Page 16 of Working For Her Attention

“Are your psychic abilities telling you this?”

“No, it’s a lifetime of living with you and knowing you,” she teased before saying, “Tata,” and ending the call.

I opened the door, and fuck me, I’d just seen Avery through the peephole, but I swear every time I laid eyes on my girl, I was never prepared.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” I leaned on the doorjamb. “How’s it going?”

“Good. Good.” Avery bit down on her bottom lip. Her eyes rose, and fuck me, she could have asked me for anything in that moment as I finally stared down at those big beautiful blue eyes. “Busy?”

“No,” I shook my head, slipping my phone into my back pocket. “Wanna come in?” I offered, and she nodded slightly.

Suddenly, that thing in me, the animal just being around her brought to life, was taking the wheel of my every action. I opened the door wider, but since I was part asshole, I didn’t move. I loved how her body felt brushing up against mine. That whisper of a touch coiled the thing up inside of me so damn tightly I knew it was ready to pounce. I shut the door behind me but didn’t move. I watched as she walked into the middle of the living room, her eyes taking in my home again before meeting my stare.

“Hi,” she whispered and immediately winced. “I said that already, didn’t I?”

“I don’t mind.” And it was the god's honest truth. Hell, I wanted to say hi to her a million times a day, every day for the rest of my life.

“I think…” She crossed her arms over her chest and then uncrossed them. It was clear she was nervous. “I think I should explain.”

“About?”

“Why I was so quick to brush off… whatever this thing between us could possibly be.”

“This thing between us?” I asked but didn’t give away the fact this thing between us, like she put it, was fucking inevitable.

“I mean...” Her face fell. “I’m probably too late now, huh?”

I couldn’t stay away. I rushed to her side, cupping her face with both my hands.

“Too late for what, baby girl?” She blushed and slowly exhaled.

“To see where maybe this could go?”

“Never too late for that, princess,” I said like a goddamn vow.

“Really?” I swallowed down the way that hope reflecting in her stare made me feel.

“Yeah, really,” I rasped, pressing my forehead against hers. For a moment, time stood still. Breathing was easier just being around her, and a sense of calm streamed through my veins. Until she pulled away.

“I still want to explain.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I owe it to you.”

“You don’t.”

“I know,” she said softly, “but I want to.”

“Okay.” I nodded and picked her up like she already belonged to me. Like I had the right to carry her around like my own little doll. Not that she complained. Fucking hell, if anything, her legs immediately wrapped around my waist and she just held on, trusting me to take care of her.

I took us to the couch and sat down, making her straddle my lap with her thighs tossed over mine. It was probably too much too fast, but I was a greedy bastard, and it had been forty-eight hours since I’d been in her presence.

“Hey, gorgeous.” I smiled. Unable to keep my hands to myself, I ran my fingers through her blonde tresses, amazed by the silky golden strands.

“Gorgeous. Princess. Baby girl. All these nicknames,” she noted, “a girl could get used to this.”