Ignite: Book 2 (The Heat Series 1)

by MJ Masucci

  Chapter 30

  Ava opened her eyes and thought, today is February Fourteenth, Valentine’s Day. Manhattan, along with several East Coast cities, had just been through a large snowstorm. This morning the snow was down to light flurries. It was the first Valentine’s that she had a boyfriend, and she was looking forward to the day.

  It was Friday and Xander teased her with his plans that he would not reveal. She had slipped away during lunch the week before to get him a gift, which she left on the counter in his kitchen. He always woke first and showered, then made coffee for both of them. While she was in the shower, he found the gift.

  His voice boomed over the spray as she washed the soap from her hair.

  “I can’t accept this.”

  She brushed away the droplets of water and steam from the glass door to look at him. He was holding the watch in his hand and shaking his head. She reached over to turn the shower off.

  “Why not? Why can’t you accept the gift I took time and effort to buy you?”

  “It’s too expensive. I know what this watch costs.” He said as he stared at it.

  The Patek Philippe watch was expensive, very expensive. But she had money that she hardly ever spent and it was gaining each month. She didn’t think of the money as hers, she thought of it as theirs. Eventually, they would be married, and it would be shared.

  She dried herself as he watched her. Then she brushed past him and went to the bedroom closet to dress. He stalked after her still angry, mostly because she wasn’t putting up much of a fight.

  “I bought that for you, and you can do what you like with it, but I’m not taking it back to the store. How come every time I purchase something expensive for you, it’s an argument? I have more money than I can spend in a lifetime, and I barely spend any of it. I just want to make you happy.”

  He softened, “You make me happy, it’s not the things you can buy me.”

  “If you want to make me happy then make love to me.”

  Their tests had come back negative several days ago. She had expected him to make love to her or at least perform oral sex, but none of that happened. It was an argument that was becoming commonplace in their relationship. She craved him each and every day. They had not done anything sexual since they had gotten each other off two weeks ago. Even the passionate kissing had ceased, and it dismayed her. When they first got together, it was electric. They could never be near each other without wanting to fuck each other’s brains out. Now that passion had become tepid, barely.

  She finished dressing and took her coffee into the kitchen. She sat at the breakfast bar watching flurries skitter against the glass doors of the terrace. The winter seemed never to end, and she had grown tired of the gray days. After the bar exam, she was taking the first week in March to visit her family in Georgia. She wanted to meet her new niece. Xander was not happy about her leaving him for a week, but she needed to decompress. Studying for the bar exam was taking a lot out of her. Each evening, she would spend time either with Jacob or Xander reviewing. On weekends she would call David, and they would go over study guides.

  Xander was not thrilled about her relationship with David. He knew that she had slept with him and the last thing he wanted was her to be alone with him for a week. He saw the look on David’s face during the engagement party as she danced with him. The man was head over heels in love with her. He knew the feeling well.

  They took a cab to the office together, and they exited one block away from the building. She went in first and settled herself at her desk before Xander came up to eighteen. He had reluctantly put on the watch she bought him. Secretly, he had wanted this watch since he saw it in the jeweler’s window. Now she was angry with him because he chastised her for spending her money. They argued way too much lately, and he chalked it up to lack of sex or maybe it was her stress from the upcoming exam. Whatever it was, they needed to figure it out soon.

  Tonight, Xander had a plan for their Valentine’s Day. They weren’t going to go out the whole weekend. He was leaving at 3:00 PM to run some errands and when she got to his place after work, maybe the tension between them would melt away. He could barely concentrate on his work because he was excited for tonight. In a meeting with his father and Jacob, he wasn’t paying attention causing Peter to raise his voice.

  Ava sat at her desk transcribing some notes. She was irked by Xander’s attitude towards her gift. She went through a lot of trouble to purchase it, and he didn’t seem to realize that. He didn’t even get her Valentine’s card, and she was hurt by his lack of caring. Her fears about their relationship seemed to be coming true. She wasn’t sure they could last for the duration.

  She avoided Xander all day because she was afraid she would burst into tears. Everyone around her was in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. Robert had sent Sam two dozen red roses and a gift certificate to La Roma day spa. Several of the women sitting near her also had gotten flowers and even a few men. She was miserable on what was supposed to be one of the most romantic days of the year.

  At 2:45, Xander tapped her on the shoulder and asked if he could see her in his office. She went only because she needed someplace to cry without anyone seeing her. She didn’t care if he did since he was the cause of her tears. She sat down on the couch, and he closed the door.

  “I think we need to talk,” Xander said.

  It was enough for her. She burst into tears, crying so hard that she couldn’t catch her breath. Xander wasn’t sure what he should do. He stood in front of her rubbing the back of his neck.

  “Sweetheart, what can I do?”

  “Don’t you think you have done enough?”

  He kneeled next to her and tried to put his arms around her, but she pushed him away. He got up and paced the office not knowing how to console her.

  “I have to go, but I don’t want to leave until you tell me what is wrong.”

