by Tessa Teevan
Before she could finish that sentence, I beat her to the punch. “I’m still in love with you.”
Instead of crying, throwing her arms around my neck, and kissing me senseless, Ava hauled her arm back and then gave me a hard punch right in the shoulder. Just as I was about to protest, tears sprang in her eyes, and then she threw her arms around my neck, peppering my face with tiny kisses until her lips were on mine.
“That’s what I was going to say, asshole!” she said between kisses. “You totally stole my thunder.”
As much as Ava apparently wanted to say the words, I desperately wanted to hear them. That was pretty much the only thing that had me withdrawing from her sweet, delectable lips. “Then by all means, baby. Roll that thunder.”
She sat up in bed and crossed her legs, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. I scooched back until I was resting against the headboard and waited for her to say what she needed to.
“Do you remember the night I told you I never wanted to fall in love?” she asked.
I swallowed hard. Did I remember it? Hell, I couldn’t forget it if I tried. Her declaration had come at a time when I’d only recently realized I’d had feelings for her, ones I’d soon learned were unrequited when she’d decided love was for idiots.
“Yeah, I remember,” was all I gave her.
She smiled tenderly. “I always thought it was cute the way Mom and Dad had nicknames that meant something to them from such a young age. Tod and Copper. Heck, I called Dad Cop before I ever said, ‘Dad’.”
I nodded and smiled at what was one of Jeremy’s favorite stories. “Until you watched the movie.”
The memory of that night swam back into my head. Ava and I had been nine years old. It had been a rainy weekend, and we’d been stuck inside, watching movies the entire time. Jeremy had dug out a box of what he’d deemed “old classics from the previous century.” Ava and I had huffed, neither of wanting to watch those old cartoons. We’d been engrossed, however, and loved each movie. That is until the ending credits of The Fox and The Hound had rolled in a cruel fashion and without the kind of happy ending our child brains had craved.
“I never wanted to fall in love. Not if it meant you have to say goodbye,” she recounted, tears in her eyes. She blinked then looked at me. “But then you wiped away my tears and held my hand. You changed my perspective.”
I recalled—and was surprised by my childlike wisdom. I wished I could’ve taken credit, but it was something my father had said to me when my dog, Boomer, had died in his sleep. “You can’t be sad for what you’ve lost. You have to be happy with what you had when you had it.” It still stuck with me.
Ava sniffed. She reached her hands out and took hold of mine. “You were so right, Tucker. But I don’t want that to be us. I don’t want to look back on my life and be happy I had you for a time. I want to live my life happy that you’re still in it.”
My stomach tightened. “In my heart, there’s always been a memory…of you, of us, and it’s never left.”
She released my hand and crawled into my lap, where she placed her hand over my heart. “I’m glad you’ve had that memory. But, Tucker, I want to be what’s in your heart. Because you’re in mine. From the deepest depths of my soul, I love you. I’ve always loved you. I will, for the rest of my life and what lies beyond, only ever love you.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist and rolled so she was flat on her back and I was hovering over her. “Three words, baby,” I whispered, staring down into her beautiful blues.
“I love you,” she murmured breathlessly.
“You.” I kissed her firmly on the lips. “Are.” Another Kiss. “Mine.”
Three words. So simple, yet they said everything. But, like I’d said before, actions will always back my words up, so I wasted no time claiming every inch of Ava’s body, thrilled beyond belief that I’d finally claimed her heart. And I was never letting her go again.
Shortly after Ava had fallen asleep, I found myself unable to do the same. I stared up at the ceiling as her words resounded in my head. That was it. All the blood, sweat, and tears I’d endured to write Those Three Words had finally paid off. It was all finally worth it. Because the acclaim, the money, the movie deal—none of it would have mattered if she hadn’t come back in my life.
