Chapter Twenty-Four
Sebastian
I wake up before her the next morning and move to the living room so I don’t disturb her. As is my habit, I open my laptop, checking the latest e-mails and reports. My mind starts making a list of people I want to call and e-mail, and then I realize I’m being an ass. Ava’s here; I won’t waste my time working. It can all wait until Monday.
A few minutes later, I hear her approach with quick steps. When I turn around, I let out a grunt. She’s completely naked.
“Jesus, woman. Do you want to make me crazy this early on?”
“I always want to do that.” She smiles coyly as I pull her into my lap. I find myself searching for ways to keep her happy. I want to anticipate her every need and fulfill it, because seeing her happy makes me happy.
“Why don’t you get dressed? We can go get breakfast. I know a restaurant about twenty minutes from here. You’ll love it. Afterward we could go to the club. We can do whatever you like there. Swim, play tennis, golf.”
She licks her lips, moving her hot little body against me, but she doesn’t look impressed with my offer.
“If you want to do something else, I’m open to alternatives.”
I try to anticipate what she’ll say, running a number of scenarios through my head. Shopping might come up. I used to give my credit card to other women, but I’ll actually enjoy watching her try on clothes.
“Let’s stay in,” she whispers the words playfully, resting her palms on my chest. “I like having you all to myself, and you spoil me so much when it’s just the two of us.”
“What do you mean? I spoil you all the time.”
“Yeah, but more when we’re alone. I don’t want anything today. No club and no fancy restaurant. I just want you.”
“We’ll stay in.” I kiss her senseless, pulling her tighter to me, taking her mouth like a man possessed. If this woman knew how strongly I feel for her, she’d lock me up. In the month I’ve known her, I’ve let her in more than anyone in years except my family.
Letting my guard down is a dangerous thing. I should take a step back and clear my head, consider everything I have to lose. It’d be the sensible thing to do. But I can’t be sensible around her.
She’s too good to be real, and it’s killing me. I lay her on the couch, doing to her the things I was too desperate to do last night. I first cup her breasts, pulling her nipples between my lips until they’re rock hard. Then I stop and lift up, looking her straight in the eyes as I lower my hand between her legs. The expression in her eyes makes me want to hug her and not let go. I can’t get enough of her. And she just wants me. Not the things I can buy her, but me.
I drop my mouth to the skin between her breasts, trailing down in a straight path, past her navel, right to her clit.
“Sebastian. . .” She arches against my mouth when I slide a finger inside her. The way she clenches around it is beautiful. She’s so ready, and so close. I keep my eyes on her chest, watching it heave up and down with increasing speed. A lovely blush spreads on her skin as I continue to pleasure her with my tongue and finger. My balls tighten when her fingers claw at the surface of the couch, as if she wants to fist the fabric to ground herself.
“That’s it, Ava. I want to see you come.”
Closing her eyes, she lets out a beautiful cry as she spasms around my finger. I unhitch my lips from her tender spot, kissing down her inner thighs then up her torso until I’m over her completely.
Grinning, she says, “Now that’s how every day should start. Who needs coffee if you can have an orgasm?”
“Not sure how I feel about my skills being compared to coffee, but—”
“Coffee is important to me.” She nods very seriously, which only makes me guffaw.
“I suppose that makes it all right.”
She laughs softly, pushing herself against my chest, looking up at me. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not hungry. I ate a lot last night. Let’s swim.”
“Let’s.”
“Uh, I just realized I don’t have a bikini.”
“There is one in my closet somewhere.”
“You have a woman’s bikini in your closet?”
My hand is over her breast and I swear I feel her heart stop for a second.
“It’s Pippa’s. She bought it a few months back so she can swim when she’s here, but she hasn’t used it yet.”
Her body goes lax underneath me. “Sorry. I’m silly.”
“No, you’re not.” I trace her lips with my fingers. “But do you really think I’d tell you to wear the bikini of a woman I’ve slept with?”
She shrugs. “A man once tried to convince me that the thong I found in his pocket belonged to me. It had glitter on it. I hate glitter.”
“He was a jerk.” A vein pulses in my neck at the thought that anyone dared to hurt and humiliate her; that they didn’t appreciate how wonderful she is. I do, and I will make sure to let her know every damned day.
“Yeah, he was. I figured most men are.”
“I’m not most men.”
“I see that.” She smiles, this time coyly, and I lower myself to kiss her. Ava pushes her body into me, but she’s not looking for a sexual response, just reassurance. This is one of the rare moments—like when I overdosed her with Tylenol—when she lets the vulnerable part of her show. At least her body does. I know she won’t admit that aloud. Yet. I’ll earn her trust. I don’t want her to feel like she has to hide anything from me.
After we pull apart, we go upstairs. She puts the bikini on, I jump into swimming shorts, and then we go outside.
“I can’t believe you have your own swimming pool. Why do you ever leave your home?”
“Work?”
“Oh yeah, that.”
Facing the pool, she raises her arms, closing her eyes. “I love the wind,” she announces unnecessarily, because I can read it on her sweet face. She enjoys it like it’s an expensive wine or caviar.
It’s refreshing to be around someone who finds happiness in such small things. Other women would’ve snorted at the idea of a weekend in. Who wants to stay in when there is a hot, expensive restaurant opening? Or so many shops she could hit? I remember those days as if they happened in another life. Fake, meaningless. No matter how much I gave a woman, it wasn’t enough. Her birthday? A new car was in order or diamonds as expensive as a car. I didn’t mind, not at all. I’m glad to share and make a woman happy, but I’d never dreamed women only wanted from me the luxury my money could buy.
