Chapter Eleven
Reese
I press the button to hang up on my friend. Declan, as usual, turned a simple discussion into a drawn-out argument, making me question why I even bothered to answer his call. I let out a frustrated groan, tossing my phone onto the hotel bed with a bit more force than necessary. My cock grows impossibly hard, reminding me of what’s waiting behind the bathroom door.
All I can think about now is finding Ava. She has this incredible way of grounding me, bringing me back to the moment, making everything else fade away. She turns my cock to stone and my heart to mush without much effort at all.
I tread lightly toward the bathroom, envisioning her relaxing in the tub, surrounded by bubbles infused with the calming scent of lavender. The thought alone starts to ease the tension in my shoulders as my cock grows steadily harder.
But as I reach the bathroom door, I notice something off. The door is slightly ajar, and the sound of splashing water is absent. I push it open to find an empty tub, the water long drained away. A quick glance confirms my worst fear—Ava's clothes are gone, and the room feels strangely vacant as if she had never been here at all.
Panic bubbles up inside me, taking the place of my earlier frustration. I rush back into the main room, calling out, "Ava? Where are you?" My voice echoes slightly in the silence of the hotel suite, my only response. I check the closet, and her suitcase, handbag, and phone are missing. How the fuck did she leave without me noticing?
I sit heavily on the edge of the bed, running my hands through my hair, trying to piece together what just happened. Why would she leave without saying anything? Then my conversation with Declan blasts through my mind. Fucking hell, she must have overheard my conversation with Declan and misunderstood.
I quickly replay what was said and realize how bad it would sound if someone only heard one side of the conversation. I can see how Ava, hearing only snippets, might not understand what I was saying.
I grab my phone, my fingers shaking slightly as I dial her number. It rings and rings, but she doesn't pick up. "Come on, Ava, please answer," I mutter to myself, but the call goes to voicemail.
I pull on the first outfit I find and rush out the door while still buttoning my shirt. I have to find her, have to explain my plans for the shoot tomorrow. The hallways of the hotel blur as I move quickly, taking the elevator down to the lobby. The city buzzes with life outside, but I’m solely focused on finding Ava.
Stepping out onto the crowded Las Vegas strip, I scan the sidewalks, looking for any sign of her. She couldn't have gone far , I tell myself, my eyes darting from one face to another. The sun is high in the sky, and people swarm around me, caught up in their own worlds.
I take off walking, dodging tourists and street performers, my mind racing. Where would she go? Ava loves coffee and there’s a unique little coffee shop right up the street; maybe she went there to cool off. Desperation cuts through my soul as I race toward it, wanting to kick my own ass for fucking up the most important thing in my world.
The moment Ava walked through the door, I knew my world would never be the same again. Her sass and luscious curves woke up something deep in my soul, and I can’t take a breath at the thought of losing her now.
As I push through the glass doors of the shop, the familiar smell of coffee hits me, but there’s no sign of Ava. I ask the barista, but she shakes her head, oblivious to my growing frustration. Son-of-a-bitch. Where the hell could she be?
I step back onto the sidewalk, pulling out my phone again, desperately trying her number once more. Still no answer. I run a hand through my hair, frustration now mingling with terror. How could I have let this happen? One minute, I was loving my wife’s stunning body, and the next, I caused her to run from me. All over a stupid goddamn idea.
I’m about to lose my fucking mind when I spot a familiar figure standing on the street corner several feet away, her form unmistakable even on a crowded street. Relief washes over me as my heart kicks into overdrive, and I call out, "Ava!"
I can’t believe that croaky shit coming from my mouth is my voice.
She spins, and our eyes meet. My heart squeezes in my chest at the hurt mixed with anger etched on her face. She takes a step back, but I’m not letting her get away. I rush over, closing the gap between us quickly as she glares at me like I’m the scum of the earth.
“Please let me explain."
She crosses her arms, her expression guarded as she blurts out, "I heard you, Reese. I heard everything.” Her bottom lip quivers and I’m tempted to pull her into my arms and kiss it, but I know there are things we need to straighten the fuck out first. “I can’t believe I fell for your smooth lines. You didn’t have to lie to get me to do your stupid shoot."
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, searching for the right words as I realize this is worse than I’d originally thought. I can’t believe I fucked this up. "You misunderstood what you heard. I’ve never lied to you. Every goddamn word, every touch, everything between us is real."
She stares up at me with hurt swirling in her eyes as she processes my words. "How can I believe that?" At least she’s stopped trying to pull away from me.
"Because I’ve never lied to you," I say earnestly, stepping closer to wrap my arms around her curvy body. I can’t get close enough to her. "Please come back to the room with me and I’ll explain everything.”
Ava isn’t convinced. “I know what I heard.”
“But you only heard one side of the conversation,” I insist. “And you have no idea about the surprise I’ve been planning for you. Please give me the chance to explain everything before you convict me.”
Her sweet lips twist into a pout as hope replaces the suspicion etched on her stunning face. The tension slowly begins to drain from Ava’s stiff frame as her arms drop to her sides, and she takes a small step forward. “Okay. But you had better have a good explanation.”
“I have the truth,” I say, relief flooding through me. “And the truth is I love you and I’d never fucking do anything to hurt you.”
“Oh…” Her mouth opens and closes as her eyes grow rounder.
As I hold her, the noise of Las Vegas fades into the background. It’s just us, and I know that as long as I have her, I can face whatever challenges come our way.