LIFE AFTER—OR SHOULD I say with?—love was pretty damn incredible. I mean, it had been one thing when I’d been eighteen and thought I understood love, but now? After having lost so much precious time with her and winning her back, it was like nothing I’d ever imagined. Practically living with her, being in my bed with her every night, cooking together like normal couples, and kissing goodbye before we both went off to work—it was fucking amazing.
It still blew my mind sometimes. Growing up, I’d easily fallen in love with her. She hadn’t been just my best friend; she’d been the other half of me. She’d taught me so much. How to take risks, how to love, how to live. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that Ava had her shit together. There was no way two eighteen-year-old kids would’ve made it with thousands of miles in between them. Especially when one had suddenly become the guardian of a teenager. Even if it’d been the hardest lesson, she’d known what I needed, what we both needed, when I couldn’t see it myself. That doesn’t mean the years without her hadn’t sucked, but I was hopeful that it’d taught us both lifelong lessons.
Because, come hell or high water or Hollywood, we’d never be apart again.
Since the night Tucker and I had stopped pretending we could just be friends and subsequently professed our love, life had been awesome. Mom and Dad didn’t even bat an eye when I emptied my closet. Tucker didn’t bat an eye when I filled his. In fact, the very next day, when I’d come home from a long day on set, one side was completely cleared for me. He’d made space on the bathroom counter for me, and somehow, he’d snagged my favorite pillow from my childhood bedroom and placed it on my side of the bed.
My side of the bed.
Wow, it felt amazing to think that.
Things on set were in full swing. Leo and I had incredible chemistry, and I’d had the chance to meet Layla. For my first major motion picture, I was surprised at how seamless everything was going. Sure, we had an intense schedule, took what seemed like hundreds of takes for one scene at times, and my feet killed by the end of each night.
Yet it was the most exhilarating experience of my life. Each day I left Tucker’s bed with a kiss and a goodbye, it was to step into the world he’d created, to portray this strong woman whose heart only beat for one man. A reflection of my own life.
It wasn’t that much of a hardship. The more into character I got, the more I understood what Tucker had gone through while we had been apart. Because, as Abby, I was experiencing it through his written words. My heart threatened to break each day Abby’s did. I hated that he had gone through such a hard time without me. But, like he’d reassured me, we couldn’t change the past. No, I could only ensure I made him happier than ever in both the present and in our future.
Taking advantage of their shooting a scene in which Abigail did not appear, I snuck off to my trailer to check my phone. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that a text from Tucker had come through.
Tucker: Call me as soon as you get a free moment. -TA
Grinning, I flopped down on the couch and held the phone to my ear, waiting for him to answer. It was still so shocking to me that, after all that time, we were a tried and true couple. That he’d forgiven me so easily, accepted me back into his life with open arms. It was all happening so easily, too easily, and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Cautiously keeping my fingers crossed that it wouldn’t happen.
“Hey, babe,” he answered gruffly. “Any chance you have the rest of the day off and want to come spend it in bed with me?”
My belly dipped at the thought. “Wish I could, but my schedule’s full.”
“Will you be done before dinner?” he asked.
I sat up, noting the edge in hi
s voice. “Should be. We’re supposed to wrap for the day around six.”
“Pick you up?”
“I’ll be waiting. Anxiously and with open arms.”
“’Kay, babe. Gotta run.”
The rest of the afternoon was spent filming, and by the time we heard the final cut for the day, I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was take a long, hot shower and crawl into bed. Preferably with Tucker.
“Great job today, Ava,” Jonathan called to me as I was exiting my trailer.
I smiled and waved. “Thanks!”
A set of strong arms encircled my waist, and I giggled when his stubble rubbed against my neck.
“You were really great, baby.” Tucker’s whisper tickled my skin.
I turned in his arms and smiled up at him. “How long have you been watching?” I asked
He grinned. “Only for an hour or so, but it was long enough to know you were born to play Abigail.”
“Well, it helps that she was written with me in mind,” I retorted. “How’d you get on set anyway?”
His eyes lit up. “Perks of being the screenwriter.”
