Chapter Fifteen Ava
S tanding on one of the recently vacated tables, I twirled around and shook my tits and ass as Nick had suggested. Only during the Greek festival and other special occasions did my parents allow dancing on the tables. Those who normally might not partake always seemed to be in the mood once one of the belly dancers like myself hopped up.
Always the multitasker, I poured shots of Ouzo for two of the twenty-something girls dancing with me. “Opa!” I shouted.
“Opa!” they called back.
With my pitcher of Ouzu in hand, I whirled around and got ready to hop onto the next table. But then a figure stepped in front of me, blocking my ability to jump.
Glaring down at the person, I realized it was a very familiar figure.
“Fuck me,” I muttered at Dare Kavanaugh grinning up at me.
At the sight of him, a dizzying flurry of emotions overtook me. My heart fluttered in my chest while my knees went weak. He had come for me.
And dammit if that wasn’t the sexiest, most romantic thing a man had ever done for me.
Gazing up at me, his eyes burned bright with both amusement and desire. “Hello, Ava.”
“Hello, Dare,” I replied.
“When I imagined coming to find you, this is not what I expected.” His lips curved in a sexy smirk. “Seeing you dancing on tables and wearing that–” he motioned to my outfit–”is very unexpected.” Wagging his brows, he added, “Amazingly unexpected.”
“It’s for the Greek festival.”
“I imagined as much.”
“And I only do this for my parents. This is their restaurant.”
Dare bobbed his head. “Nick was telling me.” Extending his hand, he said, “Need some help down?”
Reluctantly, I slid my hand into his. Damn if the electricity didn’t shoot right up my arm at the simple touch of his skin against mine. After I sat the pitcher of Ouzo down on the table, I then hopped down. Once I was on the ground, I quickly drew my hand back.
Waving a crisp hundred bill at me, he asked, “Can I stick this anywhere?” With a sexy smirk, he added, “Like I did last night.”
“You did not ,” I challenged.
He had the audacity to wink at me. “I think you forget about my finger in your ass.”
Warmth flooded my face. “Would you lower your voice!” I hissed.
“Do you honestly think anyone is going to hear me over the music?”
“I don’t want to find out.” Motioning to the greenery surrounding my stomach and hips, I said, “As for the money, it’s pretty evident it goes in my waistband.”
Starting at my cleavage, he placed the bill flat against my breastbone before sliding it down over the bare skin of my stomach. When he reached the waistband, his fingers, along with the Benjamin, dipped inside. A shiver went through me as he slid the back of his hand along my skin.
“You are a fantasy come to life,” he said, his voice ridiculously deep.
Although I wanted nothing more than to bask in the adulation from this slightly younger man, I couldn’t forget that I had left him this morning with the intent of never seeing him again. How had he possibly found me?
“Cut the bullshit. What are you doing here?” I demanded.
“Hmm, I’m guessing you’re testy because of the lack of sleep last night.”
“Answer my question.”
“Fine. I’m stalking you.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. But why?”
“Do I have to have a reason?”
“Yes,” I hissed.
“Well, first of all, you ran out of me this morning without saying goodbye, least of all giving me the chance to get your number.”
“I didn’t run.”
“Considering you left me passed out and all alone in that big California King, I’d say you did.”
“My ride was leaving.”
“I could’ve taken you home.”
“I needed to get back here for the festival.”
“Once again, I could’ve driven you home.”
“I didn’t want to impose.”
“After fucking my brains out, I’d hardly call it an imposition.”
A laugh burst from my lips before I could stop myself. “You just won’t stop, will you?”
He grinned. “I have been called an everlast before.”
“An everlasting egotrip.”
With a laugh, Dare replied, “Maybe.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I asked, “Do I even want to know how you found out where I lived?
“It’s definitely creeper level.”
I snorted. “I imagined as much.”
“You swiped your VISA in my club, so I did a check-in with them.
“Oh yeah. Total creeper.”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
My heart thrummed wildly in my chest. “You really wanted to see me again that badly?”
“Aye, I did.”
“But why?”
With a growl, he rolled his eyes. “After everything we experienced last night, you’re seriously asking that?”
“I’m sorry for divorce PTSD making me gunshy.”
“I’m not your ex, Ava.”
“I know.”
“I’d never be stupid enough to let you walk away.”
“Considering you’re standing here in front of me, I believe you.”
“We have a connection. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“And we’re going to explore that connection. Correct?”
“Maybe?”
“What can I possibly do to change your mind?”
“I wish I knew.”
“We can take it slow.”
I laughed. “I don’t think there’s a slow bone in either of our bodies.”
“For you I would try.”
As I stared into his earnest face, I realized what a true unicorn stood before me. A rich, powerful man had driven almost an hour to see me. Despite my red flags of being divorced and having PTSD, he still wanted to pursue something with me. He was willing to go out of his way to try to make me comfortable.
I knew there was no possible way I could say no.
“Okay, fine. We can try to see where this goes.”
Dare’s blue eyes lit up. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” I repeated.
With his usual cocky grin, he replied. “Good. I’m glad you could see it my way.”
“You’re impossible,” I replied.
As he walked up to us, Nick crooked his finger. “Come on, Aves. It’s time for the Sirtaki,”
“Coming.”
Dare’s brows furrowed. “What the fuck is that?”
I laughed. “It’s a Greek dance.”
“It doesn’t involve gyrating against other men’s dicks, does it?”
