Chapter Six

 

 

 

DINA

 

She didn’t know how they managed to do it, but after the Frito fairytale, Dina and Avery had slept in separate rooms last night. As much as she wanted to pull him inside of her room and close the door behind them, she still wasn’t ready yet.

The man had grown on her. She had to give her hormones a talk and tell them to take a chill pill—it wasn’t going to happen. But, oh, how she wanted it to. She couldn’t think of much else, so she did her best to keep herself busy and her mind off her housemate.

The morning flew by as she exchanged emails with her attorney. Then, Shelby stopped by for brunch again. She had the feeling the owners were feeling guilty about not being there to take care of their every need. Both she and Avery told them they were fine and they didn’t need anything, but Dina thought it made Shelby feel better to check on them. She enjoyed her company so it was a win-win for both of them.

While she was chatting away with Shelby, Avery was out doing his usual run. Casey and Eli were off shift, so they had plans to go fishing after. She didn’t expect him back until the afternoon.

Now, she was home alone without a thing to do.

As much as she loved the free time, Dina couldn’t wait to get back to work. She looked forward to spending her days at the office and coming home at closing time. It would be just enough to keep her busy, but not so much that she couldn’t have a life. Or a family.

She couldn’t wait for the right time to tell Avery about her plans. Surprisingly, she wasn’t nervous about it. In fact, she was sure he was in the same place as her. They were both ready for more. That included Hope Falls. And each other.

After browsing through magazines and snacking on everything in the cupboards, Dina decided to head upstairs and settle in with a book. She grabbed her bag of Fritos, a new title and sat on her bed, stretched out with a pillow propped up behind her. She was way too comfortable for her own good. While she’d never been one to nap, she was so cozy that sleep might just take her over.

In between chapters, she thought about Avery. She thought about being here in this house waiting for him to come home. It was something she could totally get used to. She could see herself in five, ten, twenty years, waiting for him to get home from a day out fishing with the boys so they could go out for a date night. She loved what Hope Falls was doing to her. She loved what Avery was doing to her. She loved the whole package.

It was hers and she didn’t want to ever let go.

With each passing day, her feelings for Avery continued to grow. Haunted, schmaunted. Love spells and fairytales. She didn’t care what you called it. Katie was right.

You arrived a single woman and you left committed and in love.

Dina wasn’t going anywhere—there was no doubt in her mind.

She was absolutely, completely, positively in love with Avery.

And she was so, so happy.

 

 

 

AVERY

 

When Avery got home from fishing with the guys, he found the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. The door was open to Dina’s room and she was asleep on her bed. She was curled up on her side, hugging a pillow. Her hair fanned out across the pillow under her head, and she had a small smile on her face. He wondered what she was thinking about to make her smile. The thought made him laugh. He knew what he thought about when he was sleeping. Maybe she had the same fantasies.

He wanted to lie down beside her but he knew he smelled like fish bait and pond water, so he left her alone. It pained him to walk away, but he did. He crossed the hall to his own room and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

Avery was surprised to see that Dina was still knocked out, as peaceful as ever when he was done showering. This time, he couldn’t resist her beauty.

Slowly, he bent down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. What he really wanted to do was kiss her flat on the lips and devour her, but he couldn’t do that to her. She had said she couldn’t take naps, so the fact that she had actually fallen asleep said something. She needed the rest. Maybe he shouldn’t have kissed her, but dammit he couldn’t help himself.

Her eyes fluttered open. “Hey,” she said.

“Sorry,” he told her. “You’re just too beautiful when you’re sleeping.”

“And you’re just too beautiful all the time.” She scooted over. “Lie down with me.”

Avery didn’t want to protest, but he didn’t want to ruin her rest any more than he already had.

“I know you don’t nap,” she said, “but you don’t have anything against cuddling, do you?”

“With you, I don’t oppose anything.” He crawled into bed next to her, and she faced him. She was gorgeous, all sleepy eyed and warm. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his. He reached for her and pulled her close, but she turned around until her back was flush against him.

Dina took his hand, curled it around her waist and held it there. She yawned and relaxed into him.

“There,” she said. “This is perfect.”

Avery lied there in bed with the woman of his dreams tucked against him and he thought, Yes. It is. It’s perfect.

 

 

 

DINA

 

When Dina’s eyes opened again, it was dark outside. She tried to focus and recall how she got here. But then she just relaxed into the moment realizing it didn’t matter. She was in her room, curled up in bed with the most gorgeous, kindest man she’d ever met holding her. Avery’s arms were wrapped around her and their bodies fit together better than any two spoons in a drawer. She smiled, on the inside and out, soaking in this special moment.

