can call a car, but my screen is being stupid.”
“What are you calling a car for, you didn’t drive up here to meet me?”
I shook my head as I tossed the phone back into my purse. “No, something is wrong with my car, and I haven’t had a chance to get it looked at yet. Can I use your phone?”
He placed a protective hand over his pocket as if he thought I might force him to give up his phone as we walked out of the mall. “Tori… I can give you a ride home. That’s not a problem.”
The hell it isn’t.
This shopping trip, with plenty of people around was one thing. Being alone in a confined space with him was something else entirely. “I appreciate that, Avery, but no. I wouldn’t want you to go out of your way when I can get a cab or something.”
Shaking his head, he nodded in the direction of his car. “I already said it wasn’t a problem. Come on.” Without waiting for a response, he started walking away. After a few steps, he glanced back, presumably to make sure I was following him. “Tori, come on. It’s not a problem.”
Before I could think of a rebuttal, the weather made my decision for me. Out of nowhere, it began to rain. It was a light sprinkle, but more than I wanted to wait around in, so I quickly followed him to his car.
“Can you grab the keys for me?” He asked, squinting against the drizzle as he indicated the pocket of his shorts. His hands were full of shopping bags, and I knew he didn’t want to put them on the now wet ground, but I didn’t want to put my hands anywhere near— “Tori? Did you hear me? Can you grab the keys please?”
With a deep breath, I quickly got my hand in and out of his pocket to retrieve the keys, and pressed the button on the key fob to open the trunk and unlock the doors. I climbed into the passenger side and strapped myself in with my purse clutched close to my stomach, trying to take up as little space as possible.
Avery did a little double take when he got in on his side, lifting an eyebrow at what I’m sure was an awkward sight. “Uhh… are you okay? You look… uncomfortable.”
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “Just got a bit soaked, so I’m cold.”
“I can tell…”
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I realized his gaze was pointed right at my breasts, which were covered by my bra, but still pressed very clearly against the damp, thin fabric of my tee shirt. My nipples were already on high alert because of the sudden drop in temperature, and it seemed they were enjoying Avery’s attention, because they somehow got harder.
“Could you not ?” I scolded him, crossing my arms over my chest.
He laughed as he put on his seatbelt, then shifted the car into reverse. “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate. I’m teasing you though… like when you called me a baby earlier, remember?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him smiling in my direction as we exited the parking lot, and I couldn’t help returning it. “I guess you might have a point. We can call it even then.”
“I’m fine with calling it even if you don’t think you can hang.”
Eyebrow raised, I turned to face him. “Excuse me? I’ll have you— oh, shoot, that was my exit! I should probably give you my address or something if you’re giving me a ride home.”
“Don’t need it yet. I need to make a stop first. Tell me what’s going on with your car.”
“I’m not sure , but it sounds bad .”
“What do you mean it ‘sounds bad’? Elaborate.”
I held up a finger, indicating I needed a second, and reached toward the control panel of his car. When he didn’t react, I went ahead and turned on the heat, angling my body away from his before I dropped my arm and pointed the vent toward me to dry my shirt.
He grimaced against the hot hair blasting into the car. “Now that you’ve got us preheating, can you tell me what’s happening with your car?”
“Fine. I went out to my garage this morning to leave, and when I tried to turn it on, it kept
“What are you calling a car for, you didn’t drive up here to meet me?”
I shook my head as I tossed the phone back into my purse. “No, something is wrong with my car, and I haven’t had a chance to get it looked at yet. Can I use your phone?”
He placed a protective hand over his pocket as if he thought I might force him to give up his phone as we walked out of the mall. “Tori… I can give you a ride home. That’s not a problem.”
The hell it isn’t.
This shopping trip, with plenty of people around was one thing. Being alone in a confined space with him was something else entirely. “I appreciate that, Avery, but no. I wouldn’t want you to go out of your way when I can get a cab or something.”
Shaking his head, he nodded in the direction of his car. “I already said it wasn’t a problem. Come on.” Without waiting for a response, he started walking away. After a few steps, he glanced back, presumably to make sure I was following him. “Tori, come on. It’s not a problem.”
Before I could think of a rebuttal, the weather made my decision for me. Out of nowhere, it began to rain. It was a light sprinkle, but more than I wanted to wait around in, so I quickly followed him to his car.
“Can you grab the keys for me?” He asked, squinting against the drizzle as he indicated the pocket of his shorts. His hands were full of shopping bags, and I knew he didn’t want to put them on the now wet ground, but I didn’t want to put my hands anywhere near— “Tori? Did you hear me? Can you grab the keys please?”
With a deep breath, I quickly got my hand in and out of his pocket to retrieve the keys, and pressed the button on the key fob to open the trunk and unlock the doors. I climbed into the passenger side and strapped myself in with my purse clutched close to my stomach, trying to take up as little space as possible.
Avery did a little double take when he got in on his side, lifting an eyebrow at what I’m sure was an awkward sight. “Uhh… are you okay? You look… uncomfortable.”
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “Just got a bit soaked, so I’m cold.”
“I can tell…”
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I realized his gaze was pointed right at my breasts, which were covered by my bra, but still pressed very clearly against the damp, thin fabric of my tee shirt. My nipples were already on high alert because of the sudden drop in temperature, and it seemed they were enjoying Avery’s attention, because they somehow got harder.
“Could you not ?” I scolded him, crossing my arms over my chest.
He laughed as he put on his seatbelt, then shifted the car into reverse. “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate. I’m teasing you though… like when you called me a baby earlier, remember?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him smiling in my direction as we exited the parking lot, and I couldn’t help returning it. “I guess you might have a point. We can call it even then.”
“I’m fine with calling it even if you don’t think you can hang.”
Eyebrow raised, I turned to face him. “Excuse me? I’ll have you— oh, shoot, that was my exit! I should probably give you my address or something if you’re giving me a ride home.”
“Don’t need it yet. I need to make a stop first. Tell me what’s going on with your car.”
“I’m not sure , but it sounds bad .”
“What do you mean it ‘sounds bad’? Elaborate.”
I held up a finger, indicating I needed a second, and reached toward the control panel of his car. When he didn’t react, I went ahead and turned on the heat, angling my body away from his before I dropped my arm and pointed the vent toward me to dry my shirt.
He grimaced against the hot hair blasting into the car. “Now that you’ve got us preheating, can you tell me what’s happening with your car?”
“Fine. I went out to my garage this morning to leave, and when I tried to turn it on, it kept
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