“It was amazing, really.” Avery smiled and looked up at Hazard. She tried not to blush when he winked at her and knew it was too late.
Already heat swarmed into her cheeks and she felt as giddy as a teenager. As a matter of fact, she couldn’t remember ever feeling this happy.
“Uh-huh, why am I not sure you two saw the whole thing?” Gabriel questioned, eyeing them suspiciously. “Did you two do what I think you did?”
“We plead the Fifth,” Hazard answered.
“You did. I missed the fun, again.”
“Don’t be mad at us, Gabriel. Hazard and I are honored to have been your guests tonight.” Avery shifted out from under Hazard’s arm and went up to Gabriel, going up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Gabriel quickly snagged her at the waist, lowering his head to speak in her ear. “Glad you had fun. It’s great to see Trevor happy. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up. He’s real with you.”
“Good to know,” Avery replied. “Why don’t you ever call him Hazard? It’s what he likes.”
“He seems to like Hazard best coming from you,” Gabriel answered. “Nothing wrong with that, beautiful.”
“If you nuzzle my girl’s neck, you’re toast,” Hazard warned.
“Yeah, yeah, I got the message loud and clear and I’m not even a mind reader.” Gabriel let go and introduced Avery to his cats.
“Are they related?”
“No. They’re rescues and were next to each other at the ASPCA. The black one, Sela, is older.” Gabriel took Selaphiel out of his carrier and handed him to Avery.
She was delighted by the softness of his fur and nuzzled his adorable face. He was well-behaved and not frightened at all by strangers. “How did you teach the cats not to flip out when on stage?”
“It took a while. Once they got the hang of the attention and the opportunity to be held by my gorgeous assistants, they calmed right down.”
“I bet,” she said. “Next time I see you in action, Gabriel, I hope it’s in Vegas.”
“We’ll make it a date.” Hazard growled a little at Gabriel. “Friends only. Relax, Trev, I’m not going to steal your lady.”
“As long as you remember Avery’s my girl, we’re good,” Hazard claimed. “Let’s go next door. Jax is waiting for us.”
“Could use a beer,” Gabriel admitted, returning Sela to his carrier. “I’ll come back for the cats before heading to my place.”
They left the dressing room, heading for the Truth or Dare Club.
* * * * *
Later that night, Hazard took Avery back to their hotel room and right into bed. They’d gone at each other as if a pair of teenagers experiencing their first sexual relationship, fucking wildly, changing positions, trying things only porn stars could get away with.
Some of the positions hadn’t worked for her. Some hadn’t worked for him. His cock wasn’t meant to be bent in the direction required to enter her.
After all the hoopla and porn-position craziness, he took her from behind, grasping her hair and driving into her with the force she demanded and making the bedframe slam into the wall.
It’d be a miracle if there was no damage to the walls by the end of the week. Hazard would pay to fix the marks. It was a small price to pay. Sex with Avery was challenging and fun, keeping him on his toes and wanting to become a better lover every time they had sex.
But it was more than that. Their feelings were deeper, completely engaged and he wasn’t running for the fucking hills as he’d done with every woman in the past.
When it came to his ex, it was safe to admit divorce had freed him for Avery. As angry as he’d been at Marianne for the cheating and the lies, he could look back and see that their marriage never would have worked.
He had loved her at the beginning. If he’d nurtured a friendship with her outside the bedroom, he’d have been a better husband. Being a husband required more than being good in the sack.
Making certain his partner climaxed was important, but communication, understanding and patience were equally important.
“Are you okay, honey?” Avery asked, still breathing a little hard from their latest go-round.
“Yeah, baby,” he assured, rolling over until Avery was beneath him and rose over her, bracing himself with his arms on either side of her shoulders. “Why?”
“What are you thinking about?”
“If I tell you, don’t get mad.”
“Your ex-wife,” Avery guessed, narrowing her eyes and glaring. Ouch, that venom would sting if it was ever aimed at him.
“Not in a way that should cause fire to shoot from your baby blues,” he reassured.
“I’m not mad at you. I make no excuses for disliking the woman who broke your heart.”
“I’m not in love with her, Avery. Please don’t think that.”
She smiled up at him. “I don’t, Hazard. When you’re with me, I know it’s me you want. The fact is, we both have a little baggage when it comes to prior relationships. Nothing we can do will erase it, but we can learn from our mistakes to avoid repeating them.”
“Have to admit that I’m glad Timothy wasn’t the love of your life.”
“It’s safe to say I’m glad you’re free of your ex. If you weren’t, you’d never have noticed me at the hospital. You’re loyal, Hazard. It’s a good trait to have.”
“So are you, Avery. There was no way I was going to turn my marriage into the sham my folks’ marriage had been by breaking my vows. I did everything I could, sacrificed my ability to have children to make sure Marianne was happy.”
“That’s what really broke your heart. She betrayed the sacrifice you’d made.”
“I went through mourning when I found out she was pregnant. I asked my dad for advice on how to handle the situation. He said I should look at the bright side, I’ll never be accused of being some football groupie’s baby daddy.”
