We Never Kissed

Chapter 24

Alex

I knocked quietly at the door in case anyone was sleeping. It wasn’t that late but late enough, especially for an unexpected visitor. I hadn’t even planned to show up at Ava’s place, and I hadn’t given her a heads up either, partly because I’d been in the car and partly because…I guess I just wanted to surprise her.

I had been working late, going over the final details of one of my deals, and for some reason, I found myself heading here instead of home. Now that Ava and I were together, the quiet of my place just wasn’t appealing. Plus, I hated being away from her. Like it physically hurt.

After a minute, the door popped open, but it wasn’t Ava standing there. Gunnar wore a pair of gym shorts and no shirt. Of course . Is this how he walked around the place all the time?

I tried not to react and instead said, “Hey, man, can I come in?”

He opened the door wider and said, “Mi casa es su casa.”

“Thanks.” I didn’t doubt he was staring at my ass as I entered, and when I turned around and saw the look on his face, it solidified my assumption.

I’d seen Ava’s car in the parking lot, but I still said, “Is she here?”

“Who? Madonna?” He gave me a half grin before adding, “Yeah, but it’s pretty quiet, so she may have fallen asleep. She was reading in bed.”

Since I was supposed to be trying to get along with the guy, I asked, “What are you watching?” I gestured to the TV, which was paused.

He stretched and ran a hand down his taut stomach. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

“I’m watching the first Hangover .”

“What? I love those movies,” I told him, honestly.

“Ava does too,” he said, walking around the back of the couch, then collapsing into a corner. “Bet you didn’t know that.”

I wasn’t sure why he was suddenly turning confrontational when I was trying to be cool, so I just shrugged. But he wasn’t even looking at me, too busy picking up the remote.

“They’re pretty stupid, but I love the group of guys and how different they all are but also great friends. Plus, you gotta love them being in Vegas, right?”

“Oh, yeah that’s right.” I waited until he glanced up and then said, “Mind if I head back,” ticking my head toward the hallway.

This time he shrugged, so I took the opportunity to escape and headed down the hall to Ava’s room.

Opening the door slowly revealed long sleek legs only covered by some short pajama bottoms. The room was dimly lit, aglow with candles burning on her nightstand. I would have to talk to her about how dangerous that was, since clearly she’d fallen asleep.

Ava was lying on her side in the middle of the bed, which seemed like fate left me a space right behind her. I slipped my shoes off and eased onto the bed, spooning right up next to her. I assumed that would wake her and when it didn’t, I took the opportunity to gaze down at her as I propped myself up on an elbow.

I brushed a gentle finger across her forehead to move her hair back from her face. Damn, she was so fucking beautiful it took my breath away .

Unable to help myself, I smoothed my hand down her hip and softly caressed her thigh as I bent and pressed my lips to her neck. I honestly couldn’t believe she wasn’t waking up.

At some point, I’d just purposely wake her, especially since I was already getting myself worked up.

Keeping my mouth near her neck, I lightly brushed my tongue behind her ear. Instinctively, I gripped her hip tighter and pressed up closer so her ass was snug against me. “Ava,” I whispered and then peppered slow kisses down her neck.

This wasn’t what I’d planned on the way over here, but damn… I felt my breathing grow heavy, the blood thrum through my veins, and I knew I better get this girl awake and fast.

I ran my hand up her hip and around to her stomach, slipping beneath her loose tank. “Baby,” I whispered into her ear.

She stirred then and turned her head just enough for her parted lips to find mine, and I took her mouth in a long deep kiss.

It was me who pulled back first—because I needed to see her face—and when she blinked up at me with that angelic face of hers, it was worth the wait.

“Hey, baby…” I ran my thumb across her bottom lip .

She smiled. “I like hearing you call me that.” Turning her body to face me, she ran her hand up my chest, then leaned in and kissed my neck. “This is a nice surprise. I thought I was dreaming at first, but this is even better.” She started unbuttoning my shirt.

I chuckled. “I swear I didn’t just come here for a booty call.”

This time she laughed. “That’s something else I never thought I’d hear you say.” Pulling back, she added, “So, why did you come?”

“I missed you. I can’t stay away from you, Ava. And…” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small rectangular box. “I wanted to bring you this.”

Her brows knitted as she sat up. “What? What did you do?”

“Just open it.”

As if she’d instantly flipped from confused to excited, she snatched the box and opened it. Staring down at the Venetian link platinum bracelet, she said, “Oh, my God, Alex…” Then she turned to me, her eyes glazed over. “But… How did you…” She lifted it gently from the box.

I sat up and leaned my back against the wall. “I saw you staring at it when we were in Vegas. And I heard you say something to the salesperson about how much you love it. It’s not a big deal. I…just wanted you to have it.”

“It’s stunning.” She held it up to me, then frowned. “ And it’s too much. Alex, you shouldn’t be spending this much money on me.”

“That’s what money’s for,” I said. “What else am I going to spend it on?” Truthfully, when I saw that look on her face, I knew I had to get it. It was terrifying to know you’d do anything to make someone you love happy, but there was nothing I could do. I was done for. Ava was everything. She always had been, always would be. But I shrugged and said, “Think of it as making up for all those lame birthday presents I gave you in the past.”

She coughed out a laugh. “Oh, like when you gave me long johns for my eighteenth birthday?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You needed some coverage.” I supposed on some level I was trying to keep my little gem under wraps from all the other insatiable assholes out there.

Her grin grew wider, and she rose up on her knees. “Will you put it on me?” Then she threw a leg over my lap and straddled my thighs so she was facing me.

I took it from her, hopelessly ignoring the fire she set when she crawled on top of me.

Once I had it on her, she said, “It’s stunning.”

I swept a hand through her hair to hook behind her neck, then pulled her mouth to mine, saying against her lips, “You’re the stunning one.”

We shared a few soft kisses, Ava’s hands gripping my biceps, mine bracing against her back. When she moaned into my mouth, I broke the kiss, and we exchanged a knowing grin.

“Thank you, Alex. I should have said that sooner.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Now, I think I was in the middle of unbuttoning your shirt,” she said with a half grin.

“You first,” I shot back. Then I lifted her tank over her head, revealing her naked full breasts. Not giving her a chance to reach for my buttons I leaned forward, connecting my mouth with a piece of heaven. As much as I wanted to linger there, I was growing impatient, and by the sounds of Ava’s moans and heavy breathing she was too. “Let’s get you out of these,” I said, sliding her shorts over her hips.

She lifted to help me and let out a giggle when we struggled to get them off, but then she was quickly back in place, undoing my belt and pants, as if she were racing against the clock.

Leaning over me, her hair dangling on each side of my face, she brought her mouth to mine, and we kissed as I slowly guided her onto me.

“God, I love being inside you,” I whispered.

She held my gaze as she moved atop me, and our slow rhythmic start morphed into a frantic crescendo sending us both flying. And when I brought her down to hold against my chest, I thought it would explode with all the emotions I was feeling. I’d always thought I loved Ava, but this… This was unexplainable with words. Still, as I stroked her bare back, and we regained our breathing, I told her, “I love you, Ava.”