“Tell me a little bit about your childhood.”
Shit. I hoped this wouldn’t be another tender topic for her, and that the mention of her past wouldn’t cause her to shut down like she had when we talked about her job.
She cleared her throat.
“I lost my parents at a young age when drugs got the best of them. My later teen years were spent living with my boyfriend at the time and his mom. After college, we moved out here from California. It didn’t quite work out between us. And now I’m here.”
That was one hell of a way to sum up what I could only assume was a tragic life story.
She was giving me a part of her story. A piece to her intricate puzzle. The mystery that was Avery Anderson was a complicated one, but one nonetheless that I wanted to solve.
“You’ve suffered a lot of loss.” I rubbed my thumb along her hand.
“I have. But I’ve learned that without all that loss, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Independent, self-sufficient, and all that jazz.” Her smile started to peek through again, her vulnerability shining.
Even with a shitty upbringing, she had a way of seeing the light in herself.
With everything that Avery had gone through, you’d have no idea that she was in her twenties. By the sounds of it, she’d been through more in life than people my age had.
“You’re admirable, Bella.” She tugged on her lip, forcing back a smile.
Switching to a lighter topic, I recalled how we got here in the first place—her friend mentioning my Italian roots in an adorable way. “I like that you talk about me to your friends. I sure hope it’s nothing but good things.” I winked playfully.
“As much as I’ve tried to avoid you, avoid this,” she pointed back and forth between the two of us, “I’ve never said anything bad.”
“Good.” Breaking the hold between our hands, I brushed her hair with my finger and let my touch fall so my arm was spread across the couch behind her back.
Keep it light, Spencer.I scolded myself.
“As a pool girl, what’s the craziest thing you’ve seen on the job?” Avoiding one job, I talked about the other, hoping to keep this conversation fun. No escort talk, and for now, no more talk about her family.
“That’s a hard one. It’s Vegas, after all, and nothing is off the table, so I feel like I’ve seen it all.”
“First thing that comes to mind then.”
“Hmm.” She tapped her chin. “Last week I saw a girl getting fingered in the pool.”
“No shit? Just out in the open?” My eyes widened.
“Yeah. To be fair, I think they were trying to hide it. But honestly, it was kind of hot.” What was actually hot was the idea that this scenario turned her on.
The unexpected turn in conversation only made it harder to respect the fact that I told her tonight wasn’t about being physical. Her legs brushing against mine, and that damn cherry scent trying its hardest to lure me in, were doing everything in their power to break me.
Since the moment she walked out of my room in that thin cotton material, I’ve had to force myself not to stare at herbreasts. She took being comfortable to a whole new level when deciding not to wear a bra.
My eyes betrayed me. Dropping to her chest, her nipples were hard, making it so simple for me to imagine what she looked like underneath that flimsy top.
Fuck.
How was I supposed to keep this conversation light? How was I supposed to avoid the topic of sex when she was talking about a girl getting finger banged and her nipples were begging to be pinched between my fingers?
“How long did you stand around and watch, Bella?” My thoughts betrayed me as my voice came out rougher than I intended.
“I … Um … Not long. I was originally heading to where they were because they had a couple other people with them. I wanted to deliver their drinks poolside. As I got closer, I realized the ones who ordered drinks weren’t there. I got close enough to see his hands tucked under her bikini bottoms and got the hell out of there.”
“Sounds like a better day on the job than what I go through.” Talking about a mundane day at work was the only way to avoid my cock growing harder under these sweatpants.
“What’s a day in the life of Spencer Russo?” Her hand snaked around the nape of my neck, toying with the long strands of my hair, making it impossible not to melt at the feel of her touch.
