A small stretch of silence crosses between us as we undertake an intense, sweat-forming stare down. My breathing stills when he tilts his head towards me, bringing his lips to within mere millimeters of mine. A rush of excitement courses through my body as every fantasy I've ever conjured transpires before my eyes. Just as Hugo’s lips brush against the edge of my mouth, a loud knock sounds on the door. The tap is so hard, it vibrates through my heaving chest.
“Ava, it’s Jorgie. I just heard what happened. Let me in.”
When she pushes the door open with her shoulder, my body lunges towards Hugo, smashing our faces together. If I were a few inches taller, my lips would have landed on his mouth, instead of his chin. Hugo’s heavy-lidded eyes drift between mine for several heart clutching seconds before he lowers his arms and takes a step backward, unpinning me from my the door.
After giving myself a few seconds to regain control of the erratic beat of my heart, I push off the door and pace into the middle of the room. The instant I step away from the door, Jorgie charges into the room. Her eyes are wide; her cheeks are flushed, and excitement in beaming out of her. She looks nearly as flustered as I feel.
“You know how you didn’t have a date for the summer fling?” she asks, her words barely audible in her breathless state.
I nod my head. My lack of date isn’t because I can’t find a dance partner for the night. It’s just an excuse I’ve used so I don’t have to tell Jorgie I’m not allowed to go to the senior dance. It’s being held the same night my parents are going to Napa Valley for the weekend to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary.
My dad arranged for me to stay at my grandmother’s house two towns over. When I requested to stay at Jorgie’s for the weekend, my father said my desire to spend time with my grandmother should outweigh my need for social interaction. That was the beginning and end of our discussion.
Jorgie grips my arm as her gleaming eyes beam into mine. “You no longer have an excuse not to go. Because not only did I overhear Richie Santo asking Rhys for your digits, I also saw Chase dragging Robert Parker down the stairwell. Chase didn’t say it, but I’m fairly certain Robert was up here looking for you.”
Her neck cranks to the side when a thunderous growl emits from Hugo’s lips. The skin around her nose scrunches when she discovers Hugo standing at my side. I don’t know how she could miss a man with a frame as large as his?
“You’re lucky your immature prank backfired or I would’ve told mom what you did to Ava,” Jorgie says, her voice coming out snarkier than normal as her eyes shoot daggers at Hugo.
A grin tugs on my lips when a fretful mask slips over Hugo’s face. I love Mrs. Marshall. She treats me as if I am her daughter, but I grew even fonder of her when I discovered she is the only person in the world Hugo fears. It isn’t a quaking-in-your-boots type of fear. It is the worry he may one day disappoint his No. 1 fan that keeps him on the straight and narrow.
My eyes lift and lock with Hugo’s. His jaw is set into a hard line; his fists are clenched at his side, and he is returning Jorgie’s evil glare.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” I silently mouth, hoping our earlier agreement is still in effect.
His eyes shift from glaring at Jorgie to me. A smirk curves on his mouth before he rubs his stomach and winks. After I return his smile, he ambles to the door and exits without a backward glance. But we never got our breakfast the following day……
“So, are you going to get dressed, Ava, or do you want to go out like that?” Hugo asks, interrupting me from my reminiscing thoughts.
My pupils widen as my eyes dart down to the peach-colored, floral-printed towel wrapped around my body. Although it doesn’t match the sleek design of my modern apartment, it was a house warming gift from Mrs. Marshall, so I couldn’t part with it.
I lift my gaze and lock it with Hugo’s twinkling baby blues. “I guess that will depend on where we are going? It’s not like half the town hasn’t already seen my naked derriere.”
Six
Ava
My sassiness is foiled when a panty-combusting smirk morphs on Hugo’s face. Well, they would have combusted, if I were wearing any. A squeal escapes my parted lips and echoes down the hallway of my apartment building when Hugo suddenly launches for me and throws me over his shoulder.
A ragged gasp expels from my lips, and my hands shoot to the hem of the towel, wanting to ensure my neighbors don’t get an eyeful of mylady garden. Once again, that is a metaphor. I can’t technically call it a garden when it doesn’t have any foliage. I’ve just always found the word “pussy” a little too risky if you aren’t in the bedroom, and calling it a “vagina” is a huge no-no in my book.
A rush of excitement pelts my body when Hugo smacks one of my ass cheeks with his large open palm. “As riveting as it would be to take you out only wearing a towel, Jorgie would kill me. So you’ve got five minutes to get dressed, Ava,” he instructs while placing me down onto my feet.
“It’s eleven PM!” I declare, like there could be a possibility he is unaware of the time. “The only place I'm going to be visiting is my bed.”
His brow arches high into his thick, luxurious shaggy hair as an unscrupulous grin etches on his sinful mouth.
“Alone,” I clarify. I’m surprised how confident my statement came out considering how fast my pulse is racing.
“How old are you, Ava?” he asks smugly.
I cross my arms in front of my chest, hoisting my moderately sized bosoms higher into the air. “Exactly six months younger than you, remember?” I reply, my tone pompous and full of sassiness.
“Then stop acting like my mother and get your goddamn ass dressed.”
My mouth pop opens over his audacity. Any word vomit preparing to exit my lips becomes trapped in my throat when I notice the direction of his heavy-lidded gaze. It is a well-known fact Hugo has a fascination with legs. Nearly every inch of my legs are on display since my strengthened stance has inched my towel higher on my thighs.
When I uncross my arms, my towel drops back to a more respectable level, and Hugo’s heavily dilated eyes return to mine.
