Her lips tightened into a thin line. Carter realized he’d made a big mistake when she stood up, grabbed her purse, and glared. “Sure. Blackmailing me by citing a bet to spend time together is a great start. I’ve got back-to-back weddings this entire weekend, so Monday looks like the only option. Why don’t you text me when my punishment begins and how long I need to be there with you? I’m really looking forward to our first date.”
“Wait, Avery—”
“And how about a special secret tip straight from a woman’s lips?” She leaned in and practically snarled. “Sometimes not saying exactly what you feel is much smarter. Sometimes being a mystery can be a damn good thing.”
Lucy gave her another warning growl, not liking her tone.
Avery shot a glare at the dog, spun on her heel, and marched out.
Ah, shit. He’d done it again.
He’d been an asshole.
Chapter Twelve
Avery flung open the door to her sisters’ house and marched in. “I cannot believe what a jerk he is! I’m done. From now on, if he needs something, you have to handle it.” Huffing in frustration, she opened the refrigerator, grabbed a bottle of chardonnay, and poured herself a glass.
“Did you just come into my house without knocking again?” Taylor asked, grabbing back the bottle and refilling her own glass. She wore jeans with rips at the knee and a minuscule black halter top. Her pink hair was messy and gave her a bit of a rocker look. Paint dotted her clothes and smeared her hands. In her spare time, Avery’s sister practiced art and loved creating bold, intense paintings on canvas meant to challenge the onlooker. “What if I’d been getting laid?”
Avery froze. “Wait—are you in a relationship you haven’t told me about?”
She rolled her eyes. “News flash, babe. You don’t need to be in a relationship to sleep with someone. I don’t have your hang-ups.”
Avery shot her sister a look. “Fine, I’m sorry, I keep forgetting you demand privacy. Where’s Bella?”
“Probably putting Zoe down for bed. What’s got you all stressed out, oh mighty leader? Haven’t seen you this riled up since the best man puked all over the groom right before the Hoffman ceremony.”
The memory hit and still had the power to put her in a bad mood. “I’d put out a puke bucket because I knew he’d gotten drunk the night before, but he didn’t even use it!”
Taylor grinned. “It all worked out. Switch out a new shirt, a bit of seltzer on the pants and jacket, some Febreze, and he was good to go. Who’s the guy pissing you off now?”
“Carter Ross.” Avery slid her butt onto the trendy barstool Taylor liked, then wondered if she needed to squeeze in more time at the gym. Her rear seemed to have an overabundance of flesh compared to a week ago. Was it all those chocolate croissants? “He’s been torturing me this entire summer, making stupid bets about whose picks Ally would choose, and I’m done. Can you take care of him, please?”
Taylor considered her and took a sip of wine. “No.”
“Why not?” she whined. “I’ll take over one of your clients—we’ll do a switch.”
“Ally’s your best friend, you took this on last minute, and now you have to deal with the consequences.”
She shook her head. “Why are you such a bitch?”
Taylor grinned. “I work hard at it.”
The inner door banged open, and Bella strode in. “Is there wine?” she hissed frantically. With her golden hair pulled back in a ponytail, yoga pants, and a white T-shirt that said JUST BREATHE, she seemed to glow from the inside, a natural beauty Avery had always envied.
“I didn’t hear a knock,” Taylor said between clenched teeth. “Honestly, Bella, do you want my poor niece scarred for life? I could’ve been rolling around on the couch out here.”
“Oh my God, are you in a secret relationship? Who are you seeing?”
Taylor groaned. “You are both hopeless. Wine’s over there.”
Bella filled her glass and took the third stool by the granite island. Avery noticed that her butt fit perfectly on the tiny cushion. Figured. “Wedding season is killing me. Zoe is full of energy and running me ragged. And my vibrator finally broke, so now I need to find a new one.”
“That’s what I call a bleachable moment,” Avery said.
Taylor looked serious. “There’s a few new ones on the market since 2010.”
“You’re a real comedian. All I need is for it to be small, mighty, and quiet.”
“Underachiever,” Taylor muttered.
Avery couldn’t help but laugh. “You guys are bonkers.”
