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“Hey, is that you?” asked the security guy left behind to make sure no one breached the fence, keeping the signature dragon-copter safe.
Ava shook her head, unable to believe Wesley could use her like this. There must be some mistake. Maybe the heat had gotten to her, and she didn’t truly see her face and dark hair mocking her from the larger-than-life screen. But it sure as hell looked a lot like Ava—down to the dragon tattoo on the sexy exposed upper back of the heroine.
“Whaathaafaak,” she mumbled after a hasty and lumpy swallow.
The security guard hadn’t looked convinced of her denial. She’d given him a dirty look and climbed back into the helicopter—no matter how blazing hot it got in there.
By the time Wesley climbed in, she really had to bite the bullet and give him a surviving chance of explaining.
“What an incredible turnout. Let’s loop around before we leave.” He sent her an apologetic smile. “Then I promise I’ll explain.”
As she focused on giving the fans one more dragon-copter show, she handled the bird like a pro, grinning a little when the crowd cheered, despite her ire with Wesley. Setting a course south, she steadied her speed and checked her altitude.
All the while, Wesley remained stubbornly quiet.
“How mad are you?” He peeked a sidewards glance her way, shielding with his hand the setting sun on his right.
She snapped her gaze to his, staring with all the intensity she felt.
“That mad, huh?”
“Why the hell did you put me in your video game?”
“You inspire me, Ava. Without you, I’d never have come up with such a novel new character. I guess, I worried you’d tell me to stop. I know the limelight isn’t your jam—”
“Exactly!” she huffed into the microphone. “Now thousands of people have seen me in the game. You have to redo it. I don’t approve. I have to give you a legal go-ahead, don’t I?”
“Ava, please, it’s near completion. It’s too late to change it.” He pressed his fingers against his temples. “I messed up. I should have asked for your permission to use your face, your persona.”
“So that’s why you were willing to pay me so much. So you could exploit me!”
“No! I venerated you, immortalized you, showing you in a heroic light. Anyone else would be ecstatic to be a part of such a growing franchise. I’m willing to compensate you for it. Make it right. Make it fair. But exploit you? No way. I adore you. I would never purposely do anything to hurt you.”
They rode the remainder of the way in silence, both deep in their own thoughts. She heard the anguish in his voice when he said he adored her, and it struck a chord deep within her. Being hurt in the past made her overly cautious. As she matured, growing independent, she admittedly closed herself off to trusting people, friends, or lovers. But she’d opened up to Wesley. She’d trusted him, sharing things about her past, letting him get close to Jack, and falling for him.
She set the helicopter down and cut the engine. They removed their headsets and stepped out into the salty air as darkness came early with the thick clouds and coming rain. At least the weather held off during the event, and the rain was predicted to fall through the night. The quick-moving storm system would be gone by morning. Her insides felt as turbulent as the swirling clouds racing overhead.
“Ava.” Wesley stopped her.
“What else are you hiding?”
“With the game?”
“With anything. If I’m going to trust you, then you have to be honest with me.”
“I want you to trust me. And believe me when I say how much you mean to me. How much you inspire me.” He took her hand, holding it firmly so she wouldn’t pull away. “Come. Let me show you what you’ve inspired.”
Skeptical she’d like anything Wesley presented her, she couldn’t help being curious as she followed him to his desk. Waking the computer, he showed her all the developmental stages and explained how the ideas came to him.
“Wow.” Ava gawked at the screen, most of her anger dissipated. “I can’t believe all this. It’s amazing.” Suddenly, being portrayed as theDragon Rockheroine didn’t seem so bad. Tastefully done and well planned, she thought if he’d only showed her this sooner, they wouldn’t have been at odds, no feelings hurt.Was this the way Wesley saw her? A sexy, confident heroine?Because he sure drew her with curvy proportions and exaggerated her lip line.
“Quite the superwoman protagonist,” she fished.
“She’s badass, just like you.” He dropped his hot gaze to inspect her torso and a satisfied grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I draw what I see.”
“You can’t possibly give me all the credit.”
“That’s what a muse does. Inspires. Please forgive me for not telling you. I won’t do anything that stupid again.”
