Page 39 of Changing Tides

“You want me to bring you a plate?” I ask.

She blinks up at me from beneath her long lashes.

“Amiya can bring me one,” she says.

I lean into her and brush a loose strand of hair from her face, resting my hand on the side of her throat.

“Yeah, but do you want me to bring it to you?” I ask.

I take a step closer, and her breath hitches, drawing my eyes to her chest as it rises and falls.

My hand slides down, and my thumb strokes the pulse point just below her ear.

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, and her eyes flutter shut.

“Avie?”

She looks back up at me.

“What do you want?” I ask.

“I …” She presses into me and tilts her head back, and just as I’m about to dip down and take her mouth with mine, the front door flies open, and Amiya rounds the corner.

“Sabel sent me with a doggie bag—oops,” she gasps as she catches sight of us.

I groan.

“Um, I’ll just be in the kitchen,” Amiya mutters as she turns around.

I look back at Avie, and I know the moment has passed.

“I should probably go eat something,” she says as she stares after her friend.

And it looks like I’ll be spending another night with nothing but the company of my hand in the shower.

Avie

“Say cheese,” Amiya says as she shoves her phone in my face and snaps a photo.

“What are you doing?” I ask as I shove her away.

She plops down on the outdoor couch in front of her laptop that’s perched on the coffee table.

“Setting you up with a dating profile online,” she replies.

“Oh, no, you’re not.”

“I am.”

I lunge for her laptop, but she’s faster than me and grabs hold of it.

“You said you were willing to try one if I did,” she reminds me.

“I said that to appease you. I wasn’t serious.”

“Well, I was, and I met a couple of really great guys since I signed up. Now, what do you want your profile to say?”

I know she isn’t going to let this go, so I just go with it.

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