Chapter 8 Avery
CHAPTER EIGHT
Avery
My gaze met familiar warm brown eyes, darker than a Texas storm.
Something crackled between us. Something that dug its way between the cracks of the facade I’d built over the last two years. Something that would get me in a whole lot of fucking trouble.
I raked my fingers through my hair, ruffling my bangs. “I’m so tired of this. I’m so tired of everything here. There are some days I just want to run away. Ever since Dad died, both Austin and Dallas have been ten times worse. I’m suffocating.”
“I know.” Mateo winced, trying to find some sort of half-assed defense like he always did for Austin. “That was stupid, but I think it’s good Levi said something. Austin is just being an older brother.”
“You mean an asshole?”
We both glanced back at Levi and Austin standing on the sidewalk. But they weren’t fist fighting—they were laughing. That was a good sign.
Mateo pressed his lips together. “Do you ever . . .”
He trailed off, not finishing his question.
My pulse raced as I became all too aware of the fact that we were standing so close and that he looked really damn good in his jeans.
I looked up at him, drinking in the way the sunlight kissed his brown skin.
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his mustache making me wonder about what it would feel like against my inner thighs. Down, girl.
“Do I ever what?” I whispered.
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
“Liar.” I leaned against the wall, still embarrassed by what had just happened.
But then I thought about what Evie and June had said about reminding Mateo that I was my own person.
That I didn’t need to be treated with kid gloves.
“I love my brothers, Mateo, but they drive me insane. I’m always treated like a baby.
Forever the little sister, but I’m an adult. ”
“You are.”
“What were you going to ask me?”
“I shouldn’t ask.”
“Mateo.”
“I shouldn’t.”
“Mateo. I swear . . .”
“Fine.” He turned his attention fully on me. Every cell in my body lit up with need. “Do you ever think about dating someone in secret?”
He was standing so close—there was barely any space between us. I could feel the heat between our bodies, heady, burning lust singing in my veins.
Do you ever think about dating someone in secret?
The question had run through my mind constantly, but I never considered actually trying it with anyone.
I’d always had eyes for him.
But Mateo always reminded me we were just friends.
“Why would you ask me that?” I asked.
Mateo took a step back, leaning against the opposite wall. His hands fell to his side, flexing. “I’m just wondering, Blue.”
The way he said Blue this time put me on edge in a different way.
“We’re just friends,” I bit out. “You’ve told me that a thousand times. Just friends.”
He held my gaze as he straightened slightly. “Did you really believe me?”
What? My mouth dropped. He was joking, right? Just playing with me. But his expression was serious. His tone was tender but firm.
Before I could say anything else, the door swung open to the gallery. Austin poked his head in.
“We’ve made up, kids,” he called. “Want to go to lunch? You too, Avery. We can have Dallas meet us.”
“No,” I said. “I brought a sandwich. I have art to make and emails to answer.”
“You’re always working,” Austin said sourly.
“Oh, don’t even start with me,” I snapped. “Go get some lunch. Take some time off. I’ll catch you Sunday at dinner.”
Austin flashed a grin and winked before letting the door shut. I breathed out, my thoughts racing. I turned my attention back on Mateo, but now he wouldn’t look at me.
What did he mean by what he said? For two years, he’d insisted we were just pals.
Friends. Buddies.
He’d been there for me countless times and was always there to rescue me when I needed it.
He was always there.
When I let loose with Evie and June, he was the one I called to be our designated driver. Not Austin. Not Dallas. Mateo.
He had never let me down, never failed to be there when I needed him. As bittersweet as it had been, I’d tried so hard to accept the fact he’d always been so clear on—we were just friends.
But after what he’d just said . . .
Mateo headed toward the front door. I rushed after him and caught his hand in mine.
“Mateo,” I breathed out.
He paused with one hand on the door and the other in mine. He still wouldn’t look at me.
“Should I have believed you?” I asked. “When you said we were just friends? After all this time?”
“No. You shouldn’t have.”
Before I could get another word in, Mateo was out the door. I watched as my brother slung his arms around the hot firefighter and hot hockey player, and the three of them laughed as they sauntered down the sidewalk.
Levi was my neighbor.
Mateo was my friend.
And the two of them were my brother’s best friends.
Which meant, above all else—they were off-limits.