Overlooked

by Lulu Pratt

  “Can we watch Law & Order?” Piper asks.

  “Of course,” Avery answers.

  Piper races into the living room and sits on the armchair. Avery looks at me, her eyes wide.

  “You know what, I’m exhausted, I think I’m going to go to bed,” I say.

  “Night, Dad,” Piper says, the remote control already in her hands.

  “Sure,” Avery says, her eyes heavy.

  “You know where the spare room is, and Piper can show you where the towels and things are.”

  “Okay,” she says, her voice devoid of emotion.

  “Good night,” I say and walk upstairs.

  “Night,” they both say.

  I’m not tired at all, I just couldn’t face sitting with them all evening. I grab my iPad and flop onto my bed.

  I mess around, reading all sorts of different things and watching all sorts of different videos until I can’t help myself any longer. I curse myself for being weak and open Avery’s YouTube channel.

  She posted a video earlier this afternoon, and I click on it. She looks like shit, her hair’s a mess and her eyes are red. As I watch, my throat constricts so tight I struggle to breathe.

  When it finishes, I start it over. My ribs feel like they’re being ripped open.

  When it finishes again, I scroll down the comments. It’s only been up a few hours, but already there are hundreds of them. Comment after comment of people telling Avery how amazing she is and how she doesn’t need me fill the screen.

  Some comments say I’ll come to my senses. I keep reading through them, until one hits me like a punch in the gut.

  Single mom of three: Is his responsibility to his child? I understand what he’s thinking but he’s wrong. Tell him to stop being scared of messing up his children and start being afraid of missing out the (second) best thing that’s ever happened to him!!!!!! Btw, I’m single mom no more, and my kids have never been happier! What do his kids think of you?

  What does Piper think of Avery? Easy, the same way I feel about Avery.

  Underneath the comment are at least a dozen replies of people agreeing with her.

  I read the comment along with the replies three more times, each time feeling lighter and lighter.

  After registering a new account, I leave my own comment.

  The unicorn: thank you ex single mom of three. And Avery you are right. Everything about you is right. Perfect, even. You are the (second) best thing that’s ever happened to me.

  I’ve never been good with words.

  Avery

  Piper went to bed ages ago, but I’m delaying. I can’t bring myself to drag my feet up the steps to sleep in Knox’s spare room. Though it’s true, I’m too uncomfortable to go home. I’ve never seen Nathan like that, and Knox is right, he might come back.

  I’m lucky Knox was there. Who knows what Nathan would’ve done?

  Even if Knox having his arm around me, holding me, supporting me was almost too much for my heart to bear. Because I know it wasn’t real. And no matter how much I want it to be real, I have to face facts and push those thoughts out of my mind.

  Knox running away and staying in his bedroom all night was proof his mind can’t be changed. I’m here because he’s being neighborly, nothing more.

  Still, I can’t bring myself to climb the stairs and sleep in his spare room. Even if it is after one in the morning. I start another mindless movie on Netflix, and lay out on the couch.

  “What are you still doing up?” Knox asks in a quiet voice.

  His hand brushes over my hair, and I realized I dozed off. I push myself up and sit. The dim end table light is on, but it’s otherwise dark.

  “I must’ve fallen asleep watching TV,” I say.

  “What were you watching?”

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”

  “I can’t sleep either,” he says and sits beside me.

  Flutters fill my chest. I swallow and become teary. I can’t do this. I can’t be in his house, this close to someone I want so badly. My breathing speeds and I focus on pushing away my feelings.

  “It’s been a hard couple of days for me,” I say.

  “They haven’t been easy for me either, you know.”

  “Thanks for helping me with Nathan.”

  “You think I’d let that asshole anywhere near you? Now I know who he is, if he makes any more comments on your videos, he’ll pay.”

  His words fill me, and I struggle to keep my feelings down. I bite the inside of my cheek, wondering why he’d say such a thing.

  “Thanks,” I say, mumbling.

