Lasting Attraction Read online

  The fact that Avery settled me down earlier meant to world to me but it also broke my heart. No, it shattered my heart. I've been in pure panic mode all day. I still am, but I have to admit, with his arm wrapped around my waist and the comfort he was giving me earlier is what is keeping me still.

  I've been wanting to tell Pierce. I've been wanting to tell someone, anyone, but I haven't. I've been too scared. I haven't wanted to face my crazy reality. I didn't want to face the fact that I've done more than messed up- I've altered my entire life. Pierce's life. Avery's life. A child's life. A child I have yet to meet, yet a child I already love. A child I've created out of jealously, rage, and lust.

  Avery stirs behind me and I quickly close my eyes. I don't want to move, not yet. I don't want this to be over yet. His friendship, his sorrow, his regret, his love. It can't disappear, not right now. Five more minutes, it's all I ask. Its more than I deserve, so I'm taking it. I've learned long ago I'm a very selfish person.

  I feel Avery's lips upon my shoulder, lightly brushing kisses down my skin, heating it under his touch. Its already consuming me and he has barely used any pressure. The hand that was resting on my hard stomach starts to move down, lower and lower, until its at my waist band.

  "Avery," I mumble and he pauses. "I want to, I do, but I can't." He doesn't listen as he dips two fingers under the fabric and brushes along my warmed skin. "Avery, I really can't."

  My thighs squeeze together, both to keep him away and to try to take away from the need I feel between my legs. He doesn't dip any lower, he just keeps his fingers brushing along the skin inside the band, directly above my panty line. "Cassie," he whispers in my ear.

  "Mm," is all I can manage to say.

  He licks the skin behind my ear, causing the hair on my arm to stand straight up. "Just pretend to be asleep."

  My eyes flash open and I tilt my head so I can see him out of the corner of my eye. "Excuse me?" I ask.

  He gives me a shy smile, his eyes sparkling in mischief. "Just pretend to be asleep. Trust me."

  I swallow hard and nod my head slowly, closing my eyes while resting my head back on the pillow, away from him. His hand dips lower, going under the fabric of my panties, until he is met with the moisture that claims my need for him. Adding a little pressure, he starts rubbing circles directly on my clit, dipping his fingers inside my sex for only a moment to get his fingers wet once more. He continues the motion back and forth, until I can feel tingles start at my feet and grow up my legs, meeting in the middle.

  My lip quivers as my body is just seconds away from releasing the built up pleasure but then he stops. I practically growl at him and he chuckles behind me. "You're not sleeping if you’re grinding your hips to meet my fingers or making noises like that. Keep still and let me continue."

  I bite down on my lip to stop myself from saying anything or moaning. The bed dips behind me and before I know it, I'm being rolled onto my back and my pants and underwear are being stripped off from me. "Avery," I say to stop him but he puts a finger over my lip. I can both smell and taste my arousal on his finger and for some odd reason, I'm turned on even more.

  His hands spread me apart and his tongue flickers out, licking the slit at my heat, adding pressure directly on my clit. Shit, this isn't supposed to be happening, but damn if I'm stopping him now. I'm only seconds away from getting off. The second Avery adds two fingers inside me, my world crumbles apart and I scream out in pure ecstasy.

  Avery doesn't stop until my body can't handle any more thrashing around. He looks up at me from between my legs, grinning wide. "God, you're so beautiful when you come."

  I try my best to glare at him but I can't help grinning back. Shit, I'm messing up again!

  His mouth starts kissing from my mound all the way up until it reaches my navel. His hands rub either side of my almost rounded belly and he just stares down. I'm in awe but I'm also heartbroken, because I can see the disappointment on his face. "You're still so tiny," he whispers.

  "I've been really sick, I lost over fifteen pounds."

  He looks up at me like he could hurt someone. "Why?"

  I smile and run one of my hands down the side of his face. "Morning sickness. Sickness over the smell of cinnamon, or over the smell of seafood, or the taste of bagels and cheese and tomatoes."

