The Escape Clause (2 page)

Perhaps while she was gone, his focus would change and he would find that woman she was always saying he deserved.

“I was thinking, when you go, maybe I could rent the house from your aunt. My lease is up next month and I’d like something a little bigger.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “I think that would be nice. I’m sure Julie will be moving out soon.” She chuckled again. “Maybe the woman of your dreams will move in. It worked for Ed and for Spencer.”

“Maybe,” he said turning down her street.

He drove down the alley to the back of her house and parked next to her car.

“Maybe I should just head home,” he said. “It’s really late and you need some sleep.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to be alone.”

He knew that, but he just needed some space. The move to France weighed too heavily on him and the fact that she didn’t even see him as anything other than a friend was wearing on him too.

The motion lights on the back porch turned on as she opened the car door. “Please come in,” she said softly. “If you don’t stay that’s fine. Just keep me company.”

It was already three o’clock in the morning. She’d want to head back to the hospital early. He might as well stay.

He opened his door and stepped out as she shut her door and dug for her keys.

As he walked around the car, she looked up at him. The light behind her gave her a glow and at that moment he thought she might be more beautiful than any other time in her life.

“You looked amazing tonight, by the way,” he said, not resisting when the urge to touch her hair took over.

“Thank you. I had a really fun night.” She pressed her lips together. “I was thinking we could go back to the hospital around nine.”

Pete nodded. “Sure.”

“And I was hoping maybe you’d hold me all night,” she said quickly as if she’d been holding in those words all night.

There was a flash in her eyes and he wasn’t sure she knew it had happened. But he’d caught it.

Pete moved in closer to her, resting his hands on her hips. “You want me to sleep
in
your bed with you?” His voice cracked as he said the words he never thought he’d say.

She nodded. “Just to hold me. I feel…I don’t know what I feel.”

He did. He knew exactly what it was. She was feeling alone even though all the people who loved her surrounded her. They were all moving in different directions with their lives now. Of course, most of them were moving toward families of their own. It was obvious, as she’d pointed out, that even Spencer and Julie were moving in that direction. That put Avery in a very unfamiliar place—alone.

He’d felt that way when his younger sister got married too. Pete was officially the last single Grant. But it wasn’t so bad. He had a slew of nieces and nephews and plenty of couches to crash on. But they were both—alone.

Pete followed her up to the house and as she pushed open the door, he closed and locked it behind him.

“Do you want something to drink?” she asked.

“I’m really tired. I think I’d rather just turn in.”

Avery nodded, but she didn’t walk further into the house. Instead, she looked up at him. Her eyes were tired, her mascara wiped away, and her nose was red from the tears she’d shed during the night.

Completely exhausted, she still radiated.

“C’mon, old lady,” he joked at her new age. “Let’s get you to bed.”

He took her hand and began to pull her through the kitchen, but she tugged against him.

Pete stopped and looked at her, but the way she looked up at him he knew there were no words. For a long moment, he stood there gazing upon her.

“Avery…”

She stepped to him. “What are we doing?”

“Going to bed,” he said simply.

She shook her head. “There’s more isn’t there?”

God, hadn’t he always hoped there was?

Pete moved to her so they were nearly pressed together. “Avery, what are you saying?”

“I don’t want to be alone.”

“I know. That’s why I’m here.”

Avery stepped to him and rested her hands on his chest. “You’re always here.”

Pete nodded. Here was where he always wanted to be.

She slid her hands up and around his neck. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her.

“Pete, we’ve never kissed.”

“Sure we…”

“Not like a real kiss.”

Pete licked his lips because his mouth had suddenly gone dry. “Friends don’t kiss like that.”

“Some do. Tiffany and Spencer did.”

She mentioned her cousin and his friend with benefits. That was until he fell in love with Julie.

“You and I are different. We don’t want that to come between us,” he reminded her.

Avery’s fingers were playing in his hair and suddenly the three o’clock hour must be messing with them. They seriously weren’t caressing each other in the kitchen and talking about kissing were they?

Not that there was any space between them, but she closed it and now their bodies were pressing together.

“Everyone has been reminding me lately that you and I have been inseparable since we were little.” Her fingers were now caressing his ear.

“That’s what the title of ‘best friends’ means,” he said, swallowing hard because he’d always wanted to be more.

“Pete,” her voice trailed off as she gazed up at him. “Kiss me one time as if we were a couple—as if you loved me.”

He hesitated because he wasn’t sure he could do this just once. If he kissed her now, he wouldn’t want to stop with just one kiss. He couldn’t give her what she wanted.

“Avery…”

“Shhh,” she pressed her finger to his lips. “Just kiss me.”

He’d never denied Avery anything in all the years they’d known each other. Certainly, he wasn’t going to start disappointing her now.

Pete lifted his hand to her cheek and drew her in.

The moment their lips touched that spark he knew burned inside of him exploded in a brilliant white light behind his eyelids. The feel of her, the taste of her was more wonderful than he’d ever dreamed—and he had dreamed of it.

Her tongue slipped through his lips and danced with his as her arms tightened around him and his around her.

The moan that escaped her throat had him yearning to continue this simple request forever.

Chapter Two

A series of explosions were going off in Avery’s body. She seriously hadn’t expected that when she’d asked Pete to kiss her. She was lonely and overwhelmed—and now she was floating on some sensory cloud that had her pulling him closer.

Pete maneuvered them a few steps so that she was backed against the refrigerator. His fingers pressed into her hips as if he were afraid to move them any further.

Avery wound her fingers into his dark hair as she devoured the taste, the smell, the feel of him pressed against her.

She worked her tongue against his and the fireworks going off in her head made her every nerve in her body pulse in explosions. They were pressed so close she could feel the pounding of his heart against her breasts and it only made her body more pliant to push against his.