“Even worse? We’re celibate,” Bella said glumly, taking a sip of wine. “How do you meet someone when your entire day revolves around committed men?”
“Hey, what about Carter?” Taylor suggested. “Avery’s looking to get rid of him because he’s driving her crazy. Why don’t you spend some time with him doing the rest of the wedding appointments? He’s great with Zoe, he’s cute, and he’s single.”
A stab of jealousy lanced through Avery. Gripping the glass with a too-fierce hold, she tried not to glare daggers at her sister for suggesting it.
Bella tilted her head in consideration. “What’s his deal, Avery?”
Avery cleared her throat. “Trust me, you don’t want to get involved with him. He’s pushy and opinionated. I doubt you’d be a good match.”
Bella crossed her long, graceful legs. “Hmm, he seemed really nice when we met him. At first, I thought you two would be cute together, but I could tell you weren’t into him. He’s here for the rest of the summer? What does he do? Is he definitely single? Zoe really liked him.”
Heat seeped under her skin. Uneasiness stirred. Was Bella seriously interested in him? She hadn’t dated in so long, closed off to the idea of moving on from Matt, but five years had passed now. She deserved to find some happiness. Was Avery being too quick to discourage her sister because of her own opinions? Could Carter be a match?
Hell no, the inner voice inside whispered with an edge of nasty. Because he’s yours.
The image of their searing kiss burned hot and bright. She shook her head, trying to clear it. “He’s a hacker. He’s here for the rest of the summer, and then he’ll head back to DC. He’s definitely single.”
They waited for more, but she had nothing further to give. The idea of Bella and Carter together danced in her brain. Of course he’d fall for her. Bella was one of the most beautiful people she knew, inside and out. They could get married, and he’d be a stepfather to Zoe, and Avery would have to deal with the secret of their kiss and these ridiculous feelings hidden deep inside. Maybe one day she’d explode, and she and Bella would have a huge fight and never speak again. All because she’d allowed Bella to date Carter.
“Dude, what’s up with you?” Taylor asked, narrowing her gaze. “You look sick.”
“I just don’t think Bella dating Carter is a good idea,” Avery said.
Her sisters studied her for a while in silence. She arranged her face into a pleasant mask, waiting for the subject to change, and then everything exploded.
“Holy shit, you’re into him!” Taylor yelled. “You’ve got the hots for Carter!”
“Do not!” she shouted back instantly. “You’re being stupid!”
Bella laughed. “Oh my God, T is right. You like him and that’s why you’re acting all weird.”
“No wonder you’re so mad at him,” Taylor said. She turned to Bella. “Before you came in, she was droning on about what a jerk he was, and how she doesn’t want to work with him anymore. It was the first time she’s ever asked to switch a client.”
Bella nodded. “Yep, proof. Now, tell us everything. Don’t leave out any details.”
She blew out a frustrated breath. “There’s nothing to tell. I’m just . . . confused. I don’t think I like him, but then after we had that dinner at Peter Shields, we—”
“Wait, he took you to dinner?” Taylor asked. “Why didn’t we know that?”
“Because we’re all running ragged with work, and I didn’t mention it in our morning meetings. Plus, I paid because I lost a bet, so it wasn’t a date.”
“What bet?” Bella demanded.
“Remember when he picked Ally’s dress? He told me if she chose his option, I had to treat him to dinner.”
Her sisters shared a meaningful look. “Oh yeah, he’s definitely interested,” Bella said.
“So, after dinner, he suggested we walk on the beach and—”
“It’s illegal to walk the beach after nine,” Bella interrupted.
“I know.” She tamped down a groan. “We snuck under the chains.”
Taylor’s jaw dropped. “You? The ultimate rule follower? I can’t believe it. That’s the craziest thing you’ve done since you moved back home.”
She glared. “Can I finish my story, please?”
“Sorry,” Taylor said.
“We snuck on the beach, and before I knew it, we were kissing.”
“But you said you didn’t like him,” Taylor pointed out.
“I didn’t think I did, but there’s this intense chemistry between us. Freaks me out. And when he lets his guard down, he’s different and sort of sweet and I want to get close and comfort him.”
