Loving Avery (Bearville County Book 2)

by Katie Hamstead

  “You obviously didn’t like the old Avery very much, so I thought I’d change.”

  He stares at me. “Huh?”

  My chest feels like a fire has ignited inside it. “You ran away from me.”

  “Avery.” He reaches for my shoulder, then pulls back. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “Well, you did.”

  He lets out a long gush of air. “I’m … I’m sorry.”

  “Stop saying you’re sorry.” I slap his chest. Why am I so angry with him? “If you were sorry you wouldn’t have pushed me away in the first place. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you and how lonely I felt without you?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Stop it!” I slap him again. “And then you go and date that girl and rip my heart out. But I figure, I’ve dated guys, so I shouldn’t be jealous. Why am I jealous?”

  “Avery—”

  “Shut up! I’m talking.” I know I’m rambling and making a huge idiot of myself, but I just don’t care. I need to let it all out. “And I hate her, and how much everyone says she’s nice, and pretty, and all the while you wouldn’t even talk to me. Do you know how much that hurt?” I shove his chest. “Then your parents get mad at me and kick me out, and our dads have a huge fight and it’s because of me and the fact that I can’t be near you and I miss you so badly.

  “Then I’m all depressed and don’t have a date for prom, and Todd shows up—”

  “Todd?”

  “Shut up, I’m still talking.” I clamp my hand over his mouth. “So he takes me, and he knows exactly how I feel and tells me I need to … I need to …”

  I pull my hand back and plant a kiss on him.

  I pull back and he stares at me, his eyes wide, his mouth hanging open. Then, he grabs my head and kisses me.

  I moan softly, clinging to him. He’s kissing me! My whole body burns. I’ve never felt like this. My heart pounds as his arm wraps around my waist, keeping me firmly pressed against him. But I’m not going anywhere. I could live in this kiss forever.

  His thumb brushes my cheek as he coaxes my mouth open. He tastes wonderful. Like Italian herbs. He must have just had dinner. His tongue strokes my lower lip before slipping into my mouth.

  I moan again, grasping the back of his head, my fingers clutching at his hair. Rhett. My Rhett.

  Finally I break away, gasping for air. We look into each other’s eyes, so much emotion passing between us.

  “Avery,” he says in a deep, soft voice. “I wanted to see you to tell you that I kept you away because I thought you didn’t feel the way I do about you. But …” He shakes his head. “Have you changed, Avery? Is this really who you are now?”

  I shake my head. “I thought this was what you wanted. You had that girlfriend, so I figured that college girls are your type.”

  “No. I went out with her because she’s nothing like you. I wanted to forget. But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.” He kisses me again.

  Every part of me melts. But I pull back. “These past few months, we’ve just been torturing each other.” I look into his eyes. “Why didn’t you ask me to your prom last year? I wanted you to.”

  He strokes my hair back. “Avery, you have no idea how much I wanted to. I was afraid of acting too soon after Milton.”

  “We’re a pair, aren’t we?” I smile, wrapping my arms around his neck. “We tell each other everything else, but never ‘fess up about how we’re really feeling.”

  “That changes today.” He looks me steadily in the eyes. “Avery Davis, I’m in love with you, and I have been for as long as I can remember.”

  I feel giddy. I can’t believe this is happening! “Rhett, I’m in love with you, too.”

  I said it!

  He lets out a short laugh. “Seriously?”

  I nod.

  He plants a kiss on me again, his arms clamping around my waist. Pressing his forehead against mine, our lips break apart. “I never thought I’d ever hear you say that.”

  My heart flutters.

  *

  Rhett

  She said she loves me! She’s here in my arms, smelling like vanilla and summer nights, her gorgeous blue eyes looking into mine. Avery Davis. The girl I’ve loved forever.

  “We should date or something,” I say, stroking her hair. It’s so weird that it’s straight. It must have taken her hours. But she did it for me, and that’s pretty amazing.

  “I say skip right to the boyfriend-girlfriend part,” she says, resting her head on my chest.

