All In

by Greene, Brook

  All In

  The Story of Leo and Avery

  Brook Greene

  For the girls,

  Thank you for all the encouragement and praise.

  I could not have done this without each of you.

  From the bottom of my heart, I love you all.

  Avery

  I throw my arms into the air for the fifth time to accentuate my point, ‘Piper, I don’t want to go, I want to sit right here on this lovely couch and watch bad TV.” I was whining, which for a thirty two year old was not a good look. I listen as Piper, my roommate, stomps around our little condo/apartment huffing, I just roll my eyes at her.

  She gives me her evil eye and cocks up her hip, ‘Damn it Avery, you know who you are going to be don’t you? The crazy lady who has like forty cats and her whole apartment stinks of vinegary cat piss.”

  “That is disgusting Piper, thanks for the mental image, but no it will not be me because I don’t like cats so see there, problem solved staying in tonight.” I retort trying to look everywhere but at her face.

  “You’re going.” She demanded as she stomps her foot acting like a child.

  “No I am not.” I argue with what seems to be a very tall five year old because now she has broken out the pouty face.

  “Please Avery, I don’t want to go alone.” Oh great now she is the one who is whining.

  Moving to change the subject slightly, ‘Are you going to see the hot guy from your brother’s shop, Dalton?’ I question as she blushes in response, ‘Oh Piper you are aren’t you?” I huff as I sit down on the bed, ‘shit he is nothin’ but trouble girl and you know it. But I guess you do have a thing for the bad boy type.”

  I have lived here around five months. Piper and I had met in college and when I had needed somewhere to get out from under my father’s controlling thumb she was more than happy to take me in along with the extra rent money. Since then Piper has had every loser with in a twenty-mile radius on display at our apartment, her excuse, you never know until you try them out. None of them ever last very long for which I am very thankful for and so are my very sparse belongings.

  She slams her hair brush down on the counter of my bathroom and crosses over to the bed beside me flinging herself backwards, ‘yes Avery okay, I am going to see him, but do you blame me? You were there and saw him walk out of the garage in all his six foot two biker fuckin’ glory.” She is fanning herself as she stared whimsically up at the popcorn ceiling above my bed. I fall back beside her and looked up closing my eyes and bask in the glory of my first memory of him.

  “Yes.” Is all I can say but I will have to admit when we had taken her car down to the garage two days ago because the power stirring belt was making a funny noise, he had impressed me.

  ****

  I had been sitting in Piper’s car waiting for her to reemerge from the office when a sandy blonde haired tattooed Greek God strolled out of one of the bay doors. My mouth fell open and my eyes went wide as I took him in from head to toe, like I was scanning his body into the memory card in my brain. I couldn’t break my eyes from his broad shoulders and thick arms covered in tattoos from his wrists all the way up until the ink disappeared under his very tight black t-shirt.

  As if he could feel my eyes on him, he looked up and caught me staring. I quickly looked away feeling the hot flash of embarrassment hit my cheeks. Not wanting to lose the mouth watering visual, I glanced back up at him through my lashes and was met with one of the most mischievous grins every plastered on a man. My stomach did a somersault and my mouth began to water.

  I was graciously saved by the bell from the office door being flung open as Piper bounded down the steps at the sight of him. She was on him in a second and had him at the hood of her car in no time. Not many men could resist Piper, she was slim strawberry blonde perfection, her skin had an olive tone, from weeks of lying in the sun on our deck set off her crystal blue eyes making them sparkle. And I could see the mechanic hottie was no exception.

  She opened her door reaching in to pop the hood so he could take a look; she glanced over at me and gave me a high wattage smile.

  “Get out of the car Avery,’ she nodded to the front of the car where he had lifted the hood and was bending over so he could get a better look, ‘so you can meet Dalton.”

  “No I am fine.” Unable to move into any proximity of the God who was now working on Piper’s car, I remain sitting in my seat for the time being also to stem the tide of gross embarrassment from being caught staring at him.

