by Ashley Beale
I smile at her victory. Although, I'm not sure if she really can have caffeine or not. I don't want her to harm the baby. I'm not sure how that all works but Mason apparently does. I don't argue though, too scared of that right now. "Yes, I'll go get you some. I'll be back in a moment."
"Make it an extra-large iced with extra sugar," she yells when I walk out the door.
I spot a nurse and run over to her, then I ask her if the baby will be alright if I get Aubrey a coffee. She laughs at my panicked expression, and tells me it'll be fine. Aubrey just needs to nurse first for as long as possible, then drink the coffee and continue drinking it moderately. She recommends if I'm getting an extra-large to do a half-cafe. Oh boy, Aubrey will shoot me if she ever finds out, but that is exactly what I do.
The nurse explains the same thing to Aubrey when I show back up with her extra-large iced coffee with extra sugar, just as requested. She grunts out her frustration and I can see her eyeing the coffee while she places the baby to her breast. I have to bite my tongue from laughing because I know she'll go bat shit if I laugh at her right now. She's been through enough. She should be spoiled rotten.
Once she gets her coffee, she nearly moans. "Oh, this is amazing! Thank you."
I pick the baby back up and cuddle her close to me. I don't know if I ever want to let her go again, she is just way too cute. Just then Avery walks in. "Its safe right?" He holds his hand over his face. Aubrey and Mason were letting only family visit at first, now it's time for friends to be able to come in.
Mason laughs. "Yeah, man, its fine."
He pulls his hand away, then congratulates the new parents. He walks over and looks down at Dakota in my arms, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Wow, she is perfect. Wait, it is a girl right?"
I look up at him and smile. "Yeah."
His eyes meet mine and we both stare at each other for a few minutes. I could picture this. Him and I having a baby together. Not any time soon, but in the future. This feels right, it feels nice. All too soon he clears his throat and looks back down to her instead of me. "Mind if I hold her?"
"Of course not." I hand her over and have to show him the proper way to hold an infant. And wow, its breathtaking. Seeing this tattooed, muscled young man hold this innocent, sweet little baby. I just stare in awe.
A sob escaping Aubrey's mouth startles and I turn towards her. She is watching Avery hold her baby. She must think the same thing as me. To stop from crying anymore, she shoves the straw in her mouth and sucks down more coffee. I simply smile at her but turn back to watch Avery hold Dakota. I don't think I can get enough of that view.
In fact.
I pull out my phone and snap a picture of him looking down at the bundle in his arms. His head snaps up at the sound and he is smiling pretty big. Without a warning I snap another picture. I view them both and they're mesmerizing.
The nurse comes in and says that she needs to do a few vitals on both Aubrey and baby, and discuss a few things, so visitors are asked to come back later. I give Dakota kisses and Aubrey another hug, then I leave and Avery follows.
"You sticking around?" he asks when I start walking down the hall.
I happen to yawn just at the thought of how exhausted I am. "I can't. I need some sleep pretty bad."
"Oh, right, yeah. I can imagine. You okay to drive?" I nod my head but don't answer him as we enter the elevator to head back downstairs. "You sure?"
I look at him and wonder why he seems so unsure. "Yeah." I don't ask why as much as it's on the end of my tongue.
He stares at me but doesn't say anything. When the doors open he places his hand on my lower back and we walk together to the parking lot. I roll my eyes when I see that his bike is parked next to my car.
We both pause awkwardly when we reach the vehicles. "Well," I say, pointing my thumb over my shoulder at my car. He just nods his head, staring at me, not saying anything. I take a step back, still staring at him as well. He takes a step closer to me and seems like he is internally debating something with himself. "I'll see you later," I say quietly.
His hands press into my cheeks and he pulls my face forward to meet his. His lips are soft against mine. His forehead rests against mine and he closes his eyes. "Sorry," he mumbles. His breath is warm on my lips, making me want another kiss but I fight my temptation. Something I'm usually not so good with.
"Don't be sorry," I say in a light tone as well.
