Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
‘You’re in your boxers.’
I shrug. ‘Not unusual.’
‘But you’re outside.’ She looks at me, the corners of her lips tweaking. ‘You’re chasing me.’ A full-blown smile breaks. ‘I’m in the dress and you’re chasing me down the street.’
It was across a car park, actually, but whatever. She’s nearly there. ‘And then . . .’
Her smile fades and she frowns. And then she gasps, jumping up from the chaise, looking down at my groin. ‘I’m pinned to the bed? You’re . . .’ Her mouth falls open. ‘You pleasured yourself and ejaculated all over me?’
I’m so fucking happy, my face could split. ‘Yes, yes, I did that.’ Except that was before she escaped in the dress. Not that it matters. It’s all a little jumbled in her head, but it’s all still there.
There’s another gasp, except this time it isn’t from Ava. We both look to the side and find the assistant staring at us in horror, before she realises we’ve seen her and makes a mad dash for the shop floor, her cheeks on fire. I look at Ava, my mouth forming an O. Ava looks at me, eyes sparkling happily. And we laugh. We laugh so hard and so loudly, the shop must be shaking under the force. Ava falls into me, catching me by surprise, and takes us crashing to the dressing room floor, where we roll and chuckle like a pair of silly kids, not a care in the fucking world. Ava’s not horrified by her new-found knowledge. Just amused, and so pleased she remembered something. I’m fucking delirious with happiness.
The sound of someone clearing their throat pulls us from our hysteria, and I prop myself up on my elbows, finding another lady looming over us, this one older than the assistant, her arms crossed over her chest. ‘I’m the store owner. Can I help?’ What she means is, can she help with ejecting us from her lovely boutique.
‘We’ll take all the dresses,’ I declare, immediately wiping the look of disapproval from her face. She starts falling over her feet to help us, though not up off the floor.
‘We have a lovely pair of heels that complement the cream dress beautifully, sir,’ she says, gathering the dresses from the hook, stepping over our splayed bodies on the floor to reach them.
‘We’ll take them.’
She’s delighted. ‘And a stunning handbag to match.’
‘Pack it up.’
‘And would madam require any accessories?’ she asks, beaming at Ava.
I push myself off the floor and retrieve my tittering wife, holding her up while she continues to chuckle. I haul her close and smother her with wet kisses for a few moments before pulling back and giving her a soft smile. ‘The only accessory my wife needs is me.’
‘Yes, sir.’ The owner disappears with our purchases, and Ava turns to mush in my arms, reaching up to kiss my cheek.
‘You’re so romantic when you want to be.’
‘I’m always romantic,’ I counter, leading her out to the front desk. ‘In my own little way.’
The young assistant’s cheeks are still flaming red, the poor thing unable to look at us. And then she does, and I flip her a cheeky wink. She disintegrates on the spot, shoving the card machine towards me as I chuckle. I see to the payment and take the bag once the dresses have been precisely wrapped in tissue paper.
‘I haven’t tried any of the dresses on,’ Ava points out, letting me guide her out of the store.
‘I know this body like the back of my hand.’ I squeeze her hip, and she jolts on a little yelp. ‘They’ll fit, trust me.’
Eyeing the bag, she bites her lip thoughtfully. ‘All of them?’
I know what she’s getting at. The lace number I chose isn’t the only dress I just paid for. ‘I’m only showing some leniency because I’m fucking thrilled that you’ve remembered something else. Consider yourself lucky.’
‘I do feel lucky.’ She’s behind me in a second, climbing onto my back, her face squished to mine. ‘Thank you for the dresses.’
‘Thank you for letting me spoil you.’ I leave the store and walk down the road with Ava clinging to my back, my heart swelling in my chest. Some of this she might be finding hard to wrap her confused mind around, but she’s taking quite well to our normal. It’s more progress. More light in our darkness.
Chapter 34
Ava
When Jesse insisted on taking me to yoga today, I didn’t argue. I could tell he was stunned. But I have a motive. Taking the keys from his hand, I open the car. ‘I’ll drive.’
He snorts, obviously finding my declaration amusing. ‘Absolutely not.’ Reclaiming the keys, he directs me around to the passenger seat.
‘Why not?’ My resistance doesn’t even dent his fortitude.
‘You’re never getting behind a wheel again.’
Ever? Not ever again? ‘What? Why?’
‘Because you don’t need to.’ He jingles the keys under my nose as he pushes me down into the seat and then buckles me up. ‘And I’m looking into getting you a driver.’ He plants a chaste kiss on my cheek and quickly shuts the door before I can protest. And when he lands in the driver’s seat, he keeps his attention forward, ignoring the glare I’m shooting at him. There will be no argument over this. I will be driving again.