AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know,” she said, keeping her voice low so the three women conversing in the kitchen couldn’t eavesdrop. “You’ve kind of fucked up a little bit so far.”
Brow knitting together, he glanced into the kitchen. He found the women standing there gathered near the over, no longer needing to do anything but wait for the ham casserole to emerge from it in just eleven more minutes.
“What do you mean?” For his part in the proceedings, he’d engaged in small talk with all the women, even Victoria. He’d been on his best behavior around the four gorgeous women, trying to avoid letting Victoria’s words of prophecy come true too many times.
Avril smirked, plucking the thoughts from his head far easier than the firemen had gotten Flick’s tongue away from that flagpole. Having positioned herself on his left, she was invisible to the other three women, even as she leaned against him, making him intohersupporting post.
“You’re in the playground of all playgrounds, here. Look at how Anna’s dressed up tonight or even Victoria, not that she’s ever anything but perfectly dressed.” She tilted her head, dropping her temple against his shoulder for a quick bump. “Not to mention yours truly and our cozy party thrower. You’ve got a slice of every titillating variety in this house right now.”
His brow remained pinched, which led Avril to sigh loudly.
“Everyone’sseen A Christmas Story a thousand times. Nobody has experienced a Christmas party like the one you’re midway through. So, why the hell are your eyes pointed toward the first one of those right now? You’re wasting precious time.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but he delayed it long enough to ensure the other three women remained tied up in their conversation.
“I mean, yeah, you’re right,” he said guardedly, still unsure of just what Avril was hoping for from him.
“I know I am. It’s pretty much what I do. Right alongside helping you not whittle away this ripe opportunity. So, listen up.”
Hooking her arm into his, Avril decided that they should have a bit more privacy before she informed him of just what he needed to “listen up” to. Guiding them both further into the living room, only then did she continue.
“You need to drop the wallflower routine,” she said, prodding him on the chest. “Especially with Anna. Do younotsee why she’s dressed up like this?”
“Because you pressured her into it?”
Avril’s mouth opened… but then just as quickly closed. His cheeky response earned him a long glare.
“Okay, alittlebit,” she conceded. “But just like with you”—she jabbed him again—“I can only shove you all so far. She’s in a fine fucking dress, and everyone here has complimented her on it—except for one person. Can you guess who that might be?”
“Yes… I can.”
“I even did all that work for you when I set us up to kiss you at the same time,” she growled, threatening him with another jab, though he leaned back and avoided it. Her squint tightened on him because of his dodge.
“Yeah? That was just ‘work,’ was it?”
Swapping from a glare to a smirk, Avril folded her arms under her breasts. “I can toil and play at the same time. Multitasking is an art form.”
Liam’s eyes did precisely what she’d wanted them to do. He knew it; she knew it. Dropping his eyes to the alluring outline of her breasts under the cropped sweater she had on, he didn’t dare lift them—he knew the magnitude of irritating smugness waiting for him once he did.
“Atta boy,” Avril said, pushing her chest just a few inches forward. More than enough to make her wishes clear.
Even with the other three women just a handful of steps from clearing the wall that kept him and Avril out of sight, and even with dinner just minutes away, Liam’s hands still raised from his sides. Even with his heart raucous with trepidation, and even with his fingers trembling ever so slightly, they kept going.
Watching him intently, Avril nodded as his hands slipped under her sweater. There, they warmed themselves on her smooth, flat stomach, eventually rising even higher. She could probably feel his pulse through his palms, a raging staccato that could have given even the most diligent woodpecker a run for its money.
She certainly felt it as his hands found her bra and as they glided over it and what lay underneath. His hands settled upon the two marvelous hilltops, and Avril awarded him with an approving look.
“There, now that’s what I’m talking about,” she said, delight shimmering in her emerald eyes. “More of that, please.”
“Something tells me that I couldn’t get away with this with anyone else,” he pointed out.
“Really now?” Avril asked, leaning into his touch. In response, Liam tightened his grip. “You don’t think Tess would let you go even further than this if you had the guts to draw her off somewhere alone for a little while? Really?”
It was his turn to open his mouth to respond, only to clamp it shut a moment later. Of course not. Not a chance. Probably not. Maybe?
In a few brief moments, his mind progressed along those lines. During his silent advancement of opinion, it was free real estate for Avril to keep smirking.
“Weren’t even thinking about trying, were you?” she rightfully deduced. “You’re just hopeless sometimes.”
