Ava's Pleasure (Welcome to Paradise)

by Heidi Lynn Anderson

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Note from the Publisher

  Dedication

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  About the Author

  Also by Heidi Lynn Anderson

  A Silver Publishing Book

  Ava's Pleasure

  Copyright © 2012 by Heidi Lynn Anderson

  E-book ISBN: 9781614957577

  First E-book Publication: September 2012

  Cover design by Reese Dante

  Editor: Geoffrey Greene

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Silver Publishing

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  If you see "free shares" offered or cut-rate sales of this title on pirate sites, you can report the offending entry to copyright@spsilverpublishing.com.

  This book is written in US English.

  PUBLISHER

  www.SPSilverPublishing.com

  Note from the Publisher

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for your purchase of this title. The authors and staff of Silver Publishing hope you enjoy this read and that we will have a long and happy association together.

  Please remember that the only money authors make from writing comes from the sales of their books. If you like their work, spread the word and tell others about the books, but please refrain from sharing this book in any form. Authors depend on sales and sales only to support their families.

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  Thank you for not pirating our titles.

  Lodewyk Deysel

  Publisher

  Silver Publishing

  http://www.spsilverpublishing.com

  Dedication

  To AC, thanks for all your support, I couldn't have done it without you.

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Toyota Corolla: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha TA Toyota Motor Corporation

  Diet Pepsi: Pepsico, Inc.

  Harley: H-D Michigan, LLC

  Chapter One

  Father Donavan cleared his throat. "Miss Cullen, due to the recent events at this school, your services will no longer be required."

  Ava sat straighter in her chair behind the oak desk and gazed around the office. A small part of her would miss the blinding white walls of the cell-like space. The school screwed up and I have to pay the price?

  If Father Donavan and the board thought she would go without saying a word to defend herself, they were sadly mistaken. "Father, it is not my fault twelve girls in the senior class are pregnant."

  She reined in her temper and sighed. "When the state mandated all schools have Human Development classes to keep their accreditation, the board came up with the no sex until marriage curriculum, not me." In fact, Ava, had spent months researching diocese approved literature.

  The priest's face turned the color of the sacrament wine. "It was your responsibility to make sure the Human Development class taught abstinence."

  "And I did." Her fists clenched in her lap. "I taught the church sanctioned curriculum."

  "You must have done something wrong. A dozen girls under your tutelage got themselves pregnant, shamed the school, and ruined its impeccable reputation."

  When the tight knit group of students wound up expecting within three months of one another, someone's head would roll. It made sense it was hers. Ava wasn't a nun, wasn't married, and was low man on the totem pole.

  Being the sole guidance counselor at an all girls' high school, she was well versed in the workings of overactive hormones and the complications of the teenage mind. Ava doubted the pregnancies happened by accident. She thought there might be some kind of pact going on, but had no proof. It's pretty bad when seventeen and eighteen year olds were having more sex then she was.

  The students went home and had lives, apparently more exciting ones than she. There was nothing she could say to change the priest's mind. "Well, Father Donavan," Ava stood and walked to stand in front of the old man. "If you'll excuse me, I need to clean out my office."

  He rose. "I'll send Sister Mary Elizabeth in to oversee you." He pushed past her out of the room.

  What am I going to do, steal the picture of the Pope hanging on the wall? She slammed the door behind her, stomped back to her desk, picked up her cell phone, and dialed.

  "Nick's House of Pleasure." Her roommate and best friend answered.

  She couldn't hold back a smile. "Thank God you're home. Could you please bring me the empty packing boxes from the storage room to the school?"

  "Sure, why?"

  The concern in his voice had her shaky resolve crumbling. She wiped a traitorous tear from her eye and sobbed. "I just got fired."

  "I'll be there in ten," he said and hung up.

  A knock sounded at the door. Ava swiped at her cheeks, walked around the desk, and sat. "Come in, Sister."

  The old battle-axe physical fitness teacher whipped opened the door and loomed in the doorway. "And to whom were you talking?"

  The accusing tone in other woman's voice grated on Ava's last nerve. "My roommate, he's bringing me some boxes."

  The nun's face reddened. "You live with a man?" Her habit rustled as she walked into the room to stand over Ava, hands on hips. "Well, no wonder the school is going to hell in a hand basket."

  Ava rolled her eyes. "And why is that?"

  The older woman's lips moved into a sneer. "Well, when you live in sin, you set a bad example."

  "Funny, until now, no one knew my living arrangements."

  Sister Mary Elizabeth huffed. "The girls probably went on that Internet and looked it up."

