Ava's Pleasure (Welcome to Paradise)

by Heidi Lynn Anderson

  Maggie rolled her big cornflower-blue eyes. "You would feel that way."

  Logan tossed the paperback down. "Some of the people in the club are in committed relationships."

  "Yes, they are, but…" She trailed off.

  "But… what?"

  "But, I don't think that's love. I think that's exhibitionism and voyeurism."

  He grabbed her hand and squeezed. "You surprise me, Maggie. I would have never pegged you as the hearth and home type."

  "Well, you don't seem to me as someone who would lose control over some timid woman who wandered in off the street."

  He released her hand. "I didn't lose control."

  "Like hell you didn't. I may have been manning the bar and dealing with assholes, but I didn't miss your reaction to Julie's niece."

  The hair on Logan's neck stood. How many other people had watched him lose control? Too many emotions erupted inside him. "How do you know who she is?" he asked, confused.

  "When I saw Julie, I got the low down. That's beside the point. I've seen you do a lot of things with a lot of women." Her cute face softened into a kind smile. "What you do in the main room is a performance. I don't know what happens in the private rooms, but in the public room, you and Wanda are like actors in a movie."

  Logan thought about what she said. "I've never been in a private room with Wanda and Brian."

  "I know. I've only seen you take one lucky woman back at a time."

  "I didn't know I was so interesting."

  Maggie winked and shot Logan a sassy grin. "When Logan Turner is in town, all the ladies take notice."

  "Funny." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and yanked her to his side. "Maybe next time I'll take you," he teased.

  Brian ambled in. "Take you where?"

  "I think I'll take Maggie into a private room sometime." The expression on the other man's face had Logan biting back a chuckle. He watched Brian school his features into a neutral expression. The man really needed to shit or get off the pot when it came to Maggie. The girl wasn't going to be around forever.

  "If you want to see what goes on in the private rooms all you have to do is ask."

  Maggie's cheeks glowed. "I wouldn't go into the back rooms—or any other room—with you if you were the last hot male on this planet." She turned to Logan. "I have to get back to work." She planted an exaggerated kiss on the side of his mouth, stood, and rushed past Brian.

  Brian walked in and sat in the chair next to the sofa. "What's with her?"

  Logan had his own problems. He didn't have time to delve into the mind of another woman. The one upstairs had his gut tied up in knots. "Women," he said with a shrug and rested his head against the wall behind the couch.

  "There you are." Julie rushed in and hurried to her desk. "Is Ava settled in?"

  Brian shifted in his seat. "So, the rumors that your niece was here are true."

  Julie moved the computer mouse off the piles of papers. "Yes."

  "Is she single?"

  She stared into the monitor and rapidly clicked the mouse, only half listening. "Um, yes."

  "Good."

  Rage erupted inside Logan. He stood. "What does that mean?"

  "She's hot—in a sweet way."

  He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from ripping Brian apart limb by limb. "She's not for you to play with."

  Julie's head snapped up at his tone. "She's not?"

  He looked straight into her eyes and hoped he conveyed his intentions. "No."

  Julie shifted her attention to the stack of papers on her desk. "There are plenty of ladies you can have fun with, Brian. Leave Ava alone."

  Logan sat to keep himself from pulling Julie into a grateful kiss. The last thing he needed was to make more of a fool of himself in front of Brian.

  Julie held out a folder full of papers to Brian. "Here is the tax info you needed."

  Brian stood and took the folder. "Thanks. Did Logan tell you we gave Ava an eyeful?" He smacked Logan's shoulder and left the room.

  Logan nodded as he thought about Ava's flushed cheeks and shocked expression.

  "Logan." Julie's voice interrupted his thoughts.

  "Mmm."

  "Are you okay? You seem…" She shrugged. "Off."

  "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need a drink." He leaned forward. "I want to tell you something."

  Julie tugged on her bustier. "What."

  "Ava and I made a deal."

  Julie's forehead creased. "What kind of deal?"

