Page 116 of The Backup Plan
“Gia.” Avery touched her shoulder so she’d turn to face her. “I’m sorry you felt that way. I always like to meet people. I was glad to meet you and the other girls, Shay and Olivia and Jeni. I hope we didn’t get off on the wrong foot.”
“Of course not.” Gia’s smile broadened and looked a little more genuine. “I hope we can be friends.”
Avery brightened. “I like new friends.”
“Me too. I like getting to know people.” She took a long drink of her beer. “Anyway, what I meant before is that now you can kind of get away from that reputation, right? I mean, you have to have noticed that not a lot of the girls have really connected with you. And that’s not your fault. If you ask me, the guys kind of set you up for that.”
No one asked you. “Well, Shay and I have been getting along, and she?—”
“She’s Cam’s friend. And all I mean is that first it was the thing with you and Isaac, and then now it’s whatever thing you’ve got with Cam—it’s just a little much.”
A little much. The insinuation burned closer than the fire. She took things slower with Cam than anyone knew. She and Isaac respected and cared for each other in a way that never included romance. And for all that she claimed to admire her strength, Gia Tomlin obviously had no idea how little much Avery could be.
“Isaac and I are friends. Isaac and Cam are friends. The people that matter here are fine, and I don’t need to justify that to you.”
“But between those two and Justin, you went out there like a queen and stood your ground. Some girls, surrounded by men like that, would let them make the decisions. You didn’t. That was ballsy.”
“Again, it was a conversation that should have been private. That wasn’t for anyone’s entertainment.” Avery clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering and craned her neck to catch Cameron’s eye where he stood talking to Zack Tucker.
“Well, all I’m saying is that you made it clear no one’s going to pass you around. As it was, things looked like your brother was running the show with the thing with Isaac, and now he’s not around and you’re hanging all over Cam. Good for you making your own choices.”
Avery stood and stepped between Gia and the fire, shadowing her face. “Say that again,” she demanded. “Look right in my face and say any shit about me being passed around.”
Gia shrugged. “I was trying to be nice and give you a compliment.”
“Saying I am ‘passed around’ does not enter into a compliment.” She took a step forward, blocking Gia into her seat so she kept the high ground. “If you think that me staying friends with Isaac after a total nonstarter relationship and dating Cam after that makes me some kind of slut, say it to my face. Say it to their faces and challenge their friendship and respect for each other. Challenge their respect for me, and see how far you get.”
Gia pushed back her chair, knocking it over in the gravel. Her beer fell from the cupholder and ran in rivulets through the pebbles near Avery’s feet.
“How was I supposed to know it was a ‘total nonstarter’ with Isaac?” Gia demanded, mocking her with air quotes. “God, Avery. I was trying to be nice. But don’t worry. I won’t say anything. You still get to be the untouchable princess everyone loves, and it’s not just because of your brother anymore. Everyone will be nice as long as you’re the quarterback’s girlfriend. However long that lasts.”
Avery lifted her chin and stalked to her boyfriend’s side. “I need you,” she whispered. Cam barely told Zack he’d be right back when she pulled him back into the house.
“Is everything okay? I saw you talking to Gia, and it looked like you were getting along.”
She cut him off with a kiss—bruising and intrusive as she grabbed a handful of his hair and held him to her open lips, thrusting forward to push him against the wall. “Gia can fuck off. I am so hungry for you, and you are the only one who matters. I don’t care what anyone else wants. Only you.”
“What do you want?” He stroked her neck, gliding lower over the curve of her breast and squeezing to make her gasp as he pulled her into an empty alcove. “I’m ready for that hotel whenever you are. I want to spread you out on that bed and cherish your body the way it is meant to be cherished. All night. No rush. We’ll call room service for strawberries and champagne. I had Benny make the reservation, so I’m twenty-one now.”
“Do you still want to take me to the kitchen first?”
His breath hitched as he slid a hand over her hip to make sure she wasn’t wearing anything under her dress. “You know I do.”
“And do you still want to tease me into breaking my straight face while anyone might be watching?”
“Yes,” he breathed. He took her hand and led her back to the empty kitchen, and found two sports drinks in the refrigerator. “Our disguise,” he said, cracking them open. “We’re in here for non-alcoholic refreshment.”
She took a long drink. “I didn’t realize how thirsty I was.”
“I’m parched.” He grabbed her hips and lifted her onto the counter where he sat the first time she saw him there. “Scoot a little closer to the edge, and spread your legs for me.”
The knee-length dress gave him cover to send a hand snaking up her thigh, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. He shifted his posture just enough that anyone walking by would see his right hand on her thigh and assume his left hand was at his side.
She was already slick when his fingers reached their target, and his little groan of satisfaction almost made her smile.
“I don’t see anyone looking,” she said. “Not even Miss Nosy. Everyone’s gone outside since it’s so nice out.”
“Then I guess you’re mine to play with, Avery.” He prodded with two fingers, and she swallowed a gasp. “However I want, right here where anyone could walk in.”