  “Leave me, Xander. I’ll be fine.”

  He began to worry that she wouldn’t come over tonight and his plans would be ruined. For the last two weeks, he had been making arrangements.

  “Please come over tonight. I have something for you.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy.

  “You didn’t think I would let our first Valentine’s Day together pass without doing something for you?”

  The look on her face told him that she did.

  “Sweetheart, please talk to me. I’m staying until you do.” She had stopped crying and was hiccupping. He knelt down again and wiped at her tears. He put his hand on the back of her head and put his forehead against hers.

  “I want you for always. I want you to be my wife. Don’t ever doubt my love for you.” He kissed her cheek and waited for her to say something.

  “I don’t doubt you love me, but you haven’t touched me or even kissed me lately. I don’t feel we have the spark anymore.”

  Xander looked at her shocked, “Ava, I want you all the time. I burn for you. You have no idea the fire that I feel inside when I’m around you. Even when I’m not near you, I feel that way.”

  “I’ll see you tonight,” she whispered.

  He took her by the hand, and led her out of his office. He closed the door behind her and sat at his desk staring at the folders on it. How could she think he had lost his passion for her? There were times they had been here in this office, and he wanted to take her on the desk or the couch. But he held back because he wanted the tension to build. It had built, but it spilled over and had become negative. Xander needed to make it right and soon. He left the office fifteen minutes later heading off to the errands he had to run to make this a most special night.

  Ava went back to her desk after she visited the bathroom. Her makeup was smudged, and her eyes were puffy and red. Sam noticed her distress and came over to her asking what was wrong. She told her that she was just emotional because of the upcoming exam. Sam seemed to sense it was something more than the exam. She pulled her down to the research room, which fortunately was
empty.

  “I know you have something else going on. I’ve felt it for the last month. Are you going to tell me?”

  “It’s nothing. There isn’t anything wrong. I’m just overwhelmed by the upcoming exam.”

  “Ava, you’ve been my best friend for almost ten years, and I know when something is bothering you. Is it because it’s Valentine’s Day and you’re not with Xander.”

  It was so hard for her to lie to Sam. She needed a confidante.

  “But I am,” she said softly.

  “You’re what?”

  “With him.”

  “What? For how long?”

  “Since last month. Please, you can’t tell anyone not even Robert.”

  “I knew it! There was no way that you could work with him and be okay. Not with the way you two were with each other when you were together. I mean for heaven’s sake, you fucked his brains out when you met up in Saratoga.”

  “We aren’t now.”

  “Wait, you aren’t having sex? Why the hell not?”

  “He wanted to wait. It’s horrible being around him and not being able to make love with him. I want him all the time, but despite what he says, I don’t think he wants me.”

  “You’re crazy. That man would walk through fire for you. He has to have a reason why he is holding out.”

  She told Sam what had been going on the past few weeks and how their relationship had degraded. She started to cry all over again, and Sam took her into the small washroom off the research room. Sam hugged her to her chest until Ava was finished crying.

  “Go to him and let him explain. You two are destined for each other. You can’t let your emotions get the best of you. I need you to be strong because I’m getting married and I need to be the one to fall apart.”

  Ava laughed and hugged Sam before they went back to their desks.

  At five, she got her coat, changed into her boots and headed for the elevators. She felt compelled by her introverted nature to go home and be alone, but she promised Xander she would go to his apartment. She wanted to see what he had for her.

  Xander went around his apartment making sure that everything was just right. Ava had been so upset this afternoon, and it tore his heart to shreds to see her like that. The worst part was that he knew he was part of, or maybe all of the reason for her to feel that way. Everything needed to be perfect. Years from now he wanted her to recall this day and remember how wonderful it was.

  He couldn’t contain himself as he wandered through the rooms of his apartment. It had snowed all day yesterday and into today. A few flurries lingered, but the storm had moved off the coast. Yesterday and this morning had been a bitch to get around, but unless it was a full on white out blizzard, the city never shut down. He patiently waited for her to arrive. He hoped she would.

  Finally, at just before six, he heard the door open. He waited for her to absorb the room. The only light within the apartment was from candles, which he had placed around the open floor plan of the main room. Three giant vases held lavender and red roses. U2’s, All I Want Is You, was playing in the background which he had set on repeat.

  As soon as she walked in the door tears sprang to her eyes. He came out of the shadows still dressed in his suit and pulled her to him even before she removed her boots and coat.

  “I love you. Don’t you ever forget that,” He said before he claimed her mouth with his own.

  He pushed her coat off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor. He bent his head to kiss and suck on her neck. Then he knelt down to help her off with her boots. She was speechless and kept wiping at the tears as he removed her them. He stood up and took her in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. The room was full of candles just as the main room. He put her down and shrugged out of his suit coat and threw it on a chair while she worked on his tie. The floor became littered with their discarded clothing.

