Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
She doesn’t move, and I sense reservation. We didn’t have the opportunity to work through the morning-after awkwardness that comes after drunk sex. Ava was late and running out the door without a lot of time to process her emotions, including the inevitable question of whether any of it was real.
I can almost see it in her eyes. Did we make a mistake last night?
I sure as hell don’t think we did. “Not a single regret,” I say, reaching out to grab the ends of her scarf. I pull her slowly to me until she’s close enough that I can kiss her.
Her mouth is slightly unyielding at first, perhaps the lingering effects of a mistrust in me, perhaps herself. But then she opens up and sighs as I deepen the kiss.
Not surprised it happens, but my body reacts swiftly. I’ve replayed our time together last night a little too often today. It made my review of opponent video this afternoon painful as I’d get distracted and have to rewind to watch again.
But I don’t want her to think that’s the only reason I invited her over, so I pull away, taking a little too much pleasure from her flushed cheeks and hazy eyes.
I push the coat and scarf off her shoulders, helping her out of it and then closing the door. Moving through the living room, which flows into the kitchen, I toss her stuff on the couch. Ava follows, setting her tote on the coffee table.
“Glass of wine?” I ask as I round the kitchen island.
“That would be great.” Ava looks around with interest. “Your place is really nice. I didn’t pay much attention last night or this morning.”
I let my eyes sweep the kitchen and living area, seeing what she sees. It’s a swank setup with eighteen hundred square feet of floor space. I bought it for just over a million dollars, mostly for its downtown convenience. The perimeter interior walls are in repurposed red brick with fourteen-foot coffered ceilings and built-ins. It came with the most expensive European appliances, which I barely know how to use, imported Italian tile, and bocote hardwood floors.
All that is a bit lost on me, not because I don’t like or care about nice things, but because I don’t really know much about what makes a home nice. When I was married, that was all Melissa’s domain, and after she died, I went with Realtor recommendations, along with my mom’s guidance since she knows me so well.
“My mom helped me pick it out,” I say as I pour two glasses of wine.
Ava turns and smiles. “Where does she live?”
“Denver.” I pull out a bar stool at the island and then take the one next to her. “She owns a lighting store there, and my dad is a high school history teacher and football coach.”
“I’ve heard Denver is gorgeous,” she says.
“Very.” I hand her a glass of wine and hold mine up for her to tap. The glasses clink, and we sip. I nod toward the food. “I didn’t go too fancy.”
“It’s perfect,” she says as she sets her drink down and picks up a plate. “Want a bit of everything?”
“Yeah.” I watch as she fills up a plate for me, creating neat piles of each item so they don’t touch. She grabs a fork and a napkin and hands it over before fixing a plate for herself.
“Do you have siblings?” she asks, nabbing up a square of white cheddar and nibbling at it.
“A younger brother and sister. Connor is a ranch hand in Wyoming, and Belle is a paralegal in Denver. She’s married and has two girls.”
“Are you close to them?”
“Very. I talk to my family constantly, even if it’s just a quick daily text. And of course, Belle’s kids are the apple of everyone’s eyes. What about your family?”
“My parents own a residential real estate company in Raleigh, and my brother Rob is an agent with them.”
I load up a cracker with prosciutto and goat cheese. “So, is it your parents, your brother, or all three who make you think you’re a failure?”
Ava’s mouth quirks into a lopsided smile. “You don’t pull any punches.”
“It’s my coaching nature. But if I’m being too nosy, tell me to back off.” I pop the cracker in my mouth and wait.
For fortification or because she’s thirsty, Ava takes a larger than normal sip. “Not too nosy.” She appraises me over the glass before placing it on the counter next to her plate and taking up her fork. She toys with the pasta salad. “My parents and brother were adamantly and quite vocally opposed to me coming to Pittsburgh with Derek.”
“What was their objection? Or did they know what an unbelievable asshole he’d turn out to be?”
Ava laughs and shakes her head. “I don’t think they knew he’d become such an ass, but they felt I wasn’t looking at him clearly. He was accomplished, made good money, and wanted to settle down.”