Chapter 7
SEVEN
Kai
Ican’t stop replaying last night’s date with Ava.
The scenes spin through like a carousel.
Observing her in the moonlight…I’ll never forget the way my heart swelled in my chest and the ache for her throughout my entire body.
It’s only been a day since I last saw her.
I can’t help myself and text her anyway before hopping into the hot tub.
Kai:
Any chance you want to hang out in the hot tub with me tonight?
Ava:
You’re twisting my arm.
Kai:
Twist. Twist.
Ava:
Of course, I’m in. What’s your address?
Kai:
I’ll wait for you, and yes, that would help. It’s 444 Stargaze Lane.
Ava:
Are you joking with me?
Kai:
Definitely not!
Ava:
Wow! See you in 10.
Kai:
Looking forward to it.
I have ten minutes to change and to find some food. Stalking out of my kitchen, I jog up the stairs to my bedroom. Throw off all my clothes, and I slide on swim trunks.
Glancing around, this is one of the rooms that is completely finished, along with the massive bathroom.
I wanted a stand-up shower and a tub I could fit in.
The dark hardwood floors span across the room.
I have clothes on my armchair in the corner, but I don’t have time to clean up too much.
So I leave it and fix my king-sized bed.
My black comforter is all clumped up on one side, pillows thrown around.
This morning was a mad dash to get out of here.
With the doors leading to the balcony, she will love it up there. It overlooks the lake, and at night it’s breathtaking. I have a couple of lounge chairs, a patio couch, and a propane fire pit.
I imagine us up here with my arms around her, as she gazes out to the sky and leans up against my chest. Hope spreads through my body.
Maybe she’ll want to spend more time here.
A rush of disappointment washes over me.
She already said she’s leaving in a month, and she doesn’t seem like a woman who will stay to ‘see how things go.’
When we touch, my heart skips a beat, and blood rushes to my cock every time.
But it’s more than her touching me…It’s the way my body reacts, like a live wire.
There’s a current running through me…sharp, restless, impossible to ground when she’s around.
I like talking to her, and her laugh—it’s adorable when she snorts.
Taking a deep breath, I come back in and shut the doors.
I stroll back to the kitchen and open the refrigerator.
Staring into the cold depths of the food on the shelves, I search for something easy.
I have marinated steak I made last night.
Well, hopefully she likes steak; otherwise, it’s turkey roll-ups.
The doorbell rings. She’s quick. I must have been daydreaming on my balcony for longer than I thought.
I swing open the door with more enthusiasm than I wanted to show. But I’m excited to have her here.
“You made it in record time.” A smirk tugs at my lips as my eyes drag down her body and back up to meet her eyes.
“I mean, you said hot tub, and I’m all about it after the week I had,” she casually walks in with her eyes lingering on my chest. Yeah, I didn’t put on a shirt.
I can see the strings of her hot pink bathing suit hanging out of her tee.
And my dick jumps at the thought of her in the hot tub with a pink suit on, or rather, nothing on.
“I want to hear all about it. Have you eaten dinner yet?” I glance at my watch, and it’s already 9 p.m. “I think we’re making a habit of these late nights.”
“I guess we are, and no, I haven’t had dinner, but I’m starving.” She holds her stomach, exaggerating her hunger. Then she laughs.
She ate in front of me at the restaurant, which was impressive. Usually, women eat like birds in front of me, but not Ava.
“You like steak?” I ask over my shoulder as I pull everything from the fridge.
Her face lights up. “Yes, I love it.”
“A girl after my own heart. Let’s cook dinner, eat, and you can tell me all about your week. We were caught up last night. I didn’t even ask you.”
“Yes, sounds like a plan…”
I slip my hand on her lower back, where there’s a sliver of skin peeking out.
My hand touching her smooth skin has me tracing circles on it with my thumb.
She leans back into the palm of my hand, like she belongs here.
It feels right. I’m a gentleman, so reluctantly, I drop my hand to grab the food from the island.
“What can I take?” she asks.
“If you don’t mind, I forgot to grab the salad and dressing. It’s in the fridge.” I nod toward the refrigerator.
She struts her ass with those cut-off shorts like it’s her job. I can’t help but stare at her. I may be drooling. If I had an extra hand, I’d wipe my mouth to double-check.
We walk out onto the deck. I light the grill and turn back to her.
Ava’s mouth is wide open, staring at the sky. It’s bright out tonight. The moon is high in the sky; it must be close to full. I walk over to her and slide my hand over her shoulders and down her back.
Staring at her while the moonlight illuminates her face. “You’re beautiful in the moonlight. I couldn’t resist touching you.”
“It’s amazing out here,” she says, staring up at me.
The silence envelopes us as we stand there connected. And then, I dip down and brush my lips on hers. Feeling her out, is this something she wants too? Her teeth grab my bottom lip ever so lightly.
