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Taylor laughed.

“First of all, you’re already more than passable. I’m going to make you great. Also, we aren’t on any timeline here.” She thought for a moment and then smiled. This was going to be fun. “Okay, I have an idea for next week that I think will help.”

“Oh no, that sounds scary,” Avery said. “What is wrong with me? I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Taylor shook her head.

“After the past two weeks, when you came in all suspicious and you ended up having a great time, can’t you give me the benefit of the doubt that you’ll have fun? Trust me.”

Avery let out a deep sigh.

“I do trust you, but I never know what to expect with you!” she said.

Taylor grinned at her.

“That’s what they all say.”

Five

Avery looked at herself inthe mirror after she got dressed for her now regular Tuesday night with Taylor and bit her lip. She had no idea what they were doing tonight. All Taylor had said about what to wear this time was to “lean risqué.” What did that even mean? Not helpful, Taylor! After she’d mentally surveyed her entire wardrobe (twice), she’d decided on a button-down sundress; she’d undone one button at the top, and enough from the bottom to have a slit up to her thigh. She looked at herself in the mirror, and her face got hot. Wasn’t this too much?

No. She was going to do it. She was pretty sure this was a challenge from Taylor, and she wanted to win it. Yeah, she wasn’t getting graded on this, but she did want to surprise Taylor, show that she had more gumption than Taylor might give her credit for.

And she wanted Taylor to know that she was taking this seriously. After the past two weeks, when she’d whined and complained as soon as Taylor had picked her up—and ended up having a good time—she wanted to start tonight with a better attitude.

So far, Taylor hadn’t made her do any of the scary stuff she’dworried about, like go to bars and make her go talk to women, or buy them drinks, or get their phone numbers. But even scarier had been the idea that Taylor would judge her on what she did, and she hadn’t done that, either.

Granted, Taylor had given her feedback last week, but it wasn’t mean, just friendly. Kind. A little funny, slightly mocking, sure, but in a way that hadn’t made her feel bad. Just like Taylor always was.

“Okay, what is it today?” she asked as she got into Taylor’s car. “Also, I can drive sometimes, you know. I feel bad that you drive every time.”

Taylor shook her head.

“That’s okay, I like driving. Plus, if you drove, I’d have to tell you in advance where we were going.”

Avery grinned at her.

“I know.”

Taylor grinned back.

“Nice try, though.” Her smile got bigger as she glanced over at Avery’s outfit, her eyes lingering, just for a second, at the slit in her dress. How could she make Avery’s whole body tingle just from a look? “I will say this, good work with tonight’s dress code.”

Avery smiled shyly and looked away. And then she remembered what Taylor had said last week and made herself turn to face her.

“Thank you,” she said, looking straight at Taylor.

Taylor looked into her eyes as she nodded slowly.

“You’re welcome,” she said. “You were right, you are a quick study.”

It never felt weird or uncomfortable when Taylor looked at her like that, it just made her feel good. Maybe because her look was appreciative, not leering.

“Here’s another tip,” Taylor said as she started the car. “If someone gives you a compliment, and you want to flirt with them, you give them a compliment in return.”

“Oh.” Avery looked closer at Taylor’s outfit. Oh no. Taylor was so sexy on a normal day, without even really trying, that it was honestly hard to look at her dressed like this. She had on a short-sleeved black jumpsuit that zipped up the front; if Avery had thought she was being adventurous by unbuttoning one button of her dress, that was nothing compared to how far down Taylor’s jumpsuit was unzipped. There was a little bit of her bra peeking out, and a faint glistening of sweat from the heat of the day in the hollow of her breasts. Avery had to look away.

“Um, I like your outfit, too.”