Chapter Sixteen
Avery
Iwoke up to James lightly brushing up and down my arm with his fingers as he peppered soft kisses into the crook of my neck. I tried to hold as still as I could despite the gooseflesh extending out from the tickle of his callused fingertips rubbing against my skin.
I was lying on my side, James with his chest up against my back. I hadn’t felt so safe and cared for probably in my entire life, and I didn’t want the moment to end. I was afraid that, when he realized I was awake, we’d have to get out of bed and start the day.
I just needed five more minutes of…this,ofhim.
I could make out beams of light from behind my eyelids, and I silently cursed the sun as it streamed in through the open sliver in the curtain. I inhaled, taking in the scent coming off his pillowcase, and must have lost myself for a moment. Because I failed to stop the little giggle that escaped as his kisses became quicker, almost silly.
“Goo-ha! Good morning!” I made out.
“How long were you gonna fake being asleep?” he asked.
“How long were you gonna keep petting me and showering me with kisses?”
“For the rest of my life.”
“Well, in that case, move down a little bit and over to the side,” I said, adjusting my position to give him more access to my shoulder blade. “Mmm…”
“You’re all knotted up back here,” he commented, running his fingers over my back.
“Carrying all those trays with huge plates of food.”
“Yeah, June’s portion sizes are huge. That’s why you’re so toned.”
“Hardly,” I laughed.
“No, you are. You look amazing, Avery. Everything’stight…”
James paused my shoulder massage long enough to reach down between us and pinch my ass.
I wanted to ask James what the plan for today was, but I was nervous it was going to involve us being separated. That idea was killing my morning afterglow.
“Baby, I…” James hesitated before continuing. “I don’t ever want you to feel like I’m controlling you or trying to tell you what to do, but the thought of you going to work today makes me really nervous.”
I turned over so I could face him. “I don’t have to work today. But I’m scheduled to open tomorrow.”
James sighed in relief and moved in for a kiss. It was slow and sweet, and he wrapped his arm around to pull me in tighter against him.
“Did I ever tell you that you are the sexiest guy I’ve ever seen in real life?” he breathed.
I chuckled. “Oh yeah? Well, you were in prison and didn’t see many guys. Not many different guys.”
He kissed my shoulder. “Sounds like Jenna is up. I’m really excited for you to get to know Lindsey. She’s the cutest thing; I swear. Jenna said she has some errands to run today and would love company, if you don’t have anything else to do.”
I smiled at the fact that I could already see right through him, like I’d known him for, well… years. “You just want me to stay here because David doesn't know where I am. Why wouldn’t I just stay with you?”
“Because Idohave to work.”
“You told me last night you had to find a new job,” I protested. Not because I thought he was lying, but, again, I felt like I’d waited so long for him. I didn’t want him to go. I felt like we deserved to stay locked up in this room together for at least a month.
“I do, sweetheart. But I’m paid up until the end of the month, and it’s important to me that I continue to help where I can. I’m also nervous for David to show up. It’s not fair to ask my brother, or his staff, to deal with my battles. It’s gonna look more suspicious if he shows up and neither one of us is there. If he sees me, I can tell him I haven’t heard from you. That might buy us some more time before he comes knocking on the door. But we are going to have to come up with a plan, baby. We need to be free of our past to start enjoying our future.” James leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. “That’s why I’d love for you to get to know my sister-in-law and favorite niece. If you’d like, of course.”
I smiled, trying to hide my nerves. “Did she really say she’d like company?”
The corners of James’ mouth curled into a goofy grin as he nodded. “She really did.”