  "She asked me to show her." He cleared his throat. "Um…"

  "Stop, I don't want to know," Julie said and smiled. "Ava's a grown woman. If she asked for your help with her"—she lifted her fingers, curling them into air quotes—"decision, then I think she's in good hands."

  Julie's words shocked and humbled Logan. To have her trust and acceptance made Logan want to be a better man. "I didn't expect to hear you give your blessing."

  "You're a good man, Logan," she said as if she'd heard his thoughts. Julie stood and crossed to him. "Let's get one thing straight. Ava's not like the other women you know. If you hurt her, I will cut off your balls and feed them to you." Julie kissed Logan and walked out.

  "Fair enough," he called after her.

  Chapter Five

  Ava sleepily stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. "What am I doing?" Sexual energy had run uninterrupted through her body all night. What is it about this place that makes me want to crawl onto a stranger and release this ache? If she could only get a taste of Logan in the daylight hours, she could go on her way and live her life. Or would this one time with Logan change her forever?

  A piece of hot pink paper caught her attention. She ripped the note off the tile, and read:

  Ava, honey,

  I didn't want to wake you. I have a conference this weekend. I left you in Logan's good hands. He said he would take care of anything you needed. I'll see you Monday night and we can talk.

  I love you!

  Aunt Julie

  PS: Don't do anything I wouldn't do!

  "Thanks for nothing." Ava didn't expect Julie to put her life on hold for her, but she had hoped Julie would change her plans because she was visiting.

  She splashed water on her face, smoothed her hair back, then staggered out of the bathroom and hit a wall of hard muscle. She had just enough time to stifle a moan before Logan wrapped his arms around her waist. She tried to stop the shiver skittering up her spine and failed.

  "Good morning." His gruff voice ran over Ava's frayed nerves.

  "Sorry."

  "Honey, there's nothing to be sorry for. We'll be a lot closer in a little bit." His hand tightened on her waist before he released her.

  Every hormone in her body jumped at once. Ava swallowed the lump in her throat and rubbed her damp hands on her hips trying to keep her cool. "I need coffee—bad."

  "I set the coffee stuff out. Help yourself. After my shower, I'll cook breakfast."

  Did his grin have to be so sexy? "Thank you." Ava found her way to the kitchen. "What have I gotten myself into?" she mumbled.

  * * * *

  He stepped into the bathroom and inhaled. Ava's scent wrapped around his senses, filling him with a desire he had never felt before. His cock throbbed. I want her. For the first time in over a decade, staying home gave him more of a thrill than going on a mission. Logan tugged off his boxer shorts. He smiled at the thought of what Ava's sweet face would have looked like if she bumped into him naked. He turned on the shower and stepped under the cool stream.

  He wondered if Ava liked her showers hot or cold. The thought of her in his shower had Logan's cock begging for attention. The spray hit him mid-chest and he adjusted the showerhead. Water cascaded over his body and streamed off his balls. Logan's hand wrapped around his stiff rod and stroked. Thoughts of all the sexy things he'd show and experience with his sweet Ava played like a movie in his mind.

  He planted his free hand on the wall and rested his forehead against the tile. Lo
gan imagined Ava on her knees, her soft tongue licking the tip of his cock and tasting his pre-cum for the first time. Will she saver my taste on her tongue?

  The idea of Ava's mouth on his dick made Logan's knees tremble. He could almost feel her tongue lick down to the base as her throat worked his sensitive head. He closed his eyes and visualized her hot mouth sucking his cock, swallowing him.

  Logan imagined his dick sliding in and out of her mouth. He could all but feel her hands grab his ass, her nails digging into the hard flesh. His body tightened. Longing for something he wasn't sure was possible filled him. Would Ava take to his training, or would it be too much for her. Logan would show her how to finger his asshole while blowing him. The images of Ava's delicate fingers pressing into him had the pleasure building inside him. He couldn't wait to feel her mouth and tongue on his asshole.

  The need to possess her tugged at Logan's heart, he gasped and stroked harder and faster. His balls drew up, and his body tensed. "Fuck." The first spurt of cum bathed his hand. "Oh, yes." He moaned and leaned against the shower wall.

