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  “What?”

  “Don’t what me. I noticed you checking him out just now,” she says. The tone of her voice full of accusation.

  “I’m just curious as to what you see in him; that’s all.” I say quickly trying to deter the conversation away from myself.

  “Nice try, but there’s nothing, nor will there ever be anything between Wes and I,” she responds with certainty.

  “Why not? You seem to get along great.” And as quickly as the words leave my mouth a boisterous Jeremiah runs out, towards us; his eyes frantically searching.

  “Where’s Wes?” he asks.

  “He’s had to go back to work honey, but look who we found instead.” She says. His eyes reach mine and a big smile beams across his little angelic face. I drop to my knees and open my arms as he launches himself at me. I do my best to not squeeze the air out of his little body, but it feels great hugging my nephew for the very first time. Much to my mother's disappointment I never came back home for Jeremiah’s birth, but I made up for it any way I could. We’ve had skype dates since I can remember, and we send each other gifts in the mail, always. Since he’s started school we’ve added being pen pals to the mix, to help with his writing. I definitely overcompensate because of the distance, but he’s worth all the extra effort. “Aunty Ave, what are you doing here? Mama didn’t tell me you were coming.” He says into the crook of my neck. I pull his little arms away from my me and push him back slightly; letting my eyes give him a once over. “We decided it would be better if it was a surprise.”

  “Grandma is sick. Did mommy tell you she’s in the hospital?” His voice is so innocent and full of worry. I swallow the huge lump in my throat and pull him back in for a hug.

  “I just got off the phone with the hospital, baby. They said they’re ready for you to come with Aunty Ave and visit Grandma.” Together we get up and he reaches for my hand; dragging me toward his room, “come and see my toys before we go.”

  I look back at Lucy and she’s smiling wistfully at us. She’s such a mom. “Grab my bags for me will you?” I shout behind me.

  After Jeremiah gives me the grand tour, Lucy and I sit together at the breakfast bar. “Luce, this is amazing,” I say, as I look around in astonishment. I had been gone for a couple of years when I found out Lucy was pregnant, and up until then she was still living with mom. To see her in a place of her own, with Jeremiah grown up and doing so well; reminds me of how hard she works.

  “Mom was great after I had Jeremiah,” she says. “She helped me while I went back to work and did my best to save a shitload of money.”

  I sip on my coffee as she explains how she spent a whole year saving for her house deposit, while mom and her swapped shifts and shared care of Jeremiah. “And then this place came up and Wes spent every day helping with the renovations.”

  “He’s like your own personal guardian angel,” I say, sarcastically. I’m struggling to see him in any positive light and Lucy’s facial expressions tell me this may be a big problem between us.

  “Don’t judge him based on who he used to be. He really stepped up when Douchebag David fucked off with his playboy bunny.”

  “What’s it to him anyway? Maybe he’s into you,” I suggest.

  “They were like brothers.” She shrugs. “He hasn’t said as much, but I know he felt responsible.”

  I don’t want to be reminded about all these good things he’s been doing. The more I remember him in high school the easier it is to forget about how attractive he is and all the impressive things he’s done for Jeremiah and Lucy.

  I look at Lucy crouching down in front of Jeremiah as she prepares him for what he’s about to see when he walks into the hospital room. As my heart beats frantically, I listen to the comforting words of my sister and realize Jeremiah isn’t the only one in need of a pep talk.

  With all the tubes coming out of her nose, mouth and arms; I hardly recognize the woman lying down in front of us. Pale, and small; the effects of the stroke are immediate and obvious. Subconsciously, I gravitate toward her and sit in the chair closest to the bed. The words are stuck, and the tears take no time to stream down my face. To see the rock of our family so broken, is something I never imagined.

  “Hey mom, I’m here.” I squeeze her hand, hoping if she can’t hear me she can at least feel me. “If you wanted me to come home so bad, you could’ve just asked.” I feel Jeremiah snuggle up beside me with curiosity. I lift him up on my lap and he quickly puts his hand on top of mine.

