Page 21 of Trust Me
She blushes the cutest shade of pink and gives me a shy smile. “Thank you. You look pretty good yourself.” Brooklyn takes this moment to rush her mom and throw her arms around Avery’s legs.
“You be good for Aunt Holly,okay?”
“Yep! We’re gonna pway with Pway Doh!” I see Avery give Holly a questioning look over the top of her daughter’s head.
“Why do I have a feeling the joke is on me with this Play Doh thing?” Holly asks as she picks up the overnight bag sitting by the front door. Avery helps Brooklyn into her jacket as we all head out the front door.
I had to park in the street since Holly’s car was parked behind the Jeep. As we’re walking toward Holly’s car, Brooklyn places her small hand inside of mine, making my heart do some weird flip in my chest. Holly is already throwing Brooklyn’s bag in the passenger seat while Avery grabs the booster seat from her Jeep. As we wait, I reach down and pick up Brooklyn. “Have a great night, Bean.”
She looks back at me, eyes full of innocence and says, “Have a great night wiff my mommy. She’s the bestest mommy in the world.”
It’s hard to swallow over the huge lump that instantly forms in my desert-dry throat. “I will. She is the best mommy. You are a lucky, lucky girl.” I give her another hug and kiss on the crown of her head as Avery finishes securing the seat in the car. Avery then reaches up and grabs her little girl and starts to lower her intothe seat.
“Be a good girl, and Mommy will see you in the morning.” She leans forward and gives her daughter one last kiss before stepping back and shutting the door. Holly slides in the driver’s seat and gives a little wave. “We’ll be fine. You two go and have some fun, all right?” She shoots Avery an ornery little smile laced with innuendoes and hidden meanings. I like the way that girl thinks.
“Thank you, Holly. I’ll be over in the morning to get her.”
“No rush. Don’t rush. You know, in case you are busy. Or up late. No need to hurry over.” There’s another evil grin on her face as she says, “Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine and there when you are done.” I think Avery turns three shades of red as she shuts the door. We can hear Holly’s laugh as she puts the car in gear and pulls out of the driveway.
“You ready?” I ask and extend my hand to her.
“Yes,” she replies as she stretches her much smaller hand toward me.
I take her slim hand in mind and steer her to my truck. I’ve always had polite manners, but I’ve never really been the gentlemanly type.So, when we get to the truck, I find myself stepping outside of the box and opening the passenger door for her. She thanks me politely and climbs in. Before I can shut the door, I lean in and brush my lips lightly over her nude-colored pink ones that taste like sun-kissed strawberries. We stay exactly like that, our lips barely touching for a few moments. Just when I’m about to pull back, she leans in farther, deepening the kiss. I feel her hand slide up my chest, and her touch short-circuits my brain. I can’t think when she’s touching me, and I’ll be damned if I don’t fucking love it.
After a few moments of enjoying her kiss, I pull back slightly and open my eyes. Her eyes are still closed, and she lets out a long, deep breath like she forgot to breathe during our hot little make-out session.
“Ready to go?” I ask after clearing my throat.
She opens her twinkling blue eyes and lifts the corner of her mouth slightly. “Yes.” She reaches up and wipes my lips, removing the lip gloss I probably have smeared all over my face.
I pull back out of the passenger side of my truck and shut her door. As I walk around the front of my truck, I glance at her through thewindshield. She’s watching me, smiling. This is going to be the best damn night ever.
Chapter 15
Avery
“So, where are we going?” I ask.
“We’re heading to St. Charles to the pier. I thought we’d have dinner at a seafood place along the river and then take in the little shops and things going on tonight on the pier. It should be a pretty decent night for it, weather-wise.”
“That sounds amazing. I love seafood.”
Maddox turns on the radio as we head toward St. Charles, but I couldn’t tell you what songs have been playing. I find he’s very easy to talk to. He asks me about work this week and Brooklyn. We talk about what it was like growing up with four older brothers, and I’m sharing stories he hasn’t heard yet as we pull into the parking lot at the pier. Maddox helps me out of the truck, and we start walking toward the deep, dark water of the Missouri River. The cool fresh air has a crispness to it tonight, and I realize I didn’t bring a jacket with me and probably should have. Maddox slides his hand into mine as we set out toward the shoreline.
We decideto try The Fisherman’s Wharf for dinner, both of us hearing good things about their seafood. Maddox pulls open the big red wooden door. We are instantly assaulted with the delicious aromas of the sea as we step into the restaurant. Once inside, we walk to the hostess stand, Maddox’s hand warmly sitting on my lower back sending tingles of delight straight to my lady parts. As we approach, I notice the hostess giving Maddox a head-to-toe once-over, followed by her best seductive smile.
Really? He’s actually here with me, and she’s openly flirting with him in front of me?
Maddox also seems to notice her instant change to super-slut. He gives her a smile, though not one that reaches his eyes, nor the smile he has been giving me lately. The one I love that’s full of cockiness and dirty thoughts. “Hi.”
“Well, hello there,” she coos sweetly.
He turns away from her and stares into my eyes. Though he’s talking to Miss Slutty Hostess, he never takes his eyes off of me. “We’d like a table for two. Somewhere quiet and very intimate; somewhere we can’t be interrupted by tacky women who think they can distract me from the most beautiful woman in the world here for even one second.” He then gives me that super sexysmile that makes my insides turn to Jell-O and my panties a little damp.
After a few moments, the hostess clears her throat, and we finally return our attention back to her. She gives him a curt nod and says, “Follow me.”
We follow Miss Slutty Hostess to the back of the restaurant which overlooks the river. The tables all have mismatched tablecloths on them with a small tiki torch style candle in the middle giving off a romantic glow. The hostess sets two menus down on the table and turns to face us.