“Will you do me a favor?” she asked, reaching up to stroke his face gently.
Enjoying her light touch, he felt a bit like Gabriel’s black cat. Avery swept her fingers through his hair, combing. “I’ll try.”
“Forgive your mother and father,” she said, surprising him.
Fighting off the suspicious tightening in his throat that warned he might actually cry, Hazard shook his head.
“I’m not suggesting that they’d been model parents, but they did raise four children who’ve become reasonable, successful adults. Look at you, at your sister and brothers.”
“Eric’s making their mistakes.”
“No. He’s making his own mistakes.”
“I don’t understand how he can betray Angie like this.”
“Maybe you should suggest he get counseling so that he can take ownership of what he’s doing. It may not save his marriage, but it might help him and his wife to remain on friendly terms for the girls’ sakes.”
“That’s a great idea.”
“Your mom’s happy now, isn’t she?”
“She is. It took a couple of tries, but she found the right husband for her.”
“You said yourself that your father is remarried and you like your stepmother and her daughters. Let your parents be happy in the paths they’ve chosen. Forgive them.”
“I thought I did a long time ago. Be assured that I do love them, Avery. It’s just that I’ve never been able to erase the arguments I could hear through thin walls that made me feel like I was their greatest mistake.”
Avery frowned, a tear slipped down her cheek. “Don’t say that. You’re an incredible man. You are not a mistake, Trevor. No child should ever feel that way.”
“To escape the arguments about my dad not using a condom and the two thinking there was no way she’d get pregnant if they did it once on prom night, I’d hang out at Jax’s house.”
“That must have been fun,” Avery said.
“His mom was sweet, affectionate and nurturing, but the neighborhood ran them out of town.”
&nbs
p; “Why? I don’t understand.”
“She ran a legalized brothel.”
“In the neighborhood?” Avery asked.
“No, she didn’t move to the house next door to ours until she was pregnant with Jaxon. She wanted him to have a chance at a nice school and have friends and gave up being a madam. Our neighborhood watch did some checking, learned her history and she was forced out. She was fired from her job and she reopened a brothel for her son’s sake.”
“That’s horrible. Why was it anyone’s business?”
“She didn’t dress like a suburban housewife. Men found her attractive and she had found wives were jealous. My guess is someone’s wife got her nose put out of joint and hired an investigator. It didn’t change how I felt about Jax or my decision to hang out at his house when his mom wasn’t entertaining clients.”
“He was your best friend. I’m glad you had a place to go to and he had you to count on. Where’s his mom now?”
“Jaxon and his stepfather, Gerald, had to admit her into a nursing home a few months ago. She has Alzheimer’s.”
“Oh my goodness, how terrible,” Avery said, genuine sadness in her eyes.
“Gerald and Saraphina met when they moved into a retirement village. Soon after, she began to show early signs of the disease. He and Jax tried to avoid moving her to a nursing home, but it really is the best place for her.”
“It must’ve been a difficult decision on both of them. What happened to Jaxon’s dad?”
“The only person who knows his father’s identity is his mom. She thinks Gerald has been her husband all along and has no memory of the brothel or prior men. Jax won’t upset her by asking or pressing.”
“He’s a good son.”
“He’s a good man,” Hazard commented. “He visits his mom several times a week, calls her nurses and doctors daily, and handles all the financial accounts for his mother and stepfather.”
“Sounds like Jaxon needs some help or a vacation,” Avery said.
“He takes time when he can. In a couple of weeks, he’s retreating to his mountain house to work on some projects. During that time, he’ll make certain Gerald has transportation to the nursing home and stay in contact with his stepfather if there’s an emergency.”
“My uncle has shown the beginning stages of dementia and retired as a federal judge years ago. It’s extraordinarily difficult for my dad to see his brother that way. It’s even harder for my aunt and cousins.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do for your family?”
“Do you see the kind of man you are, Hazard? You don’t even know my aunt and uncle and you’re already concerned. It saddens me that you’ve blamed yourself for your parents’ failed marriage all these years. No child is a mistake, ever.”
“The real reason I had a vasectomy is because I didn’t want a child of mine to feel like they were the reason their parents hated each other. I feared my marriage would be a duplicate to my parents’ and I couldn’t have that.”
“Have you considered surgery to reverse it?”
“I’ve thought about it.” The tears he didn’t want to shed started to come. “Hell, I’m not going to cry now. It’s too late.”
“Crying can be cathartic. My shoulder’s nice and soft.” Brushing her hair aside, she arched her head, offering a view of her throat and bare shoulder. “If you let me, I’ll help you reconnect with your mom and dad. I’ll talk to Ryan and see who he’d recommend if you’re serious about corrective surgery.”
“That’s a conversation I’d prefer to have with him myself,” he admitted, collapsing to the bed and placing his head right into the nook of her shoulder.
“Whatever you decide, I’m here for you.” Avery’s arms went around his back, hugging him close, holding him. He couldn’t remember when he’d felt more at peace than he was right then, crying on her shoulder.
“If I can’t have surgery or it doesn’t work, is that a deal breaker in the long run?” he murmured against her shoulder. She felt so soft and addictive. He didn’t care that they were still sweaty and smelled like sex.
