” I grab the Care Bear and turn it over in my hands before handing it to her. “My cheese game is strong.”

“No lie, huh…”

“I wouldn’t ever do that to you.”

It’s the stupidest thing I could’ve said right now because it sobers the moment for a beat until slowly the serious expression morphs into a faint smile that brightens fondly as she tells me, “I was obsessed with these as a child.”

“Was? You hum the theme tune all the time.”