Imperfections Take Me As I Am (The Imperfections Series Book 3)

by Shaniel Watson

  “Ooh I’m scared,” I mock provoking her more.

  “You should be, now cut it out.” Catching me off guard she pushes me off balance. Smiling triumphantly, she holds her head high brushing her shoulder off. Want to try that little shoving match again?”

  “No, you win. Playing dirty like when you were a kid.”

  “I wasn’t so bad. I may have seen you smile once or twice.”

  “Maybe.” I reluctantly admit standing in front of her. As pesky as she was when we were kids, she was fun. Her incessant laughter and giggles would fill the house when she was with Cat. Usually at my expense. Smiling, I flick a thick lock of hair off her shoulder.

  She brushes her hand across my shoulder, fixing my shirt. Her smile fades as her fingers travel the length of my arm down to my hand. Warmth rushes through me, bringing me back to the night we spent together. On her knees, back arched, ass in the air seeing each other through a haze of sex and the taste of me on her plush soft lips.

  I find myself caressing her hair and touching the soft skin at the nape of her neck, wanting to run my tongue along the curve, and the memory I’m fighting hits me hard. Me mounted behind her, restraining myself from ripping into her body by gripping her so tight I’m sure it’ll leave marks.

  Sinking deep into her heavenly voluptuous body, skin molded tight together she moans deep and low. The sexy sound bounces around us vibrating through me. Moving forward she creates an exquisite friction sliding her perfectly formed ass back down my length with another erotically throaty moan, making me inexplicably swell twice the size I am, sheathed deep inside her dewy warmth, sweat building on our bodies.

  Unable to stop myself from the achingly vivid image, I move in to kiss her parted lips recreating another highly charged memory, when there’s a knock on the door. She lets go of my hand and like a bandit caught, I move back standing on the opposite side of the room. I take a deep breath trying to regain my composure, and my rising need for a woman not my girlfriend. Trouble...

  “Ms. Alexander?” The voice comes through the door.

  “Yes, come in.”

  “How are you today?”

  “Better today, but not too well. Hoping you can get me some answers to why.”

  “Let’s see what we can do.” Noticing me against the wall she says, “Chris, good to see you.”

  “You too, Dr. Graham.” I’ve known her for years. She did me a favor by seeing Ava on short notice. We dated briefly but before anything happened we realized we were better as friends.

  “As much as I enjoy seeing you, if you’ll excuse us, I need to ask my newest patient some questions.”

  “Of course.” I make it two steps before I’m stopped by Ava’s words.

  “Stay. There is nothing I don’t want you to know about me. He can stay, Doctor Graham.”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  Uncertain I ask, “Are you sure? You might have to answer questions you might not be comfortable answering with me in here.”

  She stares at me with her signature Ava confidence. “Nothing I don’t want you to know.”

  Taking her at her word, I settle back against the wall while Doctor Graham asks her questions about her medical history. Gives her a thorough physical exam I hate to admit was in the gray area of turning me on. Which I will admit I had a semi-hard on already from my memory. When the question of her sexual history is asked, I figured she might be regretting asking me to stay.

  But true to who she is, she looked my way saying, “In the last seven months, there was only one guy who thoroughly rocked my world.” Her eyes were on me while she was giving her answer, fidgeting with her fingers. When Ava didn’t answer her next question right away, Dr. Graham looked up with a smile to see us staring at each other. Yeah...she’s probably guessing it was me. My man ego felt good hearing her answer.

  I left the room and waited for her to get dressed once her exam was done. Unexpectedly, she comes out and drags me back in to sit with her to hold her hand for the blood tests ordered. The entire time before the nurse came in she was biting her thumbnail. I kept swatting it away afraid she was going to gnaw it off.

  This trip to the doctor has revealed a lot about Ava. None of which I find unpleasant, like the nervous habit with her fingers. Seems like there’s a lot more to learn about Ava. Intriguing is the right word for her, she has me intrigued.