  I stroke her back, in complete awe of what’s happening. “Yeah, but I should still take you out.”

  “We have all summer.” She strokes my chest.

  But then, when summer ends … “Where are you going for college?”

  She looks up at me. “Not far. Just down to Helena. I’m only doing a teaching degree. I don’t need a big fancy school.”

  That’s too far away from where I’ll be. “Can you come to Phoenix with me?”

  Her smile lights up her eyes. “I’ll have to look into it.”

  I softly kiss her again, amazed that I can actually do it.

  She rests her head on my chest, sighing. Why did I run away from this? I’ve never felt more fulfilled. I run my hand through her hair, holding her tightly against me. I’m not going to let her go again. This is right. I’m going to marry Avery Davis if it’s the last thing I do.

  Chapter Eight

  Avery

  We walk toward my house, hand-in-hand. The town is quiet as night has fallen, and the soft buzz of insects swells in the air. Summer is beautiful.

  Rhett kisses my head and my belly fills with butterflies again. I can’t help feeling like everything that happened in my life led me to this; to him. All my stupid boyfriends—they showed me what I don’t want and made Rhett look more amazing. Our separation made me realize how much I need him with me. How much I love him.

  When we arrive at the house, all the downstairs lights are on. We drop our hands as we step to the porch, even though it feels like torture. But with everything that’s happened, we want to tell our parents gently, not thrust it upon them.

  Rhett waits on the porch as I go inside to get Mom. She needs to be the first to know, we both agreed on that. She’s the most understanding about everything. She’ll help us tell Rhett’s parents and Dad without them freaking out.

  The twins play video games with Taylor and Brad. The four say hi as I come in, but remain focused on their game. I head into the kitchen, then upstairs, but can’t find Mom.

  I return to the living room. “Where’s Mom?”

  “She went out with Megan and Sarah,” Brad answers. “Wyatt is delivering calves, and Dad and Clint are doing night shifts at the station.”

  “Oh.” I fold my arms. “Where’d they go?”

  “Bearville,” the four answer.

  “Where are the Blake kids?”

  “They’re grounded,” Taylor answers. “They totally got caught trying to make potato bombs and Sarah got pissed.”

  I chuckle. “All right.”

  I head into the kitchen and leave a note for Mom: Hanging out with Rhett. Will chat when I get back. <3 Avery.

  Heading back out the front, I see Rhett standing there, chewing on his finger. I shrug. “She’s not there. All the dads are working and the moms went out to Bearville.”

  He nods, understanding whom I mean. Although his mom and Sarah fight a lot, they love hanging out with my mom as a trio. They’re all best friends.

  He takes my hand again, and we walk to his house. With the twins at my place, the house is quiet. It feels strange. His house is never quiet.

  We enter and he flicks on a few lights, then we sit on the couch.

  “So,” he says, stroking my knee. “Where do we go from here?”

  I lean against him, and his arm wraps around me. It feels so natural. We’ve always been so comfortable with each other. We’ve always snuggled, but this is more. �
��I’m your girlfriend, right?”

  He smiles, looking down at me. “I certainly hope so.”

  I grin, kissing his nose. “Yes.”

  “Good.” He sighs, touching my cheek. “I guess we need to catch up for a start.”

  So, we do. I tell him everything that’s happened since we last talked, really talked, and he does the same. I find myself curling up on his lap, just to be closer, as he tells me about college.

  Near the end, he stops abruptly. “That reminds me.”

  He gently helps me stand and rushes upstairs.

  I follow him into his room, where he’s digging through his things. Then, he stops and brushes by me to his parents’ room. I stay where I am, not wanting to be rude. It’s an unwritten rule that kids who don’t actually belong in the house, don’t go in the parents’ rooms.

  He returns and slips something into my hand. “I think this is yours.”

  I open my hand and find my missing earring. “I thought I’d lost this.”

  “It was on my desk when I got home.” He grins proudly. I’m fairly sure he feels like a hero right now.