  “Is she going to be okay, Aunty Ave?” he whispers

  “I hope so, buddy. I really hope so.”

  4

  Wes

  All throughout the day, my thoughts have wandered to Avery and that’s not a good thing when you’re up one hundred fifty feet in the air in a bucket with a chainsaw in your hands. Thankfully, the team of guys who work for me were there to pull me back to the present.

  Good Wood is growing at a fast pace - faster than I can handle. I’m gonna have to find someone to take over the managerial aspects as soon as possible. I can’t be everywhere at once and Maria, the part time secretary I hired to answer the phone and set up appointments, is moving

  and wants time to pack and visit with family prior to leaving. I need to get my ass in gear and find a full time replacement.

  By the time five o’clock rolls around and I pull into my driveway, I’m starving and covered from head to toe in a combination of wood shavings and dirt. Pulling into my garage, I groan, already anticipating the hot shower I’ll be taking shortly. Climbing out of my truck, I brush away the shavings leftover on the seat. This truck is my baby and I do my best to keep her looking sharp.

  Stepping inside the mudroom I built to connect the garage and the house, I immediately kick my boots off. Stripping down to my boxers, I grab my phone out of my jeans pocket and throw the dirty clothes in the laundry basket in the corner. The main function of this small space is to keep me from tracking all the debris of my work into my own home. I built a storage closet that runs down one whole side and this is where I keep my work gear. Multiple pairs of work boots line the bottom and everything from hats and gloves to extra safety goggles are inside.

  The mudroom is right off my large kitchen, more than convenient when you’re dying for a cold brew after work. Setting my keys and phone down, I grab a Heineken from the fridge. I pop off the cap with the bottle opener that permanently resides on my butcher block counter. The icy cold liquid hits the spot as I gulp down half the bottle. Picking up my phone, I order enough pizza to feed a small army and add a salad for Avery because she seems too uptight to eat pizza. She probably only eats ‘healthy foods.’

  After I’ve showered and dressed in some black basketball shorts, a gray t-shirt and slides, I head across the street. I try the doorknob on the front door and find it unlocked as usual. I shake my head as I step inside. There’s no sign of anyone. “Luce,” I call out, but there’s no answer. I wander from room to room and still no indication anyone’s home. If it wasn’t for her car being in the driveway and the door being unlocked I’d think nothing of it. But she never goes out without locking up. “Luce,” I call out a little louder, but all is silent. Climbing the stairs, I wander down the hallway glancing in each open doorway as I pass. I’m about halfway down when the closed door next to me flies open and a wet object plows into me.

  “Eek,” a high pitched shriek leaves Avery as my arms wrap around her waist, catching her. I tug her closer to me, taking advantage of her off balance state. My eyes take her in from her dripping wet slicked back hair to her black bikini clad body and my dick reacts. Damn, she’s got a gorgeous rack and it’s pressed against my chest right now. I can feel her nipples through the damp material of my t-shirt. My hands move from the small of her back, down lower to grip her hips. I want to pull her into the raging hard on she’s given me.

  A drop of water falls from the ends of her hair to trail down her chest and I catch it with my fingertip just as it’s about to dis
appear in the valley between her tits. She gasps at my touch. I suck the moisture from my finger. “Wet - just how I like my women,” I say with a wink.

  She trembles for a moment and then narrows her eyes. “Let go,” she orders, using the heels of her hands to shove against my chest.

  I let my hands fall away and she takes two steps back. Her mouth drops open and her green eyes open wide as she stares at my chest. Lowering my chin, I glance down to see what has her so horrified. I bark out a laugh when I see two wet circles on my shirt from where her tits were pressed into me.

  She whirls around, running into the bedroom behind her and slams the door. I remain there, hands on my hips and grin. I got to see Avery wet and in a bikini. This day is quickly improving.

  As I make my way down the stairs, I hear the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Grabbing the money from my pocket, I open the front door to find the pizza delivery guy walking up the brick path with his hands full. I relieve him of his burden, handing off the money before I nudge the door closed with my shoulder. I carry it all out to Lucy’s back deck and place it on the round table. The sound of splashing and giggling hits my ears and I smile. Jeremiah loves to swim. I swear the kid is part fish.

