Page 42 of Pressure Point

For all her worries that things would be weird between them after that, come Monday morning at practice it was business as usual. Liam was his normal stoic self, focused entirely on his training, only coming to say hi after practice was over. There was no acknowledgement of their…encounter…just the same friendly banter that always passed between them, and a question of if she wanted to watch a movie while they were away in Vancouver.

Avery had expected some kind of something. Not that she knew what to say either, but she hadn’t expected silence. Wasn’t this usually where there was an “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to” or a “so about the other night…”? Maybe she was the one who was supposed to say something, since technically she did kiss him. But if Liam was going to act as if nothing had changed, so was she.

“Well, at least you have the whole weekend off. You do have the whole weekend off, right?”

“Yes,” Avery answered, slipping into her jeans. She stumbled slightly, losing her balance, and let out a huff as she caught herself against the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting dressed. Liam and I are going dancing.”

“Dancing? You and McBroody? Is there something I need to know?”

Yes.

“No, this is just part of Operation: Sexy Beast,” she said.

It was. Going out dancing had always been a part of the plan. It was the getting handsy part that hadn’t been.

“And you’re still just friends? Are you sure?”

No.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

They were still just friends, right? She had no idea how any of this worked, and as much as she wanted to confide in her best friend, she was also way too chicken to admit to any of it. I let him touch me in ways I’ve only ever dreamed of being touched, and now I don’t know how I feel, is what she should be telling Hazel. Because thinking back on that moment made the butterflies come alive in her belly and a zing shoot through her spine. Who would have thought that quiet, shy Liam had that dirty-talking side to him? At least that was dirty talk to her. Pussy, clit, G-spot—those were not words she’d used in any kind of verbal conversation since anatomy class. Even then, pussy was not the word anyone would have gone with.

And when he asked her if she played with herself? That might have been the hottest thing she’d ever been asked in her life. She still couldn’t believe she’d admitted to that. Not that she felt there was anything wrong with it—masturbation was normal and healthy, something she’d just assumed everyone did. Gah, why wasn’t there a better word for it? Even she, who used the clinical terms for everything, shuddered at the sound of it. But “flicking the bean” or whatever other euphemism Hazel had jokingly used in college had never sounded right either. Regardless of what she called it though, to her it was private. It was something that was just between her and her own body. And well, now Liam, she guessed. The thought sent another zing up her spine. She liked knowing that he, and only he, knew that about her.

“If you say so…” Hazel responded, a disbelieving tone to her voice.

“I do.”

A knock at her door drew Avery’s attention away from the conversation, a rush of panic hitting her. She looked down at herself, only half-dressed in a pair of undone jeans and no shirt.

“Shit, that’s him. I gotta go!”

“Have fun! Can’t wait to hear how it goes!”

Without saying goodbye, Hazel hung up, and Avery pulled the shirt over her head. She raced to the front door, hoping that she looked at least somewhat more put together than she felt.

“Hey!” she greeted.

“Hi,” Liam returned, nodding slightly. Avery swallowed hard, her eyes glancing up and down his body. He looked like he belonged on a billboard somewhere, a pair of dark jeans and a cobalt button-down that fit him like they were tailor-made. His blond hair was slightly mussed, like all he’d managed to do after getting out of the shower was run his fingers through it. Avery sucked in a breath, trying to slow her ever increasing heartbeat. He looked good enough to eat.

“Your um…I think your pants are still unzipped,” Liam said, gesturing to her hips.

Avery’s eyes widened, not even bothering to look as she reached for the button of her pants, finding he was right.

“Shit,” she cursed, turning away from him and running back toward her room. “Come in! Make yourself at home!”

Why are you so embarrassed? His hand was down there the other day. He may not have seen the goods, but he’s felt them…

Blushing at her own thought, Avery quickly zipped up her pants, slipped into the heels they’d bought at the mall, and gave herself one last look in the mirror. Not bad, considering. The shirt she’d grabbed was one of her favorites, a black tee with cap sleeves, that blended into a turquoise-and-aquamarine pattern as it flared at the waist. The semi-plunging V-neck was a little lower cut than she would normally wear and usually made her wish that she had more to show off in the boob department, but tonight, she felt sexy in it.

“Okay, sorry about that,” she said, slowly making her way into the living room that was right off her bedroom.

Liam stood in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets looking like some kind of Viking god. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he turned to look at her. Avery felt the butterflies in her tummy spring to life as she drank him in, wondering when he’d gotten so incredibly hot. Had he always looked like this?