“Come on.” She doesn’t resist when I take her soft hand in mine. As we walk back to the hotel, each step echoes the tension surrounding us. The city buzzes around us, but I can only focus on the hurt I caused Ava.
All of this over a stupid misunderstanding. It didn’t take me long to realize I’d never let another human being view the intimate photoshoot I had planned for Ava. Once she wiggled her way into my heart, my caveman side took over. Instead of canceling the original shoot, I decided to do something special, something just for us.
Looking back, I realize I should’ve explained this to her before I told Declan about it. My miscalculation has caused all of this, and now it feels like everything is falling apart. I need to make her understand, to let her know the truth behind that call to Declan.
She puts an unacceptable distance between us as we move through the lobby and into the waiting elevator. The doors shut, and the silence is suffocating as I move close to her.
“Were you just leading me on with all that lovey-dovey talk?” she blurts out, unable to hold her tongue any longer, her voice tinged with suspicion. “Were you just playing some kind of cruel joke? That call sure made it sound like you were keeping something from me.”
I let out a sigh, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “It wasn’t a joke, Ava. I was keeping a secret from you, but it isn’t what you think.”
We exit the elevator and walk down the corridor to our room. My heart is racing by the time I get the door open, and I motion for her to go inside. The room feels both familiar and alien now, wrapped in the glow of city lights streaming through the window.
“Ava, please sit down,” I say, gesturing to the couch. She hesitates before relenting. She sits down with her arms crossed and I can’t stand the distance between us. I take a seat across from her and place my elbows on my knees.
Taking a deep breath, I search my mind for the right words as I stare into her eyes, willing her to read the sincerity in my gaze. “The photoshoot… those pictures were meant for us. Only for us. When I talked to Declan, I was making sure he understood that those images would never be shared publicly. I’d never let anyone see intimate photos of you.”
Her expression softens, but she still looks guarded. “Hold up a minute.” She waves her hand in front of me as her eyes narrow. “I heard you tell Declan I wouldn’t change my mind about the shoot.”
“I knew you were nervous about the shoot. I decided to have a private shoot for us and told Declan to hire another model for the work shoot. He was pissed and asked me if I know how hard it is to find a gorgeous plus-sized model.” Declan was beyond pissed at all the extra work it took to plan two separate shoots, but who gives a fuck. “He thought you might be upset when I replaced you with another model for the work shoot and would refuse to do the private shoot, but I assured him you wouldn’t back out.”
As she stares at me for several minutes, I start to worry she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying, and I want to kick my own ass for this fucking screw-up. “You also told him we got married and you sure didn’t sound too happy about it.”
“Telling him we were married drove home to me that I’d cheated you out of a big wedding and all that comes with it.”
Her mouth opens and closes silently several times as I begin to formulate a backup plan if she doesn’t believe me. Worst case—I’ll kidnap my wife and handcuff her gorgeous ass to my bed until she realizes I’d never intentionally hurt her.
She blows out the breath she’s been holding and asks, “And why didn’t you explain all this to me before?”
“I should have, and I’m sorry I didn’t,” I admit, sensing I’m finally getting through to her. “The second I touched your gorgeous body, I went temporarily insane and forgot all about the goddamn shoots. Until Declan called, my mind was completely consumed with you.”
She seems to be considering my words, her eyes flicking down to her hands, which are nervously fidgeting in her lap. “So, you aren’t feeling trapped by our quicky marriage?”
“Hell fucking no.” She’s the best goddamn thing to ever happen to me. “I love you, Ava. I decided to use the shoot to give us something special to remember our wedding. Those photos will be for our memories if you decide to go through with it. No one else but us and the photographer will ever see them. I was making sure Declan knew that.”
Ava’s eyes lift to meet mine again, and I see a flicker of the trust I’m desperate to rebuild. “It just… it just felt like you were hiding something from me and it broke my heart.” Her words soothe something deep in my soul. Although she hasn’t admitted it, Ava has strong feelings for me, too.
I walk over and sit next to her before taking her hands in mine. As I lift them up to my lips, I draw her delicate scent deep into my lungs. “I never meant to hide anything from you. Well, nothing important. I was trying to turn the photoshoot into a wedding present. But I see now that keeping you in the dark did more harm than good. Please let me make this right.” I hate the desperation coloring my voice, but I need her to believe me.
She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. “There isn’t anything to make right. You were trying to do something nice, and I misunderstood.” She bites her juicy bottom lip and I groan to myself as my cock wakes up and turns to stone.
“Does that mean you’ll do the photoshoot?” I know I’m pressing my luck but I can’t help myself. “The private one?”
“I thought you said we’d be doing the photoshoot together?” she shyly asks, and the tight band around my chest completely releases.
“That’s my plan.” I pull her close and slide my hand under the soft t-shirt she’s wearing. As my palm closes over her plump tit, my cock goes from hard to ready to burst.
“Why don’t we go to the bedroom, and you can tell me all about your plans?” She bats her eyelashes. Fuck yes. My sassy girl is back.
“I have a better idea.” I stand up and lift her into my arms. “Why don’t I show you? We can practice all night long to make sure we have it right.”
“I love your idea, Mr. Donovan.” She wraps her soft arms around my neck and snuggles into my embrace.
“I love you, Mrs. Donovan.” I nibble on the side of her soft neck as I stumble through the room holding my entire world in my arms.