Worth the Wait by Rhonda Laurel Read Free Book Online Page A

trying to understand why it terrified him. He felt himself getting hard again. It was time to get on the road. He reluctantly pulled away from her and touched his forehead with hers.
    She caressed his hands. “Parker and I weregoing to have pizza for dinner. I can order a pie with anchovies and pepperoni for you.”
    “No. I can’t stay. I’m on my way to New Mexico to see my family. I think something’s going on with Corbett.”
    “Oh. OK.” She sighed. “How long will you be gone?”
    “Just a few days. I have a shift at the Bright Star this weekend.” He caressed her face again and reluctantly walked to the doorwith her hand in hers. “Can you tell Parker good-bye for me?”
    She laughed. “Sure. You be careful. Tell your mom and Corbett I said hello.”
    “Not Courtney?”
    “Yeah, her too.” She smiled.
    “So we’re good?” he asked, hopeful.
    “We’re getting there,” she sighed. “Whatever it is you’re going through, I know you’ll figure it out. Don’t put a time limit on yourself. Sometimesthings that are worth fighting for take more time.”
    “Yes, they do.” He kissed her again before he left. “We’ll talk when I get back. I promise.”
    “OK.”

 
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Avery was happy to get the text the other night from Wyatt saying that he’d arrived safely in New Mexico. Apparently there was some stuff going on with Corbett. He said he’d fill her in when he got back. There was no mention of a discussion about their hot kisses—kisses that were getting successively hotter each time theyconnected and that bothered her. One of the things she always liked about him was his confidence and playfulness. But lately he’d become unpredictable and moody all the time. He’d left the other day before they could finish their talk at Parker’s house. She thought they’d been connecting on a new level when he’d started talking about his real feelings. And then he’d left again. Whether he liked itor not, they needed to have a serious talk about things. She hoped he’d stop running long enough to talk.
    When her Uncle Seth asked her to lunch, Avery had no idea they would be dining at the fancy restaurant in the Tomcats Stadium. She parked her car and walked through the main stadium doors. There was a flurry of activity going on today. She told one of the security guards she was thereto see her uncle, and they quickly got on the phone to locate him. After a few minutes, they found him on the field, but he instructed them to escort her to the restaurant.
    It wasn’t out of the ordinary for her to spend time with her Uncle Seth, but she wondered what he was up to. She thanked her security escort for bringing her up, but assured him that she’d be OK waiting outside the restaurantfor her uncle. Practice was in session and it looked like the team was running drills of some sort. She walked over to the railing and spotted her uncle talking to the head coach.
    “Avery?”
    She turned to see none other than Riley Sloane. “Riley. Hi.”
    “What a pleasant surprise. You look gorgeous.”
    “I see you don’t have an off switch for that charm of yours,” she replied.Riley flirted with her relentlessly the first day they met, right in front of her Uncle Seth. Apparently he had a healthy ego and a death wish. The noise from the cheerleaders as they bounded out of the restaurant was a welcome distraction. They waved at Riley, and a few of them blew kisses at him as they got on the escalator. “Now that’s gorgeous.”
    “ That’s overkill. They try too hard.”He glanced at the cheerleaders then returned his determined gaze back on her. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be working here.”
    “No.” She laughed. “I’m just having lunch with my Uncle Seth.”
    “Ah.” He grinned. “It was wishful thinking on my part.”
    “How are things? I hear you’re starting to let go and dig into your position.”
    “Finally a compliment from someone in the Blakefamily.”