If Dina was able to wake up like this in Avery’s arms every day, her life would be complete. This is what she quit her job for. This is what she was looking for when she came to Hope Falls. She was looking for romance, for love, for her happily ever after. And she had found it. In Avery.

In that moment, something else hit her. Avery was asleep. He had taken a nap. With her. She turned her head to sneak a peek at him, to be able to see his eyes closed and restful. There was a fleeting moment where she thought to grab her cell phone and snap a picture, but she laughed the idea away.

She wanted to capture the moment. She didn’t want to let it go.

Avery stirred behind her. “What time is it?” he asked, his voice rough and sexy.

“I’m not sure.”

“We both fell asleep,” he said, pulling her closer and nuzzling his face into her neck.

Dina’s heartbeat raced, knowing how meaningful it was that they had napped together. “We did.”

“You know what that means, don’t you?” he asked, pressing a kiss behind her ear.

“Tell me,” she said.

“I’m in love with you, Dina.”

Her body went frozen against his. It took her a second to process what he said, but when she did, Dina turned around to face him. “I’m in love with you, too.”

 

 

 

AVERY

 

Katie was right. The house was under a love spell. That spell had worked it’s magic on him and he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

When Avery woke up with Dina in his arms, the emotion he felt was off the charts. Everything his dad had ever told him about being in love came back to him a million times over. He had waited so long for this moment that he couldn’t hold back the words any longer. He had to tell her.

“I’m in love with you, Dina.” It didn’t matter that they had only been on a few dates, that they had only known each other for a few more days. All that mattered is how he felt. And the feelings that washed over him were extraordinary, like nothing he had ever felt before.

Dina turned around and her stunning green eyes gazed into his. “I’m in love with you, too,” she said.

Two seconds ago, he didn’t think his feelings could be any greater. But then, she changed that when she told him she was in love with him too. Deep down inside, he knew she felt the same way, but to hear her say it was something entirely different. It made him feel like he could do anything and everything, as long as she was by his side.

Avery looked into her eyes as time stood still around them. He had to say it again. He wanted to tell her over and over until death did they part and all that jazz.

A grin spread across his face.

She smiled back.

Then, he kissed her. Again and again. His mouth found her lips, her neck, the line of her jaw. And then, he told her, “I love you, Dina. I love you so much.”

He felt her arms as they curved around him and pulled him closer. It was like they couldn’t get close enough.

“I love you, too, Avery,” she said. She pulled her face away from his and stared into his eyes again. “Katie was right. The house is haunted. You enter as single as they day you were born and leave in love.”

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked.

“Not right now, but when we decide to leave, it will be together.”

Avery rolled them both over so that Dina was flat on her back underneath him. She was gorgeous, breathtaking and he couldn’t believe she was his. He kissed her again, their tongues dancing side by side as they explored each other’s bodies with their hands. She lifted his shirt and pressed her warm palms to his back, the sensation setting off sparks of electricity all over his body.

With one more kiss to the tip of her nose, he grasped the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head. He tried to control himself. He wanted so much to take it slow and soak in every second of their first time together. This was going to be their first time. He could feel it.

Avery and Dina took turns peeling clothes off each other. She kissed his bare chest while she explored his erection. Her mouth, her hands were everywhere making him feel so, so good. He sucked on her soft silky breasts, lapping his tongue along her pebbled nipple as she clawed at his back. He smoothed his hands over the bare skin of her thighs, up and down until they settled at her hip.

He was just about to pull down her panties when she lifted her hips and he heard a crunch. She went completely still as the room went silent.

Laughter rolled through him when the sound finally registered.

“Only you, Dina.” He reached behind her pillow and patted along until he found the culprit. “God, I love you.” He held up a bag. “And your Fritos.”

“Talk about a mood killer,” she said with a chuckle. She reached down and wrapped her hand around his arousal. “But this is still happening.”

“Oh, hell yeah it is.” He tossed the bag on the floor and went back to work on her panties. He slid them off and then his own before he settled himself between her thighs.

“Sounds like a date.”

He smiled right back. “The best ever.”

Avery rested with his forearms on either side of Dina’s head and looked into her eyes. She was smiling. He was smiling. She loved him. He loved her. This is like a fairytale, Avery thought. As it should be. Both he and Dina deserved it. And they deserved each other. 

“I love you,” he whispered into her ear. He loved saying it aloud. Avery pressed his lips to hers and began to make love to the woman of his dreams, telling her again and again how much she meant to him with words and with his actions.