  “I’d never let anyone hurt you.”

  I want to ask why, but can’t bring myself to. I can’t sit here. Not beside someone who owns my heart and doesn’t want me. Fuck Nathan, I’ll take my chances.

  Staggering to my feet, I step away from the couch.

  “Where are you going?” Knox asks.

  “Home. I need to go home.”

  My heart pounds and my knees are weak, but I have to get out of here. To retreat home where I don’t have to suffer in his presence.

  Knox reaches out and grabs my hand, the contact exploding my heart. My chest heaves, stuck between what I want to do and what I need to do.

  “I watched your latest video,” he says.

  I freeze. He must think I’m an idiot. I swore I’d never post a video unplanned again, but I went ahead and did it again. This time completely unedited, complete with crying and stupid wishes and everything else. My cheeks heat with shame.

  At the same time, I want to know what his reaction is.

  Or maybe it’s better that I don’t know. That it’ll hurt too much when he pushes me away even more.

  I swallow, and say, “Oh.”

  Knox squeezes my hand, and pulls me back onto the couch. Our legs are touching, and he’s still holding my hand. I’m exhausted, but the contact wakes my body.

  “It was never about you, or my feelings for you. It was about Piper.”

  “I know. I just wanted you to see that I understand, but also that you’re too hard on yourself.”

  “You know, a lot of people commented on it.”

  “They have?” I haven’t looked at it since I posted it. I probably ruined my credibility and career because of it, and right now I want to pretend it never happened.

  “They all say I’m an idiot.”

  I don’t say anything, but am relieved to hear my fans supporting me. It really does mean a lot to me.

  “And I agree with them,” Knox says.

  It takes a second for the words to sink in, but when they do, my head flies to look him in the eye for the first time since he woke me.

  “You do?” I say, in disbelief.

  “I do. And I’ve been thinking. You and Piper, you get along so well. And God knows I’m going to need help with a teenage daughter. She deserves you. At least a chance with you. If you were serious about what you said.”

  “I am, absolutely. She’s so amazing.” I laugh through my emotions, “I never thought I’d want to hang around with a thirteen year old so much.”

  “She feels the same way about you.”

  “And you?”

  “Even if I don’t deserve you, I want you. I can’t go on denying the way I feel about you. You make me feel things I’ve never felt in my entire fucking life. And I thought I’d have to ignore them, for Piper’s sake. But if you really feel the way about both of us that you said in the video, then I can’t let go of you. Because you’re right, when you know you’re meant to be with someone, you know.”

  Tears stream down my cheeks as he speaks. It all seems like a dream, and part of me wonders if I’m asleep on the couch.

  “Of course you deserve me. I understand why you thought you let Piper down. I let her down, too. I should’ve asked her more questions when she brought up her mother, and it breaks my heart that I let her down so much.”

  “She isn’t your responsibility.”

  “It’s nothing to
do with whose responsibility she is. I let someone I care about down.”

  “That’s what I did. With you, I let you down.”

  “What you did is confirm everything I thought about you.”

  “That I’m an asshole?” Knox says, his nose twitching.

  “No, that you’re the most caring man I’ve ever met. I just want you to see that you can care for Piper and me.”

  “I know that now, after Nathan. After all the comments on your video. And most of all, because you and Piper get along so well. I can’t keep you from her. Which is good, because it’s been tearing me up inside. I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

  As he finishes his last word, he cups my head and presses his lips against mine. I fling my arms around him, holding him as tight as I can as our kiss deepens.

  All of the tension of the last few days melts away as I melt into his arms. All thoughts of Nathan vanish in his strong arms. Above all, my body overflows with everything I feel for Knox.

  He drags his lips away, and with a low voice says, “There’s just one thing.”

  “What?” I ask, gasping and desperate for his lips back.

  “You’re going to have to learn to come in silence.”

  His words force a moan from my throat. Knox puts his hand over my mouth, and says, “That’s what I’m talking about. Can you be quiet?”

