AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I sag, fucking knackered by the walls she keeps adding more fucking bricks to. “Please, Ava.”
“Why?”
Why? Isn’t it fucking obvious? I release her a bit, but not too much. “It feels right. You belong with me.” The words just come, with no hope of being held back. I’m being honest. It’s a step in the right direction. Although her monster frown is a little worrying.
“So who does Sarah belong with?”
“Sarah? What’s she got to do with anything?”
“Girlfriend,” she says, and I gape at her, completely stunned. Girlfriend?What the...Oh no. She thinks... Sarah? Good God, how did she come to that conclusion?
“Oh, please don’t tell me you’ve been ignoring my calls and running away because you thought...” I force myself to release her, aware that my hold is tightening by the second. “You thought me and Sarah were... Oh, fucking hell, no.”
“Yes,” she yells, and I move away, stunned. Sarah? “She’s not?” she asks, her beautiful face a picture of confusion and... relief. There’s relief. Jesus, how did I allow her to believe that? How did I not see?
No woman will accept you as long as we’re together.
Fuck.
Frustration grabs me, and my hands go to my head, gripping it, stopping the mammoth headache from taking hold. “Ava, whatever made you think that?”
She’s on the verge of laughter. I have no idea why. This is the least funny thing ever. I’ve been going out of my mind trying to figure out how she could brush me off so easily. My age. The sparks. I considered it all. But Sarah? “Oh, let me see.” The smile she hits me with is pretty fucking insulting, to be honest. Like I’m stupid. “Maybe it was the kiss in the hallway of The Manor. Or when she came looking for you in the bedroom.” She looks up briefly, as if mentally recalling every valid reason. “Or it could be her frosty reception to me. Or perhaps it’s the fact that she’s with you every time I see you.”
I unwittingly flinch, remembering each and every one of those times. There was nothing in any of them. Maybe that’s male ignorance on my part. I have no clue how women’s minds work. But I’m learning. Fuck me, what a nightmare.
“Who is she?” she asks, furious.
She doesn’t want to or need to know. But, bloody hell, let’s set the record straight on something. I take her hands and hunker down a bit so I’m close. And clear. Very, very clear. “Ava, she’s a little friendly.” Mostly with me. She’s also a mega-bitch from hell when she wants to be. But that’s Sarah. Always has been. I’m used to it, but I’ve had a very swift reality check. Ava doesn’t know Sarah like I know Sarah. I need to remember that.
“Friendly? That woman is not friendly.”
“She’s a friend.” I feel at her cheek, ignoring her look of ire. Enough about Sarah. She’s not an issue anymore. Now the issue is Ava and me and how we move forward. “Now we’ve clarified Sarah’s position in my life, can we talk about yours?”
She frowns. “What do you mean?”
I’m glad she’s asked. “I mean in my bed, beneath me.” I can’t help my smirk. I’m so fucking happy. All that unnecessary stress was for nothing?
I pull her into me and sigh when she snuggles deep. “At The Manor?” she asks, and I balk at thin air before me. At this time of night? Jesus, no. It’ll be heaving.
“No, I’ve an apartment behind me, but I can’t move in until tomorrow.” I smile a little. I cannot wait to get her back in there and christen every surface, room, and floor. “I’m renting a place on Hyde Park. You’ll come.”
“Yes.”
I close my eyes and bury my face in her hair. She still smells of me. I smell good on her. “Come on,” I say, maneuvering and tucking her into my side, walking us over to my car.
“My stuff,” she says, pointing to her Mini.
“Open it.” I leave her by my Aston and hurry over, collecting her bags off the front seat before she locks it again. “You left your flowers?” I ask, my head cocked as I load her bags into the boot of my car. Her persona screams awkward, her shoulders jumping up on a shrug. “So do you?” I ask, helping her into the passenger seat.
“Do I what?”
I crouch beside her, resting my hand on her knee. “Forgive me.”
Her smile is small. “I’m here, aren’t I?” she says, looking away.What was that?An answer without answering? I cock my head, thoughtful, rising and closing the door. My relief, apparently, was short-lived. She’s still uncertain, and as I make my way around to the driver’s side, I wonder what else could be the cause. My age? I don’t know, but I will find out just as soon as I get her home.
10
“I’mon the first floor. We’ll take the stairs,” I say as I direct her through the doors into the main building from the car park. We climb the stairs, and the silence is constant. Has been from the second I pulled away from Lusso. I’m slowly figuring out if I give this woman too much space to think, she’ll talk herself in circles. Talk herself out of this. So I need to stop giving her space. The notion is lovely, if impossible. I realize that.