  * * * *

  Ava stood in the kitchen unable to move. The mug of coffee trembled in her hand. Thoughts of Logan naked in the shower filled her head. What she saw in her mind's eye had wet heat springing up all over her. She squeezed her eyelids closed and visualized her hands exploring Logan's body. A sense of belonging washed over her.

  The words of one of her schoolteachers, Sister Mary Katherine, played in her head. God will punish you.

  The one time she'd been with a man, she had been punished—severely punished. Her parents died the night she and Bobby made love for the first time, and then a few months later Bobby was blown to smithereens.

  "The bathroom's all yours." Logan walked into the kitchen.

  She jumped, splashing coffee on the floor. "Oh no."

  Logan grabbed a dishcloth from the counter. "I'll get this. Go take a shower."

  "Thank you. I'll only be a minute." She forced her foot to take a step.

  "Take your time." Logan moved toward her. "Do you like bacon and eggs?"

  Ava backed away, her back hitting the counter. "Um, yes." She hustled past him.

  "Stop being afraid of me. I won't bite—unless you want me to."

  She halted halfway to the doorway and spun. "I'm not afraid of you."

  "Then what?"

  She fiddled with her necklace, deciding to tell him the truth. "I'm afraid of what I'm feeling, because it's dangerous."

  His face-hardened into an expression she couldn't read. "Why?"

  Her heart fractured and pain flowed out of the old wound. "The first and only time I had sex…" Ava couldn't bear to look at Logan. "My parents were killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. The next day my boyfriend had to report to boot camp and I never saw him again."

  "What happened?"

  She fixed her gaze on his. "His unit was sent to Afghanistan. A roadside bomb killed him." With that, Ava turned and walked down the hallway.

  She wanted peace from the demons that plagued her. For almost five years, she'd suppressed her sexual nature, which only became harder when Nick moved in and started to have sexcapades in the room next to hers. Then the dreams started. When they got worse, she threw herself into work and started to volunteer at the church's outreach center.

  Ava arrived at the bathroom door and opened it. The scent of Logan's soap rushed out to envelope her. Logan held the key to her future. God had a weird sense of humor when he'd matched her up with a man like Logan.

  What if she couldn't be what Logan wanted? Ava twisted the shower spigot and the shower sputtered to life. As she undressed, she caught a glimpse of her skinny frame in the mirror. What would a man like Logan want with her?

  Ava palmed her breasts. Her soft flesh barely filled her hands. She compared her body to Wanda's. Too small. She sighed and moved her palms to her slim hips. Tears threatened. I'm not enough for him.

  The memory of her last dream flashed in her mind. She had never noticed the sorrow in his eyes before? Even in her dreams, she wasn't enough for a man like Logan.

  Chapter Six

  Ava ran her tongue over her teeth as she placed her toothbrush into the cup on the sink then patted her face with the plush towel from the shelf. She didn't look too bad for someone who'd just cried like a baby for the past fifteen minutes.

  She tucked the ultra-soft terry cloth under her arms, picked up her hairbrush, and looked around the bathroom. "Damn. How could I forget a change of clothes?" Maggie raked the brush through her mass of hair then adjusted the towel and opened the door. All of her blood rushed south leaving a trail of lust in its wake.

  Logan stood against the wall, still wrapped in his towel.

  Lord help me.

  He grabbed her hands before she could form any words and pressed his lips to hers, overtaking Ava's sanity. Logan's kiss assaulted her senses. A moan tickled the back of her throat as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him closer.

  * * * *

  The taste of sweet, seductive woman drove Logan to the brink. He pulled back, stared into Ava's shining green eyes, and lost his soul. The beast inside him roared to life. His lust for her overpowered him, and he nearly lost all his self-control. Logan took her hands from his neck and pulled her toward his bedroom.

  "Wait… Where are we going?"

  "My bedroom, so I can start kissing you now." His words came out harder than he'd intended.

  "What about breakfast?"