“So romantic,” Bella said with a sigh. “How does he kiss?”
“Really, really good. Who knows what would’ve happened if Ron didn’t break it up?”
“No way,” Taylor breathed. “You got busted by Ron?”
“Yep.” She told the rest of the story, all the way up to yesterday, when they’d made the beach date. “Now I’m supposed to go to the beach with him, but I have the Mitchell wedding and a million things to do, so I’ll probably end up canceling.”
“No.”
Avery looked over at Taylor, whose face was set in the serious lines that showed she was not playing.
“You’re going. This man actually interests you, and even better? He challenges you, Avery. I’ll switch my day off and cover for you Monday.”
Bella chewed on her lip. “Uh-oh. I need some help with Zoe on Monday. I was going to ask if you could watch her just for a few hours, T.”
“Damn,” Taylor said.
Bella waved her hand in the air. “I’ll find someone else. Trust me, a man is much more important at this point. I agree with T. You need to spend some time with him and see if there’s anything there other than intense dislike and sexual chemistry.”
“Absolutely not. I refuse to lounge on a beach while you scramble to find a sitter for Zoe. Unless . . .” She trailed off, the plan forming perfectly in her mind. “I have an idea. A way to really test things out.”
“What?” Bella asked.
“I’ll take Zoe with me to the beach. He promised her a few weeks ago, anyway, and this will be a great way to see how he is in a relaxed environment. Stick a man with a preschooler for a few hours in the sun and you see the truth.”
“That’s kind of mean,” Taylor said. “But it may work. Especially if he’s trying to mask the bet as a way to get you alone. Teaches him a lesson and gives you the chance to see things more clearly.”
Bella sighed. “I think you should just skip the beach date and sleep with him.”
Avery laughed. “Sleeping with your best friend’s brother is so . . .”
“Cliché?” Taylor asked.
“Tropey. It screams romance novel and chick-flick movie. Maybe it was just a hot kiss and together we’ll be one hot mess,” she said with a sigh.
“Better to find out now,” Bella said. “I will allow you to borrow my daughter for your wicked plan. Just make sure you tell us everything afterward, and don’t leave out the good stuff.” She finished her wine and stood up. “I gotta get to bed. I’m exhausted.”
“And I have to finish this painting,” Taylor said. “Pierce said he’d hang one in his studio and try to sell it for me.”
Avery paused, studying her sister. Her cheeks were a bit flushed, which was unusual. “Hey, you didn’t tell me you wanted to try selling them. We can put some up in the conference room, too, if you want.”
Her sister shook her head. “Nah, that’s overkill. No one’s going to buy them anyway. Pierce just thought it would look nice behind his desk when he meets clients.”
“That’s nice. And don’t say that about your work. I always told you to try and go commercial or make a website.”
“Agreed,” Bella said. “I’ve always thought you had amazing talent.”
Taylor glared, a normal reaction when she was beginning to feel vulnerable. “Give me a break. Family doesn’t get to have an opinion, because they can’t see clearly. I should’ve never mentioned it.” She stormed out and shut the door behind her.
Bella sighed. “Mom always said she had a nasty temper. She really wants to be an artist, but she won’t admit it.”
“Probably afraid,” Avery said thoughtfully. “At least she felt comfortable enough to give one to Pierce.”
“Well, you know how close those two are. I always wanted a male friend like that. Preferably gay.”
“Remember when you thought Gabe was gay?” Avery asked with a grin. “I’ve never seen him so upset.”
“Well, I didn’t know! I rarely see a male working full-time in the wedding industry, and then he wore those leather pants. I feel terrible about how I judged him. I don’t think he’s ever really forgiven me for that assumption.”
“He never wore those pants again,” she said.
They giggled. Bella shook her head. “Okay, I’m going. Hopefully, you’ll sleep with Carter and give me every dirty detail. I’m tired of having celibate, boring sisters. Even Taylor is all talk and no action.”
Avery stuck out her tongue. “Just make sure to have Zoe ready bright and early Monday morning for our beach trip.”
Her sister gave a thumbs-up, and the door closed. Even though privacy was sometimes a problem in a town like Cape May, Avery loved having her sisters on the same block, and since they shared a house, it was the perfect way to see both in one visit.
