Page 10 of Pressure Point

Liam: I’m home

Avery: Yay! Thanks for letting me know!

Liam: NP. See you tomorrow

Avery: Can’t wait! :)

Me too, love, me too.

Chapter Four

Catching a glimpse of herself in a mirror as she made her way through the lobby of Liam’s building, Avery was suddenly second-guessing her choice of outfit. Truth be told, she hadn’t put much thought into what she was wearing when she’d left the house, only pausing to see if she needed something heavier than the oversized, long-sleeved Georgia Tech spirit tee she had thrown on over her sports bra and joggers that morning when she got out of the shower. Now that she looked at herself though, she realized she looked maybe a bit too relaxed for the occasion.

Not that this was a date. She and Liam were just two friends watching a movie. But still, she probably should have made some effort, yes? Her friendship with Liam was still new, and it might still be a little early to let him in on just how much of a ragamuffin she was. At least she’d put her hair in a French braid while it was still wet. If nothing else, her hair looked decent.

“Hi.”

The sound of Liam’s voice startled her, a small yelp escaping as she jumped. Liam took a step back as well, the pizza boxes in his hands shifting, his eyes wide with surprise at the sound she made. Her hand flew to her chest, feeling her rapid heartbeat under her breastbone, as if holding her hand there would keep it in place.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, his expression shifting to concern. He looked almost dapper in his jeans and a button-down, with his signature backwards black ballcap that he wore. She’d never seen him in anything other than workout gear, his team kit, or his gameday suit, and she was taken aback by just how good he looked like this. Now she felt even more self-conscious.

“It’s okay, I was just lost in thought,” she told him. The elevator dinged, and they both stepped inside, Liam pushing the button for his floor.

“I hope pizza is okay. I’ve been craving carbs all day.”

“Pizza is always okay. If I ever turn down pizza, then you should worry about me.”

“Good to know.”

Stepping off the elevator, Liam pointed in the direction of his apartment. She followed him down the hall, motioning an offer to hold the boxes while he unlocked the door, but he shook his head, a coy smile on his lips letting her know he appreciated it but that he had it under control. He held the door open with his foot, nodding for her to go first.

“Holy cow!” she said, a few steps into the apartment. The white tile of the entry gave way to the hardwood floors of the kitchen to the left and to a large, open living area a few steps in front of her. A large brown sectional sat up against a pony wall that separated the living area from the open dining space to her right. Across from the couch was a large fireplace, a flatscreen hanging above it. There was a set of French doors to the right of the couch that she assumed led to a patio, the windows covered by decorative curtains that tapered in the middle, making them look like hourglasses. The mantle was decorated with a dozen photos, all full of people who at a quick glance looked just like Liam. Avery assumed it was his family, and her heart squeezed, loving that of the few decorations here, they were front and center.

“Welcome,” he said, placing the boxes down on the kitchen counter. Pointing to a small hallway right off the backside of the kitchen, he continued, “Bathroom is right there, and then my bedroom is at the end of the hall.”

“This place is amazing! You're by yourself?”

“Yeah. After living with my family, I thought the idea of living some place by myself would be nice. Enjoy the quiet. But Gunnar and Talia are actually just a couple of floors up from here, so I’m not far from people.” He paused, smiling awkwardly, letting the silence surround them. “So, uhhh, I wasn’t sure what you ate, so I got this one that they call Grandma’s pizza. It’s just cheese, tomatoes, garlic cloves, and basil. But there are garlic knots and mozzarella sticks too. Or we can order something else.”

She bit back a giggle at the uncertainly on Liam’s face, not wanting him to notice she was laughing at him. There was just something so endearing about how he wanted to make sure she was taken care of. The only other guys she’d ever met who did such a thing were her brothers. Knowing that Liam was the same way made her feel safe.

“That all sounds delicious. And I promise not to tell the team’s nutritionist,” she joked.

“I ran this morning,” he defended. “And yesterday was match day, so today is about replenishing.”

“With deep fried cheese?”

“It’s dairy. And I had veggies last night.”

“Also deep fried if I remember your laments properly.”

“They were not laments. I just have never seen anyone fry a green bean until moving to the States. Although, I must admit, they do taste much better that way.”

“Everything tastes better fried! Even Oreos,” she teased, taking a plate he handed her.

“Still a bridge too far.”

They made quick work of filling their plates with food, before Liam led her into the living room, where they parked themselves on the couch. Biting into the pizza, she let out a soft moan as the flavors hit her tongue. The juicy tomato burst in her mouth right as the spice from the garlic took over, and the kaleidoscope of flavors was better than anything she’d had before. Liam stopped midbite, looking at her like he was trying to gauge whether she was enjoying her food or if it had somehow taken a swing at her.