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“You’re an expert tour guide, Ava.”And sexy when you’re stroppy.I arrive in front of quite a boring piece of art, but there’s something about the shabby old rowing boats—something charming. “Care to enlighten me on the artist?”
“Giuseppe Cavalli,” she practically sighs, but it’s not a tired sigh. It’s one of admiration. She likes this painting. A lot.
“It’s good,” I say, studying the piece as she remains behind me. “Is there any particular reason why you chose this artist?” Talk. Conversation. I can’t believe I’m taking advice from John. The man who has been eternally single.
She’s silent for a while, and my skin’s hot under her scrutiny. She likes what she sees, and she likes what she felt when I had her in my arms. I imagine that’s what she’s thinking about right now. Not the painting.
“He was known as the master of light,” she replies quietly, joining me in front of the art. I look at her, willing her to talk and indulge me more. This is nice. It’s calm and peaceful. “He didn’t think that the subject was of any importance,” she goes on.“It didn’t matter what he photographed. To him, the subject was always the light. He concentrated on controlling it. See?” She points out the reflections across the rippling water. “That’s what’s so fascinating. It’s the light.”
I nod thoughtfully to myself, impressed and quite charmed, but what’s standing beside me is more intriguing. More beautiful. And, ironically, the source of light she radiates is really fucking fascinating. I turn my stare back to her as she continues. “These rowing boats, as lovely as they are, are just boats, but see how he manipulates the light? He didn’t care for the boats. He cared for the light surrounding the boats. He makes inanimate objects interesting, makes you look at the photograph in a different... well, a different light, I suppose.” She cocks her head thoughtfully, lengthening the column on her neck, revealing perfect, smooth, taut skin. Jesus, the woman is like nothing else I’ve seen. And what she just said about that painting rings so fucking true for how I’m feeling recently. Seeing things. Imagining myself in a different light. Her light. Because it’s fucking bright and blinding, and within her light, I’m just as inconsequential as Cavalli’s boats.
I let her finish her observations, quite happy to watch her, admire her, but then she looks up at me, and my bubble is popped. She’s back in the room with me, and I can see her mental battle has returned.
“Please don’t,” she whispers.
“Don’t what?” I know damn well what, and she needs to understand that there is absolutely nothing in this world that could stop me. Except her. She could stop me again, and I would be crushed.
“You know what. You said I wouldn’t have to see you again.”
“I lied.” I’m honest. I’ve got to be honest. “I can’t stay away from you, so you do have to see me again... and again... and again.”I say it slowly, and she inhales as she starts retreating. She’s trying to escape the sparks flying. They’re everywhere, uncontrollable and violent.
“You persistently fighting this is only making me more determined to prove that you want me.” I keep my eyes on hers. “I’m making it my mission objective. I’ll doanything.”
The bed halts her escape, and she throws her hands up. “Stop,” she blurts, panicked, and I do. Of course I do. Because she’s clearly upset. Emotional. Frustrated. “You don’t even know me.” She’s desperately trying to convince herself that this is crazy. It is, and it scares me too, but at least we’ll be scared together. At last I won’t be alone in this madness.
“I know you’re impossibly beautiful.” I walk forward, thinking I can make her feel so much better if I can just hold her. “I know what I feel, and I know you’re feeling it too.” I stop as our chests brush, and my body responds, the fire inside blazing. I can feel her heartbeat through her dress. Her need. “So, tell me, Ava,” I ask quietly, “what have I missed?”
She drops her face, and I waste no time pulling it back up to mine, feeling like a total bastard when I see tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” I slide my hand onto her cheek and gently wipe her tears away.
“You said you would leave me alone.”
“I lied,” I say, apologizing again. I couldn’t leave her alone if my life depended on it. And, strangely, it feels like it does. “I can’t stay away, Ava.”
“You’ve already said that you’re sorry, yet here you are again. Am I to expect flowers tomorrow?”
My strokes of her cheeks pause, and it’smyface that hides now. I really am a bastard, but I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t know that she wants me. I’d buy her flowers every day forever, and hopefully they won’t all be apology flowers. There’s nothing left for it. I’ve got to remind her—remind her of how it felt when we kissed. Touched.
I lift my eyes.
And slowly lower my lips to hers.
I need to be gentle.
Gentle and slow.
She doesn’t stop me, and when our lips skim, she’s the one who takes the lead, grabbing my jacket.Oh my God.My body is immediately wracked with shakes, her surrender like the air I need to breathe. It’s as if she’s stretched the elastic band of restraint too far and it’s finally broken.
“Have you ever felt like this?” I ask, pulling her closer, working my mouth across to her ear.
“Never.”
Fuck, me neither.“Are you ready to stop fighting it now?” I ask softly, licking my way up her ear and back down until I’m at the smooth flesh that meets her neck.
“Oh God,” she gasps, and I swallow her words of submission, tenderly plunging my tongue into her mouth, silently grateful when she accepts it, relieved I really haven’t been imagining this. I’m out of my body already. She’s air and water.
“Hmm,” I hum, breaking our kiss reluctantly to get a solid confirmation from her. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes.”