Holy shit.
And she kisses me. It’s tentative at first, but turns ravenous quickly. With her hands on my face, her tongue sliding over, nudging me to open. And I do, ready for her. There’s a time lapse while we kiss, and my hands spread over her back, holding her tight.
When she pulls back a bit, she says, “That was…” She clears her throat. “Wow!”
“It sure was.” I bring my hands to her shoulders, and I rub my nose against hers. She closes her eyes, and as I lean back in to kiss her again, her stomach growls. I chuckle. “Let me get these steaks on the grill.”
“Thank you,” she says, staring up at me with her hazel eyes, sucking me in.
Not wanting to move, I lean in and kiss her skin right by her ear. “You’re welcome.” She shivers in my arms.
She slides her hands off my face and down my chest. Blood shooting south, we linger. Then I twist and walk to the grill before she eyes the bulge in my pants. I casually adjust as I head to cook up the steaks.
While I’m cooking, she tells me about her crazy week at the courthouse. Way busier than she expected. “I have to order again. I didn’t expect to run out of items so quickly, but the courthouse was a success this week. It could be a decent gig.”
Is she pondering staying a bit longer? My heart squeezes thinking about it—her in Saxville. I’m hooked on her, and I want to see where this all leads.
The steaks are done, and I bring them to the table. I walk over to my fully stocked four-season room and grab plates, silverware, and napkins. And there’s a candle and lighter on the windowsill, I snag for good measure.
Placing everything on the table and lighting the candle, she places her hand on her chest. “Did you have this planned?”
“Nah, I like being prepared for any possibilities.”
“Well, I’m hardly ever prepared,” she laughs, and a snort comes out.
We both laugh. She covers her face. “It’s so embarrassing.”
“It’s cute,” I say, touching her shoulder for reassurance.
She shakes her head. “Definitely not anything I’ve ever been called.”
I sit down and cut a piece of steak. We both take a bite. It’s done perfectly. Her eyes close as she says, “This steak is melt-in-your-mouth worthy.”
“I hit the nail on the head with this one.” I’m chewing another piece. It really is good. I’ll have to buy more.
Curious, I ask her, “So, why did you laugh at my address?”
With her eyes bright, she whispers, “444 angel numbers mean you are on the right path, have a strong foundation, and your angels are providing support for a stable and lasting connection. Alignment…”
I reach for her hand. “I like that.” Not pulling it away, I gaze into her eyes.
We finish eating, and she offers to help clean up after dinner. Side by side in the kitchen, I don’t think there’s been a woman in my kitchen since it was renovated.
“This herringbone backsplash is exquisite.” She reaches over and glides her hand over the tile. “Did you do this yourself?”
“No, it would not look as good if I did it myself.” I shake my head. “My brother, Blake, installed it. He did a lot of the work in the kitchen. I’m good at some manual labor like the floor, hanging cabinets, but the detail-oriented tasks—not so much.”
She turns and says, “Oh, you talked about the Viking appliances fitting perfectly. They definitely complement the kitchen. I noticed the refrigerator earlier, but I must have been too hungry to concentrate on it. I need these in my kitchen. Oh, wait, I don’t have a kitchen.”
“Where do you stay when you are on the road?” I ask her as I watch her skim her fingers over the appliances. It’s entertaining and endearing to see her excitement. I was the same way when they arrived and was finally able to use them, but she’s in love with them.
“We usually grab a short-term rental.” She’s distracted by the kitchen amenities as she steps on the lever. “Seriously, what is this?” she asks, glancing over her shoulder, waiting for an answer.
I walk over to her and slide it further out so she can see what’s inside the container. “It’s a kitchen composter.” I’m proud of it. “I have an extra recycling cabinet which pulls out, too.” I reach over and show her.
“Trying to do my part for the environment when I can, it’s not easy.”
She hums softly and closes the container. It snaps shut. Her body stills and then turns slowly. Her head to the side, she says, “I don’t think I would have guessed you were the composter type.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “Is it a good thing or a bad thing?”
Shrugging her shoulders, she walks closer to me. The intensity hits me with force. The tension is in the air, crackling between us. I’m fixated on her eyes, waiting for her to make her next move. When she’s around, I’m alive.
She takes one more step, enough for her to have to tilt her head back to reach my eyes.
Clearing her throat, she says, “I’m pretty sure it’s a good thing.
” Her hand moves to my chest first. She opens and closes her eyes.
The brightest hazel staring back at me. Those fingertips run over the ripples of my chest to right above my swim shorts.
Her fingers felt like electrical shocks as she dragged them down my body.
There’s no hiding the bulge in my shorts. “You ready for the hot tub?”
My hands automatically move to her hips, gripping them tightly. She watches my every move and whispers, “I’ve been ready.”