He presses her back into the mattress and slides his hand down her body to find her already soaking wet for him. His erect member slides into her effortlessly and he makes love to Avery, on and off for the remainder of the night.
***
LOGAN HAS MOVED ALL of Avery’s remaining items from her apartment into his home, including the small knick-knacks she had purchased with Nikki. At first, she was extremely apprehensive about moving in with him, but it feels so right. And since that vision she had at the swing set, where she saw her sister, Nick, and Declan, she’s been less hesitant to move further with Logan. Avery never mentioned the vision to Logan, not that she was afraid of what he’d say, but it felt so personal that she wanted to keep that last part of those she’d lost with her, close to her heart. And so far, by following their guidance, she’s been happier, more carefree.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, Avery’s tried to get closer to her siblings. Each of them has fit her into her life in a different way, Sydney and Everleigh being the most open. She was afraid Everleigh would have the most difficult time with her arrival since Joseph left after Everleigh was born, but she welcomed Avery into her heart and reminded her that the situation didn’t reflect on her. Jameson has yet to come around, but Amy and Joseph have spoken to him numerous times and they said he wanted to get to know her. Avery has yet to meet Ryker, but she’s told he’ll be home for the holiday, which makes her a bit nervous. She’s never met a celebrity.
Austin and Avery have a strange relationship. Knowing that she is dating his best friend makes for some awkward situations. He goes into this protective mode when the three of them are together as if learning that she is actually his sibling gives him a different perspective on how Logan should treat her. Not that Austin’s concerns have any merit; Logan treats her like a princess.
Nikki hasn’t returned to Carson, but Avery speaks to her frequently as she updates her on the development of the baby. Austin still hasn’t been told that she’s pregnant with his baby, though Avery’s tried to change her mind several times. Avery knows Austin is going to be hurt and angry when he finds out, but she knows it’s not her place to say anything.
Joseph and Amy have been incredible; so much so as to invest in her pediatric clinic project, not that it needed any upstart capital. They even joined her and Logan at the lawyer’s office yesterday to go over the final reading of her grandmother’s will. She left Avery a hefty sum of money, along with all of her jewelry and the house. Avery donated it all. The money she donated to a charity that specializes in inoperable cancer that plagued Declan, and also to an arts program in Asheville. The house is being donated to the Atlanta Historical Society, who is planning to convert it into a museum. She gave the jewelry to Joseph to use in Asheville at an auction to raise money for the fire department in Carson.
Logan and Avery had been blissfully happy since the family dinner four weeks ago. But this week he seemed different, off. Avery can’t put her finger on it, but he’s always thinking of something else when they’re together, his mind straying to a different world. Normally his behavior would worry her, but when they come together at night, he worships her, like he simply can’t get enough. If anything, their physical connection is better than before.
She knows Logan is working on a confidential child protection case at the clinic and Avery chalked up his behavior to that, but last night Austin had to bring him home. He was drunk and reeked of Chanel No.5, which Avery recognized because it’s the only perfume her grandmother wore. Avery wants to trust him, especially after Austin assured her that he hadn’t been up to any trouble, but it’s hard to distinguish the truth when a current womanizer is reassuring the actions of a past womanizer.
Avery wakes in the morning, excited to celebrate her first Thanksgiving surrounded by her family and Logan. Reaching across the bed, she startles when she touches the cold sheets, a clue that Logan left the bed a while ago. Grabbing her robe, she goes to the bathroom to brush her teeth, then moves to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She stops herself in the hall when she overhears Logan speaking on his phone at the kitchen island. He speaks in hushed tones to a voice that she can easily determine as feminine.
Not wanting to eavesdrop, Avery rests against the wall, urging herself not to cry, having to bite her lip to suppress a sob.
“Alright, I’ll be by in a bit. I’m so thankful to have run into you last night.”
What?!?
Her mind races, in theory, contemplating how he could have been with both Austin and this woman.
Maybe it’s someone he’s working with? Or an old friend?
But the smell of the perfume fogs her mind and she can’t help but jump to the only conclusion her brain can scramble together.
Instantly awakened, Avery turns around and heads to the bathroom to take a shower. She washes her hair and scrubs her body in a complete haze of simmering emotions. Stepping out of the shower, she wraps herself in a towel and sits on the bed, her soaked hair dripping all around her. Avery can’t comprehend the thought of Logan with another woman. He was supposed to be her savior, the person she had to live for, how could this happen to them?
Completely lost in her thoughts, she doesn’t realize Logan has entered the room until he lifts her chin with his finger.
“Hey, Avery, you okay?”
&n
bsp; Gracious that the dripping hair masks the fallen tears, she wipes her face to clear the evidence.
“Mmmhmm. Yep,” Avery replies, masking her sadness with false joy.
Logan cocks a brow at her response but doesn’t press any further.
“Hey, I know we have your dad’s dinner this afternoon, but I need to do a couple things and run by the office so we may be a bit late. That, ok?”
“What do you need to do? It’s Thanksgiving.”
He holds his palms up in surrender but nervously glances around the room, instantly giving away the lie.
“Just some stuff I didn’t finish yesterday. I’ll be back soon. I promise.”
Avery jerks her chin upward with a huff and makes an attempt to stalk back to the bathroom, but he takes a hold of her hand before she has the chance.
“Hey, I love you, Avery. I promise that I’ll be back soon.”
And the sincerity in his eyes is enough to cut Avery to the core. She’s conflicted at which action to trust - the lie weaving through his every word, or the love pouring from his heart.