  “Don’t be a silly goose. It is like a hundred degrees in here.” She was begging me with her eyes to be her wingman.

  I reluctantly open my door to step out when the bottom fell out of my world, not only was there a blonde Greek god but I looked up to see a mind bending illusion sauntering across the parking lot toward us. He was as tall, if not taller, than Dalton. Clad in ripped faded jeans accentuating his strong legs. His long arms were covered in tattoos and the white wife beater tee he had on displayed his upper torso as if it were a painted canvas. His black hair fell unkept around his pierced ears with tight silver hoops matching the one he had in his left eyebrow and also the one in his lower lip. I found I was unable to let go of the door handle for fear of falling flat on my face.

  As he got closer my ears began to ring and the butterflies, Dalton had ignited in my belly, came back to life in full force at the mere closeness of this man. He stopped beside Dalton ignoring me he leaned down to take a look at the problem.

  “Piper what the hell honey?” His deep baritone rumbled from under the hood shaking my very foundation, making me have to white knuckle the door.

  “I was turning around the other day and it just started to scream and then the air conditioner went out.” Her face is awash with childlike innocence as she looks at Dalton with puppy eyes. Have you ever had one of those moments when you feel like you are in a tunnel and all the voices around you are echoing or you cannot hear them at all and all you see are the mouths moving, well I am in one of those right now.

  “Avery, are you alright?” Piper spied me over the roof of her car giving me a put out look.

  “What?’ Is all I can mange, in the few minutes of being in the presence of this man I have lost all ability to speak or think, much less act like a functioning homosapien who learned to use a wheel and fire millions of years ago.

  “Are you alright?” She speaks slowly as if I am gingerbread or something. I have now garnered the attention of the two men. I will myself out of the haze, glancing at them to see his eyes are two pieces of coal and they were traveling up my body stopping at my cleavage. I clear my throat to let him know I can see him but smile inwardly at the look of appreciation on his face.

  “Hey babe.” He moves around the fender of the car and wipes his hands on a dirty grease rag he had pulled from his back pocket, offering me his recently cleaned hand, ‘I’m Leo.” I sheepishly take his big hand which practically dwarfs mine. He gives it a gentle shake then holds it a little long giving me a questioning look.

  The music from Apocalypse Now begins to play in my head as my libido dances around in my body, I fight my legs to keep them from spreading and the urge to grab him and maul him right there in front of Piper, hot Dalton and the world.

  Leo looks over at Piper, ‘I think she is broken,’ standing at his full height he looks over at me with pure unadulterated lust, ‘are you sure she isn’t the one in need of a little tuning up ‘cause if it be the case I am the mechanic for you, baby.” His eyes peruse me and I am thankful in the moment even though this was my day off I had put effort into my appearance.

  “Avery snap out of it, god.” Piper claps her hands together trying to pull me out of my stupor. My mind was screaming danger, Will Robinson, danger but my body was purring inwardly
begging for him to pet me. I squeeze my eyes together and swallow shaking the fog from my head, who is this man and why is he having such an effect on me? Never in my whole life have I ever been so provoked by the male species.

  A loud rustle from inside the shop and boisterous laughter from Roman, Piper’s brother, pulls me from my semi-comatose state, ‘Little sis,’ Piper runs to him as he sweeps her up into his arms. Setting her back down, he comes over to Leo shouldering up next to him training his eyes on me, ‘so I see you have met Avery.” Leo nods his answer but never takes his eyes from me.

  Roman takes me by the shoulders placing a kiss on my forehead before leaning me back to look at me in the eye, ‘Avery baby, you okay.” I redirect my eyes to him and off of Leo, giving my burnt wires a much needed break.

  Jarring myself from the Rise of The Valkyries trip my hormones had just taken me on, ‘yeah I am fine, I think I just got a little too hot in the car.” I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck as he gives me a good squeeze.

  Piper huffs, ‘I don’t think it was the heat in the car that messed her up.” Piper then not so inconspicuously holds up one hand to hide her pointing at Leo with the other.