Avery takes a few steady breaths before pulling back. He grabs his helmet and throws a leg over his bike before putting it on. I just stare at him, curious to what that was all about. He looks at me, starts his bike, then slowly backs out. I watch after him while he drives away, leaving me here dumbfounded.
The next two days I'm in and out of the hospital, spending as much time with Aubrey and Dakota as possible. There is a lot I learned just in those days about babies I had no idea about. Mason had to go right back into work, so I've been helping her with everything I possibly can, including just a shoulder to cry on as her body is mixed with all kinds of hormones. On the third day, Aubrey and baby got to go home, so Mason made sure to get the day and night off, so they can be together as a family.
Between classes and visiting Aubrey, I get a little behind on homework, so Wednesday and Thursday is spent catching up. Friday night when I get home from school, Avery's bike is parked outside my complex but he isn't on it. He is leaning against the wall next to my door when I make my way into the building with a small smile on his face.
I unlock the door and invite him in. Without asking, he walks over and gets a drink out of the fridge. Of course I don't mind, in fact, it reminds of when we were a couple and he felt so at home here. It kind of hurts that it isn't like that anymore, but I know it's my own fault so I don't say as much.
"So I got a pretty big favor to ask you."
I lean against my fridge and cross my legs at the ankles, watching him while he sits at the bar, drinking some of my soda. I don't ask him what, I Just wait for him to proceed. "You still got that empty room right?"
I lift a brow and nod my head. He smiles shyly at me. "I'm going to be gone off and on for ten months this time. I have different coaches and bus route, and will be home every three months for a week. I don't want to pay for my apartment while I'm gone because that'd just be a huge waste of money, so I was curious if I could rent out your room? I'd pay you, even for when I'm not here, and I'd have most of my stuff stored in there. Whatever doesn't fit will be at my dad’s house."
I want to say yes, but first I have to ask him a few things. I don't want to assume things here. "Why don't you just stay with your dad when your back?"
He twirls the soda can in his hand while he stares at me, taking a second to answer. "This may be wrong of me, but it's my way of making sure you're still... mine."
My knees actually weaken. I didn't think it possible. I slide down the front of the fridge and with a thump, my butt lands on the ground. I can tell he is trying to hold back his smile at my sudden reaction. I didn't mean for that to happen, it just did, because holy hell that was the last thing I was expecting from Avery.
"It uh, it doesn't mean I'm yours if I let you, you know. It means I'm being friendly and giving you a place to stay. You're going to be gone for ten months, like you say, so that isn't fair to think I'm just going to wait around."
"I know," he agrees. Standing from the stool, he makes his way over and sits next to me on the ground. He grabs my hand, and puts our linked hands together on my lap. His thumb comes out and runs along my knuckles, making me feel all kinds of wonderful. "I'm not quite asking that of you."
"Then what are you asking?" I look up at him but he doesn't face me, instead he just stares at our hands.
"I've thought a lot about what you said to me that day you yelled at Pierce and me in here. You basically told us you choose me, just not yet. You choose the future me. I've told you more than once before that we're not supposed to be anything yet, it just isn't fate, and I know you see it too. W
e've just been fighting against it, trying to make it work, but it doesn't. It's useless to try right now."
"Okay," I say, dragging the word out.
He turns his head to face me and we hold each other’s gaze. "But I know if I leave you here too long with him, you'll see that he really is the better pick. He is here for you now, and I'm selfishly living my life, chasing my dream."
I interrupt him. "Wait a second, you chasing your dream isn't selfish. As much as I don't like you going, I'm scared of something happening again, it isn't selfish."
"It kind of is. But anyways, let me finish." I nod my head and let him continue. "I know it's not right to ask you to wait for me, so I won't. Do what you want and please don't feel guilty about it. But if I'm being honest with you, I'm hoping that if I come home every few months and stay a week with you, you'll see that I can be the right man for you. That I can be better than Pierce. That I do love you and I do want a future with you."