  “Hey, dinner’s here,” I shout in their direction.

  “Wes,” Jeremiah shouts, excitedly. “Wes is here, mom.” He runs up the steps to exit the inground pool.

  Lucy follows behind him at a more reasonable pace. “Wes, you didn’t have to do this,” she says, her voice holds more than a hint of scolding in it. She doesn’t like me doing things for her, but that never stops me. I feel sorry for what she’s been through and maybe there’s also a sense of obligation there because my best friend was the one who ran out on her. If he’s not man enough to look out for them, then someone has to and right now I’m her only option. Not that spending time with them is a hardship. I love her kid and Lucy’s become a good friend to me.

  I set plates, forks and knives out on the table. “Jer, what do you want, buddy?”

  “I want threeee pieces of bacon pizza,” he sings. I chuckle and mess up his hair with my hand. “Gotcha.”

  “How about you start with one slice and if you want a second you can have it?” Lucy questions, before she steps inside the house.

  Shaking my head, I place a slice on his plate and mumble “women,” before handing him a napkin. Avery comes outside, moving around the table to the opposite side from where I stand. I know she’s trying to keep distance between us, but she just made it even easier for me to look at her. “Would you like some pizza?” I ask, gesturing at the numerous boxes. “I also got salad in case you prefer that.”

  Her eyes flicker with surprise and she chews on her bottom lip. Her cheeks are pink and it makes me wonder if she’s embarrassed about what happened. Glancing down at my shirt, I notice it’s still slightly wet. When my gaze moves back up it catches hers and I flash her a smirk. She appears annoyed as she flops down into a chair. Continuing to ignore me, she begins opening the boxes and checking out the different kinds of pizza I ordered. She chooses two slices of sausage and then adds some salad to her plate.

  “So, you like sausage?” I ask, a smile teasing the corners of my mouth. I really like pushing her buttons. It might quickly become one of my favorite things to do.

  “I love it,” she says, winking at me. Her eyes fall closed when she takes the first bite. A sexy as hell moan falls out of her mouth as she chews and it gives me a semi. Or maybe it’s the fact that she gave back as good as she got that’s turning me on. There’s no better aphrodisiac to me than verbal sparring and I’d have to give the point to Avery on this round.

  5

  Avery

  Watching Wes with Jeremiah throws me off completely, it's like watching someone with a split personality; or maybe that’s me. One minute he's got my ovaries ready to burst and in the next I want to kick him in the balls and watch him roll around in pain. It’s bad enough that I spent an excessive amount of time in the room trying to find something appropriate to wear after my swim. And by appropriate, I mean something that would ensure Wes would look at me the exact same way he did when we bumped into each other earlier. What the fuck is wrong with me? The two voices in my head eventually decided to compromise. Wearing short jean cut-offs and a round neck white t-shirt; my cleavage is covered and the shirt does not accentuate my boobs in any way. I can now try and pass as the innocent girl next door and not so much like a town tramp.

  We’re all sitting on the patio, eating, when Jeremiah breaks the silence first. Intent on discussing his whole day, in detail.

  “Wes,” he says with a mouth full of food.

  “Finish what's in your mouth please, honey,” Lucy says interrupting him. He theatrically moves his head from side to side while chewing his pizza.

  “Finished.” He shouts across the table. “So, today I saw Grandma in the hospital bed. She has tubes everywhere, and Auntie Ave was sad.” Wes’ eyes find mine. Gone is the flirtatious glimmer; worry and concern taking it’s place.

  “So I sat on her lap and gave her cuddles,” Jeremiah continues.

  “That’s really nice of you, bud,” he says. “I bet you made her feel better.”

  Jeremiah leaves his seat to stand beside me, “Did I, Auntie Ave? Did I?”

  Turning away from Wes’ gaze, I focus on Jeremiah, and avoid acknowledging how I never want his eyes to leave me. I lean over and lift him up on my lap, “You know what, I could do with one of those cuddles right now.”