  Explaining the Internet and how it worked to the dinosaur standing in front of her filled Ava with a weariness she hadn't experienced in years. She sighed and squeezed her eyes shut, closing out the dried up fossil. Ava stifled a moan and tuned out the dried up fossil's tirade.

  "Miss Cullen." The nun puffed some time later, having certainly realized Ava was no longer listening to her sanctimonious diatribe.

  She forced herself to look up and focused her attention to the adversary standing in front of her. "Yes."

  Nick tapped on the doorframe.

  "Oh, thank God," she said under her breath.

  "Honey, I have the boxes you asked for," he said, sauntering in, still wearing his fire department uniform. The navy Polo shirt and cargo pants fit him to a T.

  Ava had to admit he made a hunky picture. She wondered why she didn't
have the same reaction to his six foot two well-muscled frame as all her girlfriends. They all loved his kind brown eyes, boyish good looks, and underwear-model body.

  Her mind flashed to the day, five years ago, when she met Nick. Her roommate dragged her to a fundraiser for the local hospital's burn unit. That night firefighters stripped down to their skivvies for a good cause.

  She remembered her shock and dismay when he pulled her up on the stage and kissed her senseless. When Nick realized he'd scared her spitless, he bought her a drink and apologized—then bugged her until they were best friends. He'd been kissing her and calling her honey ever since. She loved him like an annoying brother.

  He dropped the boxes next to Sister Mary Elizabeth, gave her a little wink, then continued toward Ava. Nick turned her office chair and pressed his lips to hers. She waited for the tingling feelings to start, but nothing. Not even when the tip of his tongue swiped her bottom lip. Am I dead inside?

  Ava leaned back and forced a smile. "Hi, honey, thank you for coming on short notice."

  Nick sat on her desk, his back to the now sputtering sister and mouthed, Nothing?

  Ava grinned and shook her head. "Nick, let me introduce you to Sister Mary Elizabeth."

  He winked again and stood to face the fuming woman. "Nice to meet you, Sister."

  Nick must have blessed her with his charming smile, because the old nun's face twisted into a small grin. It must work on every woman on the planet—except for her.

  "You have a half hour to pack up your belongings," Sister Mary Elizabeth said. She walked to the corner of the room and sat in an old hard back wooden chair, her arms crossed like some kind of bodyguard.

  Twenty minutes later Ava and Nick piled the boxes in her trunk. "I'll stop by the store and pick up margarita mix and stuff to make Mexican tonight," he said.

  Even though her world was upside down and she didn't know how she would make the rent next month, her heart lifted. "You're my hero."

  "From your reaction to my kiss, I'm not," he teased.

  She shut the trunk. "Oh, come on, you can't honestly tell me you felt anything."

  "Unfortunately, you're right." He kissed her cheek and made his way to the visitor's parking lot. "See you at home."

  Ava pulled open the door to her sensible, cherry-red Toyota Corolla and got in. She turned the ignition, then rested her head on the steering wheel. "What the hell happened to my life?"

  When she graduated from college with her PhD in Psychology three years ago, Ava had begrudgingly taken the guidance counselor position at the prestigious all girls Catholic school; she really wanted to work with inner city kids, but she had huge student loans to pay off and needed the money the school offered. Ava wanted to help teenagers, not manage them.

  Her cell phone chirped a reminder of her three o'clock appointment with a student. Had she really been sitting in her car for a half hour? Ava lifted her head. Feeling like a failure, she put the car into gear and headed homeward.

  Ava's thoughts roamed to the dark place they always went to when something bad happened. She thought of her parent's deadly car accident and the six short months the Army had Bobby before a roadside bomb took him away.

  Guilt still burned in Ava's stomach and tears stung her eyes as she remembered what she and Bobby were doing when the tractor-trailer hit her father's car head on. Ava turned the car into her parking space and switched off the engine. She opened the door, pulled the trunk release and stood. Her whole body felt as if it were moving through quicksand.

  Nick jogged up to meet her. "I'll unload your trunk. You go and get out of that novice nun outfit and take a shower."

  She glanced down at herself. "I don't look like a novice nun."

  "Keep telling yourself that," he said and turned her toward the apartment building.

  "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

  He grabbed two boxes. "Really, ankle length gray wool skirts and white high necked blouses are all the rage with the ninety-year-old set."

  Her shoulders slumped. "Oh, maybe you're right." My God, she lived like the nuns who taught at her school. Ava's heart flipped. I mean my old school. Her knees buckled. Boxes were dropped and a strong arm wrapped around her waist. "What am I going to do?" She whimpered.

  He led her to the door. "You're going to go inside, take a shower, put on those flannel PJs you like so much, and have a margarita."