“No, it’s not. I’ll be honest. I’d rather establish our relationship before thinking about children. If all works out between us, we can try adoption.”
Hazard didn’t care that he was still crying. He didn’t feel any less than a man because Avery was the one holding him as he wept.
When his tears dried, he lifted his head and swiped his hair back. “How did you become so understanding, baby?”
“I understand how you feel about your parents. Alexander and I were very much aware that our mother and father didn’t love each other when we were kids. We knew about the mistresses and how much it hurt our mom. I was so mad at my father, so fucking mad, I wanted to run away.”
“What did you do?”
“Equestrian sports became my solace. My dad was proud. My mom gave in and saw that I’d never be a prima ballerina and let me win ribbon after ribbon. Mostly, I thought if I showed them I was a good daughter, they’d be better parents.”
Hugging her as tightly as he could, he kissed her shoulder. “You shouldn’t have gone through all that alone. Where was Alex?”
“By that time, he was a senior in high school and was Mr. Popular. But he’d already pulled away from them. He’d fallen in love with Ryan and Dad ended up sending Ryan away like some kind of criminal.”
“My God, I had no idea.”
“There were a lot of reasons for my father’s actions. It forced Alexander to hide in the closet and hurt the people he loved most, especially Ryan.”
“His marriage appears to be working now.”
“Thankfully, he and Ryan found a way back to each other. If they could forgive each other, you can forgive your parents, as I forgave mine. Charlotte has never known a time when Mom and Dad weren’t in love.”
“You’re okay with that?”
“I can’t change how my parents were before Charlotte. I’m happy that they found a way to make their vows count.”
Lifting his head, he caught her eye. “Avery, you’re more than a good daughter. You’re an amazing daughter. You don’t have to prove that to anyone.”
“I’ve tried to be.”
“You are. I’m incredibly proud to be with you. You’ve managed to talk some sense into my thick skull. I’ll try harder with my parents.”
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“Please do.”
“I’d love nothing more than to work out arrangements to see your playoff game. Is there a way for your parents to attend too?”
“I’ve offered tickets to the whole family, on both sides. My mom’s out of the country and won’t be back for a month.”
“What about your father and stepfamily? I’d love to meet them.”
“I could check. Baseball season isn’t underway officially.”
“It’d be a gesture of good faith. Attending a game or two is only a start. Tell him how you feel. Tell him to get his head out of his ass where Chloe’s concerned and make things right with her.”
Hazard swiped the tears from his eyes, finding himself amused by Avery’s harsh language. Yeah, his dad had been an asshole with Chloe. His sister deserved an apology.
“I’ll do what I can to fix the situation with Chloe. Matter of fact, I’ll give her a call tomorrow morning to check in.”
“Will you talk to your brothers too?”
“Yeah, we should both check in with our families. I’m sure Alex is chomping at the bit, wondering if you’re okay.”
Avery shook her head. “I’ve sent a couple texts back home. Let’s not think about my brother, okay? When I return to Massachusetts, I’ll sit him down or have Doc sit on him and tell him to butt the hell out of my love life.”
“Easier said than done, you mean?”
“Considering the kinds of unconventional relationships he’s had before getting together with Ryan, you’d think Alexander would be less hypocritical. If I ever tried to step foo
t inside Druid Creek Castle on BDSM weekends, I’d get scolded like I’m thirteen years old caught looking at Playgirl and sent to my room without supper.”
Hazard laughed. “Did you read Playgirl for the articles or the pictures?”
“The pictures! There was something compelling about all those hot naked men. None of them hold a candle to you, though, Hazard, none.”
“Thank you, glad to know you’re pleased with what I’ve got.”
“What you have is a great big heart to go along with a very big cock and you know how to use both of them.”
Blushing from her praise, Hazard felt light-years better, especially about facing off with Alex Grant. “I’d like to be there when you talk to Alex. There are a couple things I need to explain to him myself. Maybe we could switch things up and I can fly to Boston before heading back to Virginia.”
“Can you do that, logistically?”
“If I’m not at the mandatory meeting and practice on Friday morning, I face a fine and could get benched.”
“Then you can’t miss that meeting. I could check out early and we could leave on Wednesday.”
“That would give us only a couple more days together and we’d miss Jax’s party.”
“He’d forgive us.”
“He would. This is your vacation time. I don’t want you to miss it or regret anything. What if I called Alex and talked to him? I’m not afraid to tell him we’re together now.”
“You know what? Let’s finish our vacation as it stands and we’ll work out what to tell him after the playoffs.”
“And we’ll do it together?” Hazard clarified.
“If it means I stay quiet until we can talk to him as a united front, sure. Hell, it’ll be our naughty little secret. I like being naughty with you.”
Hazard smiled at her. “You’re amazing, Avery Grant, absolutely amazing.”
“Don’t stop there. Compliments will get you laid…after I take a shower.”
“As in wash your hair shower?”
“Yes. It’s been long enough. If I wash it tonight, running a flatiron through it in the morning will be so much easier.”
“How about we shower together?”
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