I have to clear my throat before I can even answer that, and I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. I close it and try again, nothing. I'm speechless. I can't even think straight. I'm not even sure how I should react.
"If you don't want me to, I can stay at my dad’s. I don't want you to feel forced into this."
"No." It’s the only thing I can say.
"No don't stay at my dad’s? Or no I can't stay here?" His eyes are so hopeful.
Honestly, I'm not even sure which no I'm saying no to. I think about on the fact Pierce said he was going to prove to me how much he loves me while Avery is gone, but he can't do that with Avery popping in every three months and staying a week here. Or can he? And do I want him to? Is any of this what I want? I'm so confused.
He takes my silence as an answer and starts to pull his hand from me and my natural reaction is to hold it tighter to me. That split second is the only answer I need in the moment, the rest can come to me. "Yes, you can move your things in."
He kisses my hand before dropping it. "Thanks. If it's too much when I come back or if you do uh... move on. Well, I'm sure I have a place at my dad’s if I need."
"Don't worry about it Avery. I want you here." I kiss his cheek then I stand up. He stands with me and pulls me in for a hug. We stand here and hold each other for several minutes, not saying anything at all. He leaves tomorrow evening, so this is sort of our goodbye I suppose.
"I need to get Mason, Austin and my dad to help me bring things over. Are you going to be here?"
"Yeah," I tell him. "Go get your things, I'll see you later."
Chapter Nineteen
It's after eight by the time everything is moved in, and well after midnight before he has everything set up and his bags packed for his first trip. He turns to me as I'm zipping up one of his gym bags that I helped him fill. "So am I allowed to sleep here tonight or do I gotta find somewhere to go?"
I roll my eyes and walk towards the door. "You can sleep here, but in your own bed." I walk into my room and close the door behind me. He opens the door just seconds later laughing, then he leans against the door frame. His eyes take me in as I pull out my pajamas from the dresser. "Can I help you?"
"Are you going to be joining me?"
I reach the doorway so I can close the door and get changed but he pushes his foot out to stop me. "Join you for what exactly?"
He lifts his mouth up in amusement. "Well it is my last night in town and you're making me sleep in my own bed. Just thought you'd keep me company before I'm all alone on the road for the next three months."
"You're relentless, seriously. And you're not going to be alone. I'm sure you're going to have thousands of girls swooning over you." I push at his chest and laugh, then I try to close the door again. His foot isn't budging though.
"I'll sing." His wiggles his brows at me and widens his smile. Ah, of course he'd bribe me with that. He knows how much I love when he sings to me.
My eyes narrow at him and I give up. "Fine, but no hanky panky."
With his hand he makes the scouts honor symbol and winks my way before turning and leaving me alone in my room. I shut the door a little harder than I meant to as I make my way towards where I tossed my pajamas down. I change quickly, then pad through the apartment until I'm in his room.
He is just in a pair of shorts when I walk in and they're hung way too low. Like seriously, if he even coughed, I have a feeling they'd fall. My mouth nearly salivates over the delicious view. His laughter causes me to advert my eyes, then I narrow them at him. "Tease," I tell him.
"Says the girl in underwear."
I look down at my shorts and tank top. "I'm not in underwear." Oh, crap. I hadn't realized my nipples were hardened, but you can totally see them poking through. I ignore that fact and look back up, giving him an innocent smile. But it's too late, he notices, and he actually licks his lips.
"Maybe you should sleep in your room after all." His voice comes out raspy, obviously effected by the simple fact I'm cold.
"Fine," I grumble, then turn around.
His arms are around me before I even walk out the door. Instantly his lips are pressed against the side of my neck, causing warmth all over. He slides his hands up the front of my tank top until their caressing my breasts, paying extra attention to my nipples. He whispers against my neck with that same raspy voice. "I'm not sure if I said it or not, but it is my last night in town for three," kiss, "long," kiss, "months." Kiss.
"Yes you told me," I pant out. His hands press into my breasts harder and I can't help but shake in his arms.