Ava wants me, and in a few short months, I’ll have to let her go.
I enter the water first, and she follows.
“Gaaaaaah,” Ava exclaims. “The water is freezing. Fuck.”
I don’t get the rest of the sentence because her teeth are chattering. I hurry to her, wrapping my arms around her as she presses her breasts against me.
“The water is a bit chilly. It’s not freezing.” I try not to laugh at her, really, I do; but I end up laughing anyway.
“Yeah, a thousand degrees chillier than I expected. Why didn’t you tell me?” She looks at me accusingly, but all it does is make me want to kiss her. I rub her back and arms.
“You’ll be warmer in a sec.”
“Yeah, right.” Despite her protest, she lays her head on my shoulder as I continue to rub her. After a few minutes, she says, “That’s better.”
“If you swim, it’ll be even better.”
We end up swimming for hours, intermingled with lying in the sun and fooling around like we’re teenagers. That’s what I love most about Ava. She makes me forget who I am.
“I’m hungry,” I announce at lunch.
“Me too. Let’s shower.”
***
Ava showers first, and then I do. She’s sitting on the bed punching a pillow when I come out of the shower.
“Why are you beating the crap out of that pillow?”
“I’m not; I’m picking my hair off it. Sorry, I didn’t realize I left hair everywhere, including your pillow.”
“Well, you should be sorry for hijacking my pillow in the first place.” I hug her from behind, wrapping my arms around her waist and pressing my crotch in her delicious ass.
“Like you minded.” She turns to face me with a devilish grin. “You slept on my boobs.”
“Men are resourceful in times of need. You didn’t just take my pillow. You hijacked the entire bed.”
Her mouth forms an O. “I did not.”
“I should’ve taken a picture. You practically kicked me out of the bed. You did that in your apartment, too.”
“I won’t believe that unless you show me proof.” She pinches her nose, frowning. “I’m getting really hungry. You don’t want to argue with me when I’m hungry. Will you cook again?”
Tilting my head, I laugh against the soft skin of her shoulder.
“So, the princess wants to be spoiled. What do you want to eat?”
“I get to pick?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t care what I eat, really. As long as you cook naked.”
“Feisty, I like it.”
With her hand in mine, I make my way to the living room.
“I’ll grill us something,” I say.
“Cool. I want to help. Give me stuff to do.”
“Nah, stay there and look pretty. It’ll be safer for both of us.”
She squints, breaking into a grin. “So you think I’m pretty?”
Wiggling my eyebrows, I say, “Very. Especially when you’re naked, like now.”
The grill is on the terrace, so we move there as I prepare the meat. We also throw on robes, because the breeze isn’t too forgiving. As I watch her savoring every bite, I can’t help grinning. I become intoxicated with her enthusiasm and good mood.
“This is the best food ever.” Sighing dramatically, she adds, “You are perfect. Can I keep you?”
“Which part of me, my cooking skills or my mad in-bed skills?”
She looks up at me from between her lashes, offering me a seductive smile. “I’ll have to wait to see what other skills you have before I decide.”
After we finish eating, I ask, “Do you want to go to your place to get some clothes?”
I register a strange surprise in her eyes. She turns her back, pretending to clean the table, and I can’t gauge her reaction anymore.
“You want me to stay here the whole weekend?” she asks.
“Of course I do. I’m not nearly done with spoiling you.”
“Okay.”
Hooking my arms around her waist, I rest my head in the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet woman scent.
“Move in here,” I find myself saying. She freezes in my arms, and if I’m honest, I’m doing some freezing myself. Well, now it’s out there, and it feels damn right. “I want to know you—all of you. I can’t get enough of you.”
She fidgets in my arms, her ass pressing against me.
“Sebastian. . .”
I breathe out in relief, because there’s no protest in her voice, just confusion. Well, since I’m already on a slippery slope, to hell with it. Here goes nothing. Wrapping my arms tighter around her, I whisper against her neck, trailing up to her ear. “I like waking up next to you, and having you here. I like your hair on my pillow, and even getting kicked out of the bed. If I had it my way, I’d spend every minute with you from now until you have to leave.”
“Me too.” The confession comes like a mouthful of fresh air. Damn it, why does this feel so good and so right?
Finally, she turns to face me. The mix of emotions in her eyes mirrors my exact feelings. This is uncharted territory for both of us.
“But I’ll keep my apartment.”
“Sure. Your boss has to believe you live there.”
***
We return from her apartment late in the afternoon. The woman owns a lot of clothes, and I grew up with three sisters. At sunset, I grab my woman, a bottle of wine, and two glasses, and we sit outside, watching the sky.
“This is hands down the best view of the sunset ever. It should be in one of those guides for tourists. Great house, great view,” Ava comments.
“Hmmm, could this be the best because you’re in my arms?”
“Oh yeah, that too. Better not put it in the tourist guide though. Wouldn’t want visitors expecting this. I don’t like to share.” She shudders lightly in my arms, and I hug her more.
“You won’t have to share me, Ava. Don’t worry about that.”
“I do worry. That I’m not enough.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I wasn’t enough for my exes. If I was, they wouldn’t have done what they did.” She pastes a smile on her face, like it’s a joke, but I can see right through her.
“Ava.” I cup her head in my hands. “Any man who doesn’t spoil you every day doesn’t deserve you.”
“That applies to every man except you.” She giggles.
I grin, towering over her, and drag my knuckles lightly over her cheeks before kissing her. This sweet woman, with a body made for sin and a smile to match. She’s barely moved in, and I already dread the day she’ll leave.