  Leo moves around Roman offering me his hand again, ‘Leo.” His eyes are so black the intensity of them sends a shiver down my spine.

  “Avery Delany.” I spout with a little more confidence.

  Leo laughs, ‘let me guess your Dad’s name is Otto and is on death row in California?” He has yet to let go of my hand.

  Confused I shake my head, ‘No his name is Kent.” I watch as the color drains out of his face, ‘he lives twenty minutes away.” It grew so quiet you could hear the crickets chirping in the background.

  ****

  Leo

  I was standing just inside the bay doors when I spotted her sitting in the passenger side of Piper’s car. I tried to see as much of her as I could and believe me what I saw was more to my liking than most I had seen in a while. I wasn’t at a shortage of women, tall or short, fat or lean, it didn’t matter they all threw themselves at me every night. I partook on a regular basis but this one, she was different, and I was in serious need of different. I decided me lurking in the dark corners of this dusty old shop was a little creepy so I moved to walk towards the car and was rewarded richly.

  She had moved from sitting in the car to standing just outside the passenger door. Her long dark hair hung in lose curls around her shoulders and I let my eyes smooth over her ample round boobs. They were more than a hand full for me and that is saying a lot. I clinch my mitts into fists and mentally picture holding one in each hand giving the nipples a slight tweak between my thumb and index fingers. I licked my lips as my eyes drifted down her stomach and landed on her curvaceous hips, rounded just enough to make her sexy as hell. Her legs were long and luscious on their own, great for wrapping around my waist.

  I blink once as our eyes meet and I feel the sting of slight embarrassment from being caught staring, but not really. I enjoyed the hell out of making her eye candy. I would have her and soon, the thought of her writhing under me, makes me have to give myself a shift in my jeans as I lean into Piper’s car to assess the damage this little diva has done.

  As Dalton and I lean under the hood, I notice she has yet to make a sound. This was unusual around me as well because most women would have already resorted to rubbing their boobs all over me, trying to coax me into a conversation with their limited knowledge of motorcycles.

  Roman seems to know her, his kiss on her forehead sends an unwelcome jolt of jealously through me. Not wanting to be pushed to the side, I duck around the hood to find her checking me out. Puffing out my chest and offering her my hand introducing myself. She takes my offered appendage and I see it completely engulfs hers. I let my thumb rub a small circle on the back of it, drinking in the softness of her skin. I studied her dark green eyes and watch as they flickered around trying their best to focus on everything but me.

  Then the revelations of her name and the identity of her father had me back peddling. Reassessing my need for her but I found the fact she was the boss’s daughter only made me want her more. How in almost twenty years of knowing the man had I never known he had a daughter, let me rephrase, a fucking hot daughter? This is just like the boss, always keeping things quiet unless it was a need to know.

  After Piper and Avery left the lot I am still reeling from the bomb she had dropped on my hard on. I go to corner Roman. I find him in the office fucking with Alice. Stepping through the door he turns and gives me a smartass grin, ‘so I guess you are here to pick my brain about the savory Avery?”

  “Who’s Avery?’ Alice, our portly receptionist, inquires.

  Roman turns to address her, ‘Leo’s new conquest,’ he turns back to me, ‘I am going to cock block him at every turn. She is mine dude, dibs and all, I saw her first.”

  Crossing over to the desk I plant my hands on it and giving him a shit eating grin, ‘look you little fucker you are going to tell me all about her or I will pull Piper’s card and get her address myself.”

  Roman leans against the far wall crossing his arms over his chest, “do what you want she will make her choice,” he points at his chest, ‘she and I have a history.”

  “I don’t give a rat’s ass what you think you have with her,” Roman and I stand stock still, neither one of us offering to budge.

  His smirk pisses me off even more, ‘what are ya gonna do, call her Daddy and tell on me?” He snickers after his juvenile comment.