“Maybe,” I replied with a wink.
An erotic shiver pricked over my skin at the jealous fury written on Dare’s face. Even after I turned away from him, I felt the heat of his stare singe against my back.
Whenever we danced the Sirtaki, it was my brothers and all my nieces and nephews who started the dance. Although there were many variations, we tried to keep it as simple as possible so when we picked out guests to join us, they could follow. Many were familiar with it from movies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Zorba the Greek .
After gathering in a line, the music started. We placed our arms on top of each other’s shoulders. Then we kicked one leg out in front of us before taking a sliding step to the side. Bending our knees, we brought them up in front of us before pushing our leg behind us. With another move, we threw one of our arms over our head and snapped our fingers.
As we began circling around, guests began clapping or twirling their white linen napkins in the air. Of course, Lexie and Dani picked out handsome men from the crowd. When we danced past Dare, Nick slid aside. “Come on!” I called to Dare over the band.
“I don’t know the moves,” he protested.
“Go with the flow.”
He grinned. “If you say so.”
Although he muddled through the moves in the beginning, it didn’t take long for Dare to catch on. I couldn’t keep the beaming smile off my face. The longer we danced the clearer it became that I was an utter and complete fool for walking out on him this morning. There weren’t many men who would willingly make a fool out of himself by dancing in front of a crowded restaurant.
At the end of the dance, he whirled me against him. Before I could protest, he slammed his lips against mine. As the patrons whistled and clapped for the end of the dance.
When we finished, we clapped and whistled along with the patrons.
“That was amazing,” I remarked.
“The kiss or the dance?” he teased.
“Both,” I admitted.
“While I agree with the kiss, the dance was absolute shite,” Dare remarked.
Laughing I replied, “No, it wasn’t.”
“Maybe for you.”
“You picked it up quickly.”
Wagging his brows, Dare replied, “You’re a good teacher.”
“You’re impossible.” Tilting my head at him, I asked, “Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“Come to the kitchen, and I’ll feed an Irishman like he’s a Greek.”
“I’d like that a lot.”
With Dare trailing behind me, I entered the bustling kitchen. The sounds of plates and silverware clanking together filled the air. The cooks and waiters barely acknowledged our presence.
To the side of the room, there was a bar area. After pulling out a stool, I turned back to Dare. “Sit,” I commanded.
“You forget I don’t take orders,” he countered in an erotic tone.
“You do tonight if you want to get fed.”
His hands shot out to wrap around my waist, drawing me against him. Tilting me back, his tongue slid up the column of my throat, causing me to tremble. “I know what I want to feast on.”
“Shh!” I hissed.
Dare snorted. “Like anyone can hear us over all that racket.”
“You never know.” Pushing against his chest, I said in a hushed tone, “The only thing Greek you’re going to be feasting on is food.”
He groaned into my neck. “You owe me after walking out on me.”
“For your information, my vagina is out of commission for the foreseeable future, and it’s all your fault.”
“And why is that?”
“Because your monster cock pulverized it.”
He chuckled. “Is that right?”
“It’s not funny. I had to take Advil and use an icepack.”
Dare’s lips kissed across my jawline. “You’re poor pussy. I promise I can make it feel so much better,” he replied in a sexy whisper.
“Don’t try to charm me.” As he gave me his best panty-smelting smirk, I shook my head, “I’m serious. Absolutely no sex.”
“Does oral count?” he asked, his lips precariously close to mine.
“Ava?”
Yelping, I shoved myself out of Dare’s arms. “Um, hi, Mom,” I sputtered.
As she glanced between me and Dare, I felt like I was sixteen again when she caught me making out with Nico Galantis in the restaurant pantry.
With his trademark charming smile, Dare extended his hand. “Hello, ma’am. I’m Dare Kavanaugh.”
“Helena Carras,” Mom replied while eyeing him suspiciously.
“Oh, I knew that. Your beautiful daughter is your twin.”
Mom’s face flushed under his compliment. “Thank you, Mr. Kavanaugh.”
“Although I wasn’t sure if you might be her sister,” he teased.
While Mom tittered, I elbowed Dare. “Suck up.”
“I’m just calling it as I see it.”
Giving me a pointed look, Mom said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware Ava had a boyfriend.”
“Mom,” I groaned while Dare chuckled at my outrage.
“It’s okay, Mrs. Carras. Your daughter and I just met last night.”
Mom’s expression told me she thought we were a little too intimate for just meeting. She would’ve had a stroke if she realized what had transpired between us last night at the club and Dare’s penthouse.
“How nice. I’ve been wanting her to find someone new.”
“And I’ve been wanting to find someone like Ava,” Dare said. At the sincerity of his tone, butterflies danced through my stomach.
“We’re just going to have something to eat, and then I’ll come back to dance and help out,” I said to Mom.
She waved her hand. “Take your time.” Smiling at Dare, she replied, “I hope you enjoy our food.”
“I’m sure I will.”
Once Mom headed over to talk to the cooks, I covered my face with my hands. “I cannot believe she caught us practically making out.”
“Easy now. You’re thirty, not thirteen.”
Peeking at him through my fingers, I snapped, “Thanks for reminding me.”
He grinned. “My sexy cougar.”
“I would choke you out for that, but you would probably enjoy it.”
“While I’ve never partaken in autoeroticism, I would for you.”
With a roll of my eyes, I said, “Let me go get some food to stuff in that out-of-control mouth of yours.”