Chapter 6

Avril stood still. Her body leveled against the wall. She had no clue as to how she should react. Her eyes wet with her tears as she sunk to the floor. Her chest was heaving and she felt weirdly elated by the encounter with him. Her bare body tingled from exposure. No man has ever seen her like this and she didn't know why her body heated at his remark.

At the moment she couldn't move, her body and mind were in a state of confusion. The independent side of her brain screamed at her to be bone meltingly angry but she, in ignorance of those commands, was trying to figure out why he affected her baser senses. He was...her mouth dried and her mind blanked as she tried to think about Thomas. He was so different from men she encountered...although she was a bit inexperienced in that sector. The broad-shouldered, muscled in all the right places, not to mention tall man with striking dark eyes and hair was truly something to behold. He carried himself with authority and the rich baritone of his voice was coaxing yet dangerous. She recalled the heat of his body covering her when he...

Avril shook her head, she should not be thinking of that-brute in such a manner....He had attacked her for heaven's sake! She ran her hand through her hair. What a bizarre encounter!
Bizarre that you found it exhilarating!
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Thomas paced, he was unaware of where he was going but at the moment it didn't matter. He didn't know what just happened. He couldn't explain it. Now that he knew that wide-eyed girl was no threat, his mind and body began harboring illicit thoughts.
"Thomas?" He looked up, his features softening as he saw Trish. "You didn't tell me you were coming home!" She engulfed him in a hug. Trish didn't fall short of being a mother figure to him.

"I didn't know I was coming home." He replied, truthfully.
"Oh, Thomas I feel as if I haven't seen you in years!" She exclaimed, a dash of tears coating her eyes as she wriggled out of his arms, placed her hands on his shoulder, inspecting him.

"That's because it's been two years." He responded lightly, brushing the tear off her cheeks.

"Feels longer." She countered, sniffling she smiled brightly. "Anyhow you're here now." she took his hands in hers and patted them.

"I have to go check on dinner, might be ten more minutes." She motioned to leave. "Oh, before I forget, we have a guest, I'll introduce you at dinner."

Thomas didn't know how to say that he had already met the honey-eyed innocent, so he just didn't say. If he was honest with himself and he was, he was looking forward to meeting her at dinner. Mostly because he was curious to see how she would react towards him. Making his way towards his room, he couldn't help the smirk as he passed by her door. One thing was certain, it would be an absolute pity to see her all covered up.

Thomas threw himself on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Images of inexperienced eyes and heated flesh whirling around in his mind. He grabbed a pillow and plopped it down over his face. He seriously needed to unwind. He wondered if the women here were just as willing as he remembered.

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"So the man of the house isn't even there?" Sara mused. "If only your father knew he wasn't as protective!" she burst out laughing. The irony of the situation causing Sara to go into a fit of laughter.

"I know right! It's a beautiful home yet, no one really stays here. What's the point?" Avril unloaded, she wanted to tell Sara about Thomas and their meeting but she felt a bit embarrassed so she was working her way up to it. She also didn't know what to make of the situation. Should she offended? Traumatized even?

"Girl, at least you will have some freedom, so don't question it. Oh, I forgot to tell you, Nate is attending the same college." Sara replied with enthusiasm but it was news that Avril was already aware of. Nate was Avril's crush. She wouldn't admit to feeling more than just that, after all a relationship between them was...complicated at best.

"I know, he told me." She replied vaguely, gulping in as much oxygen as her airways could handle in a futile attempt to ease the force of her beating heart.
"He told you! And you didn't tell me? No wonder this college held so much appeal for you." Sara teased and Avril blushed, thankful that their conversation was not face to face.

"It's not like that. It's just that I have decided to give up any hope on that front." Avril defended. It's true her experience with the opposite was lacking at best due to her parents' strict nature but this 'thing' with Nate was exhausting her emotions.

"Why? I think he really likes you, Avril." Her voice was insistent.

"I don't think so. Besides he wants something that I am not willing to give anybody at this stage in my life." She replied. She and Sara had this conversation so many times but still she couldn't find it in herself to stop liking him. It was weird though. Avril only thought about Nate after they conversed but if they hadn't spoken to each other in a couple of days she found herself being numb to his persuasion. She tried to tell herself it was due to her not liking him...not really anyway but when she did think about him it was to a point she felt frustrated knowing that he wasn't the guy for her.

Nate was charming to say the least; charismatic and very good at stimulating a witty conversation but Avril felt that underneath it he was cold. He liked women for what he could get from them and she, despite her feelings didn't think she could give him anything. She wouldn't. It was a line she couldn't cross. Besides, he never opened up to her, always kept her at arm's length in their friendship so how could she believe that he liked her? If that was how he showed his regard Avril was certain she was better off. She just had to convince her heart of that.

