I leaned over and kissed him. “I’m glad you were receptive to it. Not everybody is.”
He blinked.
I caressed his cheek. “The morning after I picked you up at the club, I was fully expecting you to tell me to pound sand and kick me out of your house.”
Avery’s lips parted. “But… you did it anyway?”
“Yeah. I couldn’t just sit back and let you self-destruct. I had to at least try.” I exhaled. “I can’t tell you how relieved I was that you didn’t fight it. And I mean it—that takes alotof guts. Admitting you need help, and getting that help. Especially for someone who’s in the public eye like you are.”
“I… never thought about that.”
“I watched two people in my life crash and burn,” I whispered. “One had to hit absolute rock bottom andalmostlose everything before she finally admitted she needed help. The other…” I shook my head. “So I’ve seen for myself how hard it is. It took a lot to accept help the way you did. I’m proud of you for it.”
Avery smiled as a blush rose in his face. Clasping my hand, he said, “Well, it definitely helped to have someone step up and stop me from destroying myself. All of this?” He held up our joined hands. “I’m still amazed you can see past everything I did and said and still want me.”
I drew him in again and brushed my lips across his. “You’d have to try a lot harder than that to make me lose interest.”
His lips curved against mine. “I think I’d rather try to keep you interested.”
I grinned, too. “Oh, yeah?” Sliding my fingers up into his hair, I asked, “Any thoughts on how you’re going to do that?”
The hand on my thigh made me gasp a second before Avery had my mouth.
When he broke that kiss, his hand was nearly at my groin and we were both out of breath.
“Am I on the right track?” he asked in a sultry voice.
“Mmm, I think so.” I nipped his lower lip. “But how about we go back to one of our places so security doesn’t bust us?”
Avery laughed, making me warm all over. “Good idea.” He gave my thigh a squeeze before pulling his hand away. “Let’s get out of here.”
We did.
And Avery had no trouble keeping my interest for the rest of the night.
EPILOGUE
AVERY
August
The last time I’d been to this place, I’d been an impossible mix of numbness and excruciating pain. Absolutely torn apart from the inside out, but also detached and certain I was never going to feel anything again, least of all anything good.
That had been the second worst day of my life, just ten days after the absolute worst.
Today…
Today was bittersweet.
Walking across a gentle slope of sun-dappled grass beneath sheltering trees, I was happy despite the lump firmly lodged in my throat.
I carried a small bouquet of flowers in one hand. In my other, I laced my fingers between Peyton’s, grateful for the company and the affection.
Am I ready for this?
I’m ready forthis.
I took a deep breath of the warm air.
