Trust in Me

Avery had been staring at her plate and when her hand landed on my upper thigh, I suddenly wasn’t thinking about Jeremy the Dickhead or Teresa’s phone.

Her hand was on my thigh, so close to where I wanted it to be, and in that moment, call me what you want, I didn’t give a fuck that it was Thanksgiving dinner. If she just slid her hand up a—

Avery snatched the cell phone from my hands.

Son of a bitch. “Hey, that was so not fair.”

She grinned at me as she stretched around me, handing the phone back to Teresa. “Sorry.”

“Thank you,” she said, smiling at Shortcake like she was the messiah of cell phones.

I shot her a very promising look before I twisted toward Teresa. “I want to meet this Murphy.”

My sister sighed but relented. “Okay. Let me know when.”

I had no idea what Shortcake thought about this and it wasn’t until after the conversation picked back up that I knew this whole situation had to be weird to her. I thought about what Dad said about secrets and there had been plenty of moments today to bring it up, but none of them had seemed right.

How do you explain to a girl that it took months to get out on a date that you beat a teenager into a coma? That wasn’t something you brought up over dinner.

But Dad had been right. I needed to tell her.

I had to.

When I left my bedroom that night to go to Avery’s, I had every intention of talking to her. I felt like I did when I used to play soccer, right before a game started and my stomach was located somewhere between my knees and ass.

Shutting my bedroom door behind me as quiet as a goddamn mouse on Christmas Eve, I jumped a good foot when I heard my name.

“Cam,” Teresa whispered, popping her head out her door several feet down the hall. “You got a second?”

“Sure.” I glanced at Shortcake’s door and then forced myself away from it. “What’s up?”

“I just want to tell you that Murphy’s not really my boyfriend.” Teresa folded her arms along her stomach. “He’s just a good friend and we’ve gone out on a few dates, but it isn’t like that.”

Relief flooded me. I wanted Teresa to wait until she was thirty and knew how to handle a loaded gun before she started dating again. “I’m glad to hear that.”

She nodded, letting out a little breath. “But if you still want to meet him, I can set that up.”

“I’d like that.” No reason not to put the fear of God into a “good friend.”

She rocked back on her sock-covered heels as she looked up at me. “I really like Avery, by the way. She’s so sweet and pretty. And smart, which makes me doubt why she’s here with you.” She flashed a quick grin. “I do like her.”

The change of subject warmed me. “She is. I’m glad you like her.”

“Well, she’s got my seal of approval.” Teresa stepped back into her bedroom, pausing. She looked like she wanted to say something and then shook her head. “Good night.”

I waited until I was almost 100 percent positive my little sister wouldn’t catch me sneaking into Shortcake’s room before I knocked on her door as quietly as I could and then opened the door halfway.

All thoughts of having a nighttime confession went out the window.

Resting on her elbows, Avery Morgansten was a fucking sight to behold. Her hair hung down her shoulders and her face tilted to the side. There was an impish quality to the look she sent me, part seductress, part na?ve. I knew she had no idea how damn good she looked lying there, which made her so much hotter.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hi.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“I wanted to say good night.” That so wasn’t the truth, but I couldn’t remember why I was seeking her out other than I wanted to see her.

She clenched the bedspread. “You already told me good night.”

“I did.” I slipped into the room, closing the door behind me. I was drawn to her like pencil to paper. “But I didn’t. Not in the way I want to say good night.”

Her soft inhale was my undoing, but as I made my way to the bed and sat beside her, I knew that I was always undone around her. And she had no freaking clue.

My gaze drifted over her upturned face, soaking in the slightly flushed cheeks and parted lips, down to the soft swells under the thin shirt she wore. “I’m glad you decided to come here.”

Her eyes were incredibly wide when they met mine. “I am, too.”

“Really?” I leaned over her, placing my hand on the other side of her hip. “Did you just admit that?”

The corners of her lips tilted up. “Yeah, I sort of did.”

My body followed that barely there smile, drawing me toward her until my upper body hovered over hers. “I wish I had my phone to record this moment.”

Her chest rose sharply as she dragged her gaze to mine. “I’ve . . . had a wonderful time.”

“So have I.” I took a breath I didn’t need. “So what do you think you’re going to do for winter break?”