Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
AVERY
Ty tastes better than I remember. Better than anything I’ve ever tasted.
Just like last time, I can’t resist. Maybe it’s knowing that we’re the only ones in on this secret.
Maybe it’s that Larissa is just down the hall and could come searching for me at any moment.
Though I’m not sure why she would. The thoughts mixed with the pressure of Ty’s warm lips are exhilarating.
Intoxicating. His freshly shaven face is deliciously smooth against my skin as his kisses intensify.
My mouth is desperate for him as my lips find his, locking him in with everything I can spare.
When his eyes close and those tawny lashes fan over his cheeks, I grasp the hem of his t-shirt, tugging him down to meet me.
He lets out a little grunt, and for a split second, his teeth rub against my lip. He’s smiling.
“Easy,” he rasps, pulling away. He kisses my jaw, and I suck in a deep breath neither of us can ignore. “Do you know how many times I’ve thought about doing this again?”
Warmth surges through me, pooling low in my belly as my fingers rake up his back and through his hair. Sucking his bottom lip between my teeth, I feel five firm pressure points pressing into the small of my back. I let myself get lost in the moment, enjoying every aspect of Ty once again.
The last time we were this close was the masquerade, when I couldn’t quite bring myself to make a move.
It’s only been a handful of days, but I’ve missed him every single one.
When it comes to Ty, I’ll always need more.
Every time we’re alone, the urge to fling myself at him is stronger than the last. If I don’t move out of here soon, I don’t know what will happen.
Even if it truly is self-sabotage, why can’t I enjoy it just a little?
Softly, I kiss him, slowing us both down before I can finally pull myself away. Ty’s mouth chases mine, our kisses lightening until they part.
He presses his forehead to mine, his voice husky. “Was this time not a mistake?”
My pulse spikes higher than a fan kick on game day. As much as my brain is screaming to say yes, it absolutely is, I can’t. Because I like kissing Ty too much.
So instead of answering, I press a much more chaste kiss to his soft lips, my voice lowering to a whisper. “Thanks for the deodorant. I’ll see you later.”
I drop to the floor and grab said deodorant before fumbling for the doorknob behind me.
Ty’s hooded gaze follows me out into the hall as the door shuts between us.
I float back to my bedroom on a cloud of confusion.
As absolutely elated as I am that we just went round two, why did I do that?
Why did I kiss him again? What’s he thinking right now? What have I done?
I try to collect myself as I open the door and meet Larissa. Pressing my lips into a tight line, I find my way to the vanity mirror, hoping she can’t see just how pink my mouth is.
“Where’d you go?” Larissa asks.
My heart beats out of my chest. How long was I gone?
“I—uh—forgot where they keep the backstock,” I answer.
“Backstock?”
“Do you ever buy two deodorants at once? Just to make sure you have one waiting in the wings?”
Her dark brows knit. “Uh… Yeah. I guess. If there’s a sale or something.”
“The owner I’m housesitting for is gone for a couple months, and they have a stock of things down the hall. I couldn’t remember where they said they were.” I hope my lie is convincing.
It must be because Larissa directs her attention from me back to her phone. “Oh, okay. Well, whatever gets us out the door because I don’t want to be late.”
I step back, doing a once-over in my mirror as I shove the deodorant into my purse. “Same. I think I’m done.”
When I turn to face her, she’s full of nothing but compliments. And as quickly as we appeared at Ty’s front door, we’re gone again. Leaving him alone and full of longing behind his bedroom door.
“Can we get a shot of the girls over here?” someone with a camera asks.
I smile and follow along as Larissa and our captain walk to the edge of a trail with the other Kings cheerleaders.
Ty and the football players are busy answering a few press questions, trash bags dangling from their fists.
Cheerleaders and players partnering together for special events—especially community-oriented ones—isn’t unheard of.
It’s not considered fraternizing because it’s an organization-wide event.
I’m just grateful that I have yet to spot anyone from trivia night besides Ramiel.
As the quarterback, he’s in high demand, and most of his time has been spent giving statements to various media outlets.
Even now, as both players and cheerleaders are being corralled into a clearing by some local news station, he’s off on his own, twenty questions deep in an interview.
Ty stands ten feet away, and as much as I want to gawk at the way his shirt clings to his biceps or how the gentle breeze ruffles his golden hair, I can’t.
So I turn my head, diving into a conversation with the girls as Ty and I pretend that the other doesn’t exist. Every now and then, I swear his eyes stray our way.
I can’t believe he’s so close. Every time I spot him, it’s like my brain is registering it all over again.
Ty is here. We made out against his door. And now we’re here acting like nothing happened.
A heat wriggles through me, settling in my cheeks.
When I asked him about being roommates that make out sometimes, it was a rhetorical question.
A joke at best. Movie night was supposed to be a one-off situation.
He was never supposed to be my forbidden date to the masquerade.
Somehow, we keep finding ourselves in these predicaments.
The idea of being roommates who kiss on occasion and move on and don’t let things get messy…
It’s impossible. Still, a little voice slithers into my head, whispering, but what if it isn’t?
I pop a hip and pose with the other girls, my outer appearance perfected for the camera but my brain a frenzy of circling thoughts.
After my second tryst with Ty today, I’m starting to wonder if we could come to some sort of agreement.
I mean, we’re here right now. Working together.
I let my eyes slip to where he stands across the trail, and my heart races when I find his already locked on me.
He holds my gaze, and my pulse soars. We linger there for a second too long, and Larissa has to nudge me back to the present.