  “My dad bought these for me for the winter ball. I thought I’d lost it and it broke my heart. Thank you.”

  “It broke your heart?” He pushes me against the doorframe, his entire body pressed against mine. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Rhett, it’s fine.” I wrap my arms around him. “Thank you. I’m so relieved it’s not gone for good.”

  “I can’t have you with a broken heart.” He kisses me again. It’s a deep kiss, full of yearning, and a hint of sorrow. I don’t want him feeling bad for all that’s happened between us, so I coax him toward the bed.

  We lie together, face to face, but with our relationship changed, our legs entwine and we hold each other close.

  “I love you, Avery,” he says softly.

  I smile, closing my eyes. The words bring me a deep joy I’ve never experienced before. It’s as if suddenly I have a reason for living. Like someone has turned a light on and I can see all the beautiful colors of the world.

  “I love you too, Rhett.” I inch closer and kiss him.

  All the times we could have done this. All the times we’d lied here, talking, so close, and we never had. But that doesn’t matter. I’m here now, with him.

  My hand creeps under his shirt. He’s filled out since I last saw him. Donny did the same. He was slender in high school, but when he came back from college, he’d bulked up. Not that Rhett could be called bulky, but he’d grown muscular, like a man rather than a teenager.

  I run my hands up his back, his shirt sliding up with it. He shudders, but doesn’t stop kissing me. I reach his shoulders, and marvel at his muscular he feels. Those shoulders feel strong and protective, and I love it.

  His lips suddenly break away and he pulls off his shirt. I sit up beside him, my fingers exploring his full and strong chest. He doesn’t look like those shirtless models, but it’s attractive. It’s masculine and fills me with desire. I’ve never felt like this before.

  His hand rests over mine as he watches my face. “What are you thinking?”

  I look into his eyes, those familiar, loving and safe eyes. “That I can’t believe it took me so long to realize I love you. I almost lost you.”

  “But you didn’t.” His hand wraps around the back of my neck and he kisses me again, a deep, loving kiss.

  Now his hands wander, sliding my shirt up until he whips it smoothly over my head. He pushes me backward, climbing on top of me. Suddenly, for the first time ever, my body fills with yearning. A deep desire I can’t explain. His bare skin pressed against mine makes me catch my breath. “Rhett.”

  The breathless sound of his name seems to drive him wild. He nibbles on my neck, his hands exploring every curve of my body.

  I moan. I can hardly take it any longer.

  I push him away, even though it hurts. “Wait.”

  He looks into my eyes, his breathing deep and heavy.

  “I need to know something.”

  “Anything.”

  “Did you … I mean … Are you …?”

  “I’m still a virgin,” he says softly, then kisses my cheek. “Anne tried, but it was all wrong.”

  He didn’t sleep with her! A knot I didn’t realize was holding my stomach releases. I collapse back as his lips wander down my collarbone.

  “Rhett?” I say softly. “Rhett, I want to be with you.”

  He pauses, looking into my eyes.

  “I want to give you my virginity.”

  “Oh Avery.” But he jumps off me. He dashes to the door and flicks off the light. The door handle clicks locked, then he fumbles to flick on his bedside lamp. “Are you sure?”

  I nod, then reach for my bra clip. As my breasts become exposed, it’s like his legs give out and he flops onto the bed beside me.

  “Avery, Avery,” he says over and over as he climbs back on top of me.

  His hands on my untouched skin ignite a fire inside me. He sucks on them and I arch my back, my belly filling with strange new sensations.

  When he slides his pants off, kicking them to the floor, my breathing becomes rapid. This is really happening! Rhett and me … I couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect.

  *

  Rhett

  She’s driving me wild. I can’t stop. She has perfect breasts, perfect curves. Anne was boney, but Avery is soft and feminine. She smells delicious, like vanilla and cream. I want to lick it off her.

