Chapter 15
AVERY
"Hmm, these sheets are so soft," I muttered, blinking my eyes open. They were definitely not my marked-down, pilled cotton ones. They were satin.
I pushed myself up into a sitting position.
Oh, I'm in Sam's bed. That's right. He has fancy sheets.
I looked around for the man himself, but he wasn't in bed, or in the room.
What time is it? He didn't have an alarm clock, and my phone wasn't anywhere in sight.
I'd dropped my phone somewhere in the living room last night, along with the rest of my clothes.
I was going to have to do the walk of shame to my room naked.
Then again, it wasn't a particularly long one, but still, my heart hammered in my chest.
Is Sam home at all? I wasn't sure how things between us would be this morning. Last night, we agreed on a time-out, but when had it expired? At midnight? This morning? Or after he gave me the best orgasms of my life?
I found the towel I'd used last evening after we showered next to the bed and put it around me.
I tiptoed out of the room, descended the staircase, and immediately saw Sam.
He stood in front of the window, sipping coffee.
He was wearing shorts but nothing else. What's he trying to do?
Cause a traffic accident? He had no business flaunting his unbelievably sexy body.
And maybe I was a tad possessive as well.
It happened once and that’s all. A onetime thing. Don't forget that, I told myself as I went straight toward him, but I stalled midway, realizing I hadn't even checked my appearance.
I went in the bathroom instead. Yup, I looked like hell: puffy eyes, completely messed-up hair. I needed to put myself together before I faced the music. I dropped the towel to the floor and hopped in the shower, where I quickly washed my hair and face.
Typically, after a late evening out, I liked to put slices of cucumbers on my eyes and a mask to hydrate my skin. But for that, I'd have to lie down for thirty minutes so they could do their work. And I’d have to sneak into the kitchen, and—
You're being so ridiculous, Avery, a voice in the back of my mind chastised. It was a sexy night together between two consenting adults. That's it. Don't make it into something else.
It was perfectly acceptable for me to want to look my best, even though I'd just had sex with my roommate.
I groaned as I got out of the shower. What was I thinking? What if things between us get so awkward, I have to move out? Why didn't I think this through?
Well, because this was Sam. He was always my kryptonite, and apparently sixteen years of no contact hadn’t changed that.
I blow-dried my hair before putting on a fluffy pink robe, then headed into the living room, drawing in a deep breath. Sam was still at the window, only he wasn't holding his cup anymore, and he wasn’t facing the street. Instead, he was looking straight at me.
My breath caught. He beckoned me forward with his right forefinger, and I instantly moved toward him as if he was pulling strings on a puppet.
"Good morning," he said when I was close enough.
"Hey." My voice sounded like a hiccup. What is wrong with me?
"You stayed so long in that bathroom, I thought you might try to escape."
"You saw me earlier?" I asked on a grin.
"Yeah, but before I had time to call out, you’d already run away."
"I needed to make myself presentable," I said.
"Avery, you look fucking sexy no matter what."
I licked my lips. So much for a time-out.
Sam continued. “I like seeing you unkempt because of me. Your hair wild because of me, because we had fantastic sex.”
Oh. My. God. I glanced out the window, down to the street, anxious to change the course of this conversation before I combusted. "Why are there so many people awake at this hour? Don't they have anything better to do than stare at you?"
"What?" He chuckled.
My cheeks burned. "Never mind."
He stepped even closer, and I drew in a sharp breath.
He smelled like his shower gel but no aftershave.
In fact, up close, I could see that his five-o'clock shadow had turned into light whiskers.
It felt delicious against my skin last night.
I barely resisted the urge to reach out and see how they felt against my palm this morning.
I pointed at his torso. "Why do you have to stand in front of the window like that where everyone can see you?"
"Already marking your territory?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
I swallowed hard, shaking my head. "Um, I know I'm indicating no, but I think the answer is actually yes. Don't ask me to explain it. I don't understand it myself."
We both started laughing. I felt even more self-conscious than before. I wrapped my robe tighter around me, which was completely unnecessary, just giving my hands something to do.
"Avery, I have a proposition for you."
My pulse sped up. "Oh?" I asked.
