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My nostrils flare at his assumption.
My brother gives me a look, one that says he wants to know what’s going on there, one brow quirked high on his forehead. I roll my eyes and shove him out the door with my foot. He closes it behind him, but I wish he hadn’t.
“Fwend?” Vivi asks me, squishing my cheeks together. She looks at Avery.
“Yes, baby. That’s my friend.” He’s not, but how do you explain that to your two-and-a-half-year-old niece? I need to be a good role model, because I’d prefer that she doesn’t wind up like me one day. “His name is Avery.” I look at the man in question who’s now slowly approaching, hands in his pockets, wide grin planted on his face. It’s adorable. Where’s the scared man from a few minutes ago? “Avery, this is my niece, Vivi.”
“Hi Vivi,” he says softly. “Nice to meet you.”
“You Care Bear fwend,” she says, reaching out to poke him in the chest. She picks up his silky black tie and rubs it against her chubby cheek. “Wight, A’wy?” Her toddler-speak is adorable and heart-melting, no matter how regularly I hear it, making me melt into her, cuddling her closer.
Avery gives me a quizzical smile. “Care Bear?”
My chest sags with a groan. “My brother and Charlee have called me Claire Bear my whole life. Vivi couldn’t pronounce her L’s at first, so it was Care Bear to her. She can say my name just fine now, but…”
“But now you’re Care Bear?”
I smile and nod. “I’m Care Bear.”
“I luh Care Bear,” Vivi tells Avery. “You luh Care Bear?”
Avery’s head rolls on his shoulders. “Oh, I love Care Bear.”
My squinty-eyed glare only has him winking.
Vivi giggles and squirms in my arms, trying to crawl down my body. “I hug A’wy.”
“Honey,” I start softly, tapping her nose. “Remember, you can’t just hug people. Some people don’t like to be hugged. You have to ask permission first.”
Because she’s got my sass, she scowls in my direction before turning her sweet, irresistible pout on Avery. I hope he likes hugs, ’cause little Miss Thang doesn’t take no for an answer. “I hug you, A’wy?”
He presses a hand over his heart. “I would love a hug, Miss Vivi.”
Vivi squeals with delight and I drop her carefully to her feet. She hops like a bunny to Avery, who bends and scoops her up, making a big deal of it with a loud grunt.
“Oh my God,” he cries out. “You’re so heavy!” He wraps his arms around her and cuddles her close while she buries her little face in his neck.
Ah, shit. They’re adorable. Like, panty-melting adorable. My ovaries are bursting. Avery’s eyes dart up to mine at the exact moment I realize I just moaned out loud. I grin sheepishly and clear my throat, looking to the window while I twirl the tip of my ponytail around my fingers.
But I drag my eyes back, because how can I not? Vivi’s got one hand on his cheek while she babbles on about something, and her other hand is playing with the dark waves on top of Avery’s head. I can’t take it—my uterus officially goes into overdrive.
Avery’s eyes crinkle when he laughs at something Vivi says, and then he tells her, “You know, Care Bear never gives me hugs.” His eyes glisten playfully and his brows twitch up when he meets my narrowed, irritated gaze, because I know what game he’s playing at.
Vivi gasps, outraged. Her head swivels and she beckons me over with her hand. “Come,” she tells me. Yes ma’am.
I swallow my groan and walk over to them. Avery holds one arm out and I hesitantly step into his side. He wraps me up in their hug while I stand there with my arms pinned to my sides.
“Claire, you have to put your arms around us,” he instructs as if I were the toddler.
Grumbling, I slip one arm around Vivi and the other around his waist. “You think you’re so smooth,” I hiss in his ear.
“I don’t think, Care Bear. I know.” His palm slides down my side, settling on my hip.
I want to swat his hand away. I want to tell him he’s an egomaniacal jerk. But I can’t. I hate to admit it, but he feels damn good. Too good. It’s scary.
Vivi sighs happily, snuggling into us. “Best hug,” she murmurs.
Avery chuckles softly, deep gaze set on me. His face is different, all cute and gentle, a tender smile tugging at his lips. My breath catches in my throat and I feel myself melting into his hard body.