  “How was work?” Lucy asks Wes, changing the subject.

  “A nightmare,” he says with irritation. “I can’t find someone to replace Maria quick enough, and if I have to stop work to answer one more phone call, I’m shutting up shop.”

  Lucy laughs, “It can’t be that bad. It’s great multitasking practice for you, we all know you need it.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you won’t die from answering the phones until the perfect person comes along.”

  He throws a napkin her way, and I feel like an outsider looking in, like I missed the inside joke. Their light-hearted banter makes me wonder if Lucy was lying about them having a thing. Even if it was just one time. A strange sense of jealousy washes over me, and I despise it. The idea of being jealous of my sister is ludicrous; we’ve never competed for anything before and I’m not about to start now. And as far as Wesley Steele is concerned, he’d be nothing but a good hate fuck and a lifetime of regret.

  “Oh my god,” Luce shouts. “Ave, you could totally work for Wes.”

  “No. No. No,” I say over and over, shaking my head. I stand up slowly, giving Jeremiah the chance to jump up off my lap. Not fazed by the move, he runs off into the yard and goes to play with his bike. I start to clear up the plates and pack up the pizza boxes hoping to avoid this conversation. I’d rather eat shit than spend every day with Wes.

  “Why not?” He asks. I walk away ignoring the pretend look of hurt on his face. When I reach the sink, I feel his body right behind mine. He closes me in, arms on either side and whispers in my ear, “I could really use Anal Avery, at work everyday.”

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath, there’s nothing like using that stupid nickname to remind me why everything about him is as annoying as hell. Without warning I swing my elbow straight into his stomach.

  “What the fuck, Ave?” he says, body hunched over in pain. Turning to face him, I bite my bottom lip to hide the smile beginning to form. “We need to set up some rules, if I’m going to have to see you here all the time.”

  He finally stands up. Placing his hand underneath his shirt, he rubs circles where my elbow landed. My eyes zero in on the way the material rises, exposing his skin. Like clockwork, the battle begins; my mind hates him and my body wants him. Is this ever going to end?

  “Tell me the rules.” I forcefully steer my eyes away from his washboard abs and meet his gaze. His eyes are twinkling with mischief. I lean back on the
sink and cross my arms in front of me, hoping it creates a barrier between us. “Don’t call me Ave,” I blurt out. “Only my friends can call me that, and you and I aren’t friends”

  “So no to Ave, but yes to Anal?” he retorts sarcastically.

  “If you call me Anal Avery, you better watch out because I will be forced to feed you your own dick.”

  “Jesus woman, you don’t fuck around.” He says with a chuckle. “Hit me with the next one.”

  “Personal space.” I move my hand in a circular motion in front of me, “Don’t invade mine.”

  A loud slam has both our heads turning to the back door and a bouncing Jeremiah slams into Wes.

  “Woah, watch out there buddy. You okay?”

  “I want you to come for a swim.” He spits out. “I want to show you how I can do a somersault in the water.”

  “Sure, I’ll be there in a second.” He grabs his shirt from behind and pulls it over his head as Jeremiah leaves the room. Subconsciously I lick my lower lip as I take in every inch of skin on show. With nothing covering the view, I have full view of a large wolf tattoo on one side of his chest. My mouth goes dry at what’s in front of me, and I wonder what other surprises Wes’ body could have in store. His basketball shorts are sitting perfectly on his hips. He’s cut to perfection, with a flawless V leading my eyes, to his visibly hard erection. I can’t help but squeeze my legs together for relief.

  “I’ve got some rules of my own,” he says, interrupting my ogling.

  “Hmm,” I say, unable to form any words. It takes me more than a few seconds to realize he’s getting closer. I try to back up further, but the edge of the sink stops me. Inches away, my face lifts to look up at his. We’re nearly touching, and our bodies are breathing heavily in sync.

  “Rule number one, Ave,” he whispers. It’s not lost on me how he just called me Ave, or that he’s in my personal space. Rules don’t matter right now; his voice is dripping in sex and I’m caught up in his haze.