Page 9 of A Kiss for Carter (The Laws of Love 3)

“Just okay?”

“Yeah.”

Even he knew that was way too quick to get an agreement out of Avery.

The next moment she flung herself back on the bed, grabbed the shaggy toy dog, Mutsy, that he’d bought her on her fourth birthday and hugged him to her chest.“I still love the flute.I do.But Mum thinks that’s all I should be doing.Like practice, practice, practice.I have to have alife.”

He had to laugh; her tone was so melodramatic.

Avery shot upright.“Why are you laughing at me?”

“I’m not laughing at you; I’m laughingwithyou.Anyone would think you’re my age.”

“I don’t want to get to your age and be like you.”

Ouch, that hurt.“What do you mean?”

She shrugged.“Just, you know, doing the right thing, never coming out of your nice safe box.I need to spread my wings.”She threw herself backwards on the bed and flung her arms in the air.“I need to be free.”

Carts shook his head.You could almost smell the teenage hormones in the air.

“I’ve bought this dress for Zammy’s party.Mum doesn’t know about it.Do you want to see it?”

“Okay.”

Avery jumped up, threw Mutsy aside and headed for her wardrobe.Garments flew onto the bed, until she found one at the back that she took out almost reverently.A tiny silver piece of material, with straps for a back, so low it would practically expose her buttocks.

She held it up and her long legs with their slightly knock knees looked so vulnerable that he almost wanted to weep.

Eyes bright with expectation, she asked, “What you reckon?”

He reckoned it was all wrong.He reckoned this was heading somewhere at the speed of light that he couldn’t do anything about.His head was starting to spin.But then he remembered the desperate sense of longing, the need to belong and to be part of the group when he was Avery’s age.

He couldn’t say he liked the dress, but he couldn’t let her down either.

Carts hung his head and a splice of hair fell over his eyes as he muttered, “Okay, Aves, I’ll talk to Mum about it.”

Avery squealed and the next thing he knew her arms were round his neck.“I love you, soooo much.”

He hugged her tight.“I love you too, Aves.”

Yeah, so much it hurt.

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