He slowly takes steps backwards and I have to follow since his arms are around me, not that I don't want to anyways. His lips don't leave my neck until he turns me around in his embrace, then they press into my own lips so hard they'll probably bruise.
He slides down his own shorts and my hand glides along his already hardened cock. "Oh," he says against my lips. I stroke him gently as he adds force to our kiss. His hand slides into my shorts, caressing my folds with two fingers. I'm wet and ready and not sure how long I can handle his teasing.
I remove my lips from his and bite down on a very swollen bottom lip while pulling my shirt off. He growls in his throat, taking a seat on the bed. His hands grab my hips and he helps me straddle him as he lays back on the bed. Since I'm already wet and he's already hard, I slide down on his length easily. I grind my hips in circles, lift slowly, then sit abruptly, then I do it again. Then once more. Each time I do it, his eyes flutter a little, showing me just how much he is truly enjoying this.
"I'm going to miss these," he says pulling on my nipples. It intensifies all the feelings I'm having right now and I can feel myself squeeze around him. "No, not yet," he says, knowing I'm not far from getting off already. Without notice, he rolls us so that I'm on my back, then he lifts just one of my legs up over his shoulder while still inside me. He goes slow and the way we're both positioned, he feels even larger inside me.
Using his thumb, he rubs circles over my clit until I explode with pleasure. His pace speeds up and he joins in with me just seconds later. After he lowers my leg, he slides out of me and lays next to me on the bed, doing all he can to slow his breaths down.
"Best... goodbye... ever," he pants.
I slap his stomach and start laughing. "Ass." I sit up, grab my clothes and slide them on me. He is still lying there, arms crossed behind his head, staring at the ceiling with a wide smile on his face. "I am going to miss you though," I whisper.
He doesn't move but his eyes look in my direction and they soften as they look my features over. "I'm going to miss you, too."
"Will you still sing to me tonight, or did you just lure me in here under false pretenses?"
He grins at me before sitting up. "Of course I will."
Once we're both dressed and ready for bed, we climb into his extremely comfy bed. He lays on his back as I curl up into his side, resting my hand over his bare, hardened stomach. His fingers run on my arm where my bruise has turned a nasty yellow green color but
is still very visible. He doesn't say anything but I know he is still feeling guilty for not answering my call that night.
While he does that, I silently take in all his tattoos, running my fingers along some of them. I'm going to miss this body, and his touch, and everything about him. Three months is a long time. This time I won't be soaking up the sun in Hawaii, distracting myself. Nope, I'll be constantly coming in Avery's room, sleeping in his bed while wearing his shirts, and waiting for his next phone call. The fact I know this already is a little depressing, but it's the truth.
"What do you want me to sing?" he asks softly. I almost forgot about him singing to me. It makes me giddy in an instant though.
I think on it but nothing comes to the top of my mind. Well, except one song that seems perfect for the moment. "See You Again." I lean my face back so I can see him and he looks down at me the same time.
He lifts one brow at me. "I don't think I know that song."
Oh, right, it's a girl song. I guess he wouldn't. "Oh, it's Carrie Underwood, it just seemed fitting."
He smiles at me softly. "No girl songs. I'll think of one, don't worry." I rest my head against his chest as he drums his fingers softly against my arm, then a moment later he starts humming out a tune. I don't even have a clue what it is, but once he starts I nearly gasp. He took the only romantic Lil Wayne song I know and he made it sound more country. It's breathtakingly beautiful.
"You had a lot of crooks try-na steal your heart, never really had luck, couldn't ever figure out... How to love, mm, how to love. You had a lot of moments that didn't last forever, now you're in a corner try-na put it together... How to love, mm, how to love." He continues on, soft and slow, changing just a few words through it. When he gets to one spot, he lifts my chin up to face him. "When you was just a youngin' your looks were so precious, but now your grown up, so fly it's like a blessing." He winks and lets me rest my head back down. He doesn't miss a beat as he keeps going.
With tears welling in my eyes, I smile bigger than I have in a long while. Before the song is even over I drift off into a deep sleep, resting better than I have in a very long time.