My stomach muscles bunch after he tilts in close to my side and his delicious woodsy scent hits my senses. “Aspen is only twenty-six and already on wife number two,” he informs me.
Oh.
I turn my gaze in just enough time to catch Aspen sneakily slipping off his wedding ring and sliding it into his pocket. Even with having nothing to be ashamed of, guilt swamps me. I’ve never been that type of girl. I won’t even socialize with married men at places like this; that’s just asking for trouble.
I flick my humiliated eyes back to Hugo. “You couldn’t have just whispered that in my ear?”
He brushes the back of his fingers over my inflamed cheek. “Nah. It wouldn’t have been as much fun that way.”
He can say that, but he isn’t the one panting like a dog in heat.
Hugo adjusts his position, snagging my devotion when he leans in intimately close to my side. “Does it bother you? Having me here?” he questions, quoting me from earlier, his eyes smoldering.
“No,” I reply, my voice barely a whimper.
When a condescending smirk stretches across his face, I add on. “Unless you are planning on cock-blocking every guy who gets within a ten-mile radius of me.”
He smiles, revealing his perfectly straight teeth. I blame Hugo for my career choice. A beautiful smile is one of the most captivating features a person can have. With a little bit of effort, everyone has the chance to achieve a smile nearly as alluring as Hugo’s. Wanting to make people feel as good as I did when I was graced with Hugo’s heart-fluttering smile, I chose to become a dentist. When I see the smile on my patients’ mouths after orthodontics, it makes it worth enduring the less stellar parts of my job.
“And if I was planning on cock-blocking every guy?” he queries, his gaze sliding over my face.
I shift my angle, leaning in to his side. We’re now sitting so close, his warm breath dries my already parched lips.
“Then I have no problems with you being here,” I answer truthfully.
There is only one man whose devotion I wish to secure. He is sitting right next to me. Sheepishly, I lift my eyes to Hugo, wanting to gauge his reaction to my boldness. His smile that greets me is crass and smug. A tingle races down my back, too turned on to control my body responding to his smile. I stick out my tongue before scooting across the bench seat. My excitement is evident when the skin on my thigh clings to the leather seat. I move far enough away from Hugo that my body gets a small moment of reprieve from his alluring pull, but not far enough that Aspen will misinterpret my closeness as an open invitation.
Seventeen
Hugo
Fuck me!I nearly died when Ava strolled into the VIP section of the club. After spending my week wading my way through my new job, my mood was anything but pleasant. Add that on top of the guilt I felt knowing I was the cause of Ava’s sudden decision to attend a university across the country, and my mood turned downright deadly.
I was riddled with guilt when I found out Ava was forced to leave her home town because of me and my foolishness. I did stupidly mark her skin, warning my competitors that Ava was taken, even when she wasn’t. My jealousy was already hitting me fair in the guts from the number of men ogling her when she stripped out of her clothing after I threw her into the pool. My jealousy turned potent after I left Ava in Jorgie’s room. What Jorgie said that night was true. Ava’s seductive strip tease had guys crawling out of the woodwork, vying for her attention. None of them were worthy of Ava, and I was determined to make sure they were aware of that fact.
It was only after a night without a wink of sleep did I realize I can’t change the past, but I can shape the future. I woke up the morning after my housewarming party more spirited than ever, determined never to be parted from Ava again. Little did I know at the time, my new job was going to do exactly that. For the past week, I’ve worked from when the sun set until it rose. Ava worked daylight hours. The realization of our situation had my mind scrambled and my mood souring.
My pitiful mood dissipated the instant I spotted Ava walking into the VIP section of the club. Just seeing her beautiful face told me she'd be worth weathering any storm for. The muscles in my thighs strained when my eyes raked over her delicious body. There is no hiding the fact I’m a legs man. My expertise in my field of choice is extremely high, meaning I’ve studied many pairs of beautiful legs.
But not one pair I’ve assessed has been as spellbinding as Ava’s legs. Throw together a pair of ball-constricting legs, a captivating face, a seductive body, and a tight, strapless dress and what do you get? A drop-to-your-knees combination. I’ve never been more ready to fall to my knees and crawl to a pair of feet in my life as I was when Ava walked into the nightclub in a ravishing dress. No woman has ever beckoned me to drop to my knees the way she does.
When my eyes lifted from her captivating body to her face, a jolt of heaviness slammed into my chest, maiming my heart. It was in that instant, I realized, Ava is going to own me. Not slightly. Completely and utterly consume me. No doubts about it. For the past six years, I tried to act like I’d forgotten about the intense connection between us. But in reality, I just pushed it to the background of my mind, deciding that pursuing her was a fruitless endeavor. Now, I wish I’d been more stubborn and dug deeper as to why Ava chose to go to a university on the other side of the country, instead of just making assumptions.
Shaking off the thoughts that may have my foul mood returning, my ears prick, straining to hear the music blaring out of the speakers in the regular patrons’ section of the nightclub. When I realize it is the song I thought it was, I nudge Aspen with the back of my hand, throwing a little extra power into my punch for his earlier flirting with Ava.
When he openly flirted with Ava, jealousy clawed at my chest, shredding my heart. I gripped my whiskey glass so tight, it nearly shattered. Jealousy has never been a curse of mine… until it comes to Ava. Then, it’s blinding. As soon as a man shows a slight interest in her, I become a bull in a china shop. I charge first, ask questions later.
“Move out,” I request when Aspen peers at me, looking confused.
Cozy booths seem like an ideal set-up for any club, but unless you are a couple looking to get intimate, they are more of a hindrance than an aid. Three people have to leave their seat just to let me out. Once I’ve been released from the booth, I band my arm around Ava’s waist and hoist her into my chest. Her laugh is only just drowned out by Jorgie’s excited squeal.
I hold Ava close to my chest while striding with urgency to the regular section of the club. My chest puffs high, proud that Ava doesn’t put up an objection to my hold. When we enter the space, Ava’s head shoots off my chest.
“No,” she whispers with a shake of her head.
I waggle my brows and nod. “Time to dust of yourGangnam Stylemoves,” I jest, my tone witty.
Being forthright, half of my mood is teasing, the other half is aroused. Visions of dancing with Ava weeks ago still occupy my dreams. Although I teased Ava last time she danced, she is a skilled dancer. She moves with grace and ease while also being innately sexual.