  "Your favorites." He lifts an eyebrow.

  I pout out my lip. "I know. I think its my punishment."

  "Punishment?" He kisses my belly before sitting back up and pulling me to sit with him, wrapping his arms around me.

  I rest my head against his shoulder and close my eyes, pretending like this is okay. Like we belong like this. Like I didn't ever betray him, or he never hurt me. Like we're meant to be together, forever. Something that will never happen, all because I've been so reckless. "Yeah. For being so careless about so much. For ruining not just my life, but the lives of the two men I love."

  His swallow is audible but nothing else is said. He just holds me as I keep my eyes closed, focusing intently on his embrace. My phone vibrating several minutes later starts me from me the moment and I'm forced to face reality once again, especially when I see Pierce's name show up on the screen.

  "Shit," I say out loud before answering the call. I give Avery a very stern look, daring him to open his mouth right now. "Hello."

  "Hey baby girl, I was wondering if you wanted to do dinner tonight. I had some news I wanted to share with you."

  Yeah, I need to share news with you, too, I think but don't say out loud. "Sure," is my response instead. "Where do you want to meet?"

  "How about right at your place."

  I bite down on my lip and stare at Avery sitting next to me, keeping quiet. Guilt burns deep inside of me, and I know I need to just be honest with everyone, myself included. It's time to tell the truth about my situation, my feelings, everything. "What time will you be here?"

  Avery looks away from me and starts to climb off the bed, while Pierce answers me over the phone. "In about an hour."

  "I'll see you then."

  I hang up the phone and walk out of Avery's room, after him. "Can we talk a second?" I ask him as he starts to slide sneakers onto his feet.

  With a pause from what he is doing, he looks up to me. "Sure, but I got places to be, so you need to hurry."

  "Avery, stop this, right now! Let me explain. Tonight I need to tell Pierce. I need to get this shit figured out, and now. I don't regret what just happened between you and I, and I'm glad you're home. I can't wait to spend more time with you while you're back. And while you're back, I want you and me to have a long conversation about everything. About you and Katie, about you and I, about Pierce and I, the pregnancy, everything. We need to. If you walk away from me one more time and there are any secrets between us, I'm pretty sure it'll ruin us for good. I can't handle that."

  Surprisingly my emotions stay intact the whole time I say what needs to be said, but Avery stands up and grabs his wallet off the table, sliding it into his pocket. "Cool." Yeah, that is all I get out of all that. So when the door closes behind him, tears fall down my face, and I'm left feeling lonely all over again.

  The day after Avery arrives back in town, she suddenly has to fucking speak to me. I shouldn't automatically assume the worse, but honestly, how can I not? It isn't so much that she has to talk with me either, its the tone of voice she used. Her fake happy tone. I've known her too long and know her too well.

  His motorcycle isn't in the parking lot when I arrive, but it was when I went by on my lunch break. Yeah, I'm that guy. I almost pulled into the parking lot and surprised Cassie for lunch, but when I realized I've never done that before and I didn't even have food with me, I knew it was a dumb idea. I need to trust her. I have to.

  The door opens before I even knock and Cassie throws herself at me. I can already tell that prick did something to piss her off. Even though she has a smile on her face, her body is trembling. I pull back and place my hands on her cheeks, planting my lips onto hers for
a quick moment. "Cassie, what is wrong? What the fuck did he do?"

  She gives a look of confusion, but again, I know her too damn well. She is trying to play things off.

  Changing the subject, she asks, "Did you have a good day at work?" Then she moves away so I can enter her apartment, which smells like cologne- and not mine- then she closes the door.

  I hate having this damn uneasy feeling. Playing into things slowly, unsure of where they're about to go, I just answer her. "Yeah, how was your day?"

  Without so much as a flinch, she smiles and tells me it was great. Not wanting to any more thought into it, I walk towards the living room and she follows. I sit on the couch and as Cassie attempt to sit next to me, I pull her to me and bring her lips down so they touch my own. They taste somewhere between mint, cherry, and Cassie. She sits on my lap and a small giggle escapes her mouth. "Someone is being greedy."

