Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Avery shook her head. “No . . . well, maybe. A little.”
“I can’t help it. I like what I like. So it’s a good thing Rep doesn’t care about things like decor.”
Avery leaned back against the comfortable cushions. “He cares about you, so the rest doesn’t matter.”
Lola curled one leg beneath her. “Is that how you are? If you’re in love, nothing else matters?” Her blue eyes pinned Avery in place, and the question had Avery choking on her drink. “Sorry. I tend to speak my mind,” Lola said, mirth in her gaze and not a hint of true remorse in her voice.
“Yes, I can see that. I take it you’re asking about my feelings for Grey?” Avery decided to confront the innuendo head on.
Lola shrugged. “He’s my family, and I want him to be as happy as I am. And I know no matter how many years have passed, you’ve always been important to him. I just want to make sure you’re not going to hurt him in the end.” Her tone was light, but the warning in her message was clear.
“Wow. You really don’t hold back.” Avery rubbed her bare arms, chilled by Lola’s sudden protectiveness.
Despite the fact that Lola was Grey’s best friend, Avery had let her guard down and relaxed around her. She’d invited her out with her closest friends, only to find herself cornered and pushed.
“Look,” Avery said, wanting to be perfectly clear. “If anyone’s in danger of getting hurt, it’s me, so don’t worry about your best friend.” She heard the sharpness in her voice, but she couldn’t bring herself to take it back.
Lola let out a long breath. “I like you, Avery, I really do,” she said, her tone softening. “I’m just looking out for Grey. He’s been like a brother to me, and it’s what I always do.”
“Well, Grey can look out for himself. What’s going on?” Grey himself asked, stepping into the room, his gaze darting from Lola to Avery.
Avery glanced at Lola and managed a smile. “Not a thing. Just girl talk.” She placed her glass on a coaster and rose to her feet. “I’m going to the ladies’ room. I’ll be right back.”
She needed a few minutes to compose herself before she had to face Lola and Grey and the subject of their relationship, because if she knew Grey, he wouldn’t buy her story or let things go until he had answers.
Grey watched Avery leave the room before turning on his best friend. “What the fuck did you say to her?” he asked as Rep walked into the room.
“Don’t talk to her like that, man.” The large football player strode up to his woman and wrapped an arm around her. He leaned down and asked, “Tell me, baby, what’d you do?”
Grey bit the inside of his cheek. Rep might look out for Lola, but he knew her well too.
“It’s like Avery said, it was girl talk.” Lola blushed but held firm.
Grey cocked an eyebrow her way.
“Fine. It was about you.” She pursed her lips, then forced out the rest. “And I might have warned her not to hurt you.”
“Dammit, Lo, I wanted her to meet my friends, not face an inquisition.”
“You’re the one who told me she’s wary of the craziness that comes with celebrity. I’m just worried she’s going to freak out and bail on you and—”
He stiffened. “It’s my problem. Not yours.”
“He’s right,” Rep told her.
Grey groaned. “I’m going to do damage control, and when we come back out, you’re going to be your nice, nonprying, nonthreatening self.”
“Okay. If it means anything, she seems great,” Lola said.
“Then behave. You aren’t helping me by driving her away from my best friends.” Without waiting for a reply, Grey turned and headed to find Avery.
He approached her as she was coming out of the bathroom and eased her back in the small area, shutting the door behind them. He realized his mistake immediately when his body responded to her nearness and her distinctly warm vanilla scent. Once again, he warned his cock to calm down. Now wasn’t the time.
“You okay?” he asked her, taking in her wary expression.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
He narrowed his gaze. “I know Lola said something she shouldn’t have.”
“It’s fine.” She flicked her braid over her shoulder dismissively. “We can work it out between the two of us.”
He appreciated her attempt to let things go, but he wasn’t accepting her easy out. “Not when I’m the issue.”
Avery sighed. “Lola is looking out for you, and I respect that even if I don’t like her getting involved or questioning my feelings and motives.”
“Which she had no right to do. I don’t need her fighting my battles or making trouble between us out of some misguided sense of loyalty.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to do something stupid like ask you to choose between me and your best friend.”