  "How did you get home so fast?"

  Nick smiled and winked. "I have my ways."

  * * * *

  Logan Turner walked into Paradise. The smell of booze and sex flowed over him, comforting his raw nerves. He scanned the large space and noticed the paint changes and new furnishings. The last time Logan was home, he and his business partner, Julie, discussed the updates this place needed. He liked the contrast of red paint and black leather furniture.

  His gaze landed on the pretty little bartender and club manager. Her small heart-shaped ass wiggled to whatever music beat through her earbuds. "Hey, Maggie, I like what you did with the place," he called out, loud enough for her to hear him.

  The glass she washed clattered into the sink, and Maggie spun. The look of surprise on her attractive face had Logan biting back a chuckle.

  "Oh, Logan, you scared me." She wiped her palms on a bar rag, pushed her pink bangs out of her eyes and rushed over to him. He enveloped her fairy-sized body into a friendly hug.

  "I'm glad you're home," she said against his chest.

  He let her go. "Glad to be home." Logan smoothed her multicolored waves from her face. "Julie here?"

  Maggie's cheeks pinked. "Yup. She's in her office doing paperwork."

  He traced his thumb over her jaw. "Thanks."

  She rolled her eyes and waved him off. "Any time."

  Logan made his way to the back, and down the hall, and stopped at the office he shared with his friend. Happiness surrounded him as he watched her.

  Julie sat at her desk. Her fingers sped across the computer keys, her eyes intent on whatever she worked on.

  "Knock, knock."

  She glanced up, her breathtaking green eyes locking on his. "Logan." She pushed out of her chair and rushed into his arms. "You're back safe and sound."

  Enfolding her in his muscular arms, he lifted Julie's voluptuous body into a bear hug. "I'm safe and in one piece." He kissed her on the cheek. "But I'm not sure if I'm sound."

  She studied his face. "This assignment was bad?"

  He set her down. "In my line of work, they're all bad."

  Compassion filled her green eyes. "If you really feel that way, maybe it's time you get out." She strolled back to her desk. "You're up for reenlistment in a couple of months."

  Logan smiled. Brotherly love surged in him. Julie had been keeping track of his reenlistment contracts ever since they became business partners eight years ago. He shrugged. "Being a SEAL is who I am."

  Julie sent him a look only a good friend could get away with. "No," she said slowly. "It's one part of who you are. You are so much more." He didn't think so.

  A knock sounded behind him, his body tensed and for a moment he was back in the desert taking enemy fire. Instinctually, his hand went to his side where nothing rested. Panic tightened his muscles and he turned.

  His good friend Brian walked toward him. "I heard you were here."

  Logan exhaled. "Nice to see you, man." He grasped Brian's outstretched palm.

  "Good to see you." Brian glanced over to Julie. "Tax time is coming up. Do you have those papers ready for me?"

  Exasperated, she waved her hand over the mess on her desk. "I'll have them for you before I leave this weekend." Julie sighed. "I hope I'll have time to pack for Vegas."

  "Shit," Logan said as he sat on the black leather sofa against the back wall. "I'm missing the BDSM convention again?"

  She picked up her cell phone. "I can book you a flight." Julie tapped the screen and frowned.

  "Did you get your cell fixed yet?" Brian asked.

  "Not yet.
The wireless company can't send me my new cell until next week." She tossed down the broken device, then picked up the office phone and looked over to Logan. "You can stay in my hotel room."

  The thought tempted him. "I can't. I only have a week's leave and I have to report back to base next Monday."

  Julie placed the headset down and pouted prettily.

  "Wanda is coming into the club tonight," Brian said. "Maybe the three of us can hook up."

  The dormant sex beast inside Logan stirred. "If she's up for the both of us, then I'm in."

  Brian grinned. "She's been asking for you."

  "What? You're not man enough for her?"

  "I'm too much for her, she needs a break." Brian grinned, glancing at his watch. "I have to get back to the office."

  Logan rose and took the other man's hand. "See you later, man."

  "See ya." Brian waved to Julie and left.

  Logan sat again, swung his legs up onto the sofa, and leaned back. "Tell me how business has been the last few months."

  Julie continued to tap away at her keyboard as she told him all about the club happenings. Logan closed his eyes, allowing her words to spill over him like cool water on a burn, soothing all the emotional stings away. A sort of peace settled over him.

  Growing up, women hadn't been a part of Logan's life. Logan's father and grandfather did their best after his mother's death. They taught him to respect and please women, but once he reached his teenage years, girls became merely play toys—until he met Julie and fell headlong into love. Too bad no sexual tension zinged between them.