  I straighten my back giving him my own eat shit look, ‘no, but if you are going to make this a game, then consider the gauntlet thrown brother.” I turn and storm out of the office slamming the door against the wall making a hole with the door knob cursing myself because I will have to fix later.

  Going out into the shop I am met with the glaring eyes of Dalton and Beeker, ‘hey man what up?” Dalton and his surfer speak.

  Shaking it off, ‘nothing,’ pausing and seeing my in through Dalton I try to tamp down my over eager libido and seem casual, ‘hey the girl with Piper, what is her story?”

  Dalton shrugs, “nothin like scandalous or anything just Piper’s roommate and all.” He gives me a smile, ‘why you interested big man?” He gives me a slight nudge on the shoulder knocking me off balance.

  Recovering and giving him a smile, ‘potential.” I try and act not interested but I know he can read me like a fucking book. Damn brotherhood, it is good in some ways, but in others it sucks ass.

  Nodding his head with a look in his eyes garnering him a punch to the shoulder, ‘shit dude, what was that for?” He huffs as he rubs the spot where I had just planted my fist.

  “Tell me all you know.” I demand, which holds a lot of weight with these guys around here.

  Holding his hand in surrender, ‘okay, okay all I know is what Piper says and she doesn’t date,’ he pauses and gives me a shit grin, ‘at all. She is all about her work; she is a nurse, at the prison.” In his pause I give him a look raising my eye brows at the knowledge, ‘ya I know man but I don’t think daddy is privy to the info so let’s keep it on the down low dude. Anyhoo um she and Piper met in college and she needed a place and my piece of hot ass gave it to her.”

  Punching him again in the shoulder, ‘don’t talk about Piper like that, she is Roman’s little sister.” I grab a beer and offer Dalton one from the shop fridge.

  Looking a bit guilty Dalton smiles, ‘I know brother but man she is hot, you have to give me that.”

  Shrugging, ‘if you like boney women.” Avery wasn’t big but she wasn’t anorexic either, she had curves that could fill out a pair of jeans like no bodies business. Standing in a room full of men just simple thoughts of her were boner inducing, I shift slightly trying to reduce the amount of pressure my jeans were putting my cock.

  Dalton not missing a thing, ‘looks like we have a winner people!” He announces holding up his arms and making a complete three sixty, my indiscretion is being announced to the
empty shop, for which I am grateful.

  Punching him once more in the arm, ‘Fucker, now tell me everything.” Finally after taking a drag from his beer Dalton fills me in on the, as Roman put it, Miss very savory Avery.

  ****

  Avery

  “Leo will be there.” She wiggles her eyebrows.

  I sigh, Leo he has not been very far from my thoughts, my dreams or the self-induced orgasms. Which I have found are becoming more frequent in the past two days since I was introduced to the man and his body.

  Trying to recover my sheen of nonchalance, ‘Why would such a bit of information sway me?” I try to act coy but I immediately feel my body tense and I busy myself fiddling with the corner of the pillow case trying to avoid eye contact with her.

  The statement has me on the receiving end of a slap to the arm, ‘give me a break you liar, you went all Nell on us and I think you might have even drooled a little,’ she takes her finger and trails a line out of the corner of her mouth, ‘yep right down through here.”

  I huff at her, then try to rack my brain, and was a little scared. I actually might have, ‘you bitch, no I did not”.

  She props herself up on her elbow and is looking down at me, ‘okay so then it is like this, I already told him you were coming, and he is so not the kind of man who takes rejection really well.” She bounds off my bed and heads to my closet.

  I sit up on the edge of my bed, ‘why would you tell him yes before you even told me we were invited?”

  She turns and puts her hand on her hip and cocks it out to the side, I love her little sassy frame, ‘because it is the only way I could get an invite okay, Roman didn’t want me to come.” She flings herself back into the closet and starts to throw some of my more questionable attire at me.

  “Piper stop for a minute and explain this to me please.” I am a year older than she is but sometimes I feel like an old maid and she is my understudy. There are few things about which I am clueless this happens to be one of them because the little slut is being so vague and mysterious about it.