Page 84 of Burnout
He holds his hands up defensively. “My bad.”
“It usually is,” I mutter just loud enough he can hear me.
“The first time Knox brings a girl around in the daylight and I’m the weird one for thinking it’s more than fucking.” He makes a face and then climbs onto his bike and takes off.
Joke’s on him since we aren’t fucking. I laugh it off, but when I glance over at Avery, she’s pulled her bottom lip behind her teeth.
“Ignore him,” I say. Why does everyone in my life gotta make such a big deal out of us hanging out?
“Is that true?” she asks. “You’ve never brought a girl around in the daylight?”
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
Maybe?
“Have you ever dated someone?”
Fuck. Is it hot out here?
“I guess that depends on your definition of date.”
“I’ll take that as a no.” She’s smiling and laughing though. “It’s cool. I like how things are between us. I was just curious. Your brothers made it sound like you’ve never brought a girl home either.”
“I haven’t.” I don’t even have to think on that one. “They’re nosy as fuck, and it’s always been just as easy to keep girls away from all that.”
She nods thoughtfully. “Makes sense. I always preferred going to my ex’s place instead of him coming to mine. Quinn didn’t really like him. Plus, his place was so much nicer. My bed is not big, as you know.”
She laughs again and looks at me like she expects me to join in. I can’t. I’m stuck on the thought of her fucking around with other guys.
Does she have a string of guys she hooks up with? She should. She’s beautiful and fun. It just never occurred to me before. And it shouldn’t. We’re just hanging out.
“Do you two stillhang out?” I purposely use our phrase and then hate it.
“No way.”
There’s a bite in her tone. I guess that’ll happen when you find out your boyfriend is cheating on you. She should count herself lucky. Any guy that would cheat on Avery should have his head examined. “And the Ken doll?”
The hint of a smile twists her lips. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous.”
“I’m not.” I’m not, right?
“I told you that wasn’t happening again. Tristan and I were bad together.” She shudders at the thought. Me too.
She turns and hooks one leg over the top of mine after she recovers. “What about you and Brooklyn?”
The flicker of jealousy in her eyes is sexy as hell. But I don’t lie to her. “We’ve never hooked up. She has a boyfriend.”
“Really?”
I nod. “Some corporate guy. Older, I think. She doesn’t bring him around.”
“Huh. I thought for sure there was something between you two. At the pool party and then that night at the track you seemed close.”
“Only girl I remember from either of those days is you, princess.”
“Liar.” But her face softens, and she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me. “So, we’rehanging out?”
“Mhmmm.” I hold her chin and take her mouth.