  Those soft little whimpers and moans tell me she likes what I’m doing. Hell, I like what I’m doing! I kiss down her cleavage, down to her abdomen. I unzip the skirt, and pull it and her panties down over her legs. As she becomes exposed, she trembles, looking down at me. She’s nervous. So am I. But her body is gorgeous. I want to touch it, kiss it, every inch of it.

  “Rhett.”

  The whispered sound of my name on Avery’s lips makes me wild. This is Avery! The girl I thought I’d never have, and she’s giving herself to me without any resistance. Avery. I must be dreaming.

  I climb over her, both of us completely naked now. She gazes up at me. I can feel her trembling.

  “Avery? We don’t have to do this.” I stroke her hair. It wouldn’t surprise me if she pulls out. She’s too good for me, and I don’t want to frighten her.

  She nods. “Please, Rhett. I love you. I can’t imagine this being with anyone else. You’ve always been here for me. I want this.”

  She slides her legs open for me. I can feel her warmth. The moment I haven’t even dared fantasize about is right here. I know I have to be careful or I’ll hurt her, so I shift up to kiss her.

  Her hands grasp at my shoulders. She clings to me. “Rhett. Rhett, I love you so much.”

  I can’t take it anymore.

  She gasps.

  *

  Avery

  He’s making love to me. My heart swells. I never knew I could feel like this about anyone. This is what I see when my parents look at each other. No wonder Dad fought so hard for Mom.

  All the pain from our time apart is gone. All I care about is him. Right here. With me. I touch his face and he sighs, smiling. He kisses, then shifts. The feeling intensifies.

  “Rhett …”

  I shut my eyes. I never want this moment to end.

  *

  Rhett

  We’re both trying to catch our breath. I hold her close to me. She strokes my chest. Looking down at her, I see her eyes are closed, but she’s smiling. This is not what I expected to do my first night back. It’s better.

  “Stay with me,” I whisper, stroking her hair back from her face.

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  I kiss her forehead, tightening my grip around her. It doesn’t take me long to fall into a blissful, deep sleep.

  *

  Avery

  Rhett usually snores, but tonight it’s softer, steadier than normal. We’re both still naked. I can’t believe what just happened. Reaching
over him, I flick off his light, then rest my cheek against his chest.

  As I doze off, a word drifts from his lips as he exhales. “Avery.”

  Chapter Nine

  Rhett

  When I wake, the sun peeks through the cracks on the sides of my curtains. Someone sleeps beside me, and the memories of the night before flood over me. I turn to Avery. The movement rouses her. She smiles at me, and with her soft skin and breasts brushing against my side, I can’t help myself. I make love to her again.

  When we finish, she falls back asleep, but I’m more awake than ever. I lie there staring at the ceiling, wondering how all my dreams could be coming true.

  Mom and Dad’s voices drift up from the kitchen. The faint smell of bacon soon follows. Dad has probably just gotten home and Mom’s making him something before he heads to bed. I look at Avery. We decided to tell her mom first, then have her help, but I think Mom and Dad will understand. If Avery comes down without them being warned, they might freak out.

  So I head out, making sure Avery is covered, and shutting the door behind me. I take a quick shower, pull on my pajama pants, and head downstairs.

  “Morning,” Mom says brightly. “I think you’re the only one who stayed here last night. The girls crashed in Avery’s room.”

  “Oh.” I sink onto the seat beside Dad as he munches happily on his bacon.

  “Breakfast?” Mom asks me.

  I shake my head. “I need to tell you guys something.”

  Dad glances up from his bacon and eggs. “Fire away.”

  I take a deep breath and release it. “Avery and I are a couple.”

  They both freeze, staring at me.

  Mom sinks into the chair opposite me. “What?”

  “We … ah … We met up last night and, it turns out, she has feelings for me after all.” I shrug, trying to seem as chilled out about it as possible. “She … ah, she told me she loves me.”

  They both stare at me. Neither of them says anything.

  I clear my throat. “Well, ah, this is awkward.”

  “Are you insane?” Dad leans closer to me. “She has messed with your head for years. Don’t even go there, son.”