Chapter 3
Chapter Three
River
It wasn’t the goddamn dessert I wanted last night when she held her fork out to me, I wanted to take a bite of her. Every time I see her, she’s more and more beautiful.
I’ve seen pictures of her mother; Ava kept a few in her room when she was growing up, and she is her double.
Both have the same rich red hair and striking green eyes — her eyes are even greener than mine and mine get lots of comments, but hers?
Hers are a fucking tropical jungle, and I’m the sucker that gets lost in them.
It’s getting harder and harder to stay away from her, and to listen when I remind myself that she’s off-limits and can never be mine.
I’ve found myself popping to the house more often over the last year, just to try and catch a glimpse of her.
Like now for instance, I’m currently walking through the front door of the house I haven’t lived in for four years in the hopes I’ll see her before I start my day. She’s better than any caffeine kick.
“River, what are you doing here, darling? Is everything alright?” My mom comes walking out of the kitchen, still in her pajamas.
She might have married a millionaire and not be struggling to make ends meet now, but it hasn’t changed who she is. She’ll happily walk around the house in her sleepwear, no make-up and her hair pulled back from her face. Ava’s the same, and it’s one of the many things I love about the two of them.
I’ve spent far too many nights with women who spend an hour in the bathroom in the morning, thinking I’m still asleep, only to get straight back into bed and pretend they’ve just woken up. Fake as shit.
“I’m fine, Mom. I have a meeting around the corner and thought I’d pop in while I was passing.”
“That’s kind of you, dear.”
“Charley, please tell me you’ve brewed your nectar of the Gods. I need at least two cups before the movers get here.” Ava’s voice carries down the stairs as she makes her way down.
My eyes are glued to her legs, long and lithe legs that are revealed by her tiny sleep shorts. Legs that falter on the stairs when she catches sight of me.
“It’s ready and waiting in the kitchen for you, Ava.”
“You’re the best,” she says as she passes us. “Morning, River.” She throws a smile over her shoulder at me, and I swear my cock pulses in need.
Forget it, buddy. We don’t get her.
The thought of Ava moving out to a place of her own fills me with both relief and fear.
Relief that when I visit my mom from now on, I won’t be met with the twenty-two year old temptation that haunts me.
Fear because I know where she’s moving to, I know that she’s alone, and I know that if I stop by, if I lose the battle with my will and pay her a visit, then there’s no one there to stop me from taking her.
No parents to act as — completely unaware of their role — chaperones.
Ava walks back out into the foyer where I’m still standing with two mugs cradled in her hands.
“Here.” She holds one of them out to me. “I know you love this stuff almost as much as me.” I cautiously take the mug from her. Did she put laxative in it?
“It won’t bite,” she laughs as she sees me still eyeing the mug. She walks past me, back up the stairs, but not before her parting words cause a strike of lust to pass through me.
“But I might.”
***
I can’t concentrate. The meeting this morning went fine — the meeting that was very much not around the corner from my mom’s house.
But now, sitting in my office at the architectural firm I work for, the firm I’ve been at since I graduated with my masters four years ago, the firm I’m now a partner of, I can’t focus on a damn thing.
My mind can’t stop playing over every interaction I’ve had with Ava since last night.
I don’t understand what she’s doing or why she’s being nice to me.
For the past five years she’s fed into every bit of hate I’ve thrown her way, and made it easy for me to keep this facade going.
Last night, things were different, though.
Last night, she gave me that sweetness she gives everyone else.
Last night, my mask very nearly slipped.
***
It’s four p.m. and I’ve come to the conclusion that I won’t be getting anything productive done today, not project wise anyway.
There is something I’ve been working on, though, something I’ve added to over the years and today my creativity has flowed effortlessly.
Still, I don’t need to be in the office for that, that’s personal.
I pack up for the day and make my way down to my car. Pulling out of the parking lot our office shares with several others, I make a decision I definitely shouldn’t and head towards an apartment that offers me nothing but heartache.
Ava
The last box is finally unpacked. I am now the proud tenant of a beautiful little apartment close to the beach. Fishing my cell out of my denim cut-offs I message the girls.
Ava: I’m in
Harper: Can’t wait to see it tomorrow!
Mia: The last one finally leaves the nest
Bella: Does this mean we’re all officially grown-ups now? Do we have to behave?
Mia: Hell no!
I’m still chuckling as I hear my doorbell ring. Opening my door, I am faced with the last person I expected to see.
River.
He’s dressed in gray slacks and a pale blue button down, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, revealing his tanned, toned forearms.
What is he doing here?
He holds up a brown take-out bag and the smell of Chinese food fills the space between us. I’m not sure if my mouth waters at him or the food.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d eaten today, so I brought provisions.”
“To throw at my walls?” He merely raises his eyebrows at me as he walks into my apartment. “What? It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve decimated something of mine.”
“You been reading a dictionary for fun? You’re throwing some awful big words around there, pipsqueak.”
“River,” I grate. “What are you doing here?” He places the bag on my kitchen counter and begins removing the items.
“Like I said, I wasn’t sure if you’d eaten properly today, and I wanted to get a look at your apartment. I was interested to see where you’d be living from now on.”
“So you can gloat about how much bigger yours is?”
“Oh, pipsqueak, mines so much bigger.”
His voice has taken on a huskier tone, and something tells me he’s not talking about the size of his apartment. I choose to ignore his words, even if I can feel myself blushing.
“Well, what did you bring?”
“Everything you like.”
“As if you know what I like,” I scoff.
He points to each item as he rattles off my favorites. “Did I miss anything?”
I just stare at him. What the fuck is going on right now?
“River,” I sigh, exasperated. “What are you doing? We don’t do this. You reminded me, only last night, that we hate each other.” He spins to face me, his hands planted on his hips.
“I don’t know,” he shouts. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I don’t know why I picked up your favorite foods.” His head drops forward, his chin resting on his chest as he takes a deep breath. “Look, I should go. This was a mistake.”
Before I can stop him, before I can even process what has happened, he’s out of my apartment, the door slamming shut behind him.
I look around my space, trying to see if it can give me the answers I need, if it can tell me what the hell is going on and why the man who’s always acted like he hates me, like I’m nothing to him, has done something kind.