  I’m sitting in the car waiting for her when my phone lights up. Sage’s name pops up on the screen. Dammit. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m helping a friend by taking her to an appointment. Giving her moral support in a time of uncertainty in her life. I hesitantly move forward to get it. My hand hovering over it I sit back. It flashes twice more, then stops. Shit, why did I do that? I should have answered it. I grab the phone to call her back and the door opens. I place the phone back in the holder staring at it. Ava sits buckling her seatbelt.

  “All finished?” I ask.

  “Tired and ready to go.”

  “You want me to take you back home or to the store?”

  “Home. Maya and Emma are going to close tonight.”

  The ride back to her apartment is silence. I’m thinking about Sage and going over the things that happened and almost happened with Ava today. I steal glances of her a couple of times seeing her pull back her seat a bit to get comfortable. She finally drifted off to sleep for a few minutes.

  I pull up in front of her building and reach over to touch her arm rubbing her smooth skin against the palm of my hand. Even innocently touching her in this way brings back thoughts of her I can’t shake. She’s a haunting presence over my subconscious. In a way, she always has been. I can’t seem to rid myself of the walking contradiction she most certainly is.

  She opens her eyes turning her head to see me. “Thank you for today.”

  “You’re welcome. Learned some new stuff about you.”

  “Hope it didn’t shatter your ball busting image of me?” She smiles looking out the window waving to the doorman from earlier.

  I roll my eyes at the exchanged greeting. “Not at all.” It just made me more curious.

  “Good.” She heaves a sigh, opening the door to get out. Turning, she sits back closing the door. My eyebrows dip low. She puts her hand over mine, between the seats staring straight ahead. “Hey Chris,”

  “Yeah?”

  “I really like you.”

  Moving into already dangerous territory, I turn my hand over under hers linking our hands together. I take a deep breath looking straight ahead and I exhale. “I really like you, too.”

  Squeezing my hand, she pops open the door kissing me on the cheek. She hops out closing the door. I need to clear my head of all things Ava Alexander related. I head home to take a shower before I meet Sage.

  Chris

  “Chris! I said do you want to ride together this morning since I’m going to your office today?”

  “I heard you, babe.”

  “What did I say before that?”

  Damn. I didn’t hear a word she said. Smiling, I give her my broadest smile wrapping my arm around her waist pulling her between my legs. “You love me and wish we could spend the entire day in bed with a replay of last night.”

  “Exactly. You didn’t hear a word I said. If you did, you would know I didn’t say one word before that.”

  “Can you blame me? When I’m having thoughts of your beautiful legs spread wide up in the air while I come in you. I say, patting her backside.”

  Looking down at me she gives me a peck on the lips pushing my hand down. “None of that, mister. We’re going to be late if you start that. I’m not complaining but we’ve been having a lot of repeat performances of last night lately.”

  “Sounds like complaining to me.” I run both my hands up her legs. “Are you saying I’m too much for you?”

  “Not at all. It’s just, sometimes you seem a million miles away like this morning. One second, you can’t hear a word I’ve said. Now, you’re all over me. Are things with u
s good?”

  “Why wouldn’t they be? We’ve been spending every night together either at your place or mine. I thought you were happy?”

  “I am.”

  “It sounds like you might not be. Let me know if I’m crowding you.”

  “Chris, don’t be ridiculous! Of course, I’m happy. Things are great between us,” she says, placing her hands on my shoulders. “I’m thrilled we have spent every night together for the past two weeks. The weekends are even better. I love going to Sunday dinners at your family’s house. I love you and I’m happy we’re taking the next step in our relationship. The way things are going; I think we should consider...maybe moving in together. What do you think? Is that something you would want?”

  Wow. “We can discuss it.” Standing up, I give her a kiss on the lips letting it linger. “We’re going to be late if we don’t get moving. We should take separate cars today after work I’m going to meet up with Nick and Shawn.”

  Her face falls. “Sure. Do you know what time you’ll be back?”

