Chapter 35: Chapter 35

AVERY

Saturday night finds us all at my favorite bar. Olive pulls me away from our group to order drinks while the rest find a table.

“So…Reed is here,” she says, a playful tease in her voice as she bumps my shoulder.

“Yeah,” I reply. “So is Casey.”

She ducks her head.

“Olive, are you blushing?!” I whisper, shocked.

“No! Don’t change the subject. Have you two talked since you, you know, fucked?” she asks, her voice dropping.

“Sort of.” I shrug. “Not much to talk about. It’s just a fling.”

She gives me a bored look. “Avery Morris, you know damn well that it’s more than that. There is a lot to talk about. Your feelings for one.”

I sigh, nodding to the bartender as he brings our drinks.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Olive,” I say, grabbing a few of them and walking away before she can say another word.

Madison looks up and smiles as I join the table. “Get anything good?”

“Vodka coke,” I reply, passing her a glass and taking the empty chair next to Casey and right across from Reed. “No tequila for me tonight.”

Reed smirks at my comment. Olive takes a seat on the other side of Casey, her face lighting up when he looks her way.

~Wow. She likes him a lot.~

“We taking the stage tonight?” she asks, looking a little slighted after how we left things at the bar.

“Of course,” I say, shooting her an apologetic smile before lifting my drink to my lips. “I have just the song too. One we haven’t done before.”

“I’ll go put our names on the list. Be right back!” she says, rushing up to the stand.

“So, Madison, I hear that you’ve decided on different flowers for the wedding?” I ask.

“Yes! Aren’t these peonies just to die for?” Madison quickly pulls out her phone to show me pictures of a beautiful bouquet of big, pink flowers.

“Very nice,” I assure her.

“Your brother thinks they’re too much. Gaudy, even. Can you believe that?” she gasps.

I roll my eyes at my brother, coming to Madison’s defense. “Well, my brother doesn’t know a thing about good taste. I had to dress him for his senior prom.”

Reed laughs around the rim of his beer. “I remember that. I showed up to your house and found him bitching up a storm in the bathroom while you fiddled with his tie.”

“He was all set to go in a pair of jeans and a vest,” I continued. “It was awful.”

“I remember. You helped me with my tie, too.” Reed’s gaze floats up to mine, his mouth twitching like he’s holding something back.

I did. I think it was the first time he ever looked at me. I mean, truly, looked into my eyes and saw ~me~.

“Hey, look who I found,” Olive says when she returns to the table with Devon.

Reed’s entire body tenses as he glares at Devon. His jaw clenches as Devon’s face hardens. The air between them turns turbulent as they stare one another down.

“Devon, I haven’t seen you in a minute. How ya been, man?” Josh stands up to clap him on the back.

Devon’s face morphs, and he smiles happily at my brother before walking around the table to sit next to me.

“Just working. A lot.”

Reed stiffens and watches as Devon settles on the barstool, purposely letting his arm drape across the back of my chair. My eyes flick back and forth between them.

~What is happening right now? Why would Reed care what Devon does? It’s not like he wants a relationship with me. This is just a fling.~

The announcer calls Olive’s name, cracking through the tension. Our whole group follows us to the stage, cheering and clapping as Olive and I hop up and take the mics.

“Give it up for one of our regular duos, Olive and Avery! Let’s give them a warm welcome,” the bartender says over the sound system, dimming the lights so that the spotlight illuminates the stage.

“Ready, babe?” Olive asks.

I nod. The opening piano riff from Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” starts to play.

Olive echoes part of the refrain while I sing about loneliness and lost love until the song builds to a crescendo as the chorus hits. Olive sways as I take center stage, doing my best to belt out the lyrics and clinging to the mic like it’s a lifeline as I drop to my knees.

I spot Reed standing next to Josh, his eyes shining bright as he watches the show, smiling as my brother says something and shakes his head. I stare at him, losing myself in the song and singing as if every single word is just for him.

His grin deepens, something more in its meaning. I can’t help but wonder if he feels it too. The electric charge in the air when we’re together. That undeniable attraction between us.

I want to ask him, but I’m scared of what he’ll say. It’s easier to pretend this is just a casual thing between us. It has to be. His heart is meant for someone else. His dream girl, and I’m not her.

I shift my focus back to Olive as the song comes to an end, letting her wild energy fuel my performance. We’re both laughing by the time the final chorus plays, making it impossible to deliver the song with the sincerity it deserves.

Applause fills the room as we take our bows and pass the microphones to the next performers.

Olive jumps from the stage, rushing to meet Casey. I follow a beat later but stop when I hear Reed and Devon talking. I hide behind one of the wooden pillars to listen.

