Page 41 of Camera Shy

Chuckling nervously, she covers her eyes. “Okay, you’re unnaturally hot. You have to know that, right? Good grief, you’re fit.”

What the fuck am I supposed to say to that? “Thank you?”

“It must get annoying when women stare at you like a piece of meat. My best friend Palmer is a total knockout. Every time we go to a bar, she gets groped or fed some sleazy line just because she’s good-looking and has a great body.” Avery twists her lips as she teeters her head from side to side. “You’d think it’d feed her ego, but it doesn’t. Men want to see her naked, but they don’t care about her name or what she does for a living. It’s crass and it gets to her more than she admits. Her entire identity is wrapped up in how she looks and it’s not fair. I’m trying not to do that to you in case you feel the same.”

“That’s awfully considerate of you.”

“Well, I respect hot people problems, you know? It’s not like I have them, but I respect them.” Avery snorts at her little joke while I plunge into the water without testing the temperature. I know the heat is turned all the way up the way Avery’s skin is so pink and raw.

“Do you work out?” I ask.

Avery rolls her eyes. “Finn, you’ve seen me pretty much naked. You know the answer to that question.”

“I don’t know the answer. That’s why I asked.”

Avery flicks a little water in my direction across the tub. “I like to walk sometimes, but that’s about it.”

“I work out a lot.”

“Shocking,” she says with a wink.

“Not to look good,” I admit. “For stress relief. It’s the only way I can work out my anxiety and frustration. So you may see a hot body”—I gesture to my chest—“but this is all the product of a lot of shitty stuff I’m working through.” I shrug. “Looks can be deceiving.”

Her smirk flattens, and the corners of her lips turn down in concern. “What stuff?”

“Nope. Not going there tonight. The hot tub is for relaxation.” I waggle my finger at her before I wade across the tub to stretch out my legs, and quickly return to the six-pack I brought. I pop the lid on two Alaskan Ambers and hand Avery one. I stay standing, lingering by her side. “How was your day?”

“Good,” she says, smiling wide.

I’m silent as I take a swig from my beer. But she doesn’t continue. She clearly doesn’t like being the center of attention. “What did you do?”

“I just worked a little.”

“On what?”

She lets out a little huff of annoyance, understanding what I’m doing. I’m trying to get her to talk. I’m trying to give her some much-needed attention.

“I think I accidentally overfed one of Dex’s fish today. I feed his saltwater fish this nutrient thing from an eye dropper every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. It ate and then went belly up for a minute but seems to be okay now…I think.” Her eyes widen in concern. “I don’t know, actually. It’s not like I can reach in there and snuggle the damn thing. I didn’t realize how high-maintenance fish are.”

I laugh. “Just Dex’s fish. They are all exotic.”

“Yeah, I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I said I’d help. I have to feed them and check their water temperature twice a day. The auto lights over the tanks upstairs are broken, so I have to adjust them manually until they get repaired.” She shrugs her shoulders, unintentionally pushing her breasts together. I don’t even bother looking away. I thoroughly enjoy the view of her cleavage in a black bikini halter top. “I’m just going to say it—Dex hustled me.”

We both break out in laughter. Dex is the kindest, goofiest dodo on the planet. It’s from all the years of breathing in an oxygen tank underwater. He couldn’t hustle someone if he tried.

“How much is he paying you?”

“Nada. Free rent for the summer.” Avery licks her lips before she hangs her head. “I would’ve done anything to get away from home.”

I suck down half my beer in one glug. “I take it you live with Mason?”

“Yep.”

“What’s your game plan when the summer is over then?”

She drops her jaw before showing me a cute pout. “I thought we said the hot tub was for relaxation?”

“True.”

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