Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Avery
Walking into the kitchen at Nick’s side, her fingers twitched, wanting to reach out and hold his hand.
She knew he wouldn’t stop her, and the support would make her feel better, but she worried it could make everything else worse.
She was lucky she hadn’t completely ruined her career by running out and she had no idea how everyone would react to that, much less her and Nick.
There was a black mark on her record, but Olivia had reassured her that it would be removed after a year assuming she did no such thing again.
Avery had reassured her there was no chance of that.
At least they were right on time. Walking in together made a statement, even if they weren’t holding hands.
Her butt was still sore and stinging under her pants, but no one knew.
It would be a stark reminder all shift—not to run out on him or her job again and how he’d embraced his Dom side for her.
Yeah, it might have been there regardless, but she was the reason he’d chosen to explore it.
She shouldn’t be ashamed of being with Nick or what they did together, and even if she still had some trouble feeling that with her whole being, she would fake it till she made it.
To her surprise, as they entered the kitchen from the hallway, everyone was in the kitchen waiting for them.
The back-of-house staff, the front-of-house staff, the managers.
Some had clearly finished their shifts, others were coming on, and some were dressed in regular clothes, indicating it was their day off.
They all burst into applause when she and Nick walked in.
“About time!” someone yelled.
Her jaw dropped open, and she swiveled to stare at Nick, not sure if she was angry at him for setting this up, only to see him staring slack-jawed at their audience.
He hadn’t known they were going to do this.
Slowly, she turned back toward them, her fingers automatically seeking Nick’s.
When they touched, he grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze—which didn’t go unnoticed.
“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”
She was pretty sure George started up the chant, the big jerk, but the others picked up on it fast enough, she couldn’t be certain.
Before she could do anything, Nick lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
“There, you perverts,” he yelled over the laughter and boos that followed. Avery’s cheeks flamed hot, and she was really grateful to him for not actually kissing her. “Now, get back to work.”
“Man, I thought we were going to get to watch,” Alice complained, walking by them to get behind the line. She bumped Avery’s hip with her own, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Isn’t that what you two like?”
“I think we prefer watching. Are you volunteering?” Avery retorted.
It might not make sense to some people, but Alice’s good-natured teasing was exactly what Avery needed to be comfortable again.
That was how the kitchen worked. If Alice wasn’t giving her a hard time—in a fun way, not the way Chad had—it would mean she was upset.
Alice joking about it meant she really was unbothered.
In case the applause hadn’t hammered that home.
She worked with a bunch of crazy people, and she loved it.
“Good luck,” Ravi said, clapping her on the shoulder as he went by. “He’s a jackass.”
“Hey!” Nick looked affronted, but he didn’t let go of her hand.
Avery had to roll her eyes. “The truth hurts, huh?”
Something glinted in Nick’s dark eyes as he leaned in closer, lowering his voice for her ears only.
“Careful, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Or I’ll hurt you.” He winked. The back of his hand bumped into the side of her butt, and her cheeks turned bright red again.
Such a Dom.
Nick
After the show of support—Nick suspected Alice’s unsubtle hand behind that maneuver, for which he was both exasperated and grateful—the kitchen emptied, and everyone got back to work. Several more people stopped to tell Avery and Nick they were happy for them, with a few choice words about Chad.
It didn’t escape Nick’s attention that Alanna was one of those or that Jonathan wasn’t lingering by her side, whereas George was downright cheerful. Apparently, last night’s date hadn’t gone well.
Oh, well, not his business.
If Jonathan and his rotating dating life was an example of why some people shouldn’t date coworkers, he liked to think he and Avery were an example of how to make it work. They’d been doing so for weeks.
Tonight, it was like last night had never happened.
There was a happy buzz in the air, though whether it was due to everyone’s happiness for them or Chad’s absence, it was hard to tell. Probably some combination of both.
Toward the end of the night, Olivia came in. Wiping his hands on a towel, Nick moved to where she was leaning against one of the counters, watching. The orders had slowed enough, Avery didn’t need his help at the expo counter.
“Looks like everything went well,” Olivia said. Since she was right, Nick didn’t begrudge her the smug smile curving her lips. “She seems pretty chipper.”
“It did.” Nick leaned next to Olivia, casting his eyes over the kitchen rather than looking directly at Avery. In case she looked up, he didn’t want her to feel like she was under a microscope. “She is. Thank you.”
“Oooh, was that hard to say?” Grinning, Olivia nudged him with her elbow. “It sounded like it was hard to say.”
“Maybe a little. I’m not used to needing relationship advice.”
“From what Luke’s said, it’s more like you’re not used to being in a relationship where you’d want advice on how to prolong it.”
Ouch. Avery was right. The truth did hurt.
“She’s different.”
“I think she’s good for you and you for her.
” Olivia cocked her head to the side, blatantly studying Avery.
If Avery noticed, she was masterful at pretending otherwise.
Nick had the feeling she really was wrapped up in her work, focusing hard to make up for not being here last night.
