Clarke
Avalon trailed my fingers over the loose fabric of my old t-shirt, her nipples pressing against my palms. With a groan, I folded myself into her, lowering my head into the crook of her neck and my hands on the curves of her body.
“I can take some of the pain away, even if it’s just for a moment,” she cooed, her hands wandering through my curls. Her skin was warm to the touch, soft and supple; temptation etched into every line and crevice.
Hungrily, my hands pulled and tugged at her. She moaned in response, craning her neck so my lips would have better access to the lush skin.
“Avalon, stop.”
The words scraped out of me, rougher than I intended, but necessary. I forced myself to pull back, dragging in a deep breath as I stepped away from her warmth. My thumb brushed across my bottom lip, still tingling from where she’d kissed me.
“God only knows how badly I want to do this—fuck, I want this,” I admitted, my voice low, trembling as I tried to steady myself. “Lose myself in you. But now isn’t the time.”
Avalon pouted—actually pouted—crossing her arms as she leaned back against the wall. Her lower lip jutted out in a way that made my resolve wobble for a split second. I laughed despite myself and reached out, catching her chin between my fingers and tilting her face up toward mine.
“That doesn’t mean I won’t want to later,” I murmured. I pressed a soft kiss to her temple, smiling when she let out a quiet, satisfied sound. “When it’s just the two of us.”
Another kiss—her cheek this time—and I felt her skin warm beneath my lips. “We can go back to the Big Barn and won’t have to worry abou—”
A loud commotion at the front door cut me off. Avalon and I both snapped our heads toward the noise just as Aubrielle Kennedy, Ethan, and my brother barreled into the house like a stampede.
“That,” I sighed, stepping fully away from Avalon. Privacy was a luxury in this house—one I’d rarely had growing up, and one I’d learned to crave enough to move out to the barn.
Avalon snorted, peeling herself off the wall. We’d only been close for a moment, but her face was already flushed a bright, beautiful pink. “Brie, I thought I told you to wait for me outside?”
Her aunt laughed, covering her mouth with a delicate hand.
“Yeah, but then I ran into these delicious cowboys.” She licked her lips dramatically as Colton and Ethan ducked into the dining room, both tall enough to nearly brush the doorframe.
“Why didn’t you tell me Texans were so damn tall?
” She turned to Avalon. “You don’t have dibs on one of them, do you? ”
Avalon’s face twisted into pure horror. I couldn’t help laughing. Obviously not. “Ew, God, no,” she said quickly. “Colton is practically engaged, and Ethan is…not my type.”
Brie wiggled her brows. “But he is mine.”
“Brie!”
“What? Am I supposed to lie?”
Avalon crossed her arms, brow arched. “He’s twenty-seven.”
“Maybe he’s into older women,” Brie shot back with a wink before finally turning her attention to me. “Hey, Clarke.” She gave a tiny wave—then muttered “fuck that” and pulled me into a hug.
It startled me for half a second, but only half. I relaxed into her arms, returning the squeeze. Over her shoulder, Avalon’s face lit up with a smile that warmed something deep inside me.
“Aubrielle, hi.”
“Please, call me Brie,” she said as we stepped apart. “Aubrielle is so…formal. It’s what my mother calls me.”
I chuckled. Oversharing and chaotic charm—definitely a Kennedy family trait.
“Yes ma’am.”
Brie’s brows shot up, and she smirked at Avalon. “Yes ma’am? Ava, I see why you like her.”
Avalon’s face went crimson. She slapped her palms to her cheeks, but I could hear the laugh she tried to hide.
“When do you go home?” Avalon asked, her tone light but edged with something I recognized—nerves, maybe.
Or the quiet dread of unexpected family chaos.
I felt it too. With Melody getting worse and Colt’s wedding approaching, my parents were stretched thin.
Another Kennedy whirlwind wasn’t exactly ideal timing.
Brie shrugged, glancing around the room before returning her gaze to us. “So eager to get rid of me already? And here I thought you’d want to spend some quality time with your favorite aunt.”
Avalon blushed again—and God, it was becoming my favorite thing about her. The way her cheeks flushed pink against her pale skin, the awkward flutter that followed. Calling her beautiful didn’t even scratch the surface.
“No, I just wasn’t expecting you,” Avalon said. “And I want to know what your plans are. There’s a rodeo this evening—will you be going?”
Brie’s face lit up with wicked delight. “Why is that even a question? If the rest of the cowboys are anything like those two in there—” she jerked her head toward the kitchen, where Colt and Ethan were loudly assembling sandwiches. “I might need to stick around a little longer.”
“I think you’ll appreciate the charity auction,” I said. “All the eligible bachelors of Opal Springs offer themselves up to the single women in town to raise money for a farmer in need. It’s great.”
Brie’s mouth formed a perfect O. I could practically see the gears turning. Colton wouldn’t be auctioned — not with Delia in the picture — but Ethan? He’d be fair game. With a little convincing.
“Is it just cowboys, or is it gender-inclusive?” Avalon asked, wiggling her brows at me.
Heat rushed to my face. I ducked my head, laughing. The auction was mostly men—tradition, safety, small-town expectations—but women weren’t forbidden. Just rare.
“Why?” I teased. “You want to place a bid on me?”
She shrugged, all faux innocence, though the mischief in her eyes gave her away. “Maybe I do.”
I didn’t tell her the truth—that she wouldn’t need an auction to make me hers. She wouldn’t need anything at all.
Because somewhere along the way, without either of us noticing, I had already become hers.