"Let's extend that break so it includes today."
"The whole day? Hell yes," I said, my smile stretching from one side of my face to the other.
He laughed. "I thought you'd fight me more on it."
"Do you want me to? I can totally start a fight. I just need a very strong coffee beforehand. I don't have a lot of energy. Someone worked me out really good last night."
His eyes darkened as he tilted toward me, and I stumbled backward. Without even turning around, he closed the drapes.
"What are you doing?"
"Not sure how long I can resist you. I want to cover my bases first. Wouldn't want anyone to peek inside."
"Sam Maxwell, are you intending to do shameless things to me in broad daylight?"
"Fuck yes." He came closer. "But I also want to just spend the day with you." He cupped my face, feathering the tip of his nose along my right cheek. “Last night was fun, but I want us to give ourselves a chance to relax around each other.”
"Why?" My heartbeat accelerated.
He straightened up, looking me in the eyes. "It feels right." He frowned, pressing his thumb across the bow of my upper lip. "Anything against that?"
"No," I whispered.
"Pity, I was looking forward to convincing you." He focused on my mouth.
I congratulated myself for using my super-minty toothpaste. To my astonishment, he didn’t kiss me.
"Let's get dressed and go out for breakfast and coffee. What do you think?"
"Mm." I put both my hands on his chest. "I kind of liked the dirty version of you."
"We have plenty of time for that too. I want to feed you first, and there's nothing in the fridge.
The other day I saw a coffee shop that boasts the best pecan pie in the city.
I double-checked the reviews, and they agree.
It's still one of your favorites, right?
If not, I'm sure they have something else. "
I blinked, taking a step back. I was so stunned. I didn't know what surprised me the most, that he remembered my favorite or that he'd actually double-checked the reviews just to make sure he wasn't taking me to a crappy place.
"Yes, it is," I said.
He clapped his hands once. "Okay. Then let's meet back down here in twenty minutes," he said at the same time I said one hour. He growled, "Avery, I'm starving. I can't wait for an hour."
"Fine. I'll be quick."
"You've already showered."
"Yes, but I'd intended to style my hair and… Never mind. I'll be here in twenty minutes," I said. He was right. Why waste any second of our time-out day by getting ready? This was silly. I had one day where Sam was mine, and I wasn't going to waste a precious second of it.
I didn't manage to get ready in twenty minutes, though. It took me twenty-five. By the time I came downstairs from my room, I could tell Sam was already impatient. He was pacing the entrance area, and he'd put on his shoes. He was wearing jeans and a Henley shirt with a leather jacket.
It was a preppy look on him, but it was so damn sexy.
"What’s with that smile?” he asked as I approached him.
"I was just thinking, 'Thank God you wear scrubs at work.' They hide some of that sexy body. Otherwise, you'd probably have patients clamoring over you."
"That still happens from time to time. I'm a hit, especially with women over sixty."
"Well, they have great taste, don't they?"
He offered me his arm, and I took it, pressing my ear briefly to his bicep.
"I love that we extended the time-out to today," I admitted.
He tensed up, and my stomach lurched. Crap. Are we supposed to totally ignore the boundaries? Straightening up, I didn't dare look at him.
Once out on the street, he extended his arm around my shoulders. It didn't matter what would happen tomorrow. I had today, and that was enough.
"First up is the pie, right?" I double-checked.
"Yeah."
I looked around, biting my lip. He brought his mouth to my ear. "They have excellent coffee. I looked at their machine too."
Goose bumps broke out on my skin. I’d always had a slight obsession with coffee machines in high school because I’d waitressed two afternoons a week.
I had no idea why the fact that he remembered those details about me meant so much. Did it mean he'd pined for me all these years? Or had the details resurfaced now that we’d seen each other? It didn’t really matter.
We walked at a slow pace, soaking in the energy of our neighborhood. I truly enjoyed it. The streets weren’t crowded, so it didn't even feel like Chicago. More like we were on vacation somewhere.
We arrived at the appropriately named The Coffee & Pie Shop a few minutes later.
It was very cozy, with couches and armchairs spread around the room.
They had an electric fireplace in the center.
The way the flames danced could've fooled me into thinking it was real.
