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Despite Avery’s claims of me being old, thirty-six isn’t old. Caroline was five years older than me so technically, I was the younger one in that relationship. But flirting and bantering with an eighteen-year-old, no matter how fucking tempting she may be, is dangerous fucking territory.
I carry Avery into the house and over to the living room sectional without another inappropriate remark or dropping her on her ass. Maybe it’s because her snarky comments have also stopped and she’s remained silent and dare I say even appeared embarrassed the entire walk over.
Chloe appears from the hallway out of breath and still a little panicked.
“I got the ice and the first-aid kit. The driver brought the bags in and left them by the door before he left. Do you think she needs to go to the hospital?” she asks, pacing around us. “Shit, I should have asked the driver to stay so we could take her.” Chloe’s one hundred miles a minute blabbering is making me tense and a little dizzy.
“Chloe,” I bark out, startling her and making her freeze in her tracks. “Calm the fuck down sweetie. She’s fine. I’ll take a look at her foot and if she needs medical attention, I’ll drive you guys down to the hospital. Although if it needs to be amputated,” I say, turning back and nearly laughing at the sheer look of panic on Avery’s face, “I have an ax in the back I can use. You know, to save us time and money.” I smirk, breaking out of character, and get an eye roll from Avery.
“Zane,” Chloe shouts, smacking me on my arm, “He’s kidding Avery. Tell her you’re kidding.”
Another chuckle escapes me, this time I let it out instead of trying to hold it back. “I’m sorry, I have a weird sense of humor,” I confess, though Avery is not buying my apology.
Chloe's small fist hits my arm once more. “Yeah weird as in it’s typically non-existent. Where’d this guy come from?” she asks mockingly, and now Avery’s smirking back at me, surely assuming my mood has something to do with our earlier exchange. Can’t let her think that now can I.
I wink at Avery before turning to meet Chloe’s eyes staring up at me. “Well, now that my favorite girl is here,” I say, engulfing her in a bear hug. “I can’t believe you’re all grown up Chlo. I missed you baby girl.” I place a soft kiss upon her head and I feel her giggle against my chest.
Chloe leans back, her face turning a bright shade of red at my admission, something I must admit happened more often than not whenever I’d compliment her.
My baby girl has never understood how stunningly beautiful she truly is. Her beauty is natural and effortless, unlike girls like Avery who are stunningly gorgeous it’s almost unreal, Chloe bleeds class and sophistication making her all that more intriguing. That, I'm afraid, comes from her mother’s wealthy pureblood and high-class genetics.
Though unlike Caroline, Chloe has a kind heart that makes her all that more beautiful.
“Zane, I missed you too,” Chloe mumbles, her voice cracking as she snuggles back under my arm.
A cool breeze comes in from the front door which remains wide open and makes Chloe shiver in my arms.
In front of us Avery clears her throat, her arms tightening around her chest. “Not to interrupt this beautiful reunion, but um I’m in fucking pain over here.” Chloe rushes to her feet, while I simply turn and raise a brow at Avery, who is no longer downplaying her injury.
“Well then, let’s look at the damage.”
* * *
“So, what’s the damage Doc?”Chloe asks, pacing back and forth behind us. We’re in the den toward the far right of the house, the only room in the house that has my own personal touch. It’s the one I spend the most time in aside from my bedroom and home office, but the fireplace I started shortly before they arrived crackles in the room filling it with the warmth it was earlier lacking.
I’ll admit it gets lonely out here especially during this time of year but I still prefer it over the chaos of living in Los Angeles. When I lived with Chloe and her mother back in LA, we had a house in a private neighborhood which I preferred but it was the galas and country club events that became too much for me to handle.
“Stop fucking pacing,” both Avery and I shout at the same time making Chloe giggle as she sits across from her friend on the ottoman.
“Oh my God, it’s like you’re the same fucking person,” Chloe mocks, talking to herself. “How did I not realize it before?”
I ignore her, looking down at Avery’s foot resting on my lap. “Well verdicts in. You’ll live, Avery.” I can’t help the teasing, which I need to turn down a notch if I don’t want Chloe reading anything into it. I’m never like this, especially not with a fucking stranger. “It’s just slightly sprained, I’m afraid there will be no chopping it off. Damn I was really looking forward to using the ax.” Avery scoffs, making me laugh. Damn this girl makes it easy to ruffle her feathers.
On the couch Avery looks cozy leaning against a fort of pillows Chloe set up behind her to make her comfortable, but her expression looks awfully annoyed. “Thanks for nothing Doc, I could have figured that out on my own.” Avery moves to stand, but I bring my hand down on her thigh to keep her in place. Her eyes go wide at the contact, and I slowly remove it before she calls me out on touching her again.
My hand’s burning as if the contact of her skin underneath my palm has branded it, my cock being fucking reckless and twitching against the seam of my jeans.
Do not fucking touch.
“I need to bandage it to ensure it heals properly, and the swelling goes down. Chloe can you grab the compression tape,” I say not looking back at her. Chloe hesitates a second and I realize she probably has no clue what I’m asking for. “It’s the tan roll.” This time she quickly obeys being the perfect nurse to my Dr. Jekyll.
“How fond of these jeans are you?” I ask, grabbing the pair of scissors Chloe hands me along with the tape. I’m only teasing but, it would be easier if she weren’t wearing her jeans so fucking tight.
Avery gasps, scowling at me, “Don’t even think about it buddy,” she sneers, sitting up and tugging her leg away, but I grab hold of her calf and pull her back toward me.
“They’re too tight sweetheart. I can’t roll them up enough and I need to start the wrapping further up your leg.”
Instantly her expression changes, a sly smirk appearing in place of her pout. “I can just take them off,” she says with a hint of seduction on her lips. Such a little tease.
