Chapter 15 The Past Halloween, four years ago Bodies in various states of undress litter the Bankses' living room, tucking themselves into every available corner and lounging on every empty surface. The sexy kitten, Spider-Dominatrix, and seductive witch I was talking to when I arrived have all gone out the back door to smoke, and because I don't like to pigeonhole myself-or partake-I've decided to use the opportunity to get my bearings. I lost Beau-dressed like some kind of fucking turn-of-the-century dude in tight pants, a ruffly shirt, and a long-ass coat-to the crowd nearly as soon as we arrived, and because of the quick convo with the skimpy trio, I haven't had a proper chance to scout the other talent either. Beau's mom and dad, Neil and Diane, are holding court with the middle-aged crowd by the back patio doors, and a group of goblins stands at the kitchen island picking at the expensive grazing table full of finger foods, fancy cheeses, and processed meats. Because of the open concept floor plan, you can see almost the entirety of the living area at once, save the main entrance and grand staircase that leads up to the bedrooms and the half bath and utility rooms in the back, and that makes for one hell of a party house-which is exactly how this family uses it. Beau and I have been friends since we were kids, the Bankses have lived in this house for as long as I've known them, and I've attended at least three parties a year in this very space. I have memories in every room, and coming here always strikes me with the warmest sense of nostalgia. I spent nearly as many days here, surfing and paddleboarding and generally fucking off, as I did at home, and because of that and Neil and Diane's unbelievably welcoming nature, I'll always feel comfortable here. I swing by the kitchen for a beer and then head into the foyer to check out another sector of the crowd, spotting Beau's little sister Avery as she comes out of the half bath down the hall. She's wearing a saloon-style red dress that cuts up to the top of her thigh, and her long brown hair is curled and hanging down around her shoulders. Ronnie sneaks up behind her and pokes her in the side, and she squeals in terror as he runs away to high-five Mav, who's waiting at the front door so the two of them can duck outside. If I had to guess, they're headed for the tall trees by the front gate to light up a blunt away from all the Bankses' carefully placed security cameras. Weed's never been my thing, but Ronnie and Mav will smoke the shit out of it, especially when they're drinking. "My God, it's like Animal House," Avery remarks to a random girl beside her, garnering a smile and a laugh, and moving my attention fully back to her. She pulls at the red silk gloves that reach up to her elbows, looking down in concentration as she walks toward me, so I post up on a spot against the wall, leaning my shoulders into the surface and crossing my arms over my chest. She looks up again-and even glances toward me-but doesn't immediately recognize me because of my mask. I whistle to grab her attention, and she jerks to a stop right in front of me. "Oh my God, Henry?" I laugh. "That's Zorro to you." "Holy shit! Zorro?" she keens. "I wanted my date to be Zorro to go with my Elena De la Vega, but he's a stupid idiot and thought it wasn't cool enough!" "What's not cool about a sword and Catherine Zeta-Jones?" I ask incredulously. "Right?" She laughs. "I mean, hello!" "Where's this tragic excuse for a man now?" I ask, looking behind her but not seeing an obvious companion anywhere. She chuffs. "I got rid of him. He came as Hulk, and he kept getting green body paint everywhere." "So, now you're alone?" I ask, tsking. "Oh, Henry. I'm never alone." She flashes a sexy wink. "Just reopened to possibilities." Her perspective is cute and makes me laugh. "Well, I can't seem to find Beau, and Ronnie and Mav just left to get high with some chick in a Hello Kitty costume, so if you want, you can hang out with me." "We do look like we match," she hums thoughtfully, looking around at the same time. "You know, I haven't seen June in forever either. I wonder where the hell she went." I shrug. "Want to get a drink?" "Always," Avery agrees. "What's your poison?" "Prosecco. Tonight is a night of lots and lots of prosecco." I laugh. "That's easy enough." Avery leads the way, walking back to the kitchen in front of me, and I put a soft hand to the small of her back to guide her there. She smiles and waves at dozens of people on the way-all of whom have been friends of her family for years-and I jerk my chin when it's someone I recognize too. Bottles of prosecco are lined up on the counter by the sink, so I skirt by to pour her a glass and then come back to join her by the kitchen island. It's crowded, though, and I feel surprisingly claustrophobic. "Let's go out back," she suggests, obviously feeling the same way. "Good idea." Music pounds softly from the patio speakers, but the overall din of noise is much more tolerable. I find a spot to stand in the corner by the built-in grill, leaning my hip into the counter and inviting Avery to stand in front of me. She leans in close, always flirting, no matter the occasion. "Ave," I say in warning, knowing the last time we got this close to each other, it ended in a kiss. She laughs. "What?" Her smile is coy. "Relax, Henny." It's a silly nickname she's used in the past to annoy me, but for some reason, right now, my body tightens at the sound of it. "We're just talking." "Uh-huh," I reply, a grin of my own settling into one corner of my mouth. She's hard to resist; I'll give her that. "And what exactly are we talking about?" "Life. Lust. Louboutins. You tell me." I chuckle. "How about work? How's it feel to be out of college and officially in the workforce?" She frowns, pouting. "Everything I said was fun. Why'd you have to go and ruin it with words like work and workforce? Ugh. Yuck." I sigh with humor, leaning my head back a little and closing my eyes slightly. But when I open them again, Avery's lips are on mine. I resist, though, admittedly, it's hard, pushing her back slightly until our breath mingles and our mouths are an inch or two apart. "What are you doing, Ave?" "Kissing," she says simply, swaying toward me and enveloping me in the scent of roses. "You kiss everyone," I say, repeating what she told me at Allure just weeks ago. She shakes her head and gets closer, her lips brushing mine again as she speaks. "Not tonight." She bites at my bottom lip, and my whole body spikes into a rolling tingle. "Avery." It's a whisper. A plea. I don't know for what, but she makes her own conclusions. "Right now, I only want to kiss you." I close the distance this time, taking her mouth with mine and melding the front of her body to my own. She tastes like prosecco and trouble, and apparently, I really fucking like both. On instinct, my hands find her hips, and I pull her body flush against me. Our lips caress and our tongues dance, and I get lost in the moment as everything around us fades away. The kiss goes on and on, a perfect loop of heat and hunger, with no clear beginning and no foreseeable end. The only thing keeping me from losing myself completely is the cold, unyielding counter pressed against my back. And then, just as suddenly as she started it, Avery pulls away. She's breathless, her lips swollen, her cheeks flushed. But it's her eyes that stop me cold-wide, unfocused, different. Like she's just realized something big. Her usual flirtatious, teasing smile? Gone. And with it, every bit of certainty I've ever had about anything. She stares at me for half a second-long enough to make my heart slam against my ribs-then spins on her heel and disappears back into the house. I don't chase her. I can't. Instead, I just stand there, staring after her like an idiot, my pulse pounding in my ears. What the fuck was that? That wasn't just a kiss. That was something else entirely. That was a whole new fucking world. And for some reason, I get the sinking fucking feeling Avery Banks is never, ever going to let it happen again.