Page 12

Chapter 12: Avery

A fter last night, Luke had avoided me all day, but tonight was date night, and he couldn’t avoid me any longer. If I had my way, tonight would end with him, inside me.

His hand settled on my lower back as he guided me through the crowd and into the restaurant, the heat of his palm searing through the thin fabric of my dress. I hadn’t missed the way his fingers lingered, the subtle pressure as though he couldn’t help himself.

Good.

We were seated near the back, away from prying eyes but close enough for the media to get their shots through the windows. Luke thanked the hostess with his signature charm, pulling out my chair before taking his own.

I waited until the waiter poured the wine and disappeared before making my move.

“So,” I said, swirling the deep red liquid in my glass, “did you enjoy the show last night?”

Luke’s hand froze halfway to his glass. His eyes met mine across the table. “Fuck Avery. Give me a break. I don’t want to have my erect dick on every newspaper.”

I leaned in, lowering my voice to something just shy of a purr. “No. I’d rather have it in me.”

His jaw tightened. “Avery.”

“Relax. I’m just having fun” I said, dragging my finger along the rim of my glass. “I’m just curious though. Did you like what you saw?”

The muscle in his jaw ticked, and I knew I had him.

His gaze dropped to my lips, lingering before snapping back up to meet my eyes. “`Yes,” he growled out.

I leaned closer, resting my chin on my hand, my voice soft and teasing. “I was thinking about you, you know. While I had my fingers inside me.”

His breath caught, so slight that anyone else might have missed it. But I didn’t.

“I imagined it was you,” I continued, my words slow and deliberate. “Your hands. Your mouth. The way you’d take your time, teasing me until I was begging you for more.”

Luke’s fingers curled around the edge of the table, his knuckles whitening. “Avery.”

“You told me not to stop,” I said, my tone light, conversational, as if we were discussing the weather. “And I didn’t. I came so hard, Luke. But it wasn’t enough. I want more.”

He leaned forward, his voice a rough growl. “We had a deal. Play only until it is over.”

“I think we should renegotiate,” I shot back, emboldened by the heat simmering in his gaze. ”We can still play, but it would be good to play a game for two.”

His eyes darkened further, his control slipping by the second. I bit back a smile, relishing the way his focus narrowed entirely on me.

“Like tonight,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, “I’m not wearing anything under this dress. Now, if I had a partner for me to play with , he would be able to find that out for himself.”

That did it. Luke stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor with a sharp screech.

Before I could say another word, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, his grip firm. The other diners turned to look, but I barely noticed.

Luke’s expression was a mix of frustration and something darker, something that made my pulse race.

“We’re leaving,” he said, leaving no room for argument.

“Where are we going?” I asked, though I already knew the answer, as I tried to smiling at finally winning.

He didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. As he led me out of the restaurant, the cameras outside clicked furiously, capturing the moment. But for once, I didn’t care.

Because it was going to be worth it.