Chapter 17 Avalon
seventeen
Avalon
Idon’t know why I’m so nervous. I wasn’t even this nervous the first time we slept together; tonight should be no different. Unless Zeke has changed his mind and doesn’t want to hook up anymore. That’ll be embarrassing. I honestly think I’d drop out of college to ensure I never see him again.
He shuts the door behind us, and I pull off my mask, almost like it’s supposed to be some big reveal. But by the look on his face, he’s not surprised it’s me; honestly, he looks just as amused as everyone downstairs.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” he replies, leaning up against the door. “This is quite the surprise.”
“Yeah,” I mumble. “For you and me both.”
“I assumed this was over with after our little afternoon quickie and the swift escape.”
“I did, too. But I thought a lot about your proposition, and I’m in.”
“Proposition?” He taps his cheek. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Zeke.”
“Avalon.”
“I’m not gonna say it.”
“Then I guess I’ll never know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I make a lot of propositions a day, Avalon. Just a few hours ago, I was trying to convince the guys that we should start making our own beer. So, you’ll have to refresh my memory of what you and I discussed.”
He crosses his arms, a smug smile forming on his face, and if it wasn’t so damn attractive, I’d smack it right off.
“I’lldothewholefriendswithbenefitsthing,” I mutter.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite understand you.”
“I’m in. For the whole friends with benefits thing.”
“Acquaintances,” he corrects.
“What?”
“Acquaintances,” he repeats. “You said it yourself; we aren’t friends.”
“Fine, acquaintances with benefits if the proposition still stands.”
He doesn’t give me a verbal answer; rather, he stalks toward me, his hands gripping my face and pulling my lips to his. But the kiss doesn’t match his body language; it’s soft, almost like he’s testing the waters.
And then he lifts me up, carries me over to his desk, clears it completely, and sits me down.
His hands, with a firm grip on my hips, pull me closer to him.
My legs wrap around his waist, removing any space left between us.
His hands graze the exposed skin above my jeans before running further up my bare back.
His tongue runs against my bottom lip, causing me to moan, which gives him full access to my mouth.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I missed his mouth on mine.
The last time I saw him, there was no lip-on-lip contact because we pretty much jumped right into the whole sex thing, and he’s very respectful of my feelings toward kissing during sex.
But he knows how to use his mouth… in more ways than one.
A gasp escapes my mouth as he digs his teeth into my bottom lip, giving it a tug as he pulls away.
There’s a heat in his eyes that I don’t remember seeing the last time we hooked up, and fuck me, it’s sexy. Everything about the man standing in front of me is sexy. His tattoos, his eyes, his smile, even that fucking earing.
“Fuck,” he groans, pushing off the desk, and that’s when I see the back of his jersey.
“Bowman?” My nose wrinkles. “I thought your last name was Harris.”
His eyebrow pops up as he turns back around to look at me.
“You look me up, Stewart?” The way he says my name shoots flutters straight to my stomach. I never told him my last name and the fact that he knows it means Jaxon told him, or he looked me up… or both. Maybe Jaxon told him, and then he looked me up.
“I heard someone yell it downstairs.” I cross my arms. “When they were complaining about being low on booze. That’s the only reason I know your last name.”
That’s a lie.
I looked him up.
It wasn’t hard. Zeke’s a starting hockey player. I just had to go to the team roster and find his picture. It took me about five seconds.
No, I’m not proud of looking him up.
In some weird way, part of me thought looking him up would get him out of my system, but it only made it worse.
And becoming fuck buddies is a lot better than him haunting me with sex dreams. Or taking over my solo seshes with my hand or vibrator.
“I don’t know if I believe you.” He grins.
“So, what’s with the jersey?” I change the subject.
“It’s a tradition.” His smile fades. “One that prevents me from sleeping with you tonight.”
I laugh… until I realize he’s serious.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t come all this way, embarrass myself by accepting your proposition, just for me to leave without getting what I came here for.”
“It’s hard to explain, but—”
“You can’t fuck me because you’re wearing a teammate's jersey?”
“Yes. Well, no, but yes. On Halloween, we wear a teammates jersey and kinda take on the role of being them.”
“That explains why I showed up and didn’t catch you with your tongue down someone else’s throat.”
“Would that have made you jealous?” He takes a step towards me, and I roll my eyes.
“Not even a little bit. Especially now that the mood is totally killed.”
“I wouldn’t say totally.”
“You just told me we can’t sleep together because of a hockey player tradition on Halloween. I’d say that definitely killed the mood.”
He stares at me, contemplating the situation. Seriously, what guy doesn’t sleep with a girl because of some stupid costume rules?
I grin when I watch his eyes trail over my body as if he’s trying to figure out how not to break.
I pull my shirt over my head, leaving me in just my bra, and he sucks in a breath.
Then I unclasp my bra, slowly sliding it down my arms.
“Fuck it.” He stalks towards me, ripping off his jersey, leaving his own chest bare. “I don’t know what Bowman does when he’s alone.”
His lips nip at my favorite spot below my ear, which I think has become his favorite place to kiss because of the reaction he gets from me. And based on his erection, which I feel pressing against my leg, the sounds I make when he does it cause a reaction of his own.
He carries me over to his bed, gently lying me down as he pops open the button on my jeans.
His lips leave warm kisses down my neck, chest, and stomach, stopping right above the waistline of my jeans.
My body is hot with anticipation as if it’s been waiting weeks for me to come to my senses. And as he kisses his way up my leg, stopping on the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, causing shivers to travel down my spine—
I’m glad I did.