  They never took their eyes off each other. His lips trailed down her face and to her neck, he gently bit her, marking her flesh with his teeth. He reached back to unclasp her bra and slid the straps off her shoulders. As he suckled her breasts, she dug her nails into his biceps. She was having trouble controlling herself because she knew what was to come. He knelt in front of her and hooked his fingers in her panties, sliding them down to her ankles and allowing her to step out of them before they joined the pile.

  She was naked, and he wanted to see her in the candlelight. He picked her up and gently laid her in bed. He gazed at her and murmured.

  “Exquisite.”

  In the candlelight, he couldn’t see her blush.

  He slid his boxers down leaving them on the floor where they fell. He wanted to take his time with her. In one motion he climbed over her and pulled her on top of him. He put his hands on either side of her face and began to slowly and deliberately kiss her, his tongue delving deep into her mouth. She started to move her hips over his erection that was sandwiched between them until it was pressing against her clitoris.

  She began to moan loudly, and he moved her off him to his side. She was desperate for him to be inside her but he was not ready for that yet, he had other plans for her.

  “Don’t make me wait, Xander. I want you,” she whispered.

  “Don’t be impatient.”

  He hovered over her and worked his way down her body using his mouth. Each time his tongue, lips or teeth touched her, she whimpered, until he started to kiss her inner thighs and mound, then she moaned loudly. She began moving her hips to meet his mouth. Ava felt his fingers slip inside her and she tightened around them. He began working in and out, licking at her clit, within a minute she was shattering around his fingers with her first of what he hoped to be many orgasms. He removed his fingers from her, sucking on them.

  Ava was breathing heavily as she came down from her climax. Tears had slid down the sides of her face. Xander was finally giving her what she craved. He had been so distant the past few weeks even sleeping on his side of the bed. Now he lay next to her. She could feel his erection pressing against her leg, and she wanted it. She coaxed his rock hard length with her fingers.

  “Please, Xander, I want you inside me.”

  He said nothing just turned onto his back pulling her on top of him again. He placed his hands under his head watching her in the candlelight. He wanted her to take the lead, and she did, positioning him below her opening, then lowering herself. He felt her close around him and suck him deep inside her. She lay upon his chest kissing it, and he wrapped her tightly in his arms.

  Ava sat up and moved over him. He watched her, gorgeous in the candlelight as she made love to him. They found their release together. She collapsed onto his chest, and they remained that way for several minutes. Xander gently moved her to his side, and he stroked her face.

  “I love you so much, Ava. Do you know how hard it was for me to resist you these past few weeks?”

  “About as hard as it was for me to resist you. If I remember correctly, I tried to seduce you for a couple of weeks. Why did you turn away from me?”

  “You didn’t seem like you wanted me to touch you. I was trying to avoid conflict with you. The last thing I wanted was to create more stress.”

  “I have something to tell you,” Ava said.

  “I have a feeling I’m not going to like this.”

  “I told Sam about us.”

  Xander bolted upright in bed. “Fuck, you didn’t. Why?”

  “I need someone to tell. I have no one.”

  “Ava, she is going to tell Robert and then we’re right back to being separated from each other at work. I can’t handle that again.”

  “Remember in a few short months I won’t be a legal assistant anymore. I won’t be working for you.”

  “How do you know that? If they know about us, then they might banish you to the sixteenth floor.”

  He got out of bed and went to his closet.

  “What are you doing?”

  She heard him opening drawers and then he came out with so
mething in his hand. It was a black velvet box, the one she had found in Saratoga.

  He opened the box and got down on one knee.

  “Marry me.”

  She sat up and threw her legs over the bed staring at the ring.

  “No. You’re doing this because they can’t forbid us to have contact if we are married. What happened to take it slow? Doing this you’re going from A to Z in five weeks. We barely know each other. Do you realize we have been apart for longer than we have been together?”

  He closed the box and grabbed her hand, placing it in her palm.

  “Do you want someone else? Can you see yourself married to someone other than me?”

  “No, but…”

  “But, nothing.”

  The stayed silent glaring at each other. She opened the box and looked at the dazzling two carat ring. Xander had great taste.

  “When did you get this ring?”

  “Almost five years ago. I was going to ask you to marry me after your brother’s reception. I bought it before I went to Georgia. It was always my intention to marry you.”

  Ava thought back to the wedding when she noticed he kept touching his pocket. She wondered what he had in it that was so important. She slipped the ring out of the box and put it on her finger. It fit perfectly, and it glinted in the candlelight. She kept looking at it as Xander kneeled before her with a big grin on his face. It faded when she removed the ring and placed it back in the box.

  “I’ll marry you, but we need to be together longer before I’ll wear this. I love you, but we have things that we need to work on.”

  “I’m going to work on one of them right now,” he said as he pushed her back on the bed.

  Hours (and several orgasms) later, they lay in bed in each other’s arms fully satisfied. Xander wrapped his body around Ava pulling her against his chest. She fell asleep with his scent in her nose and the smooth skin of his chest against her cheek. Throughout the night he woke and kissed her. They had finally broken the barrier between them.