  "I just miss you."

  "Oh, I’m sure you do."

  Yeah, she knows me too well also.

  I rub my hand up and down her thigh and give it a squeeze before telling her my exciting news. "I met with this girl, Miah Braxton, today. She helps run Mumford and Braxton Corporation. She wants to merge our companies together, so we went over some financial paperwork today as well as her marketing agenda. Everything she showed me made sense for our companies to merge, so I spoke with my dad and Evan. We're setting up a meeting with them, but since their company is based in Seattle, I'm going to have to travel there next Monday until Thursday."

  I get anxious all of a sudden. It hit me like a ton of bricks the one fucking week that Avery is in town happens to be the same damn week I'm going out of town. Things couldn't get any worse!

  Cassie seems to get the same understanding and cocks her head to the side while thinking about something for a moment. "I'm pregnant."

  "I know babe, this is going... you're... you're what?" What. The. Fuck.

  I can feel as the color drains in my face and I'm sure my expression is something close to Cassie's.

  Our eyes stay glued to each other’s and I'm not sure how much time passes before she whispers it again. "I'm pregnant, Pierce."

  "I'm... it's... you're... shit, you're pregnant?" Apparently I can't fucking speak coherently.

  Her lips twitch just a little, like she wants to smile about it but she is stopping herself. Is she not happy about it? Or is she scared to be happy about it? I'm fucking terrified. But I know, no matter what I feel, this is the best damn moment of my life up to this point. I just need a moment to process that fact.

  Cassie.

  Pregnant.

  My baby.

  Cassie is having my child.

  I stand up so fast Cassie almost falls but I quickly stop her and throw her down on the couch. She falls on her back and with a very questioning look until I'm lifting her shirt up and I start raining kisses all over. I look up at her, a smile finally upon my face- and I don't even have to force it. "I can't believe you're pregnant. We're having a baby, Cassie. This is huge. There is a baby in here." I give her belly a few more kisses while she laughs softly.

  "Yes, Pierce, I'm well aware of that."

  "Can we celebrate?"

  She looks up to the ceiling for a moment, still smiling but I can see the fault in it. "I'd love to."

  "Have you told anyone else?" I ask her, assuming her mom or Aubrey must know.

  She looks away and stands up without saying anything. "Where are we going? I can't have seafood. Maybe The Field? I could really go for a burger." Still without so much as a glance in my direction, she goes into her room, probably to change into something better suited for a restaurant.

  I can't help but sit here and think. I hate over thinking things. I'm a guy, I'm not supposed to think this damn much, but that is all I find myself doing. Why wouldn't she look at me? What is she hiding?

  My brain stops working the second she walks out in a hot pink mini skirt, a way too tight of white tank top that showcases of the new bra she recently bought. And those fucking heels. "Come here, Cassie," I order.

  She pauses from putting her cellphone in her purse when she turns around and looks at me, her eyes widen. The innocent look on her face and the sexy as shit outfit she has on contradict one another, but damn if it doesn't cause my pants to tighten below the waist. I can hear the husky tone in my voice when I speak again. "Cassie, here, now." I point my finger in front of me and her mouth widens into a deliciously seductive smile.

  The little tease sways her damn hips as she walks my way and I don't even give her time to kiss my mouth or touch me as I hike her skirt up. The underwear are a lacey and when my hands reach them, I can't help but rip them off. "Pierce," she gasps and my eyes look up to hers.

  "I'm going to fuck this wet cunt so damn hard," I tell her as I press the palm of my hand against her. Her body trembles and I can hear her breathing increase in an instant. The edge of my finger teases her heated entrance. "Fuck Cassie, you're so wet. You dressed like a slut just so I'd fuck you like one, didn't you?"

  She buckles at the knees and falls into me, her hands grabbing at my biceps. "Pierce, yes, please."

  "Please what, Cassie?"

  "Fuck me. Fuck me like a whore."