"You never know, maybe with you it will be different." Sara supported.

"Well, I am not willing to risk my body and self-respect on a 'maybe'." Avril laughed, not feeling any humor at all.

"Okay, maybe you're right. Ugh! I hate when boys are this stupid! Hopefully this is just a phase he is going through." Sara replied and Avril smiled at her friend's eternal optimism.

"Phase or no phase, I am good. College is starting and let's hope for a clean slate." Avril replied, before she could continue, there was a knock at the door. "Just hold on a sec, Sara."

"It's open!" She called out. The door eased open and Trish peeped in. "Oh, sorry to interrupt your call."

"You're not interrupting at all." Avril assured her with a warm smile.

"Dinner is almost finished, see you downstairs, okay?" She informed and when Avril nodded she left.

"Oh Sara, I got to go down for dinner, I will talk to you soon okay? Oh, before I go, I met the son today."

"Whose son?" Sara was perplexed.

"Mr. Lynne's son. He's in his twenties I think. But the meeting was weird." She disclosed.

"Weird how?" Sara questioned in a sing-song voice.

"I'll tell you about it later." Her nerves got the better of her once more.

"Okay..." She sounded disappointed and on alert. " how about we hang out tomorrow? I'll text you the address."

"Yeah, no problem!" Avril replied. After today she needed some time with her friends. "Well, I got to go now. See you." she hung up and mustered the courage to face the family heir.

Avril found her way to the dining room, it took her a full five minutes to locate it. Once there she smiled at Trish who was setting the table. "Do you want any help?" Avril questioned.

"Thank you, but I've got it. You just sit down and enjoy my amazing cooking!" She was warm and her smile infectious.

"Don't need to tell me twice," Avril responded as she took a seat. Looking around the table she saw that only two places were set.

"Is Thomas not eating in, tonight?" Avril questioned, she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
This got Trish's attention. "You've met Thomas?" She paused midway as she was placing one of her dishes on the table and looked at Avril.

"Uh vaguely," Avril responded nervously, unconsciously averting her gaze.

"Strange, Thomas didn't mention it." Trish's features grew pensive as she returned to her task.

"Shocker," Avril muttered under her breath with a huff.

"But Thomas is eating in, the second setting is for him." She informed and Avril no longer felt disappointed but nervous. Her eyes focusing on the second place setting as if she could somehow make it disappear or multiply.
"Aren't you staying for dinner?" Avril grew tense knowing that she would be alone in that man's presence.
"Heaven's no." She giggled. "I live just a walk away from the compound, I usually spend the weekends here but I have a small gathering of friends over tonight." She divulged and despite Avril's happiness for the woman she wished she would stay. She resisted the urge to dive at her feet, encircle her arms around her ankles and beg her to stay.
"I hope you have fun," Avril responded and she smiled.
"So tell me what did you think of my Thomas?" Trish questioned, a small sly smile playing on her lips as she looked at Avril. Avril's senses were on alert, something about Trish's question made her guarded.
"Well, he was welcoming in a very unusual way." The words spilled through gritted teeth as Avril remembered their encounter, her embarrassment at him openly perusing her clothesless body resurfacing causing her cheeks to darken.
Trish's head snapped up. "Oh no, that doesn't sound good. What did he do?" she turned concerned. Avril avoided her gaze.
"Nothing. He is just unusual." Avril covered up, she didn't think it would be nice to condemn the owner of the house she was staying in.
"Oh. Well, let me assure you it's just part of the charm." Trish smirked.
"So women are attracted to flight risks?" Avril rolled her eyes and only a second after did she realise she spoke the words out loud.
"In my expert opinion, yes." The confident, soul-reaching low growl caused both Trish and Avril to turn their attention to the silhouette, obviously male, who had just entered the dining room.
Avril steeled her features to absolute indifference. "And you consider yourself to be an expert in the topic of women?" Her voice withheld none of the contempt she felt.
Trish folded her arms across her chest and regarded the countenance of both, she felt awkward standing among them, as if this was meant to be some private encounter.

"Seeing as I have the most relationship experience here, I would think so." He replied, his voice hard and unyielding. Avril rose an eyebrow in response.

"Well, seeing that you have had so much relationship experience and are still single says otherwise." She countered, smiling sweetly.

"Who says I am single?" He walked closer to the table, pulled out a chair, and eased down onto it.

"I do. And I am certain of it." She replied with such conviction that Thomas found himself silent, his eyes studying her, as he was about to reply, Trish intervened.

"Thomas this is Miss Avril Stock."
He picked up his wine glass and rose it towards her, "Welcome to our home Avril." He brought the glass to his lips and drank.
Avril couldn't help but notice the way his long, slender fingers curled across the glass, nor the way his lips touched the rim in a tempting whisper.
"Thank you." She replied past the lumps forming in her throat.