Chapter 36
DESMOND
For the next two nights, Ava stayed over with me.
It was an order from me, and while she disliked being told what to do, this time, she listened to me.
Kyle was in New York, and Ava couldn’t risk staying in her home anymore.
Certainly not after my last visit, when I had seen that her front door was wobbling, held in place by only one hinge.
I’d notified the police, who had already been completing their investigation from when we pressed charges and had issued a summons for Kyle, requiring him to appear in court.
None of which really had me at ease where Ava was concerned.
On the third morning, Ava got her cup of coffee in the kitchen while I decided to shower and get ready for work. Ten minutes later, I stepped out of my bathroom, half dressed, just as Ava walked in with my cup of dark roast. I grinned and accepted it gratefully, giving her a peck on the lips.
“What are your plans for this evening?” I asked, downing my coffee and setting the cup aside while she leaned against my dresser, rubbing her eyes.
I hated that I could see signs that she was worried, that she hadn’t slept well, and I wanted to do everything in my ability to make it better.
I avoided talking about Kyle because I knew it bothered her and I didn’t want her to start her day thinking about him.
She walked up to me and put her hands around my neck, clasping them tightly.
“I’m meeting Gabi and the others for dinner today.
” She smiled up at me in apology. “Sorry. I know you were hoping we’d have dinner together.
But my friends and I made a pact that we’d never forget each other even if we are caught up in a passionate, whirlwind romance that temporarily knocks our socks off. ”
I grinned wolfishly. “I was hoping to convince you that I’m a mature, responsible man looking for a serious relationship, not a whirlwind romance.”
“Do you hear me complaining?” she asked with a grin as she helped me button the rest of my shirt up.
I turned around and found my suit jacket and slipped it on, something occurring to me as I looked in the mirror and saw Ava pulling on her black pants to go with her white work shirt.
Over the past week, more of Ava’s work clothes had found their way to my home, and my only objection was that she hadn’t brought more of them over.
I never liked dropping her off at that dilapidated apartment she lived in.
“You know,” I said after a moment while she double-checked herself in the mirror and then walked over to help me with my tie, “I have some work-related travel coming up next week. I’ll be flying out to Brazil and then Canada to meet with a couple of different teams there. I’ll be gone ten days.”
She was fingering the edge of my jacket sleeve while I spoke.
I put my thumb under her chin and brought her gaze up to meet mine. “Will you promise me that you’ll be okay?”
When her eyes met mine, they were peaceful and relaxed. Ava was finally letting go of her grief, and I didn’t want Kyle’s reappearance to undo that.
“Are you anxious about what’s going to happen next, Desmond McKinley, the man who always worries about the future?”
“No, of course not,” I said, trying to step away.
She put her arms around my torso and held me there.
“I was just letting you know that”—I fiddled with the buttons on my cuff as she looked back at me evenly—“you need to be careful while I’m gone.
I don’t like the idea that Kyle is still out there.
Especially after you discussed him in your recent interview, I’m concerned he could be out for some payback. ”
“Uh-huh,” she said, nodding gravely and letting go as she tried to walk away. “Or are you really worried I’ll pop off and have a thing with Otto while you’re gone?” She looked at me over her shoulder with a wicked wink.
She squealed as I spun her around to face me and bent down to kiss her deeply and sensually. She opened her mouth to let my tongue in, and I could hear her groan as she relaxed in my arms.
“Don’t you for one moment think that anyone else can take my place, Ava Hale,” I said in a mock stern voice. “It’s booked, signed, sealed, and spoken for.”
She giggled as she wriggled out of my grip. “I’m getting late for my lunch date,” she warned when I followed.
“Oh, and there’s another thing,” I said just as she picked up her bag and made for the door.
She stopped and turned.
“How about we invite Brody over here for dinner this weekend?”
Brody had heard about Ava getting back into my life and subtly reduced his visits to my place, possibly to give us some privacy. I appreciated that, but I also missed his company. It was time he met Ava again.
Ava’s mouth fell open, but she closed it shut and nodded. She walked up, stood on tiptoe, and hooked an arm around my neck. “You’re having me meet your family?”
I placed my hands on either side of her waist. “I am. I meant it when I said this isn’t a fling, sweetheart.”
The smile on her face grew wider, and those amber eyes went soft. “I think dinner with Brody sounds fantastic,” she responded with a quick kiss on my lips. She walked away, bouncing on the balls of her feet.