It wasn’t what she’d expected when she’d asked him to kiss her. Where had this all come from?
This
was a maddening erotic kiss that had her knees weak and her heart beating an erratic rhythm in her chest.

She’d suck in a breath if she could, but it was as if his mouth on hers was the only thing keeping her alive at the moment. Fear of pulling away kept her right where she was—pressed beneath him.

Pete’s fingers loosened and she was afraid he was going to break this amazing kiss. Would he regret it and want to leave? Did it mean anything to him because it was meaning a hell of a lot to her—she hadn’t thought it possible.

Instead of pulling away, he moved his hands slowly up the sides of her torso, over her ribs, and resting them just as his thumbs reached the spot just under her breasts.

With his mouth still working against hers, she managed a breath of anticipation waiting for him to touch her. That glorious moment when his hands would explore her.

The need was almost so great she could feel her moving to optimize the opportunity.

The kiss continued, but his hands remained.

That wouldn’t do. Avery needed more. She needed to be with him. A desired to touch him fueled this fire in her core. The longing for him to touch her had her gasping for that necessary breath that was eluding her.

When they both had run out of air, Pete collapsed against her pressing her back against the metal of the refrigerator door. His face rested in the crevice of her neck.

Their chests heaved to catch up with the air that whooshed into their lungs. Her fingers were still caught in his hair and his hands rested on her rib cage, just holding her. But when his thumbs began to make soft circles against the fabric of her dress, she thought she was going to explode.

“Pete,” his name burst out on a breath. “I want more.”

His lips moved to her neck and he feathered her skin with soft kisses right at her pulse point.

Was it possible for a woman to melt into a puddle under a man’s touch? Avery was sure that was what was going to happen.

Pete then rested his forehead against hers. His lips were only a glorious beat from her, but he didn’t kiss her.

“Avery, sweet Avery.”

His eyes were closed still and his body still pushed up against hers. He wasn’t going to walk away from this was he? She couldn’t. She needed him right now more than she’d ever needed anything—anyone.

“Pete, please,” the words carried the hunger she was feeling. “More.”

His eyes opened and they had grown dark with desire, which only made her want him more.

“It’s more than this. You know that,” he said on a raspy breath. “I want it too. I always have.”

“Carry me upstairs.” She nipped his lips with a kiss that made him moan.

“Not just tonight. It can’t be just tonight.”

Was he making sense?

“Okay,” she let the words out on a sigh as his hands moved to her back and slid down over her bottom.

Pete moved his lips back to her neck and she arched up to him. God, she’d never wanted anything more than to be under this man she cherished.

He lifted her to his hips and she wrapped her legs tightly around him as their mouths came together again. Now the kisses were flashes of hunger. This was greater than need now. It was survival, this she was sure, because it felt as if her heart would explode if she didn’t feed on him.

Easily and swiftly, he carried her up the stairs with his mouth still working against hers. When he reached her bedroom, he lowered her to the bed without breaking their kiss.

The feel of him atop of her lifted that weight of loneliness from her chest. Something else filled it now, but she’d think about that later. Right now she wanted to get him undressed. Everything was about to change.

Pete fought every animal urge to not just lift the skirt of Avery’s dress and take her in one quick, fulfilling moment.

She needed more. She deserved more.

Her fingers were on the buttons of his shirt making quick work to open it and push the fabric from his skin.

They’d been swimming hundreds of times since they were little. She’d seen him, been in his arms as he threw her into the water. But her hands pressed against his bare flesh now made him light headed.

He could die now and he’d be happy.

Her skirt had bunched up between them. Those perfectly yoga toned thighs were exposed beneath him. The flash of her pink panties caught his attention and he was surprised he didn’t black out.

This was Avery beneath him, not just some woman he thought he cared for. This was the woman he loved more than any other—his truest friend.

He looked down at her. Those lust filled eyes were dark and her lips parted in a swollen pink pout.

Pete gripped her hands in his and moved his mouth to hers again. She wiggled beneath him and he had to tell her. He’d regret it forever if he didn’t let her know how he felt.

“Avery,” her name was a whisper on his lips as she rubbed her body against him. “I have to tell you.” He pressed a kiss to her ear lobe.

“Pete, don’t stop. Please,” she pleaded. “I want this. I really do.”

Oh, he knew that. There wasn’t a part of him that didn’t feel that.

He eased up so he could look down at her, their fingers still locked together. It was now or never.

“I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

Her eyes flashed. Regret? Acceptance? He wasn’t sure as she stared up at him, her chest heaving beneath him.

“Pete…”

“Not just for tonight, remember.” What was that twinge in his chest? Heartbreak? He braced himself for it.

The glaze in her eyes softened and those lips curved into a smile. “I love you too.”

The words from her lips nearly shot tears into his eyes. No, that wasn’t the time for it. He took her mouth again and now nothing was going to stop him.

~*~

As the sun filtered through the curtained window, Avery was still catching her breath while Pete snored softly next to her.

They’d changed everything, more than one time, and now here they were in bed together.

She did this. She made this happen.

Avery slipped out from under his arm and tiptoed to the bathroom.

She shut the door and started the shower. A few moments later she stepped into the warm stream of water and let it ease the tense muscles in her shoulders and down her back.

He loved her.

The words resonated in her head and her chest.
I love you. I’ve always loved you.

Wasn’t that what everyone kept telling her? The man was in love with her?

Avery slipped her head under the water and let it cascade over her.

She should have known it wasn’t just friendship—okay, it was, but she’d always known there was more. A part of her just refused to see it.

Growing up the girls weren’t nice to her. She’d been gangly and skinny, but with her mother’s radiant looks. Pete always told her they were jealous.