  “I thought you liked my voice,” I tease, wiping the tear stains from my cheeks.

  “I do. But I also like your pussy. And right now I can’t have both.”

  “You move fast, right back to my pussy. Is that what this is really all about, I’m here, you’re here, we might as well get together,” I say, teasing, my cheek pressed against his.

  Knox scoops me onto his lap, and growls, “You want to wait? I can wait.”

  I suppress a squeal, and say, “No waiting. I spent too much time watching you out my window today.”

  “I didn’t hear you, I’m glad you can be quiet,” he says, and closes his mouth over mine before I can set him straight.

  Our kiss is needy, hungry but at the same time deeper. Like we both know it’s serious this time, and that we’re not just enjoying each other but committed to each other as well. Along with Piper.

  I’m officially part of this family now, and I’ve never felt like anything has ever been so right.

  The thought fills me with heat, and I whimper, and press myself against him. His hard dick digs into my leg, causing my already slick walls to contract with longing for him to be inside me.

  Knox kisses across to my ear, and says, “Come to bed.”

  Knox

  Taking Avery’s hand, I pull her up the stairs and into my bedroom. After pulling her top off over her head, I slide my hands around her ribs and undo her bra.

  I can’t wait any longer. Pushing down the way I really felt for her was crushing me, but now that I’ve released all those feelings, I’m overcome with need to claim her body as mine, the way she’s claimed my heart as hers.

  She lets her bra fall to the floor, and I can’t help but smile at her perfect tits — my perfect tits. My dick swells.

  While she takes off the rest of her clothes, I pull mine off. Once we’re both naked, I pull her against me and close my eyes at the skin-on-skin contact. I push my fingers through her hair and bring her lips to mine.

  Our kiss becomes frantic, my cock now rock hard with anticipation.

  Avery wiggles out of my hold and drops to her knees. I struggle to suppress a groan, knowing we have to be quiet. But fuck me, this is too good.

  She licks up and around my shaft, and I’m unable to take my eyes off her. Squinting in the dim light, I can make out her full lips as they take me into her mouth.

  Bobbing her head, my shaft runs back and forth over her prodding tongue. I have to grab her head to compensate for the intensity. When I think things can’t get better, Avery angles her head up and the next thing I know, my cock is halfway down her throat.

  I can’t stop my hips from thrusting, and shivers pulse through my body. This is fucking crazy. My balls tighten, and I grip her head and try to pull her off me, but she clamps her hands onto my legs and sucks harder, holding me in her.

  As much as I love this, and I really fucking love this, it’s not what I want tonight. I bend and hook my arms under hers, pulling her off me and onto the bed. I want to take my time with her.

  My hand finds her mound, and I push my fingers through her folds and into her entrance. Her pussy is dripping fucking wet, and my fingers glide easily against her, pushing on the spot I know drives her wild.

  Avery’s breathing gets heavier by the second, and she moans. I yank my hand away and lightly slap the side of her hip and rest my hand over her mound.

  I lean over her and whisper, “Quiet.”

  She opens her mouth to respond, but I shush her.

  Lying alongside her, I take her clit between my fingers and roll them around it.

  In a low voice, I say, “You have to be quiet.”

  Her breath is fast and ragged, and she rocks her hips as my fingers move. I let go of her clit, and push two fingers into her dripping wet pussy. I want to taste her so fucking bad, but don’t trust her to be quiet.

  I pump my fingers in her until her legs are bending and flopping around and she’s gasping for air. My cock strains against her side, and I can’t hold off any longer.

  After taking my fingers away, I move on top of her and push my cock straight in her.

  Avery lets out a quiet moan as I move deeper into her. I shush her again, and she bites her lip.

  As my hips move, my mind races with all the things we’ve said and done. With the idea of having Avery at my side as Piper grows. And of having her here with me when Piper’s grown up and moves out.

