“I didn’t even think about my pajamas,” she replies with mock horror. “Whatever will I do if there’s something in my pajamas?”
God, I love her playfulness. “Well, first things first. I’m gonna need to take them completely off. That’s the only way to ensure you don’t have any monsters hiding anywhere.”
“Makes sense. What happens after my pajamas are off?”
“See, that’s where my experience as a master monster hunter comes in. You can’t just look and know that everything is fine. You have to get your hands dirty, really explore the entire body. Between my hands and my mouth, I can make sure there are no monsters lurking anywhere.”
“Sounds like you know how to do a very thorough job…of checking for monsters.”
“Fuckin’ right. How about the next time I see you, I give you a thorough monster check?”
“I think that sounds like the only way to keep me safe and sound from lurking monsters.”
“Done. I’m on another twelve hours tomorrow. What time does Brooklyn go to bed?”
“Around eight.”
“I’m off at nine. How about I stop by after I’m off and check your bed for you?”
“It’s a date,” she replies and I can hear the smile in her voice.
We talk for another forty-five minutes until I realize it’s almost midnight. “I should probably go. You have work tomorrow morning,” she says which comes out more like a yawn.
“Yeah, you sound like you’re ready to pass out. I’ll stop by then tomorrow night?”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you then. Bye, Maddox.”
“Sweet dreams, Avery.” As I hang up the phone, I can’t help the smile on my lips. I actually just spend almost an hour on the phone with a woman. I hate the phone. I hate talking to women on the phone. But, when I talk to Avery, there’s just something so natural and right about it. I could have talked to her all night if we both weren’t fighting sleep.
I lie back on my pillow and get comfortable again. Tomorrow night. I’ll be exploring Avery’s perfect body tomorrow night, checking it for monsters. I smile, again, as I start to drift off to sleep.
After I get Brooklyn bathed, in her pajamas, and into bed on Sunday night, I start to feel a little nervous about Maddox stopping by after work. I start to question whether he’s coming over because he wants to see me or because he wants sex. Maddox has never had a shortage of women willing to spend time in bed with him, but is that all he’s after with me? To score with his brother’s baby sister?
Though it’s difficult, I push that thought out of my mind before it can completely take over my thoughts, making me crazy. Maddox loves my brother too much to risk messing up his friendship with him by sleeping with his sister just to say he did. He probably could have done that anytime over the last several years. And he did agree that he wasn’t going to sleep with other women while we’re hanging out. So I just have to put a little faith and trust into him that he won’t screw me over, figuratively that is.
Mom always says that a watched pot doesn’t boil so I decide to flip through the channels and find a movie to watch to help pass the time until Maddox gets here. After my second run through the channels, I settle for a Duck Dynasty marathon. Nine o’clock rolls into nine-thirty which slowly becomes ten o’clock. The last thing I remember is Uncle Sy blowing up his pick-up truck and the whole family watching and cheering.
I’m startled awake by a knock at the door. I glance up at the clock and notice its ten forty-five. I look through the peek hole and see the very tired, yet devastatingly handsome face of Maddox. I crack open the door and gaze at him through heavily lidded eyes.
“Did I wake you?” he asks.
“I just dozed off on the couch. Do you want to come in?”
“Do you still want me to come in?” I step back and hold the door wide open for him. He steps inside and walks towards the couch while I shut and lock the door.
“Sorry I’m so late. We caught a case right at the end of shift and ended up working another hour and a half. I ran home quickly and showered, and then walked over. I didn’t know if I should still come or not.”
I walk over to him until I’m standing right in front of him and slide my hands up his muscular arms from his wrists to his shoulders. “I’m glad you came over,” I whisper as I gaze into his tired eyes. He bends down and kisses my lips lightly, like he’s savoring their taste. Then he slides one hand around my waist and pulls me tight against him. I feel him growing hard against me. His other hand wraps around my neck and we’re both lost in the kiss. It quickly turns needy and urgent until we’re both breathing hard and fighting for air.