Page 70 of Pressure Point

“Sure is. You are all moved, young lady,” Gunnar said.

“I can’t thank you guys enough,” she said, skipping ahead to hold the door open. “You made this so much easier.”

“You weren’t kidding when you said you didn’t have a lot,” Talia said, walking into the living room from her bedroom, surveying all the boxes. Liam deposited the one he was carrying on top of another and crashed down on the couch. His muscles ached slightly from all the extra activity, but it was worth it. Having Avery in the same building as him made him feel like he’d won the lottery.

“Hazel and I lived together for all of college and grad school, and then she took most of it with her when she moved to Somerset a couple of months ago. I’ve been too lazy to replace it.”

“I’m quite thankful you didn’t,” Liam said, looking over at her. She was beyond adorable in a pair of black yoga pants and an old ratty Georgia Tech T-shirt, her gorgeous red hair messily piled on top of her head. Every inch of him wanted to grab hold of her and yank her down onto the couch with him, just to be close to her. Getting lost in her kisses wouldn’t be something he would turn down either.

“So, I know you’re probably beat, but…” she trailed off, sauntering over to him. Her bottom lip was caught between her teeth again, and Liam’s groin tightened watching her. Fuck, why did she have to be so cute? “I need one last favor.”

“I doubt it will be the last,” he teased.

“It might!” she defended, a look of mock offense taking over her sweet features. “I got the bed frame together, but I need help putting the mattress on it. It’s a lot bigger than I am, and I’m a little afraid it might land on me and I’ll never get out from under it.”

Talia snickered, looking up from her phone. “Death by mattress.”

“It would be a horrible way to go,” Avery added in.

“Lead the way, love.”

Gracefully gesturing to the bigger of the two bedrooms in the unit, Avery led the way. Liam followed, trying not to stare at her ass in those yoga pants. The thought crossed his mind to give it a little swat, just light enough for her to know that she had his attention. He thought better of it though, knowing that they weren’t the only two in the apartment. And that now that he’d confessed his insecurities to Gunnar, he was sure that his coach was watching him out of the corner of his eye. It was the truth though, that he had no idea how she was feeling about them, or where they stood—and that he was secretly worried this was all a game to her. But something had shifted between them these last couple of weeks and then again last night on the pitch. He just wasn’t sure what that was. Or what it meant for their future. If there even was a “their future.”

“Do you want me to take one side and you get the other?” she asked.

“No, I got it,” he answered, sliding his hand behind the queen mattress that was leaning against the wall. Making quick work of moving it toward the bed, he had it lined up and in place on the platform frame in no time. Appreciation radiated off of Avery as she watched him, and he couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride in return. It was a similar feeling to seeing her in his gear last night, only this time, it came with the fun of showing off for her. He realized it was a little Tarzan-ish of him, but the glint of heat in her eyes let on that she liked it too.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, enjoying the view as she walked toward him, her steps unhurried and purposeful. There was a slight swing to her hips, her back arched just enough to make her pert breasts stand out.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You know, I’ve never had a boy in my bedroom who wasn’t my brother.”

She nudged his knees open enough that she could stand between them, her arms wrapping around his neck. His hands found her hips, sliding around to the small of her back, drawing her to him. When their foreheads met, she let out a stuttered sigh, as if she’d been holding the breath for hours. Heat rushed through Liam, his own pulse speeding up as he inhaled her sweet scent.

“I’m honored to be the first,” he told her. “Which also means that I’m the first to ever do this in your bedroom…”

Liam tilted his head up, capturing her mouth in his. Avery let out a soft moan as her lips parted, making way for his tongue to seek out hers. Sparks shot through him as they continued to kiss, the feel of her lithe body pressed against him spurring him on more and more. Whatever tiredness he’d been feeling before was gone—washed away by her and her intoxicating touch. Tightening his grip on her, he pulled her impossibly closer to him and yet she was still too far away. He needed to be closer.

Avery leaned in, sliding a knee onto the bed, and that was all the encouragement he needed. Gliding his hands down to her ass, he gave it a firm squeeze, earning another moan, before hauling her into his lap. Without skipping a beat, Avery wiggled her hips, her core rubbing up against his now raging hard dick. A bolt of lust shot straight to that exact spot, and he let out his own groan in response. He twisted underneath her, trying to create more of that incredible friction, but couldn’t get the right angle sitting up. So he leaned back, never moving his mouth from hers, guiding her onto the bed on top of him.

Crash!

Liam felt the bed give way before he heard the clang of metal and the thump of the mattress hit the floor. He lost his balance as everything shifted underneath him, panic rising in him. Avery’s nails dug into his shoulders, her eyes wide as she pulled back from him, looking around trying to figure out what happened.

A deep, rumbling laugh bubbled up inside Liam, much like the one Gunnar had let out in the elevator not that long ago. He hadn’t thought they’d gotten that passionate, but maybe they had. Then again, maybe Avery wasn’t quite as handy at putting things together as she had thought. Avery looked at him in confusion, before letting out the breath she’d been holding and joining him in laughing.

“Oh, well done, you two,” Talia commented. Liam turned to see her and Gunnar framed in the doorway, the both of them trying to hold in their own laughter. “Breaking shit already. Off to a great start.”

“I’ve never broken a bed,” Avery whispered, still giggling.

“That makes two of us.”

* * *

Avery put the last of the dishes she brought over into the cupboard and turned just in time to see Gunnar and Liam emerge from her bedroom. The two of them had looks on their faces that she couldn’t quite name. Like the two of them were up to something. Knowing what she did about their relationship, they probably were. Liam had told her all about how close he was with Gunnar, and she loved watching that relationship in action.

“For the sake of my players, Avery, you are never allowed to assemble furniture for the med suite. If a table or something needs to be put together, someone else is doing it,” Gunnar said, pointing the wrench at her. A smile crept up his face letting her know that he was at least partially joking, but she couldn’t help but feel the sting of embarrassment over what had happened.

She was still having a hard time wrapping her head around it. She and Liam had broken the bed. Making out. Only to have his coach—one of her bosses—run into the room to see them still tangled up in each other. Talk about embarrassing.