“I thought I told you to stay away from Avery,” Reed says.

“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is. Avery’s a big girl. If she wants to sleep with me, I’m going to let her. Probably would have last night if you hadn’t barged in,” Devon retorts.

“She’s not some notch for your bedpost,” Reed growls. “Aren’t you supposed to be her friend?”

“Which means I’ve more than earned the right to fuck her if I want to. It’s not like I’m after anything else. She’s hot and seems to be more outgoing lately, so I’m taking a shot and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

My hand comes up to my chest, fingers curling there as shock, hurt, and anger rush through me.

~What the fuck? I thought Devon was my friend. Is this all he’s wanted from Olive and me this whole time?~

I debate for a second about just slipping away and pretending I didn’t hear anything like I normally would. I’ve never been one for confrontation, but something shifts in me.

I’m tired of getting passed over. I’m tired of people treating me like an afterthought, of always being their backup plan when their first choice falls through.

I straighten, furious as I step around the pillar, my eyes narrowing as Devon turns and catches sight of me.

“Hello, Devon,” I say, my tone icy.

He pales. “Avery…How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough.” I step around him, taking Reed’s hand and giving Devon a pointed glare. “Maybe you should go, Devon. We don’t seem to be as good of friends as I thought.”

I turn, starting to lead Reed back to the table.

His hand tightens around mine and he leans into me, whispering, “Come with me.”

He pulls me through the bar and out the side door into the empty alley.

“What are you—”

His lips crash into mine, cutting me off as his hand slides under my skirt to find my lacy underwear. I place my hands on his shoulders, pushing him back slightly.

“Reed, my brother is inside,” I whimper as he pushes me against the cold stone of the building. “What if he catches us?”

“That’s why you have to be quiet, baby,” he replies, claiming my mouth again.

I gasp as he rubs me, my legs giving way as pleasure spreads between my thighs. I moan into his mouth with each circle his fingers trace around my throbbing center, begging for more and spreading wider so he can reach all of me.

With a grunt, he slips his hand inside my underwear, and I nearly scream when he pushes a finger inside me. It slides in and out of me as his tongue ravages my mouth, working me into a slippery mess. I’m barely able to stand when he adds a second.

“That was so fucking hot, Avery,” he growls as his hand pumps into me. “Seeing you stand up to that asshole. Goddamn.”

He brings his mouth back to mine, his lips and tongue working in tandem with his fingers and quickly pushing me over the edge. My spine lights up as stars burst behind my eyes. I scream into his mouth as an intense orgasm shakes my body.

He gently holds me as I come down, placing soft kisses on my cheeks and chin as he whispers more praise for how I handled things. He slowly removes his hand, a tremor racing through me as he does, and helps me fix my clothes before we head back into the bar.

We separate just before we reach the table. I slide onto my stool and take a sip of my drink, praying that my face doesn’t betray me.

“Where did you two disappear to?” Josh asks.

“Bathroom,” I say quickly.

“Had to take a call,” Reed replies.

“Where did Devon go?” Josh says, looking around.

“Oh, he had to leave,” I mutter. “Something about a job tomorrow.”

Josh nods, but Olive's eyes narrow as she looks from me to Reed and back again. I give her a small shake of my head. She spares me one last questioning glance before turning back to her conversation with Casey. I know she’s going to ask me what’s up the minute we get home.

“Avery, I want you to sing at our wedding,” Madison says.

I laugh. “You’re joking, right?”

“You sound really good,” she insists. “Josh, tell her she sounds good.”

“You do. I can’t lie about that one.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket as the conversation moves on to what song Madison thinks I should sing. Reed catches my eye, tilting his head slightly and signaling that I should check it.

Reed

They’re right. You do sound good. Almost as good as you taste.

I bite my lip and look up to see him dip a finger, one of the same fingers he’d just had inside me, into his drink and then slip it into his mouth. My body reacts to the sight, my cheeks burning. My phone buzzes again.

Reed

God, Avery, I want your delicious mouth on my cock so bad right now.

A jolt of desire shoots up my legs. I quickly glance at Josh, making sure he hasn’t noticed, but he’s totally caught up in whatever Madison is saying.

I look back at Reed, watching that cocky grin spread across his face. I can’t believe he’s talking like this when my brother is sitting right next to him.

Reed

I want to bury myself deep inside you.

My underwear dampens with desire.

Reed

Do you want that too?

I don’t hesitate. I type out a quick reply, my heart pounding in my chest.

Avery

YES.

Reed

After we’re done here, swing by my place.