Amiss

Chapter 26 - Ava

For a second there, it looked tense, but Trey laughing in Caleb's face seemed to defuse the situation. I sigh in relief as Caleb prances out of the restaurant, holding his head high. Well, thank goodness. However, his parting words were somewhat confusing.

"Argh, I'm so happy he's gone. You can do a hell of a lot better. That guy was such a...such a..." I stammer, trying to find the proper adjective. "Peacock!" Letty and Trey chuckle in unison.

"Wow, is that your meanest insult?" Letty asks incredulously once she recovers from her laughter.

"No, I could have called him something more colourful, but peacock fits perfectly." My cheeks burn hotly as I chatter away. The tequila and sangria have me feeling all kinds of giddy and have loosened my tongue considerably.

"Well, I can readily say it. He was a fucking asshole. As I said earlier today, you are way too nice, Ava." I recall the last time she said that and when Kyal accosted me at Uni. I still haven't told Trey about that, and a part of me doesn't want to bring it up, especially now that we're having fun. I feel like the mention of Kyal will haunt our night and trigger his insecurities. Letty pats my hand, almost like she realises she inadvertently reminded me.

"We need shots!" Letty slaps the wooden table excitedly. I'm tipsy enough to nod my head in earnest.

"Yes! Let's celebrate you escaping Caleb." Needing no more encouragement, Letty slides out of the booth and tetters off to the bar. Being left alone, I become acutely aware of Trey's warm presence beside me. I'm already unconsciously angled towards him, but his musky scent overtakes my senses, drawing me closer. One of his large hands closes the short distance, tucking my hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek.

"I've been fighting this for hours," he murmurs, turning up the heat in the room to eleven. A moan tumbles out of me as our mouths connect. His tongue is warm as it slips slowly against mine. I melt into the kiss, completely forgetting I'm in public, that we're in a kid-friendly restaurant. All sense and reason abandon me when his teeth graze my bottom lip. Gripping at his shirt, I'm itching to rip it off so I can feel his soft skin and hair beneath my fingertips.

"Geez, I left you two alone for a minute." Letty's voice interrupts our passionate kiss. I slowly resurface as Trey pulls back a fraction. Opening my eyes, I blink dazedly; Trey's hazel irises are smouldering though and I can't help but lean in to taste his lips again quickly.

"When you've stopped mauling each other, look who I found at the bar." Letty sounds excited like she's pulling a rabbit out of a hat. However, the guessing game is suspended when a familiar deep voice rumbles nearby—causing me to grin against Trey's lips.

"You said we were celebrating something, Letty, but damn I didn't realise it was a conception." I roll my eyes towards the ceiling as Brax chortles away at his own joke. So, they're really giving us crap when it took Letty two minutes to replace peacock?

I slide away from Trey, falling back against the booth, breathing heavily. The cool leather kisses my flushed skin, and I squeeze my thighs together, trying to ignore my body's reaction. "Do you two need to be separated on opposite sides of the booth?" I shake my head while Trey grunts his disapproval at Letty's suggestion. I've always despised public displays of affection, yet now I'm struggling to keep my hands to myself. I've become everything I hate.

The four of us easily chatter away and share jokes over our delicious cocktails. Tonight is the most I've ever seen Trey laugh in one setting. I rest my hand on his thigh, enjoying the sight as he shudders in laughter beside me. He seems so different as he looks at me with a boyish grin. His eyes are hooded, but I perceive a gentle calm beyond the green. The internal battle he's waging appears to have hit a standstill for a brief moment, and I'm fortunate enough to glimpse him without the depression and anxiety that generally weighs him down.