  He stopped himself from picking Ava up and tossing her over his shoulder. "It can wait."

  "But—"

  He pushed out a breath. "Let's get one thing straight. You have the right to tell me to stop at any time." Logan hoped he hadn't just lied to her. "But you have to say it three times."

  "Three times?"

  "Yes, three times." He brushed a damp curl from her face, infusing him with a sense of tranquility he hadn't felt in years. "The first time is instinctual, the second time you think you should, and the third, you really mean it."

  His hand rested on her cheek. "That's the one I'll listen to." He caressed Ava's skin. Logan's gaze roamed from the wild mass of curls atop her head down to her pink tipped toes. From where he stood, every part of Ava was perfect.

  Tenderness for the woman flooded him. Her eyes were so full of trust. "You humble me." Logan ran his finger over her sexy lips. "I'm the luckiest man in the world."

  Ava's eyebrows drew together.

  God she's perfect—so delicate and sweet. Looking at her now, he itched to unwrap her from the towel and drink her in like fine wine. "I can't wait to taste you." He kicked open the door to his room and led her to the bed.

  Ava stumbled to a stop. "I don't know what you want me to do."

  He adjusted the towel on his hips. "Just trust me."

  * * * *

  She gaped at the thick bulge under the terry cloth. Her mouth watered and excitement skittered along her nerves.

  "Do you want me to take off my towel?" he asked.

  Need pulled at her core. Ava shook her head no. Logan's brows shot up.

  Ava focused on the doorframe behind Logan then nodded yes. What must he think of me?

  He smiled and dropped his towel. She forgot all of her misgivings. The man who stood in front of her could be a statue in a museum. She already knew his wide shoulders and chiseled chest fit onto the sexiest set of abs she had ever seen, but what hid under the towel was the true masterpiece.

  Her fingers tingled to touch his tight stomach and trace her way down to the large member that grew larger before her eyes.

  Shivers wracked her as his warm touch outlined the sensitive skin above her towel. "Your turn."

  Logan's gruff voice had her center pull with longing. Ava's body quivered, and her nipples peaked.

  He slid the towel from her quaking body. "You're so sexy."

  The intense expression on his handsome face had hot, wet heat pooling between her thighs. She wrapped her arms ove
r her exposed chest and crossed her legs.

  He massaged the tension from her shoulders. "Relax."

  It felt like butterflies filled her belly.

  "Lie down on the bed, and remember what I said."

  Ava started to tremble. She scooted up the duvet and laid her head on a pillow. Her wet hair stuck against her neck and back. She shifted uncomfortably.

  Logan stretched out next to her, his steady fingers slipped under her head and lifted. He gently pulled damp hair out from under her. "You're gorgeous."

  She wanted to deny his words, but his mesmerizing stare had her biting back the sentiment. Every emotion she had deprived herself from feeling for half a decade trickled down on her like a light rain on a hot summer day, cleansing her soul.

  He took a lock of hair between his work-roughened fingers and used it to stroke a taut nipple. The fine strands caressed her sensitive bud. The sensual feelings were too much, and not enough, at the same time. She gasped and arched into the light touch. The two sensations warring inside made her chest constrict. Ava moaned with a desire she'd never experienced before.

  He pressed a tender kiss on her lips. "Shh."

  Longing exploded inside her. "Logan." The desires she had locked away inside her started to break free.

  Logan's lips traced along her neck to her earlobe, pulses of ecstasy lingered on her skin. When his tongue flicked her earlobe, the fire in Ava's heart sizzled and crackled.

  She whimpered as wet heat flowed from her core. The uncivilized feelings she'd suppressed erupted.

  He lifted his head. "You like when I kiss you?"

  It was as if the sound of his voice sent shockwaves right through her. Ava closed her eyes. "Yes!"

  She knew it was wrong. The last time she felt even a little bit of this kind of pleasure, her whole world fell apart.

  He growled and moved down her neck, licking his way to her breast. Guilt flashed hot in her soul. "Stop this! It's not right!" Anything that felt this good had to be bad.