25
Ava
Dinner is fabulous. Mark roasted a chicken with some potatoes, carrots, and green beans in a seasoning that was to die for.
He was also right. I’ve been squirming through the whole meal.
At first, I thought it would just be annoying, but when things start shifting around, or I move a certain way, little sparks of pleasure just about leave me speechless.
The way his hazel eyes smolder across the table as he watches me closely has my blood simmering.
I’m already feeling needy for him again, just like he said I would.
The smug bastard knows it too. A forgotten urge to wipe the smirk off his face surfaces.
He rolls his lips between his teeth as if he knows a wave of frustration just rolled over me.
“Doing okay over there?” he asks, amusement weaving around his tone.
“I’m just flustered.”
“I promise it’ll be worth your while. I read up on something I’ve never tried before.”
This peaks my interest but leaves me wary.
“What haven’t you tried before? I was under the impression you’ve been there and done many things.” I can’t help the snark that comes out. His eyes widen and the amusement sparks brighter.
“Indeed, but not everything. I have to admit, I’ve kind of missed feisty Ava.” He dabs his napkin across his smile. “You know, I’m proud of you.”
Jealousy winds through my stomach as I imagine his past, but his last declaration blindsides me.
“Why? I didn’t do anything special.”
“I disagree.” He entwines his fingers and leans forward on his elbows, resting his chin on top of his hands.
He’s contemplating his next words, and I watch with fascination as he lifts a thumb and softly grazes it back and forth across his lower lip.
A coil of need tightens low in my belly.
“You see, I could sense you had a wild streak, but the amount of trust you’ve put in me to handle your body?
It takes my breath away. You take my breath away. ”
All I can do is smile at him, until my phone buzzes at the table next to me. It’s an incoming text. Shit, I haven’t mentioned Eric’s messages yet. My smile falters when I click the screen and see it’s the unknown number. It’s him.
“What’s wrong?”
“We didn’t exactly have time earlier to discuss this."
“Discuss what? Babe, what is it?”
I hold up a finger and click to see the message.
Unknown: I’m not happy with how my life has turned out without you. I want you back, Ava. I’ll do anything to prove myself to you.
I puff out a breath, knowing it’s all bullshit.
Me: No.
“He reached out to me again today.” I snap my eyes warily up toward Mark, gauging his reaction.
“What does he want?”
“He wants another chance.”
His eyes drop to the table, clouding over with uncertainty, and my heart constricts.
“Mark?” I ask, seeking for him to bring his eyes back to mine. I reach out and grab his hand across the table.
“I don’t want you to give him another chance,” he says before he rolls his eyes up to mine. Emotion swirls heavily in their hazel depths. Is he scared that I’d actually agree?
“Babe, I don’t want that either.” His eyes soften when I call him babe, and his shoulders relax. I hadn’t even seen them stiffen. “I told him as much.”
“Was he harsh with you? Like in the grocery store?”
I hand him my phone so that he can read the discussion. A crease of worry slides across his forehead.
“No, but apparently I’m going to have to continue telling him no.” I bite my nail with worry as he reads. “Did I handle it well? Was I clear enough? I didn’t leave anything open for a different interpretation, did I?”
He shakes his head across the table.
“I think you handled it well. I don’t see anything that would make him think otherwise. He sounds stubborn though.”
I snort in disgust.
“He is.”
“Will he give up?”
“Hopefully soon. He doesn’t like losing though.”
“I’ve gathered that.”
“Mark? I’m yours. He isn’t going to change that.”
He still looks like he’s holding his breath.
“You remember that night at the bar when the college kid hit on you?”
The memory has me suppressing a laugh.
“Yes, I recall it made you a little feral.”
“Yeah, well, that was before you were mine. I’m feeling a little more than feral right now.”
“Cavemanish?” I taunt.
His eyes flare with heat, and a shiver runs down my spine. He clears his throat and rises to clear the dishes.
“I’ll take care of those.”
“Nope. I need a minute to push him out of my thoughts anyway. He doesn’t get to stay for what I’m about to do to you. Not to mention, this was a dinner to show you how much I appreciate you. You aren’t lifting a finger.”
???
Mark
Taking as many deep breaths as possible, I calm myself while putting all the leftovers in a large food container.
I don’t even know what to do with the emotions warring in my brain and heart right now.
I most definitely have the intense urge to throw Ava over my shoulder and stomp off to the bedroom to claim her as mine, but I don’t trust myself in the moment.
It feels like it goes beyond caveman claiming behavior.
I’m angry with him. I told him clear as day in that grocery store that he needed to stay away from her.
He’s fucking with her, and I don’t like it one bit.
I saw the anger and resentment in his eyes.
If those feelings hung on for years, they didn’t just disappear in a couple months.
No, he’s legitimately fucking with her. But why now?
I know why. Because I challenged him, and he doesn’t like losing.
He’s a bully. He’s miserable with how his life has turned out, so he’s intent on taking anyone he can down into the pits of hell with him.
Well, he can’t have my girl. He doesn’t truly want her anyway.
He just wants to ruin her, and not in the way that I like to ruin her.
I’m busy ruining her for any other man while he wants to tear her soul to shreds out of spite.
Well… Fuck. That.
I finish rinsing a few items that needed to be hand washed and brace my hands on either side of the sink.
She’s been watching me the whole time. I was scared for a minute that she was entertaining the thought of giving him that chance.
When she told me that she was mine, the restless monster inside of me settled a smidge, but he’s still prowling, waiting for that fucker to try his luck again.
At least I know she doesn’t want him. That’s my only consolation.
I hear her stand from the table and make her way around the island to me at the sink.
She slips her hands around my waist, pressing me close to her, and lays her head against my back.
“I was scared for a minute,” I admit aloud, looking down into the empty sink while fighting emotions I’ve never battled. It’s terrifying to voice them out loud to her. I don’t like feeling…vulnerable, but I’ll do anything if it means I get to keep her.
“I know.”
“I just found you. He– he had you and threw you away.”
“I know.”
I look out the window at her garden, knowing I’m about to say something without saying what I really want to say.
“I won’t throw you away. I won’t even give you away. I will ruin you for all other men, Ava.”
Her breath hitches as she holds onto me tightly, and I know my words hit the way I intended.
I lift one of my hands from the sink and rub it over hers, bringing it closer to my heart, deepening the emotion swirling between us.
I don’t even expect her to say anything back.
We stand there just like that for a few minutes, and it feels good baring my soul to her.
I want to say more, but not like this. Three words whispered against my back undo me.
“You already have.”
I turn in her arms and cup her face in my palms. I search her eyes as she looks up at me with those chocolate brown eyes full of need, and trust, and…
Dare I even think it?… Love? She rises on her toes to meet me with a tender kiss.
I sip her lips between mine and savor her.
She tastes of our delectable dinner, but underneath that I taste her emotions.
I sweep my tongue across the seam of her lips, and she parts for me with a soft moan which I capture with my mouth.
The flavor of her intoxicates me more than any glass of wine could manage.
I pick her up by the thighs and set her on the kitchen island. I hear a little clink the same moment she moans into our kiss. I’d been so swept away with my thoughts, I’d forgotten about her situation. I grin salaciously against her lips.
“I think I need to ruin you a little more so that I’m sure. It’s time for your other surprise.