Page 72 of Burnout
“Nah,” I say. I didn’t lose it. I know exactly where it is.
TWENTY-FOUR
The next nightwhen I get to the gym, Avery smiles and waves from the balance beam.
I shuck off my shoes and walk over to her. “Hey.”
She hops down close to me, putting her hands on my shoulders for balance. “Hi.”
Her gaze darts to my lips like maybe she’s thinking about kissing me right here. Same. It’s all I’ve thought about since I left her dorm.
“I thought we could work on adding a twist to your backflip,” she says, eyes lit up with excitement.
“I can’t stay.” I give her an apologetic grin. “I forgot Flynn has a basketball game tonight. I have just enough time to go home and shower before it starts.”
My eyes rake over her. Today’s leotard is black and all I can think about is her tight body underneath.
“You could have texted.”
“I could have, but then I couldn’t have done this.” I drop my mouth to hers in a soft, quick kiss. It’s not the kiss I’ve been imagining all day, but the gym is full of people.
Avery smiles as I pull back, then she looks around, takes my hand and says, “Come with me.”
Her little legs move so fast, I don’t have time to think about where she’s taking me. At the back of the gym there’s another room, more like a closet. The light is on and I have just enough time to look around at all the equipment to determine it’s a storage closet before her arms drape over my shoulders and she’s up on her tiptoes pressing her lips to mine.
Neither of us wastes any time. I drag her flush against me and kiss her like I’ve been thinking about since yesterday morning. Only I’m not fucking her while I’m doing it. This will have to do for now.
“I think I’m addicted to this mouth,” I say, sucking on her bottom lip. My hands roam up and down her sides from her hips to the curve of her breasts.
The sliver of restraint I’m holding on to is the only way I’m capable of pulling back before I’ve stripped her out of her little spandex outfit and made her come.
She smiles happily, then giggles as her gaze drops to my chest. “Oops.”
I glance down at my shirt, which is now covered in chalk. “I’m heading home to shower anyway.”
I adjust my hard dick. “That’s going to be harder to deal with.”
“Did you just pun?” Her smile grows wider.
“I gotta go. See you tomorrow.”
“All right, but I’m going to be twice as bossy to make up for you flaking tonight.”
I step away with a wink. “I look forward to it.”
The next day I go to The Tipsy Rose to grab lunch. Brogan is standing behind the bar, leaning against it, with a textbook in front of him. He glances up when I take a seat.
“I just put your turkey burger down on the grill.”
I arch a brow in question. “Tracking my location again?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I have notifications turned on for all of you. If you get within five miles of this place, I know it.”
I chuckle. “How is that different from tracking my location?”
“Do you want me to spit in your food?” he asks as he pours a water and places it in front of me.
“No lunch rush today?” I glance around. There’s a couple of guys sitting at a table watching bowling on TV and one other at the bar picking around a plate of fries.