“She seems okay with you two being out in the open.”
“Probably didn’t hurt that we walked into a standing ovation.” Nick snorted, shaking his head. He still couldn’t believe it. It had been one hell of a show of support he appreciated.
“Oh, did you?” The lilt of innocence in Olivia’s voice had him turning his head sharply to give her a look. She smiled back at him. “I gotta get going. Things to do.”
She sauntered off before he could decide whether he wanted to thank or strangle her.
Well, at least now he knew it hadn’t been Alice.
Avery
This might have been the most exhausting weekend of her life.
Emotionally, not physically.
But she was ending it in a good way.
Almost everyone had come up to her to tell her they didn’t care what she and Nick were getting up to outside work. Several of them had joked they had ‘known it!’ and thanked her for the money they’d won betting on her and Nick as a couple. She just shook her head.
She’d thought they’d been so much more discreet than they were. When she’d finally said as much, Roger had smirked and explained it was the blatant lack of romantic interaction between them that tipped everyone off.
“Everyone could feel the chemistry. It was just a matter of time,” he smirked again. “You were fighting it, then you weren’t, so we were pretty sure you two had gotten together, but no one could prove it.” He went to settle up his bet with Jonathan.
Shaking her head, Avery finished up her shift, then texted Iris, Rae, and Domi with an update before heading to Nick’s house. Her friends’ responses had come in during the drive, and she’d snickered when she’d checked them after parking in his driveway.
Rae’s response had been a predictable ‘I told you so,’ whereas Domi and Iris were more, ‘I’m happy for you!’
“Does this mean we’re going to drive together now… please?” Nick asked as he opened her car door. Avery grinned up at him, sliding her phone back into her purse.
“Yeah, that sounds nice.” Much easier, for sure. Now that she didn’t have to worry about people knowing about them, it wouldn’t matter if they drove in or left together.
“Thank goodness.” He pulled her against him, his hands sliding down to cup her butt, making her squeal and wriggle. The sides of his lips curved up in a sadistic smile. “How’s your ass?”
“Still a little sore.” Glaring at him, she was pretty sure he’d figured that out from her reaction. He just wanted to make her say it.
“Good.” He bent his head to take her lips in a kiss, and she could feel the hardness of his erection growing between them, pressing into her as she kissed him back.
Big jerk. When he pulled away, she was all hot and bothered all over again.
When he turned her toward the house and gave her ass a little slap that stung like hell, thanks to how sensitive her skin was, she shrieked.
“Now, let’s get inside so we can shower and clean up. ”
It was a hot shower in multiple ways as Nick insisted on washing her, his hands lingering on all her most sensitive spots until she was practically panting.
Not that she didn’t get him back, wrapping a soapy hand around his cock and sliding it up and down the thick length several times before he growled and pulled away.
Freshly cleaned and rinsed, they rubbed each other down with the towels, still teasing, before stumbling into the bedroom and falling on his bed.
Avery moaned as he nipped and bit her nipples, tormenting the tiny buds with his mouth.
His hands slid up her arms to pin them down on either side of her head, wrists just above.
Feet on the floor, he was at the perfect height and wasted no time sliding into her.
Gasping, Avery moaned and clenched around him as he filled her, her legs wrapping around his hips and pulling him deeper. The press of his body against hers made her ass bounce on the bed, awakening phantom pains from spanking and adding that little dash of sensation to her pleasure.
Unlike at the club, Nick took his time with long, slow, firm thrusts in and out of her body.
His mouth worked over her breasts and nipples, teasing her with pleasure and sharp nips of pain while he fucked her.
Whimpering, Avery writhed beneath him, her body urging him to move faster, harder, instead of his relentless, steady pace.
“More, please, Nick!” She clenched, her thighs tightening, pulling him against her, trying to quicken his pace with her legs. “Harder!”
“Naughty girl.” He nipped the sensitive nubbin tipping her right breast, making her moan.
Thrusting in deep, he filled her to the brim and rocked, his body rubbing against her sensitive lips and clit, sending hot pleasure shooting through her.
His hands pressed harder against her wrists as he thrust, then ground against her.
Thrust.
Grind.
Thrust.
Grind.
Each time, he pulled away for the next thrust just before giving her enough stimulation that she could actually get off.
Her body ached, cramping. It was a kind of edging she hadn’t experienced and wasn’t sure he even knew there was a name for what he was doing.
It was both awful and wonderful torment.
“Nick! Sir, please!” The plea came out as a near shriek. His pubic bone ground against her clit again before pulling away, leaving her body humming and buzzing, tight as a wire about to snap. She wailed at the loss of contact, muscles clenching as she was left on the precipice of rapture.
Then he was pounding into her, hard and fast, and her voice rose in a shriek as ecstasy rose like a tsunami and crashed over her. Hot bliss sizzled through her veins, leaving pure pleasure in its wake as she lost herself in the mutual celebration of their love.