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“I’m sorry, but what? And when did you talk to Avery?”
“This morning. We walked in together and had a little chat.”
I fold my arms over my chest, hip popping. “About?”
“Did you know him and Casey are on a texting basis?” She twirls her blond hair. “Isn’t that cute?”
“Pardon?”
“Yeah, Case sent him a video of Vivi this morning. She wanted to show Avery her dance moves.”
“Oh my God.” I bury my face in my hands. Poor guy just wants a simple, easy lay, and he winds up getting my entire family, sans the sex.
“Oh, don’t be like that. Avery loved it. I watched him watch it three times with the dopiest grin on his face. He thinks Viv is adorable. And him and Casey seemed to get along great on Saturday.”
Squinting, I give her a coy smile. “Really? And how would you know, Miss Williams, when the two of you were too busy feeling each other up all night?”
I watch Charlee’s cheeks darken, something which doesn’t happen too easily, but seems to be happening quite often around my brother lately.
“Uh, I gotta…we should…” She trails off, jerking a thumb toward the door. Inside, she wastes no time changing the subject. “Wanna get smoothie bowls for lunch?”
“I guess I should probably do something healthy to counter all the Crunchwraps from yesterday, huh?”
“And the ice cream.”
Yeah, definitely the ice cream. We each ate an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s. I’m trying not to feel too bad about it; we took a break halfway. Also, I think the whole spider shitfest later that night worked off all those extra calories.
“What time?” Charlee asks as I crack my office door and take a half-step inside.
“Hmm. Half hour or so? I’m already hungry.” I pat my belly. I forgot my breakfast wrap on the kitchen counter this morning and remembered when I was halfway out the front lobby of the condo. I turned around to head back upstairs but stopped in my tracks when the penthouse elevator opened, revealing a hot as hell Avery Beck in a charcoal suit that hugged every perfect line of his perfect freaking body. His head was down so before he could lift it and notice me, I decided to forget the breakfast wrap and dashed out the front door.
“’Kay, babe. See ya soon.” She gives my butt a little swat as I push my door further open. “By the way, your ass is looking absolutely smashing in these.”
Laughter rumbles in my belly. “Thanks, Charlee.”
“Did you wear this outfit just to fuck with Avery today?”
“You know it,” I say with a wink before disappearing into my office and closing the door.
“Mmm, I figured you did,” a husky voice drawls from deep inside my office. “But it’s nice to get confirmation either way.”
Ah, crap.
***
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Claire
My hand flies to my throat with a yelp and a jump as my heart spirals straight down to my stomach at the sight before me: Avery, sitting behind my desk and wearing an unbelievably smug smile, twirling my pen between his teeth while he leans back in my chair. He’s so self-assured and smooth it makes my blood boil.
“I mean, really, Claire, a turtleneck? It’s seventy-seven degrees outside.”
He pushes away from the desk and stands, slowly making his way over to me, hands in his pockets. His suit jacket is thrown over the back of my chair and the sleeves of his crisp white button-up are folded to his elbows. Ugh. Folded sleeves and forearms like that. I can’t. I resist the urge to fan myself.
“Although I can’t deny it,” Avery continues, thumb dragging over his lower lip, “I love the thought of you naked in your bedroom, trying to decide what to wear just for me.”
I gulp. Oh, sweet baby Jesus, I gulp.