  Most of all, it screams at me for almost pushing her away. With almost losing the most amazing woman ever, just because I was too fucking stupid to see what was in front of me.

  Heat races through my veins, and the growing tingles in my cock block out my ability to think. I thrust harder and faster.

  With my lips to Avery’s ear, I say, “Come for me, baby. Come for the man who loves you.”

  She gasps and convulses underneath me, but she’s quiet. Which means I’ll have her in my bed every fucking night this summer. Even if Piper is home.

  My hips move faster and faster, and my balls draw tight against me. Finally I can deny myself no longer, and my dick erupts, sending enormous shudders up and down my back.

  Out of breath, I lean down and brush my lips against hers, the full lips that first made me want her.

  “I love you too,” Avery says.

  They’re words I never thought anyone other than Piper would ever say to me. Words I never thought I’d ever want nor need anyone other than Piper to say to me. But in reality, they’re three words that fill me, calm me, and make me know my life can be more than what it was.

  After a quick kiss, I pull out and lie on my side, rolling her onto her side and pulling against me, not caring about the cum leaking from her. All I care about is having her in my arms, always.

  The sound of Avery’s breath lulls me to sleep.

  In the morning, I wake up and feel the most refreshed I’ve ever felt in the morning. Avery is still lying tight against me, exactly where she should be.

  A door bangs shut, and a moment later Piper thumps down the stairs. I should talk to her.

  Avery is still asleep as I slip out of bed and pull on boxers, shorts and a t-shirt. I make my way to the kitchen, where Piper is eating a bowl of cereal.

  “Have a good sleep?” I ask.

  “Same as always.”

  Without even making a coffee, I sit at the table.

  “Can I talk to you about Avery?”

  Piper shrugs, and says, “Sure.”

  “What do you think about me dating her?”

  “It’s great. She’s so awesome, and it’s so nice to have her around to talk to.”

  “So it d
oesn’t bother you?”

  “Why would it? It’s about time you had a girlfriend, I never understood why you didn’t date.”

  “I was busy with you.”

  “So what? Lots of my friends have divorced parents, and they all date. I was worried no one liked you.”

  “Hardly,” I laugh, “I was the one who didn’t like any of them.”

  “Until Avery moved here.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I’m really glad she moved to town. And it wouldn’t bother me if the wiring in her house never gets fixed.” Piper takes a mouthful of cereal and chews with a big grin as my mouth hangs open at her comment.

  I get up and set up the coffee maker. As I move around the kitchen, I realize how loose my shoulders feel, and how light I feel all over. With Piper’s official approval, every last thing has fit into place.

  “Got a cup for me?” Avery asks as she enters the room, a big smile on her full lips.

  “Morning, Avery,” Piper says.

  “Good morning. Sleep well?” Avery says, and sits at the table with Piper.

  While I make the coffee, the two of them talk. My back is to them, and I half listen to their conversation and half wonder how there’s always so much for them to talk about. The two of them are amazing. I’m the luckiest fucking man on the planet.

  Epilogue (Avery)

  One Year Later

  “Okay everyone, I know you’ve all been waiting for this day,” I say into the webcam. “So here it is, my first video in my new bedroom. Except as you all know, it isn’t just my bedroom, it’s also The Unicorn’s bedroom.”

  It isn’t really our bedroom, it’s our new fake bedroom. Since the day Nathan freaked out on my lawn, I’ve stayed in Knox’s real bedroom every night. He asked me to officially move in about four months ago.

  Nathan hasn’t attempted any contact with me since, but word on the street is that he found a new girlfriend, one just as boring as him. Which is great, I’m glad they found each other. If nothing else, it keeps him out of my life.

  “Over here is his closet,” I say, pointing the webcam to a fake closet with some of his old clothes hanging in it.

  I moved in, of course, but I couldn’t do anything with my house, like rent it out or sell it, because of my fake bedroom. All we could do was have lots of sex in it. But it’s hardly sensible to keep paying a mortgage for that.