"Good night," Avery and I say.
"What the fuck is the surprise?" I mutter.
"No idea. She wouldn't give me any hints," Avery says.
She's been sitting beside me on the couch all night, and now that Piper's gone upstairs, I pull her closer.
"It better not be a boy."
"You might want to prepare for that. If it's not tomorrow, it'll be some day not too far in the future."
I grumble, too annoyed out by the idea to think about it any longer.
Avery leans her body against mine, and we mindlessly watch some movie. I only pay attention when a car comes on the screen.
Piper loves having Avery around so much, and the two have become even closer. She's fit right into our family so easily, it's like she's always been a part of it.
Part of me still worries that having an actual girlfriend and having Piper have a relationship with that girlfriend is a bad idea. But it's an idea I've been religiously following Piper's whole life, and breaking it is a weird feeling.
Even though breaking it for Avery couldn't feel more right.
The credits roll up the screen, but neither of us moves. Avery's been going home around eleven every night, but tonight I don't want her to leave.
She presses her hand against my chest and moves to stand, "I'd better get going."
"Stay here tonight."
Avery's eyes move up to mine, and widen when our eyes connect. "What are you saying?"
I lower my voice, and say, "To sleep. I want you in my bed."
"But what about Piper." Avery raises her head to mine, inches away from me.
"But nothing. I said to sleep. We both know you can't be quiet. Besides, I'm surprised you're not still sore from this morning." I spent three hours at her house this morning, and when I left she was stuck on her bed.
"You want me to sleep in your arms? But not fuck me?"
"That's what I said. You can leave before Piper gets up in the morning."
"I didn't bring anything to sleep in."
"Good," I say and bring her mouth against mine. I break the kiss just as fast, before I won't be able to stop and we end up waking Piper.
Pushing Avery off me, I stand and take her hand. She follows me around the house as I turn off all the lights, before she follows me up the stairs and into my bedroom.
In silence, I strip down to my boxers while watching Avery peel off her clothes. She leaves her panties on and climbs into my bed. I finally have a woman in my bed and it feels fucking right.
I get in bed, and pull her alongside me. She hooks her feet around my calves and I hold her tighter against me. My dick rests against her round ass, and I force myself to think of Piper to stop myself from sticking it in Avery.
Avery falls asleep almost instantly, and I lie here, enjoying the rise and fall of her ribs under my arm. The scent of her hair fills my nose as I drift off to sleep.
At some point, I wake with a massive hard-on. It's pitch black, and Avery grinds her ass against me in her sleep.
Still half asleep, I trail my hand over the curve of her hip, and flick my finger under the edge of her panties. She's wet and she wants me. Fuck, I need to be in this pussy.
I kiss her cheek, put my lips to her ear and say, "Can you be quiet?"
She mumbles something and grinds into me.
I flick my cock out of my boxers, hold her panties aside, and push into her. Being inside her bare, feeling her wetness against my skin, still sends shivers from my cock through my body. I stay motionless, enjoying the sensations.
Moving a little, I move slow and deep. I'm waking up more now, but Avery is still half asleep. With each thrust, her ass pushes back against me. Her breath is shallow and fast under my arm, and she whimpers.
"Quiet," I whisper, increasing my thrusts.
A moan comes from her throat. I know the noise, it means she's close. Tingles race up and down my legs and my balls tighten.
Avery's body gyrates and she tilts her head back, her mouth open. I clamp my hand over her mouth in time to muffle her scream. I hope I muffled it enough.
My body shudders and my dick explodes against her walls.
In seconds, she's back asleep and I wonder if she was ever even fully awake. Exhausted, I leave my cock in her and fall back asleep.
I wake up with Avery still in my arms, the room bright with sunlight. Not wanting to wake her, I run my hand over her sleeping body before caressing each of her breasts and rolling her nipples between my fingers.
My cock stirs inside her, but I know it's too risky and that Piper would know. Having her sleep here in my bed is risky enough.
Shit, it's after nine. Piper will be up. Fuck.
"Wake up, baby," I whisper into Avery's ear.
"Hmm."
"Quiet, Piper's up."