Beveling along with the other girls, I plaster on my cheeriest smile.
In my peripheral, Ty smirks and turns away.
Avery, you dumb little duck. No. Making out with your roommate and going about your life like nothing ever happened is impossible. You can’t even look at him without nearly collapsing.
As much as I want to believe that’s not true, I know it is. Because two times is already too much. It’s all I can think about. Me draped over Ty’s lap as the movie drones on in the background, his fingers gliding over my skin… My back pressed against his door, Ty’s warm breath filling my senses…
“Avery?” Larissa asks.
“Huh?” I turn to face her, and she’s already ten feet away.
“We’re going to clean up over here for the last twenty minutes. You joining?”
I hesitate, looking for my trash poker. “Yeah, I’ll catch up.”
Searching the campground, I finally spot it and my garbage bag on the picnic table beside where the players and the press are set up.
One of our linemen backs up, unknowingly blocking my path.
Ty steps around him, reaching for my stuff as my choreographer trots into view.
For a moment the three of us freeze. Ty’s eyes flash from mine to Stacey’s then back to me.
She reaches out, grabs my cleanup accessories, and hands them to me.
Clearing his throat, Ty sits like that’s what he had meant to do all along.
“Avery, why don’t you come with me for the last few minutes?” Stacey turns, her blunt bob swinging around her chin.
“Oh, yeah! Of course,” I answer.
I don’t cast another glance over my shoulder because all I can think about is why she would need to talk to me specifically.
A panic ricochets through me. There’s no way she knows about me and Ty, right?
I’ve been so careless lately. I even took my teammate to his house today for goodness’ sake.
Another thought storms through my head. What if there were pictures of trivia night?
Or worse… of us dancing together at a public event?
Avery, you might be one of the dumbest people I know.
I’m in agony until we stop somewhere along the edge of the path, next to a flowering bush. It’s California sage, I believe.
“How are you, Avery?” she begins.
“Great. Excited to be here, thanks for asking.”
She smiles with her mouth, but nothing else about her face lifts. “I just want to check in with my girls every so often, especially after our last chat.”
An unsettling shiver rolls down my spine.
“Don’t look so worried!” She checks over her shoulder, lowering her voice. “Don’t forget, we’re more often than not on camera at these types of events. I just noticed you seem a little off today. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s peachy, Stacey.” I brush a stray hair from my eyes. “I might just be a little dehydrated or something.”
“We have a stocked cooler near the tables over there.” She takes a step closer, her eyes crinkling with each word. “I want to add that you’ve been a great addition today and to the team in general. It’s just that there are times I can’t help but feel that you seem like you’re someplace else.”
“I don’t want to make excuses, but I do have ADHD.”
“Yes, and we were well aware of your neurodivergence during tryouts. Yet somehow that never seemed to get in the way. The distractedness seems to be a more recent thing.”
“I’m so sorry. I… I’m really excited to be here.” I tighten my ponytail and beam at her, hoping it covers whatever sins she’s decided I’ve committed.
“Then make sure we know that.” She smiles and waves to someone passing through on the trail before turning back to me.
“I also wanted to pull you aside because Larissa mentioned earlier that your business sometimes takes on clients for housesitting, and the last time we spoke privately you mentioned your living situation.”
I nod, a cold sweat breaking out at my hairline.
“I have a neighbor who's been looking for someone to watch her family home in the suburbs while she visits her property in Aspen. I think she’s hoping for someone to stay for at least a few months. I’ll have to ask for specifics.
” She shrugs, flicking a wrist to move the story on.
“She’s hoping someone can water the garden, deadhead the asters, all that.
She has a pretty expansive fish tank too.
The lady is obsessed with those things. She asked me to help out, but I’m simply swamped.
I was hoping maybe I could pass your information to her. ”
My heart leaps. Did she just say I would be paid to live somewhere?
I’m not proud of lying to Larissa, but if it’ll get me into my own place—at least for a few months—it might have been worth it.
I can finally move out of Ty’s like we planned.
It’s another temporary situation, but it’ll be enough for me to get some money together and maybe even find my own apartment once the job’s over.
The predicament makes me feel both excited and incredibly guilty that it’s been born of a lie.
“That sounds awesome. I have business cards in my car. I'll grab one when we’re done here.”
She smiles wide, backing away. “Great. I’ll let her know I’ve found someone to save the day.”
I give her a little wave as I start back toward the rest of the group.
“And Avery,” Stacey calls after me, stopping me in my tracks. “Try to keep your focus up, okay? I know how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are.”
I swear her eyes travel over to where Ty and the other guys are huddled up, but I can’t bring myself to follow her gaze. Gluing on what can only be a suspiciously bright smile, I say, “Of course. You’re right. I will. Thank you.”
My phone buzzes as I rejoin Larissa near a trail. I fish it from the tiny pocket in my spandex pants. Ty’s name flashes across my screen. My face heats, and I shove it back into my pocket.
Risky move, Ty.
For the final few minutes of our cleanup, I avoid glancing his direction.
The last thing I need is for Stacey to pull me aside again because she’s pinpointed the source of my distraction.
So when everything ends, I drive Larissa home, letting her rule the aux cord.
She plays something whiny by Callum Porter, which I immediately veto, so she flips on a safe option. Lena Lux’s first album. It’s a classic.
We sing along as I do everything I can not to think about getting pulled aside by my choreographer at my first promo event. Or think about how lying to Larissa may have gotten me a paid gig. Lately, Avery Hinkley has been built on secrets and half-truths. And luck.
But doesn’t luck always run out eventually?