Page 149 of Off Camera
“Yes, he’s picking me up.”
Emmy lies on her stomach and gives me another once over. “What shoes are you wearing?”
“I was thinking black heels. I know they’re not practical for this time of year, but I love them so much.” I stick out my foot and show off the stilettos I bought on a whim last week. “Do you think they match the green?”
“They make your legs look fantastic.” Emmy glances at Maven, giving her a small smile. “You’re right. This is really fun.”
“See? You’re basically married too. You have Maverick’s handwriting tattooed on your chest.”
“Wait,what?” I put my hands on my hips and turn to face them. “I know I can’t ask to see your boobs, but I kind of want to see your boobs.”
Emmy chuckles and swings her legs to the end of the bed. She sits up straight and lifts her shirt, revealing a black sports bra. Pulling the left strap down, I see the wordminewritten in handwriting that looks like it belongs to a man across the top of her breast.
“I, um, like when Maverick touches my neck,” she admits bashfully. “One time when we were together, he said he was going to get the wordminetattooed on the back of his hand so when we were together, I’d know who I belong to. I got one to match.” She taps the letters, her skin turning pink under her painted fingernails. “It’s right where his hand rests when he’s… you know. Cutting off my air supply in a consensual, respectful yet depraved way.”
“Why is that the hottest thing I’ve ever heard?” I say. “Good grief, Emmy. Not only are you and your boyfriend smoking, but you play in the NHL too? What can’t you do?”
“The list is too long.” She holds up her phone and taps the screen. “You only have a few minutes before he’s here.”
“Shit.” I grab my purse off my dresser and shove a tube of lipstick inside. “Is it normal to be nervous? Reid and I have been sleeping together for months. If he told me to strip and lie on the bed naked, I’d be less anxious than I am right now.”
“Because it’s different.” Maven walks toward me and adjusts the strap of my dress. “Now it means something.”
“Yeah,” I say faintly, rubbing a hand over my chest. There’s a phantom ache there, a tightening sensation that’s been in place since he took care of me while I was on my period. Since he held me to his chest and let me fall asleep in his arms. Maybe it’s been there all along. “It does mean something.”
I’m not sure I’ve ever been this excited about a date. Reid’s given me no clues. No hints about where we might be going, but I like the idea of a surprise. I like thinking he probably spent an hour or two planning out the night. Crouching over his computer and creating a spreadsheet, and his quiet, careful consideration might be my favorite thing about him.
My phone vibrates, and I’m swiping my thumb across the screen before it finishes buzzing.
Reid
I’m out front.
Me
Be right down!
“Can you all lock up on your way out?” I ask the girls.
“Of course we can.” She hugs me and motions for Emmy to join in on the embrace. The two of them wrap me in their arms,and I laugh at their affection. “I hope you have so much fun, Avery.”
“Me too.” I smile and grab my coat off the bed. “I’ll see you all later.”
There are butterflies in my stomach as I take the elevator down to the ground floor. My throat is dry, and every step I take feels like the start of something important. Something poignant and bigger than me.
I shiver when I make it outside, the January air cool on my overheated skin. Up the road, I see Reid leaning against his car, and I stop in the middle of the sidewalk.
He’s looking at the night sky, his head tipped back and his eyes cast upward. He’s unaware I’m here, unaware I’m staring at him with my jaw almost on the ground, and I soak up the sight of him.
The tuxedo he’s wearing is familiar, and I realize it’s the same one he wore the night of the wedding. His bowtie is purple, and he’s holding a bouquet of sunflowers close to his chest. A smile—the faintest hint of a grin—sits on the corners of his mouth, and I want to kiss it off his face.
“Waiting for someone?” I call out, and his neck jerks in my direction. His eyes brighten, sparkling under the stars, and he pushes off the hood of his SUV. “Disappointed it’s me?”
“Ecstatic, actually.” He closes the distance between us, a soft palm on my cheek as he bends his neck to kiss me. “You’re way more fun than the interns.”
“Hi,” I whisper against his mouth, and he breaks out into a full beam.
“Hi.” He dips his chin, eyes raking over my dress. I pull my coat open slightly to reveal my outfit, and a soft moan climbs up his throat. “You look beautiful.”
