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“I know you’ve spent a lot of time being tough, but you crave someone to take care of you some of the time, because you can only be so strong on your own for so long. I know you need someone who’s your equal, who’s not going to give in to your every whim, someone who’s prepared to fight back and occasionally tell you you’re fucking wrong.” A smile tugs at his face, his eyes crinkling. “Sometimes you’re wrong, Claire, you know that? Like yesterday. You were wrong.”
“I know. I know I was wrong.” I drop my gaze. “I knew as soon as I said it.” The word vomit comes when I start pacing again, throwing my hands up, gesturing around like a madman. “I just freaked out, okay? I freaked the fuck out. It all happened so fast. You came out of nowhere at the worst time and in a matter of, what, like, twenty-one days, I’m already falling in lov—”
I stop on a gasp. Both hands fly to my mouth, clasping it tightly before anything else can pour out of it.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
Avery’s face tells me he doesn’t need me to finish my sentence—he knows exactly what I was about to say. His brown eyes are wide, lips parted.
I can’t look at him. This is absolutely mortifying.
“I’m so sorry,” I mumble from behind my hand, knees wobbling. “I’m so, so sorry.” I stifle a sob. “I told you I don’t do casual well.” I grab my keys off the floor and push past him, heading for the door. “I’ll go.”
I just get the door tugged open, defeat making my whole body slump, when his big hand comes down hard and fast, slamming it shut.
Avery spins me around, his wild eyes drinking me in. “Why would you leave now?”
Humiliation has me leaning backwards, away from him. “Because I just—”
“I know what you said. So why the hell would you leave if that’s how you feel?”
Because you don’t feel the same.
“Do you wanna do this thing with me, Claire? You wanna be with me? You and me, nobody else. Just the two of us.”
I nod meekly, my fingers curling and fumbling under my chin. That’s as brave as I can be right now.
“Then get your ass over here and be with me.”
***
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Claire
Avery's eyes drag over me, blazing with zeal and ferocity as he steps into me, pinning me to the door with his hips. He rakes his fingers through my messy locks before dragging his hands over my shoulders, down my arms, leaving the skin beneath my dress tingling when he grabs my waist.
“No more of this bullshit. Do you understand me? No fucking more. You want me, you have me. There’s nobody for me but you. I’m sure of it.”
My eyes bounce between his, looking for any sign that this might not be what he really wants, that maybe he hasn't thought this all the way through. I find nothing. “Avery…”
“Claire.” His hands slide up my arms, gripping my jaw as he tips his face down to mine. “I’m going to kiss you now and then we’re going to be done with this. We’re going to move forward, together. Is that what you want?”
I make a noise, something like a whimper-moan. His lips are an inch away. If I just press up on my tiptoes, tilt my head up—
“Use your words, Claire. Tell me.”
“I-I do. I want that. I want…you. I want you, Avery. I want us.”
He wastes no time, his mouth crashing down on mine. His tongue pushes past my lips, diving in, his fingers tugging at my hair, just like mine are his. This kiss is wild, teeth clashing, all of that pent-up anger, the passion. His hungry mouth slides down my neck, nipping, sucking at the base of my throat.
He flips me over, pressing me against the door, and yanks my zipper down. His hands sweep across my shoulders, pushing the straps of my dress down my arms until the shimmering material slips over my hips and pools at my feet. He trails a fingertip down my spine, his lips following its fiery path.
“Fucking beautiful,” Avery murmurs against the dip of my lower back before hooking his thumbs in my panties, dragging them down my legs.
He turns me back around and sweeps me into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist. His eyes never leave mine as he walks us down the hallway.
“You’ve been running my water bill up this whole time,” he teases at the exact moment I realize his shower is still running, the steady sound of rain beating against glass gently thrumming in my ears.