I nibbled my lower lip. “We’re shooting the ending tomorrow,” I informed him, tears already swimming in my eyes.
I wouldn’t require menthol to produce tears while shooting Abby’s final goodbye. Heck, I was actually worried I wouldn’t be able to cope. I was one with my character, and if I put myself in her shoes, I didn’t know if I’d have had the strength she did. If I lost Tucker as quickly as I’d gotten him back, I had no idea how I would ever go on.
“Will you come by and watch?” I asked, wanting him to be close by if I was a mess afterward. Tucker always found a way to keep me grounded. I would cling to him if need be. I knew I could count on him for comfort.
His breathtaking answering smile was exactly what I needed. He used the back of his hand to tenderly brush my cheek. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Now, let’s grab takeout, go home, and cuddle up in bed until you fall asleep on me like you have every night this week.”
I quirked an eyebrow and placed a hand on my hip. “You know, we’ve been together for over a month now, and you haven’t taken me on a single date. I’m beginning to think I’m easy. Or that you don’t want to be seen with me. Is it because of the redhead?” The words had spilled from my mouth before I could stop them. I hadn’t forgotten that she’d been at his house just a few nights before we’d first made love. He’d been a virgin, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t done other things.
Tucker frowned. “Redhead?”
God, why had I brought that up? “Umm,” I said, scuffing the toe of my shoe against the sidewalk. “The one from the airport?”
“The one you were jealous of?” he asked, his eyes shining with laughter.
I pushed his shoulder. “I wasn’t jealous!”
“You so were.”
He had me. I so was.
“Whatever,” I said. “It’s just… I saw her at your house a few days before we, um…”
He leaned in close. “Before we fucked?” he growled, which sent tingles down in between my legs.
I hadn’t thought of it that way, but he was right. In the past few weeks we’d gone from being two inexperienced virgins to making love, dirty fucking, and everything in between.
Funny how love and trust were all you needed to become an animal in the bedroom. Tawni would be so proud.
“Babe,” he repeated, pulling me from my wicked thoughts.
I could only nod.
“Baby, I told you. I’ve never been with anyone else. I’ve never touched anyone else. No one else has touched me. I’ve never even fucking kissed another woman.”
My eyes grew wide. “What?” I gasped. When he’d said that he was a virgin, I’d thought he just meant sex.
“I’m a one-woman man. You’re my woman. It’s that simple.” He’d said it so matter-of-factly, as if it made all the sense in the world.
And, suddenly, it did.
“So no redhead?” I asked.
He grinned. “Babe, that redhead was Meredith.”
My mouth fell open. “That was Meredith?”
“Yup.”
“Your cousin Meredith?”
“Yup.”
“Wow,” I replied.
“See? Nothing to be jealous of.”
“I wasn’t jealous.”
“You were. And it’s cute.”
I rolled my eyes. “Getting back to the subject at hand: Why haven’t you taken me out?”
Tucker leaned back against my trailer. “I didn’t know you wanted to.”
At that point, I was getting exasperated. For a man who could write an entire novel, he sure wasn’t saying much.
I wrinkled my nose and poked him in the shoulder. “You’re my boyfriend. Why wouldn’t I want to go on a date with you?”
He pushed off the trailer and spun me around so my back was against it. His arms went on both sides of my head to box me in. “Babe, the last time I was at the grocery store, your picture was on three different tabloids.”
It was true. Before I had been cast in this film, I could’ve gone anywhere without anyone noticing. Sure, the barista at Starbucks had once commented on liking my last guest role in a cop-drama television show, but I hadn’t had to hide from the paparazzi. Ever since I’d spent that day on the town with Leo, things had changed and people were starting to take an interest in me. I’d been too busy with filming to pay that much attention to it. I wasn’t surprised, however, that Tucker had noticed.
“You don’t want the world to know I’m dating you?” I asked, unsure of why that would be the case.