  I can't resist. I turn her around and bed her over so her hands are pressed on the couch cushions. I lick the palm of my hand and stroke my dick before putting the head at her entrance. "Tell me, Cassandra, tell me you want it."

  "Pierce," she pants out, "fuck me... now!"

  Before she gets the last word out I'm pushing myself into her and I can feel her insides clench around my cock. God! I slowly pull back until my head is at her entrance and push myself in again. I can feel Cassie moving forward a little, so I pull on her hips, keeping her in place, loving that her heels are making her the right height for me. I push forward again but don't take it slow when I pull back this time. No, instead I thrust in and out of her so fucking hard and fast that she can't even scream out any coherent words. I love the sound of her screaming.

  I suck softly on the end of one of my thumbs, leaving just the right amount of spit, and without notice I place the pad of it at her anus and push down. Not enough to insert it, just enough that there is added pressure.

  "Pier- Pier-" she starts to stutter but can't make out a word as I don't slow down. I can feel my balls slapping against her clit and I know she is going to come any moment. I'm going to make her come harder than she ever has before. "Fuck!" She screams.

  "This feels good, doesn't it, Cassie?"

  "Yes!" she screams. "God, yes!"

  I rub circles with my thumb and I can feel as Cassie starts going faster with me, wanting it hard and rough. She is being stimulated in three spots at once, and I know she feels the difference. Fuck, even I feel the difference.

  Her pussy starts to tighten around me just as it loosens up, it grabs at my cock once more and I release everything I have inside of her the same time her screams reverberate through the room. She falls into the couch and pump the last of what I have inside her and remove my thumb.

  Once we've both come down from our ecstasy-filled high, I slide myself out of Cassie and give her ass a slap. She yelps and turns her face over her shoulder to look at me. Sweat is dripping from all around her hair line and nose, and the smile she has on her face says it all.

  "Go get dressed," I tell her with another small slap to the ass.

  She straightens herself so she is standing up and squints her eyes in a glare in my direction as she walks towards her room. Her skirt is still up around her waist and I get a helluva show watching her walk away from me. A mighty fine show at that.

  "What’s with you?"

  Cassie looks up at me from the floor, cell phone in hand, and a few tears welling in her eyes. "I'm so stressed out!"

  I take a few steps into her bedroom and kneel down in front of her. I haven't been by in two days because I was so pissed at her the other day. Well, at first I was pissed at her, then I was pissed at myself, then I f
elt like shit but knew it was best I stayed away. Now here I am, not able to any longer, because fuck this shit. I'm here for a week, and I need to spend as much time with her as I possibly can.

  "What happened?" Fear hits me all of a sudden when I see the fact her hands are shaking almost uncontrollably. "He didn't hurt you did he?"

  "What? No. God no. My OB can only get me in this afternoon because she is going on vacation for three weeks. Its my first appointment so I want my regular doctor, she is the only one I feel comfortable with. Pierce had to head to Seattle for a job until Thursday, which means I have to go alone. I would ask Aubrey or my mom but I haven't even told them yet! I would have asked you, but..." she looks down at her phone, like she is ashamed. "That would just be weird."

  "I told you I'd go with you. I want to be your friend, Cassie. Call your doctors and set the appointment up."

  She looks up at me again, her eyes welling up with tears once more and she shamelessly lets a few fall down. "Avery, that is a lot to ask of you, considering everything."

  I grab the phone out of her hand and swipe my finger across the screen. She doesn't use a password on her phone, and the screen is left at her recent call list, so it’s not hard finding her doctors number. I press the dial button and start to put the phone to my ear when she grabs it and puts it to her own. As she speaks with I assume to be the nurse, she stares me in the eye and has a small smile on her face the whole time. A grateful smile. She is grateful to me and that means something to me.

  She hangs up and stands up, clearing her throat and whipping at her nose with the back of her hand. "Okay, we need to leave in an hour. I would like to shower first, just in case they need to do anything down there." She doesn't look at me as she rummages through her drawers, but when she walks towards the door she pauses. "Thank you," she says so softly I almost don't hear, then she walks out of the room.