Page 6 of King of Rhythm
Avery’s eyes open slowly, and she smiles as she chews. Grabbing her napkin, she swipes it along her lips and says from behind it, “Very good.”
“Yes, yes, it is.”
We eat in silence for several minutes and I enjoy the quiet company of a woman I’m very enamored of. It feels premature to be this taken with someone I just met, but we’ve had months of conversations leading me to this mindset. And somehow, I owe it all to a simple game.
“To think we met over bingo.”
Avery pauses mid-bite, a slow smile curving her lips up as she places her fork down on her plate. “I never thought I would meet anyone that way, either. I joined for fun.”
“At twenty-four, I wouldn’t have wasted my time playing online bingo.” Open mouth, insert foot. I briefly close my eyes and pray I haven’t offended her. “Avery, I didn’t mean it like it came out.”
Her lips are pinched tight and then a little giggle sneaks out of her. “It’s fine,” she says, waving a hand at me and covering her mouth with her other one. “You probably already figured out I’m not much like other women my age. I’m not into clubs, partying, or even going out much.”
I already surmised as much. Hearing it out loud makes me a little sad. I’m not as actively socially as I used to be, but I was hoping to take her dancing soon. The thought of her body pressed against mine is a damn exciting one.
“What about a small restaurant bar that has dancing?”
An expression crosses her face that I can’t decipher, and her gaze drops to her plate. “Maybe,” she mumbles.
Our server comes over at that point and we both decline dessert. She places the bill next to my water glass and collects our plates.
Avery leans over and digs in her purse, extracting her wallet. I frown at the sight of it and snatch up the bill. “My treat, of course,” I say, frowning.
“No, I should pay my half.”
Is this a brush-off? I thought we were enjoying ourselves.
“You can get the check next time,” I offer, testing the waters, though I have absolutely no intention of letting her pay for a thing. I haven’t divulged how lucrative my former career was. It’s not something I just blurt out to anyone, but I wouldn’t have to work for the rest of my life if I wanted.
Besides being older, and better off financially, you can just call me old-fashioned, but when I ask a woman out, I fully expect to pay for everything. Something I’ll have to make known to Avery and hopefully she’ll accept that with more grace than the suspicious frown she’s currently shooting my way.
“I guess,” she says, dropping her wallet back into her purse.
After settling the bill, we walk through the rapidly filling up restaurant, my hand against her stiff back.
Out in the parking lot, some of her stiffness fades and it reminds me again how she doesn’t like crowds. Definitely something I’ll have to keep in mind when planning fun activities for us.
Avery goes over to navy blue pickup truck, and I quirk my eyebrows. “Interesting ride.”
Stepping away from me, she leans against the driver’s side door, her fingers tangling in the straps of her purse. “It was actually my older brother Aiden’s. He gave it to me when he upgraded to a newer model.”
“Nice guy.”
“He is. For a brother.” She smiles, her shoulders jerking up in a quick shrug. “Well, thank you for dinner, Bryce.”
Her tongue darts out to lick at her lips again and heat explodes in me once more. I step closer, being careful to keep my hands to myself so she doesn’t feel pressured or caged in.
She’s taller than I am, something that I’m not bothered by in the slightest when all I can think about is her long legs wrapped around my hips. The only issue might be when she wears heels and I have to lean up to kiss her.
I don’t have to lean up too far now. Angling closer, I careful feather my fingers along Avery’s jaw, marveling over her soft skin and relishing the slight tremor going through her at my touch. “Us getting to know each other is like a dance. We can go as slow or as fast as you want,” I murmur.
Her lips part and she sways closer. “Maybe I want to go fast for once,” she says, and then her lips are on mine.
CHAPTER FIVE
AVERY
I’m not bold, I’m not brave, and I don’t know what comes over me, but I have been sneaking peeks at Bryce’s lips all throughout dinner and when his deep throaty comment gives me the opportunity to kiss him, I’m going for it.
