Page 12

Parrish

“Well, hello again, beautiful,” Jackson said as Avalon and I walked into the house through the kitchen door.

He was leaning against the counter, sipping coffee, probably because he had his regular bartending gig tonight after his early evening class.

His dark eyes scanned over Avalon, appreciation on his face.

Normally, that would have pissed me off, but today, I hoped it gave confirmation to what I told my girl. She was gorgeous.

Still, I narrowed my eyes at my house mate, my arm tight around Avie’s waist. “She’s still mine, Jack.”

“Yeah, well…” He looked over at her. “When you get tired of this over-muscled, lug head, I’ll be around.”

“Um…thanks?” she said then looked up at me. “I probably won’t need to take you up on that—”

“Not in this lifetime,” I replied, my voice rumbling as my possessive side bristled at the idea of him edging in on my woman.

Avalon’s hand trailed along my lower spine then into my back pocket.

Her fingers flexed on my ass cheek and distracted me from my irritation.

Tipping my head toward her, I pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“S’okay,” Jackson said, waving away the conversation. “I have a line-up at work.”

“You’re not gonna find Miss Right that way,” I told him.

He laughed, lifting his cup to his mouth again. “No, but I’ll find plenty of Miss Right Now and her sisters. And that’s just fine with me. I’m not settling down any time soon—if ever.”

“Good. Just remember Avalon isn’t one of your Miss Right Now candidates,” I warned him.

She grinned up at me. “You sure about that? ‘Cause I thought…”

“Definitely right now,” I assured her. “And later and next week and next month… For me only .” I glanced over at Jackson. “Avie is staying here until the end of the semester, so behave.”

He toasted me with his cup and nodded. “Welcome to the house, Avie .”

“Thanks. See you later then,” she said, taking my hand.

“Later,” he said, watching as we left the kitchen. Peering over my shoulder, I raised an eyebrow, and he shook his head at me. “You know I play, but I don’t poach.”

“I know. See you later. Have a good night.”

“You, too. And don’t forget the walls are thin in this old place.”

Yeah, last night had sure proved that when it ruined my plans.

The last few years, I’d enjoyed the summers when most of my house mates were away for the break.

Only a few of us stayed behind, and every August when everyone was back, I considered getting my own place, but it didn’t take long to get used to the constant noise.

I certainly didn’t want anyone hearing the sweet sounds Avie would make when I claimed her.

As I followed her through the living room then into my bedroom down the hallway, I considered rearranging my furniture, so the bed was on the opposite wall.

Then we were alone in my room with the door shut, and I stopped thinking of anything but my girl.

She stood beside our bed, biting her lip. Her fingers clasped together at her waist as I dropped our backpacks onto the chair beside me.

“I hope you know everything she said is bullshit.” I didn’t say Sheena’s name. Av knew.

She frowned, huffing out a quiet sigh. “Was it? I’m not very…” She pulled at her sweatshirt. “There’s nothing glam or posh about me. And I trip over my feet or knock into things more often than most people do. I really am klutzy and I have the bruises to prove it.”

“I don’t care. None of that matters to me—not negatively. You’re perfect just as you are. Besides, there’s nothing fancy about me, either.”

She lifted a brow. “Okay, Hockey Captain.”

I shook my head. “Really. I’m just a guy who’s good at his sport.

I, uh, I grew up in a really strict family in Michigan—not a cult but probably as close as you can get.

I’ve always been good at hockey. My parents didn’t like that, but they let me play—in exchange for me doing extra chores or doing additional studies at church while I kept straight-A grades.

Backfired and they were irate when I got the scholarship to play hockey here. ”

“Oh…Parrish…”

I shrugged off the sympathy because I knew I was better off.

“They disowned me. Which is neither here nor there, really. My point is… I don’t bother with the popular crowd as Sheena implied.

My brother and two sisters still live in the circumstances I escaped.

I just want to go pro, so I can get them out of there before they’re forced into marriages they don’t want and locked into that group . ”

Her hand skimmed down my arm, and she squeezed just above my elbow. “No judgment, but that sounds kinda like a cult, Parrish.”

“Like I said… It’s probably as close as you can get.” Why were we talking about this? I wanted to get naked with Avie and—

“Are you still in touch with your siblings?” she asked, derailing my lust-filled thoughts. If I had my way, they’d be her family soon, too, so she had a right to details.

“Yeah. I can’t call them or send anything to the house, but my old coach helps me to get in touch with my brother.

He and his twin sister are eighteen this summer, so what I do with my life is critical to them right now —same with my sister who’s almost two years older than them.

So far, she’s managed to dodge the bullet, but… ”

“She won’t be able to for much longer,” Avalon guessed.

“No. Does that scare you off? If I have my way, they’ll all be living with me two months from now?”

“No. It’s admirable really. You care so much about your siblings.

I…” She huffed a humorless laugh. “I don’t really have much in the way of family.

Like I told you the other night, my parents were killed in a crash when I was twelve.

And as far as my siblings go, it’s the opposite for me.

My older brother and sister basically juggled me between them until I left for college.

I’ve gone back there on the summer holidays, but they’ve made it pretty clear I’m an inconvenience to them.

While I was finishing high school, they kind of put their lives on hold because they were taking care of me, and they resent me for it.

They both act like… Well, they both made it clear they didn’t care if they heard from me after I returned to school this past fall. ”

“Baby, I’m so sorry.”

She looked away. “Most of the time it’s okay. It is what it is, right? I have Nash and through him, I have Porter, too. They’re good friends. And I figured out how to be on my own a while ago. Like almost ten years ago, if I’m telling the truth.”

I stepped closer, cupping her face. My thumbs brushed over her cheeks. “You’re not alone anymore.”

“No,” she agreed, slipping her arms around my waist and moving closer, scant inches separating our bodies. Her sugary vanilla scent filled my senses, and my mouth watered to taste her again. She lifted to her tiptoes, her front pressing to mine. “And Parrish? Neither are you.”

“No. No, I’m not.” Leaning in, I pressed my mouth to hers, my lips coaxing hers apart.

Avalon sighed audibly, her arms moving up to circle my neck. “I know it’s early, but…can we go to bed?” she asked. “Before something happens to get in our way again?”

A growl rolled up my throat, and I scooped her up into my arms. Climbing onto the mattress, I settled her in the middle and crawled over her to kneel above her on hands and knees.

“Your wish is my command. I’d like nothing more than to go to bed.

Right now.” I brushed my lips against her ear then nipped the lobe.

“That is, nothing more than getting you naked, then fucking you until you scream, until you forget what it’s like to be without me inside you. ”