She washed and recycled the wine bottle, cleaned her glass, and tidied the counter. Then she headed home to plan for her big date.
Chapter Thirteen
When Carter saw the two females tripping over the sand—pushing a large stroller filled with endless towels, buckets, shovels, toys, and an umbrella—he realized he’d been had.
His first date included a preschooler.
God, she was ruthless.
Still, as he walked over to meet them, he couldn’t help his gaze from roving over Avery’s flash of naked leg, or the luscious curves beneath her filmy red cover-up. Her curly hair was pinned up tight, but already the wind tugged a few honey-colored strands free and whipped them at her face. She seemed to be chattering away with her niece, but once Zoe saw him, she squealed and took off running over the sand, throwing a tide of grains at her aunt in a flurry.
He knelt down and swung her around, enjoying the high-pitched giggles. She wore a ruffled hot-pink bathing suit, a pink hat, and glittery pink sandals encrusted with jewels. Bangle bracelets filled up a wrist. Amusement skittered through him. “I didn’t know we were supposed to wear our jewels to the beach,” he said, feigning frustration. “I left my tiara at home.”
“You don’t have a tiara,” she said with a toothy grin. “Boys don’t wear those, silly.”
“Oh, then it’s a good thing I didn’t. Wouldn’t want anyone to laugh at me.”
Her face pulled into a serious frown. “That’s bullying, and it’s very bad,” she whispered. “I won’t let anyone do that to you, Carter.”
His heart melted into a pile of goo. “Thanks, princess. But you may have to watch your aunt. Sometimes she can say mean things.”
“I’ll make sure Aunt Avery is nice to you.”
The woman in question rolled her eyes, huffing slightly from pushing the stroller over the sand. He reached around and gently nudged her out of the way to take over. “Already brainwashing her, robot m
an?” she asked.
“Just looking for a little protection.” He leaned in, out of Zoe’s earshot. “After all, you brought her to be your guardian, right? So you wouldn’t have to be alone with me?”
She sputtered in outrage, and he grinned in delight, pushing the stroller ahead. “Bella needed some help, so I offered to bring Zoe. You promised her, remember?”
“That I did.”
“See, we bang out the bet and the promise in one shot.”
“Not the bang I’d hoped for,” he muttered. He stopped at the wide-open spot he’d picked to settle in for the day and began tugging things from the stroller. Zoe immediately plopped in the sand and started burying her legs, ignoring them.
Avery’s lips pursed into a tiny little O. “What did you say?”
His gaze raked over her slowly, deliberately, and he heard her catch of breath as the attraction between them caught fire and sizzled to life. “A different bang from what I’d hoped,” he repeated slowly. He admired the rosy color in her cheeks as his meaning sank in. “I’m fine having Zoe here today. We’ll have a lot of fun. It’s just going to be more difficult for us.”
She blinked. “Difficult how? Watching her? She’s very good.”
He gave her a lazy grin. “No, stealing another kiss. But don’t worry. I’m a pretty smart guy. I’ll work it out.”
He ignored her gasp, peeled off his shirt, and knelt in front of Zoe. “Race you to the water?”
“Yeah!” She jumped up, grabbing his hand, and they ran past the lifeguard into the waves.
He didn’t have to look back to see the simmering heat in Avery’s hazel eyes, or the frustration emanating from her gorgeous body. The image was clearly outlined in his imagination, so he focused on playing with Zoe and ignoring the woman who was wrecking his peaceful vacation.
He hadn’t experienced this much fun in a long, long time.
Why did the man have to look so hot in a bathing suit?
Avery tried not to gawk at the endless amounts of olive-toned skin, with the perfect sprinkling of hair dusting his chest, arms, legs, and tapering to that silky line that disappeared into his waistband. How were his abs so cut for a man who sat behind a desk? Those biceps and calves were taut and muscled. His ass was tight. But the biggest surprise was when he turned around and displayed the magnificent tattoo on the back of his right shoulder. An intricate compass inked his skin, seemingly with great detail she couldn’t study from this distance.
Love on Beach Avenue Page 16