Avery was expecting the usual for Jared, grabbing her and kissing her and distracting her enough that she would give in and forget all about why she was upset in the first place. What she wasn’t expecting was his honesty, his words taking her off-guard that she was sure the surprise was written on her face. Gone was the annoyance and in its place were softer features, Avery at a loss for how to respond when he brought up excellent points. He was much older than she was and he worked with her father on a daily basis; their relationship now was dangerous enough, let alone one based on more than just sex. But she liked him, no matter how hard she’d tried to stop and she didn’t want this to end. “I don’t want to stay away from you either,” she admitted, uncrossing her arms so they rested at her sides. “And wanting more than sex is…hard, considering who you are and who I am.” An understatement if she’d ever heard one. Avery looked up at him, licking her lips as she took a deep breath. “But you like me. I like you. You want me and I want you and whatever happens? I think it’d be worth it. It’s been worth it so far.” Instead of stepping away she took a step closer to him, giving into everything he was trying to deny. “So shut up,” her gaze dropped to his lips, the only thing that had been on her mind for the last two weeks, “and kiss me instead.”
“Avery, I --” Jared swallowed, glancing towards the door. “If I kiss you, I’m positive I won’t stop there.” He wet his lips regardless, watching her mouth as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. Maybe he could lock the door. That door was always jammed and locking accidentally and it would be the perfect excuse. He could put her to sit on his desk and wrap her legs around his hips -- he could do a lot of things, and he wanted to do a lot of things, especially to Avery. “Damn it.” He cursed quietly under his breath, putting his arm around her waist. He kissed her -- hard, two weeks of need, want and frustration tumbling from his lips as he groaned into her mouth. Fuck, he’d really, really missed this. “Could I see you tonight?” He spoke the words quietly against her lips, keeping his hand at her hips before he’d take things way too far when God knows how many people were just outside his office door. “Please?”