"No." Avery jolts to her elbows, and my dick falls free of her in the movement.
"We slept in. We have to be quiet," I say in a hushed tone.
"How do I get out of here?"
"I'm going to have to sneak you out." The way Piper had better never sneak a boy out.
"How?"
"I don't know, I'll distract her in the kitchen and you go out the front door."
Avery laughs, and I cover her mouth with my hand.
"What's so funny?"
She creases her brow and pulls my hand away, "Did we have sex last night?"
"I'm offended you don't remember."
"I remember you putting your hand over my mouth. And I remember a pretty good dream."
"Dream?"
"Not a dream then?"
"No. Focus. We have to get you out of here without her knowing."
I should think it was a mistake having her stay here last night, but all I can think of is wanting more of it. Even though I know it's a mistake.
A mistake that makes me even more angry at myself, for putting myself ahead of Piper. Piper has to come first. I can't forget that.
Avery
After Knox leaves the room, I pick my clothes up off the floor and pull them on, making as little noise as possible.
Sleeping in Knox's strong arms all night was too wonderful for words. And it turns out that the dream I had about him last night was real in all its glory. It's no wonder I slept in and that was a dream I didn't want to wake up from. And one I hope he'll let us repeat. Assuming I can get out of the house without Piper seeing me.
I creak the door open and creep into the hallway. At the top of the stairs, I strain my ears to try to figure out what room Piper's in.
At first I can't hear anything, so I take a couple steps down the stairs, my feet coming into view to anyone in the living room.
"Avery," Piper says, sobbing, her voice coming from the living room.
Why is she sobbing? My heart races, and I rush down the rest of the steps.
They're standing in the center of the living room, Knox is holding Piper as she sobs against him. Her eyes are rimmed in red, and she wipes her nose on her sleeve as she looks at me.
Panicking, I hurry over to them, and rub her back. "What's wrong?"
What if she's upset because I stayed over? Knox will be furious, but hopefully not at me. Why didn't I set my alarm on my phone? Why today, of all days, did I have to sleep in?
I flick my eyes up to Knox and he shrugs, his eyes wide. Piper cries harder against his chest. He hugs her tight but she's in hysterics, her body heaving as she cries. Knox breathes heavily through his nose, his body tense.
"Talk to us, Piper. You'll feel better, and maybe we can help you," I say.
"My surprise. It's ruined," she says and wails against Knox.
Part of me wants to tell her to stop overreacting. Nothing is this bad. But Knox's face is taut, and I bite my tongue.
"What was the surprise?" I ask in my nicest voice.
"It's not fair," she says between sobs.
Knox picks her up and carries her to the couch. He sits down, cradling Piper on his lap. She looks tiny against his massive frame.
I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to intrude on them, but I want to help them both. Neither are looking at me, Piper's face is buried in Knox's chest, and Knox is looking helplessly at his daughter. I end up perching on the coffee table across from them.
"What was the surprise?" Knox asks.
"I was following my dream," Piper says. As she speaks, she looks at me.
My eyes widen, remembering the conversation I had with her a couple of weeks ago. She asked me if she should follow her dreams, and I said always. I was in too much of a rush to leave before Knox got home bother asking what that dream was.
"What dream?" Knox asks.
Piper dissolves into another fit of tears, and Knox visibly tenses even more.
"Avery said to follow my dream." I flinch as Piper says my name. I'm officially a part of this.
"We should all follow our dreams," I say quietly, my eyes on Knox.
He doesn't react as I speak. I don't think his body could get any more tense to begin with.
"Piper, you need to tell us what the surprise was," Knox says, his voice strained.
I'm sure he thinks it's a boy. At least, that's what I'm thinking it is. Did he break up with her on the morning of the graduation? Is this was a young broken heart looks like?
"No," she whispers.
"I mean it, Piper, What was the surprise?" Knox says, his voice stern.
"No! I said no I'm not telling you. I don't have to tell you anything."
"You don't have to, but if you want us to help you, we need to know. Come on, sweetie, you'll feel better to say it out loud," I say, reaching over to stroke down her arm.
"What was the surprise?" Knox says again, his teeth gritted.
"She's not coming," Piper wails.