“The timing of my Colorado trip is up to me, Shane. Not you.”
He opens the passenger door.
I pause, looking him straight in the eyes. “Tell me you understand that.”
“Do whatever you want, Avery.” His gaze is measured. “If you think it’s a good idea to go straight to Colorado and spend the whole break there, do it.”
“Really?”
He nods, closing the door. When he joins me inside and starts the car, he says, “I have a lot of experience ignoring people’s reactions to my unpopular decisions. That means no matter where we are for the holidays, I’ll be able to deal with the fallout. Let’s see if you can say the same.”
“Are you saying if I go straight to Colorado, you’ll come too?”
“Of course.”
I exhale softly, watching him out of the corner of my eye. “If that happens, will you ruin Christmas?”
There’s a brief flash of a smile on his face. “Who am I? The Grinch?”
“I don’t know. Your actions are highly suspect. You said you couldn’t do the whole break with my mom. Now you say you will.” Another thought occurs to me, a dark underpinning to his strategy. “If you miss Christmas Eve here to come to Colorado, your grandfather will blame me.”
“I’d imagine he will, since it’ll be your fault.”
“You are unbelievable. Absolutely ruthless,” I say, shaking my head.
His lips curve into a smile as he shrugs. “If you don’t want monster trouble, stop baiting monsters.”
21
SHANE
Downstairs where the light best mimics the lecture hall, Avery films herself practicing her presentation. I leave her to concentrate, going upstairs to watch a football game.
There’s a heavy three-panel wood screen that hides the bedroom’s sixty-inch flatscreen television, and I move it. Usually if I watch something in my room, I just stream on my phone, but I don’t want to watch an entire game that way.
Sitting with my back against the headboard, I put on the sports network.
Periodically, my mind wanders to what I’d rather be doing in bed right now. I grab a pillow and lift it to my face. Regrettably, I don’t catch the scent of Avery’s coconut shampoo.
I picture her lying over the stacked pillows while I fucked her from above. My cock hardens at the thought. I want to do that again. And so much more.
In her current mood, she’ll probably try to resist having sex unless all I’m after is a blow job. My gaze cuts to the doorway. I could take care of my erection myself, but that wouldn’t be as satisfying as having her do it for me.
When I go downstairs, she’s not filming herself. As I approach, I realize she’s watching an online video about guns.
“Did you finish your presentation?”
“Yeah, I sent a couple of versions to my mom and Ethan. I also sent the one I think is strongest to Daniel and Todd, so they can review the content and make suggestions.”
I lean over her laptop. “Guns, again?”
“Yes, just investigating for later in case I need it. The closest shooting range is just off campus. I could take a bus or get an Uber from the dorm.”
I want her to stop thinking about guns, but Avery’s stubborn. When she wants something, she doesn’t let it go easily. She closes the lid of the laptop and looks up at me, all sea blue eyes and determination. Hard to resist.
“Granthorpe sent an email asking all the male students to give DNA samples,” she says.
“I saw it.”
