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“Jackson…”
“I mean it, Ava. Don’t make me call Tucker and Sam.”
She rolls her eyes and leans forward, putting her elbows on the table. “What about you? Is there a lady in your life?”
I think about the last woman I’d been with. I’d met her out at a bar a few weeks back. Tale as old as time: we got drunk; we fucked, and I haven’t spoken to her since. I shake my head. “Nope.”
“I--” Her words stop when the waiter comes by our table for what seems like the hundredth time.Back to hit on Ava again?The waiter had made it his mission to “check” on us every ten minutes. Filling Ava’s water, her wine, checking to see if she needed anything.It was pitiful, really.I wasn’t sure if Ava was naive or just not interested, but she barely paid his efforts the time of day. She was polite and courteous, but she never once gave him the indication she was interested. Frankly, he was beginning to piss me off.
“Can I take that from you, Miss?” he asks, pointing to the empty plate in front of her, and she nods.
“Oh, yes, please. Thank you.” She smiles her one-hundred-watt smile, and for a moment I’m just as speechless as the poor waiter.She really is beautiful, and if I didn’t think Tucker would beat me within an inch of my life over touching his sister, I’d let the copious amounts of wine lead us to the point of no return.
But I couldn’t--or rather, I wouldn’t.
The waiter leaves, and I can’t escape the snort that leaves me. Ava’s eyes find mine curiously. “What’s so funny?”
“He’s so hot for you.”
“Who?!”
Ah, naive it is.“The waiter, Ava. You really didn’t notice?”
“Oh, he was just being nice!”
“No, Ava.Thatis not nice.Thatis flirting.Thatis ‘please let me take you home and cook you breakfast tomorrow morning.’”Not that I had any experience cooking breakfast for a woman, or that I let them stay through the night, but it seems to work for my brother.
Ava’s cheeks turn pink, and it spreads to her ears and down her neck.Is she that embarrassed at just the idea of sex? I wasn’t even graphic. It’s not like I said they’d be ass fucking till sunrise.I smile to myself.So, she’s a bit of a prude then?And for some reason, it makes me happier than it should.
“Is that what you do for women? Cook them breakfast in the morning? Is that a part of your moves?”
“No, Ava. It’s not.” I shake my head. “I’ve never made breakfast for anyone.”
“Why?”
“Not my style.”
“What is yourstylethen, Jackson?”
I freeze, not knowing exactly how to explain this without sounding like a colossal asshole. Normally I wouldn’t care, but in just this short period of time, I’ve realized I actually care what Ava thinks about me. “Women just…they know the deal.”
Ava takes a long sip of her wine before setting it down. “I see. So, you don’t…like them much.”
“No… I mean, yes, I like them; it’s just—it’s complicated, Ava.”
“It’s just sex.”
I rub my hands over my face, the wine getting to my head and making things fuzzy and unclear. “Yes.” I tell her honestly.
“And you like it?”
“Like what? Sex? Of course, who doesn’t?”Maybe she’s a relationship girl. No meaningless sex. No one night stands. No blurry faces. Strings most definitely attached.
She looks away from the table, and I wonder if she’s looking for the waiter.Maybe all this talk about sex has her thinking about the blond-haired frat boy who had been eyeing her all night.“I mean, casual sex. It works for you?”
What is she doing, research? I need to derail this conversation. If Tucker finds out I’m encouraging Ava to start sleeping around New York, he’ll murder me in my sleep. “Yes, but it doesn’t work for everyone,” I add. “It won’t work for you.”
Her lips purse, and I’ve never been as fascinated by a woman’s mouth as I am by Ava’s perfect pout. Between the lip biting and her pursing, she’s going to drive me insane. “Why not?”
