Page 45 of Pressure Point

Avery shook her head, a coy smile spreading across her face.

“I want to dance. With you.”

Chapter Fifteen

Hazel was right.

When Avery had told him that her best friend said she looked like she was being attacked by bees when she danced, Liam didn’t believe her. But now that he was out here on the dance floor with her, watching her move, he understood exactly what Hazel had meant. Everything about her was just…all over the place. Her arms flailed as she raised them above her head in a different rhythm than her torso, which was somehow moving independently from her hips. It was like nothing he’d ever seen, and he really had no idea how it was physically possible.

It was also the cutest fucking thing he’d ever seen.

Avery turned to face him, her body still moving in six different directions, none of them in time with the beat. But her smile told him everything he needed to know—she was happy. She let out a giggle that Liam was amazed he could hear over the music. It sent a jolt coursing through him, straight to his dick. He wanted to grab onto her, pull her in close and dance with her like Link had showed him that day at Bunz. But he didn’t dare interrupt everything she had going on.

“How are you so good at this?” she asked, stepping closer to him. He could feel heat radiating off of her, calling to him, testing his resilience again. “It’s because you’re an athlete, huh? You're just naturally able to move.”

“I’m just following the beat,” he replied, looking down at himself. He didn’t feel particularly natural in the moment but was okay as long as he didn’t look nearly as awkward as he felt.

“I’m not sure I could find the beat if I tried.”

“It’s the big, heavy thing that’s making the air vibrate,” he joked, earning him another giggle. He stifled a groan, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to watch her move like this, that smile on her face, if it was combined with the sweet sound of her laugh.

“Here,” he continued, taking her hands in his. Drawing on the words Link had used to help him, he slowed her down, moving her back and forth with the heavy bass of the song. “Every time you hear that thump, you move.”

Avery nodded, trying to follow his lead. She swayed back and forth, her eyes never leaving his. There was a softness to them he hadn’t seen before, and he would just have to add that to the list of things that made him crazy about her. At this point he was pretty sure there wasn’t anything she could do that would change the way he felt about her. Which was dangerous territory. Right now, though, he just didn’t care.

“Think of me on the pitch—move back and forth, left, then right,” he said, moving her in each direction as he said the word. “Because I know you can’t take your eyes off me out there.”

Avery’s eyes widened at his joke, as if she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

“I watch all of you; it’s my job” she responded, before curling her finger in a come here motion, beckoning him to lean into her. “But I might watch you more than anyone else.”

A rush washed through Liam. He stood up, finding her gaze again, seeing the honesty in it. There was a tad bit of vulnerability too, from admitting such a thing, but that only made the whole moment better. She watched him more than any of the other guys? What about Dash?

Oh, who the fuck cared.

He wanted to scream from the rooftops—a loud primal yell, like he was the king of the jungle or something. Knowing that he was the one to steal her attention away during those brief seconds of the game meant everything.

“Oh, really,” he answered back, waggling his eyebrows. Placing his hand on her lower back, he leaned back down, whispering, “I always like to know where you are on the sidelines too.”

“Good.”

Avery pulled back slightly, giving him a wink. He winked right back at her, enjoying this fun, flirty version of her that had come out tonight. Where had she been hiding this girl? Or was it just because they were so comfortable with each other now that being playful came easy? He liked the idea that this was a side of her that only he got. Something only he knew about her. The world could have the cute, quirky, awkward Avery. Playful, sassy Avery was his.

The DJ transitioned songs, the tempo switching from a high intensity beat to something slower and more drawn out. Liam didn’t recognize the song, but based on the reaction from the crowd around them, most of the people here did. Taking the opportunity, he repositioned his hands on Avery’s back, pulling her all the way in to him until their bodies were flush with one another. He felt her catch her breath from the impact, tightening his grip. The warmth of her body was welcoming, her softness calling him to hold on even tighter.

Her hands found his sides, fingers grasping his rib cage before sliding up his chest, leaving a trail of heat that he felt everywhere. She was so small compared to him, making him feel like a giant with the way their bodies lined up. Her hips were against his thighs, resulting in his erection lining up with her waist. But right now, all that mattered was the feel of her in his arms. And that felt really fucking good. After a moment, they found a lazy, sensual rhythm, the music surrounding them as their bodies moved together as one. Everything else seemed to fade away though, as they continued to move, staring deeply into each other's eyes, their bodies creating a friction that was like lightning to Liam’s groin. Gone was Avery’s wild, disjointed dancing, and in its place was movement that made her the sexiest woman in the whole club.

Avery slid a hand to the middle of his chest, grabbing ahold of the button placket, tugging him down toward her face. Her breath hitched as she hesitated, and Liam waited for her to make her move. He wanted to kiss her so bad, wanted to make her feel all the same things he was feeling right now. But he also didn’t want to push it. Didn't want to be that guy who misread things. He just really wanted to be the guy she wanted.

“Liam,” she whispered, her face mere inches from his. Her breath tickled his lips, making him crave kissing her even more.

“Avery,” he returned.

His pulse started to race, neither of them moving, leaving the space between them. It couldn’t have been more than an inch or two, but for everything he was feeling in this moment, for all the desire that was coursing through his body, it might as well have been miles.

They remained like this for what seemed like forever, their mouths a whisper away from each other, their bodies held close together, breathing in sync. The world around them seemed to come to a stop, with only him and Avery existing in this moment. Leaving him with just one thought—he needed to kiss her. Now.

In a flash, he found her lips with his, kissing her hard. Avery tightened her grip around his neck, returning the kiss with the same fervor. She tasted sweet, like honey, making him want even more. Pulling her impossibly closer, he deepened the kiss, one of his hands moving to her hair. He felt her body relax into his as they continued to kiss like they were alone on a private island. His whole body was soaring, all the blood rushing to his groin, and he couldn’t remember anything ever feeling this amazing. This right.