Beautiful Innocence by Kelly Mooney Read Free Book Online Page B

instant. “Go get it. I’ll be up front waiting.”
    My feet are bouncing up and down as I stare at the doors to the outside. My heart has been in my throat ever since I saw her holding up those little lace panties. I shouldn’t be here and my brain keeps registering that, but this painful twinge in my chest seems to want to stick around whenever I’m near her. My mind wanders as she comes into view when I look back toward the sale racks. She’s still eyeing price tags, but now she has a small hopeful smile on her face as she’s doing it, and I feel like a prick because I can’t get the image of her wearing those damn panties, straddling me out of my head. She looks up suddenly, and catches me staring at her, so I toss her a weak smile.
    Twenty-one damn years old. I blow out a breath, thinking about our age difference of seven years. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad. She’s probably looking for some fun, nothing too serious—like I am. I shift uncomfortably, knowing that I’m letting my guard down with her much too soon. I usually like my women chasing me not the other way around, but there’s just something about her that tosses me over the damn edge of sanity. I just hope once I get her out my system I can push her aside like every other girl, because every second I spend with her makes me want a little bit more of her and I’m not used to that.
    Mary Foley walks in and stands right dead in front of me. Mary and I go way back to the time we played house back in fourth grade and she pretended to be my wife the entire school year and the one night in tenth grade that I wish I could forget.
    “Hey, Josh, fancy seeing you here.”
    “Mary.” I glance up quickly but look behind her to see Ava approaching. “It was good to see you,” I say, quickly standing, and start to go around her, but she grabs my wrist.
    “Well, what are you doing later? I was thinking of grabbing a beer.”
    “Hey, I’m done.” Ava is standing with a cart not as full as I’d like, but it’s better than it was before. At this point I don’t care, I just want to get Ava away from Mary. When I look up, Ava’s smiling, and when she does those fucking angel eyes of hers sparkle brighter than any star in the Carolina sky.
    Mary looks between us like she’s trying to put the pieces together, and she then tilts her head, eyeing Ava up and down. “I didn’t hear you were dating anyone.” It’s not a question, it’s more of a statement.
    Ava’s eyes grow two sizes, making those baby blues so pronounced I get lost in them for a second. “Oh, Joshua and I aren’t dating. We’re just friends.”
    Mary presses her lips together at Ava’s very sweet, innocent as hell voice. “Good to know,” she whispers as she runs her hand up my arm and around my back. And I can see the shock on Ava’s face at the intimacy Mary is displaying. Only I’m used to it. A couple of the girls I’ve spent time with have no problem touching my body like they’re claiming me. Normally I don’t give two shits, but right now I feel like pure slime. What the hell am I doing here?
    Ava is way too innocent for me. The sweetness is written all over her face, the softness of her voice, her naivety, to the way she walks without any confidence. “You ready then?” I ask abruptly, pulling her from her stare-down at Mary’s back as she’s walking away.
    “Yeah,” she mumbles, but then smiles brightly up to me, crushing my heart once more.
    I grab the bag of stuff once I pay for it all and guide her outside to her aunt’s truck. She opens the door and I toss the bag inside. Ava moves over, leaning back on the truck, tucking her hands behind her back. “How can I thank you?”
    “It was nothing.” I peer all around, looking at the truck. Damn thing is so old. I kick the tire and notice the tread is worn down. “I’ll talk to Angie about these tires if you’re gonna be driving it. They need to be replaced.”
    She bites down and chews on the corner of her