Page 20 of Trust Me
Avery
It’s Friday night. Date night! Date night with Maddox! I’m flying around my bedroom rejecting shirt after shirt, every pair of pants and all of the skirts that I have in my closet. What am I supposed to wear tonight? I want to look good without being overdone. Maddox said casual, but does he mean jeans and sweatshirt casual or slacks and a nice shirt casual?
Just as my frustration level is starting to reach eruption level, my front door swings open and my best friend races into my room with her arms loaded down with clothes.
“You’re late!”
“I’m late?” she asks, voice laced with sarcasm. “You’re the one who is supposed to be ready in like fifteen minutes!”
“I’m almost ready. I can’t decide which top to wear. Casual dressy or casual comfy? Help!”
Holly gives me a very pointed look. “If you are even considering casual comfy on thisdate, then I am going to wring your neck. You cannotwear something comfortable on your date with Maddox.” She digs through the stack of clothes she threw on my bed and pulls out a beautiful light-pink sweater with a deep V-neck. “Here, try this on,” she says as she flings it across the room at me. Holly is a few inches shorter than me, but we wear the same size top.
“It’s beautiful. Where did you get it?”
“I got it for a steal last fall and haven’t found the right time to wear it. Here, put this black cami underneath it.” She throws the cute lace-trimmed camisole toward me. I snatch it in the air and head across the hall to the bathroom.
“What panties are you wearing?” she asks through the door.
“Ummm, why?” I reply as I whip off my T-shirt and pull on the satin cami.
“Ummm, because you want Maddox to be anxiously licking his lips when he removes your pants later,” she states matter-of-factly through the door. Just then, the door opens a crack, and she flings my black lace thong onto my bathroom floor. “Put it on!”
I snatch the thong up off the floor and start the process of dressing my bottom half all overagain. “I don’t think we’re going to go that far tonight, Holly.”
“Of course you are going to go that far! And a whole lot farther if I have anything to say about it. That man is pure sex, and let’s face it, you are in need of some good sex, my friend.”
I finish redressing and slip on the soft pink sweater. As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, blond hair framing my face, makeup done in a subtle, sexy way, I can’t help but start to get nervous. It’s been so long since I went on a date. The last time was Kevin and that was almost two years ago. After I give myself a little pep talk in the mirror, I head back to my room to grab my accessories.
“Holl, it’s been so long since I’ve went out on a date. What if I mess this up?”
“What could you possibly mess up?”
“What if I embarrass myself or we just don’t enjoy our time together? I will have to see this man practically for the rest of my life. He’s Jake’s friend. It’s not like I can avoid him.”
“Ave, I don’t understand how you can even consider you and him not enjoying your time together. You two put off so much sexual tension, I could get pregnant just by beingin the room with you two. Seriously, I’ll be surprised if you actually make it to dinner,” she adds with a big smile.
“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. I’m ready to go on a date with Maddox. I just know I’m going to trip and fall or laugh at something he says with spinach in my teeth.”
“Okay, so don’t order a spinach salad. And if you trip and fall, just tell him you are anxious to get on your back.”
“Holly! I can’t and won’t say that to him,” I say with a big laugh.
“Seriously, Ave, you can’t mess this up. You two have been dancing around this moment for years. Tonight, he’s going out with you. Despite the fact you are his best friend’s little sister. That’s saying something right there, and you know it. He’s breaking all the rules for you tonight so just go and enjoy it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome,” she assures with a little smile and a wink.
Just then, I hear the faint knock on the front door. “He’s here!” Holly races out of my bedroom to let him in. I take one last look at myself in the little mirror above my dresser. Well, here goes nothing! I make one last stop at my closet and throw on my favorite black leatherboots. As I head toward the living room, I can hear Holly and Brooklyn chatting with Maddox. Brooklyn’s overnight bag was already packed and waiting by the front door for Holly to get here. She’s practically bouncing with excitement for a sleepover at Holly’s.
When I get to the living room, I finally get a look at the man I’ve been thinking about all day, anxiously awaiting this date, this moment. When I see him standing in a pair of dark jeans hanging low on his hips and a long-sleeved, button-down blue shirt that is untucked from his pants, with the sleeves rolled up a little to show off his amazing forearms, and hair a little wild on top but in that oh-so-sexy “I want to run my hands through your hair” way, I can’t help but smile at the sight before me. He’s beautiful. I’ve never said that about a man before in my life, but Maddox Jackson is the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. And for at least tonight, he’s mine.
Chapter 14
Maddox
When Avery walks into the living room, I literally can’t breathe. My chest becomes tight, and my heart rate speeds up to a dangerous level. If I could process a complete thought, I’d be concerned I was having a heart attack. She’s breathtaking. Avery Stevens is the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen. I can’t even tell you what Holly and Brooklyn are doing or saying because once I make eye contact with Avery, everything and everyone else just fades away.
“You look beautiful,” I finally manage to get past my paralyzed lips. I walk toward her and lean in to give her a kiss on the cheek. She smells like heaven, all sugary sweet and vanilla.
Like Avery.
