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“’K.” Ava paused, unsettled and slightly annoyed as she watched Todd leave the room with Jorge on his heels.
“C’mon. It’s this way,” Wesley called, already beside the indoor koi pond.
She collected her bags and followed him toward the grand staircase. “So, the Dolphin wing?”
He chuckled, collecting his belongings and taking the stairs two at a time.
She hadn’t given up her training since leaving the army and easily double-timed it, keeping up with his long strides.
Ava spotted a sumptuous mermaid sculpture at the top of the landing, adding to the opulence. “Geez, I feel like I’m in a Disney princess movie.”
Wesley’s steps faltered as he turned and gave her another once-over. “How old are you?”
Ugh! I had to bring up Disney princesses.
“Excuse me!” She got this question often when mistaken for Jack’s sister or when overlooked forpractically everythingbecause of her youthful appearance. No amount of attitude could compensate for it—though she fought with every fiber of her being to get her fair share.
“Well, you must be in your twenties if you’ve served for years in the military,” he surmised.
“What does that matter?”
“Todd mentioned—”
“How old are you?” Cutting him off and not wanting to hear what private information her best friend leaked about her, she took charge of the conversation. And so, she flung back the same query, laced with venom and bite, showing him who’s boss.
But he didn’t bat an eye. “I’ll be thirty in March. I’m a Pisces.”
“Oh,” she altered her voice, emanating an innocent tone, “I thought you werewayolder.”
He narrowed his eyes at her insult, and a tiny victory bell rang inside her. But a slow smile began to spread across his full lips, and her bell chimed out of tune, grating on her nerves. When a genuine laugh escaped from deep within him, she bristled, hating that she liked the rich sound of it. The laughing softened his too serious eyes and the often-present creases in his brow.
“What the hell is so funny?”
“I’m wondering what your sign is.”
“I’m not into that astronomy shit.”
“Astrology.”
“Whatever. All I know is that I’m a Scorpio.”
He continued to smile, seeming tickled by her answer. “Scorpio. That means you’re a great kisser.”
“You’re delirious.” The comment warmed her core as she imagined him wanting to kiss her. “Are you high or something?”
“Okay,” he finally said as his chuckling died down, though mirth still sparkled in his eyes. “Back to your age—now that I know you’re a Scorpio, I’ll guess you’re twenty-two—though you could pass for sixteen.”
“Fuck you.” She gnashed her teeth at having lost control. Turning over a new leaf, not swearing, had seemed like one relatively easy task to be a better mother. But she really hated this age shit. She wanted to be taken seriously, never passed over or shushed or judged. Anger made her cheeks flame—noticeably, it seemed, because the mirth receded from his topaz-colored eyes.
“It’s not a bad thing.”
“How the f—” she caught herself this time, “hell would you know?” She could have said heck but Jack wasn’t around anyway. “Do you have experience as a young female? Do you play one in your video game? Do you even know what it’s like to live in the real world, or is your gaming empire all you know?”
Laughter and mirth were long gone from his handsome face, replaced by the serious mask he wore, hiding all emotion behind it. He would make a good soldier, looking like that. Unlike her, she couldn’t hide how she felt, a huge problem as emotions broadcast plain and clear across her face.
“Excuse me,ma’am.I didn’t mean to offend you. We’re all friendlies here.”
There. She’d gotten to him.But being the victor came at a cost. She didn’t like the strange feeling roiling inside her when he looked at her like this. Why? What did she care? What was it about Wesley Scott that he had the ability to breach her defensive walls?
No.She ignored the whirl in her belly and the pinch in her heart at seeing him wounded by her spiteful words.
“Stay in your lane, soldier.” She entered her room, closing the door soundly.
Letting out a long-suffering sigh, she had to admit she’d never met anyone like him. Sure, men pushed her buttons, but none had made her pulse race with excitement while doing so.
This was going to be a very long weekend.
