Letting her slip from my touch was tough. It seemed that whenever I stopped touching her, she’d distance herself again, or up and leave without warning.
“And Hallie?” When she glanced back from the doorway, I looked up from washing my hands. “One of these days, I’m not going to let you walk away.”
“People like me can’t be tamed, Avery.”
My glare met hers and held. “You’re wrong.”
She had the audacity to snicker. “You can try to tame this…” She waved a hand over her body, then pointed at her head, “...but you can never tame this.”
Shaking my head as she left—because she wasn’t wrong—I took my time washing up. When I emerged from the bathroom and walked into the kitchen where Hallie rummaged through the fridge, I faltered when she turned her unreadable expression on me.
Time stood still. The air enveloped us as I rounded the counter and gently cupped her face. “Hells?”
She shoved me hard enough to make me stumble back a step, and before I could say anything other than a single cuss, she slammed against me, and her arms squeezed around my torso so hard it shocked me.
“I’m so glad you called out to me tonight,” she murmured against my chest.
I wrapped her in my arms, hugging her back. “I wouldn’t have remained silent even if my life depended on it.” I kissed the top of her head and breathed her in.
This was my girl letting that little glimpse of tenderness through, and I’d hold onto that forever if I could.
Chapter Four
Hallie
“Ayve, I need to get going,” I whispered and gently nudged him.
I needed to get back to the compound since Claire was due back at work today after her honeymoon and would no doubt be riding our asses to make up for her time away.
Avery groaned sleepily and rolled over. “What’s the time?”
“Four.”
“Fuck, Hells! Four? Why didn’t you tell me last night you had to leave early? I would have stayed at yours.”
“Where I live, you can’t enter,” I retorted dryly.
He muttered something about the underground while scrubbing both hands over his face. “Want me to drive you?”
I touched his shoulder and pressed him back down as he was about to sit. “No. Go back to sleep. I’ll call you. Is your number still the same?”
“It’s still the same. Yours isn’t, though; I tried to ring you so many times, Hells. Make sure you get your ass back to me this time.”
My heart filled with affection. I loved how Avery didn’t ask questions. He simply trusted that there were things in my life he didn’t need to know about and that I had a handle on them. Especially when it came to my occupation. He wasn’t stupid enough to ask, and he was smart enough to put two and two together when I spoke so vaguely about what I did.
“You’ll be the first to know,” I promised.
He rolled out of bed and snagged my wrist. “Wait half a minute? Please?”
His tone and shadowed expression hit me square in the chest. The combination made me pause and give him the requested moment. “Sure.”
He disappeared into the bathroom where I heard gargling, then returned half a minute later smelling of mouthwash.
“Let me properly kiss you goodbye, Hellcat.”
Gathering me in his arms, he hugged me tightly against his chest. His fingers worked their way up my spine before weaving through my hair.
“I want you once more before you go.”