It was early enough that there were still plenty of tables available.
"Sit down. I'll bring everything over," Sam said. I was getting a slice of pecan pie and coffee.
"You’ve got fine manners, Mr. Maxwell."
From behind, he touched both my shoulders, whispering in my ear, "Always. At least when we’re out of bed."
A shudder went through me, and I shimmied in my seat. Maybe I should've asked for us to define time-out a little bit more. Last night, I thought the break would include skating and a little flirting. And then we'd completely crossed the line.
But today, I was totally overthinking.
Breathe in and out, Avery.
It was a cold but sunny day.
"You look so relaxed," he said, startling me.
"That was fast. And with so many treats," I nearly screeched. He had brought not only pecan pie and coffee, but also cheesecake with a strawberry topping and mousse au chocolat. "Oh, Sam. I think you're my favorite person right now."
"I like the sound of that." He winked, sitting down.
The three slices were enormous enough for both of us to share. And he hadn't lied about the coffee.
"This is good," I said. "Thank you for bringing me here."
"I love to please you, Avery."
I licked my lips, staring straight at him. "Okay, we need to define the parameters of this time-out.”
"Go on." His eyes were scrutinizing me, making me squirm.
"Sexy talk is allowed?"
"Sure. Why wouldn't it be?"
"I don't know. How are we supposed to go back to being roommates after the day's over if we keep flirting with each other?" I answered in a whisper.
His eyes turned hard. "We'll figure it out." He sounded cold, or maybe he was determined.
"I don't want to spoil the day."
"You aren't. But I don’t want us to worry about any of that right now."
"You're right," I said, taking a spoonful of the mousse. "You don't have plans with your family at all today?” I wanted to make sure, as I remembered him telling me that he used his time off between shifts to catch up with friends and family.
"I canceled everything I’d planned," he said with a straight face.
I gasped. "Because of me?"
"Hell yes."
"When did you do that?"
"This morning while I was waiting for you."
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs and tapping my top foot to a quick rhythm. "You were so sure I would say yes?"
"Avery." His voice was so rough that it startled me. My body reacted instantly as heat coursed through me. I pressed my thighs against each other to stop the sensation. "Last night was incredible. I figured I couldn't be the only one who didn't want it to end."
"Still," I said, trying to play it cool, "I don't like being considered a sure thing."
I'd only been teasing him, but his eyes turned intense.
"You’d never be a sure thing, Avery, no matter what. You've always been incredible. You are incredible. And I don't take anything that happens between us for granted. Not because we have history or because we’re roommates. You deserve the very damn best of everything."
"Oh, another plus in the improvements column," I murmured. "You're so romantic.”
“You're keeping tabs?" He curled his lips in a sly smile.
"Maybe.”
“I meant every word."
"You brought me to a place with delicious pie, so clearly you practice what you preach."
"Always."
"Let's play a game," I suggested.
"I'm all ears."
"Let's ask each other questions, stuff we used to know about each other, and see what's still true and what's not."
"That's a great idea."
"I’ll go first. Kimberly and Reese are still your best friends?”
"Sort of, but not like before. I spent too much time abroad. Although, Kimberly is about to move back home. She was away for a long time too. We’re still very close, but it’s much different than it used to be."
“Wait, where was Kimberly?” I’d been closer to her than to Reese, maybe due to the age gap.
“She’s been living in Paris for the past few years.
She's arriving next week. I'm thinking about taking her out to dinner. She loves discovering new restaurants, and I’m trying to figure out what she’d like.
I need a way to find out without her catching on.
If anyone in the family asks her, it’ll be too obvious. "
I pushed a strand of hair behind my right ear. "I can find out."
"How?"
"Just leave it to me. I’ll message her on Facebook.”
“Not sure she’s got an account. I think I’m the only one in the family who does.”
“How come?”
“Everyone deleted their accounts after the scandal with Reese’s wedding.”
I thought for a second. “I have an idea. Give me Kimberly’s number. I’m going to catch up with her and pretend I want to ask her about Paris. It’s always been my dream to go there. One thing will lead to another, and I’ll find out exactly what you need.”
He grinned. “You’re resourceful.”
“Yes, I am.”