With an unladylike scoff, Alex lifted her glass to her smug lips and muttered, “You mean you enjoy readingsmut.”
“It is not smut!” Alex blurted loud enough to draw attention from some of the nearby tables. Damn it, she really needed to stop doing that.
“Is there sex in those books of yours?” her sister challenged.
“Yes, but—”
“There ya have it.” Alex grinned. “Smut.”
Her sister had a point. Though the books Avery read weren’t filled with cover-to-cover hot monkey sex, therewasa certain level of steam mixed into her beloved stories.
Some leaving her so hot and bothered, she was thankful her batteries were the rechargeable kind.
“There’s also plenty of action and adventure in them,” Avery defended her choice of reading. “And suspense…and romance.” Stories of happily ever after that left her toes curling and her heart hopeful.
Hopeful because she’d read way too many amazing books for that sort of thing to not be real. Sure, the stories themselves were fictional. And of course, the drama and suspense weren’t true to life. But boy when Avery found herself caught up in a good story…
What I wouldn’t give to feel that same sort of passion for real.
And the men…God. Just theideaof an alpha hero risking it all for the woman he loves made Avery’s heart believe those stories could happen. That they had to have stemmed from someplacereal.
Her logical brain couldn’t accept anything else. Because to her, it made perfect sense.
If her favorite authors could create such visceral, physical reactions from words alone, then surely that meant those emotions and experiences existedoutsidethe pages.
Apparently just not in Avery’sworld.
“I like my books.” She turned to Alex once more. “And I don’t judgeyoufor how you spend your nights.”
If anything, Avery was envious of her older sister’s outgoing personality. Alex was a social butterfly. Her, not so much.
Even as a kid, Avery preferred the solace of her bedroom. She spent most of her time solving puzzles or playing intellectually challenging video games. Placing that last piece with the others or reaching the next level in a game filled her with a sense of accomplishment and pride.
Those same traits had followed her into adulthood. Only now, instead of jigsaw puzzles or brain teasers, Avery created accounting programs and financial software used by several Fortune 500 companies.
Alex, on the other hand, was beyond horrible with math and computers, but great with people.
Growing up, she was always the popular one. The cheerleader who dated the quarterback. The prom queen who stole the hearts of all the boys in school. Star of the school play.
Avery didn’t begrudge her sister any of those things. She was truly happy for each and every award and prize Alex had ever earned.
Even now, as they spent the evening celebrating her sister’s upcoming show at the most prestigious art gallery in town, she was filled with nothing but excitement and pride for the woman sitting across from her.
Which reminded her…
“Enough about me. Tonight is supposed to be aboutyou.” Avery lifted her almost-empty glass in the air. “So, here’s to you, your amazing talent, and to what I know will be the best damn art show this city has ever seen.”
Smiling wide, her gorgeous sister lifted her own glass. Clinking the rim with hers, Alex downed what was left of her mixed drink. “Thanks, Aves. Your support means a lot.” Alex’s smile wavered, a touch of bittersweet sadness filling the woman’s dark eyes. “I wish Mom and Dad could be here to see it.”
Reaching across the table, Avery covered one of her sister’s hands with hers. “They are, Alex.” Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away. “They’re always here.”
With a gentle squeeze, the two sisters let the moment linger before Alex sniffled and straightened her shoulders. “So.” She cleared the thick emotion from her voice. “Back to your boring, predictable life.”
“Really?” Avery’s gaze narrowed. “I may not be the most sought-after artist in town, but that doesn’t mean my life is boring and predictable”
“You go to work; you go home to an empty apartment.”
“It’s not empty. I have Gus.”