“No, of course not. I’d take a freaking billboard if you’d let me. I want the entire world to know you’re mine. But you’re also in the public eye, baby, and I want to respect your wishes. The whole world doesn’t need to know the details of your personal life. So I figured you’d prefer to stay at home until you were ready to go public with our relationship. Trust me. I’d take you out every single night if I knew that’s what you wanted.”
The sentiment was sweet yet oh so unnecessary. I decided to prove that to him by pushing him off me, gripping his arm, and leading him straight out of the studio. Once outside, I glanced around, not disappointed when I saw at least two paparazzi, their cameras aimed right at the building we’d just exited. They were most likely waiting for a glimpse of Leo, but they’d have to settle for me. With a grin, I positioned us so they’d get a perfect profile shot of us when I lifted on my tiptoes and planted my lips on his. Strong arms encircled my waist as he drew me in close. When our show nearly ventured into PG-13 territory, I pulled away and grinned up at him.
“That public enough for you?” I asked, to which he laughed. “Now, can my boyfriend please take me on a date?”
He stepped back and took both of my hands in his before bringing them to his chest. “Ava, even though you’ve been living with me for a month and I’ve already declared my undying love for you, will you please go on a first date with me this Friday evening?”
I twisted my mouth in faux contemplation. “I’ll have to check my schedule and let you know.”
“You’ll be free,” he retorted.
Oh yeah. I’d be free.
A GROAN ESCAPED MY LIPS when I tore my gaze away from the stack of invoices on my desk to take a peek at the clock. It was barely even noon. I should’ve taken Tanner up on his offer to tackle billing this week, but instead, I’d insisted he take off and go enjoy his Friday evening, throwing him a couple of extra twenties if he’d stay with a buddy for the night. It was selfish of me because I wanted him out of the house all night. And, because Ava and I had our first date that night, I had to get all my paperwork done or I’d be taking my work home with me. No way in hell was that happening.
It’d been nearly a week and a half since that day on the set. Funny thing—I knew she had been teasing when she’d said that she had to check her schedule, but when it was all said and done, they’d
ended up filming late into that night. Same with Saturday. So she had given me a rain check, and that day was finally here. The tabloids, shockingly, had gone wild with wondering who her new mystery man was. Since they knew there wouldn’t be any juicy stories with Leo, they’d latched on to us. Neither of us cared much. Hell, we hadn’t had time to.
We’d only seen each other in passing all week due to her demanding filming schedule. Most mornings, she was out the door by four a.m. and didn’t come stumbling into my bed until well past nine. She had enough time to grab a shower and a quick bite to eat before passing out in my bed. I understood her exhaustion, so instead of trying to seduce her, I curled up in bed beside my woman and held her as close as humanly possible as she slept.
One night, however, she’d apparently been missing me, because she’d insisted I shower with her. My dick had swelled at the image of Ava naked and on her knees, kneeling before me, taking my cock into her perfect mouth. Sure, a month ago, I’d been a virgin, but like I’d told Ava, she’d awakened my primal side and I could get enough of her. Her sweet, sweet taste. Her tender touch. When it came to her, I was on the fast track to becoming a subject matter expert.
It wasn’t just the sex, either. I was grateful for each and every day I had with Ava, regardless that most of our time together was spent sleeping. We were together, openly dating, and having her back in my life was a gift I would do everything in my power to make last. Filming was wrapping up soon, and we hadn’t had the talk about what to do after her time in Cincinnati was up. Not wanting to think of it, I settled back in my chair and closed my eyes, conjuring up that mental image of Ava. I groaned at the immediate tightness in my jeans. I didn’t want to spend the rest of the afternoon with a raging hard-on. So I’d bang out the rest of the paperwork and then, that night, I’d bang Ava.
I know. Romantic, right?
Pushing all thoughts of my naked woman’s perfect lips wrapped around my cock out of my mind, I grabbed the next invoice and got to work. I was making good headway when a knock on the door threatened to distract me.