  “It shouldn’t be too late.” I walk over to the sink placing my empty mug down. “I’ll call you.” Grabbing my jacket, keys, and bag off the table I head for the door.

  She presses her lips together, leaning one hip against the table. “What happened to the replay from last night you wanted a minute ago?”

  “Sorry, babe, you were right.” Passing her on my way out, I kiss her forehead. “Duty calls. The early bird gets the worm and all that good stuff.”

  “Right.”

  Parking in my parking spot I turn the engine off, unbuckling my seat belt. Fuck! What the fuck is wrong with me? I practically ran out of my own apartment, forgot my fucking wallet and all my damn credit cards. I’ll have to go back on my lunch break to get them. She said move in together and I panicked. Things are progressing as they should between Sage and I, but I don’t know if I’m ready to take such a big step with her. I’m not sure when or if I’ll be ready to make that move. With Sage, I figured we had time before making such a decision.

  I mean we’ve only been dating for...what? Is it almost a year already? Yeah, we had our first date the night I brought her to the charity function Nick’s law firm was throwing. She was my date and Ava was there. I couldn’t catch a break from Ava’s razor edge mouth and remarks about Sage. I refused to talk to her for the rest of the night.

  God, she’s a thorn in my ass. She drives me crazy. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her from the day we left the doctor’s office. Not even an uninterrupted weekend of endless sex with Sage can put her out of my thoughts. I wonder what she’s doing? Is she feeling better? Who’s she with? Who that smart-ass mouth of hers is taking down now? Which makes me smile. I’m wondering who’s making her smile? I hope it’s not the doorman who wants to work his way straight into the seat of her pants.

  “Forget about her, Chris, you have Sage.” I say to myself. “Sage is enough. The doorman and she are not your problem.” Great, now she has me talking to myself.

  Let it go. You’ve already overstepped. If she needs anymore help, she’s got Nick and Cat. But they’re not the ones she called when she needed help. It was me.

  “She wants us to live together.”

  “It has been a year. You’ve gotten pretty serious,” Shawn, our good friend from high school says, popping a pretzel in his mouth.

  “We have. I don’t know if I’m ready for that next step with her.”

  “Why not?”

  “Good question I don’t have an answer to.”

  “You better find out quick. At least have some plan before you see her. If I know women, which I do, she’s going to be on this like white on rice until she gets the answer she’s looking for. Which is yes Sage, I’m madly in love with you, I want to get married right now and have 2.5 kids, live happily as you tell me what to do every minute of the day. You know what that’s like, Nick, tell him.”

  “Fuck you, man. Cat is nothing like that. You know it. My wife is a dream, she’s beautiful and sexy as hell. She knows how to keep me satisfied in every way. I can’t wait to get home so we can satisfy the hell out of each other.”

  I snap my fingers furiously fast. “Hey, do you remember me? Your wife’s brother. I’m sitting here. I don’t want to hear that mess about my sister. It’s not right.” I shake my head. “It’s just not right.”

  “Not right for you. If we weren’t satisfying the hell out of each other you wouldn’t have your nephew.”

  “As much as I love Jace, please stop or I’m leaving. It’s sick and perverse for you to have me thinking about my little sister that way.”

  Shawn takes a swig of his drink. “That’s because she’s your little sister. Cat’s cool, she’s hot. I can see her making a man real satisfied.”

  “What!” Nick growls and we both look at him.

  “That’s my little sister you’re talking about.”

  “That’s my wife. Watch it.”

  His head jerks back as if he’s preemptively waiting for a physical assault. “You’re the one who brought it up! I was agreeing with you. Jeez. Why are we even talking about Cat? We’re trying to help Chris with his relationship problems.”

  “Let’s not. Let’s move on to something else.”

  “Not a problem. Nick, what’s up with Ava? Haven’t seen much of her since your wedding. Is she seeing anyone?”

  Is he fucking kidding me right now? Luckily, I catch myself before I say those words out loud. Not trusting myself not to say too much I sit back and listen to Nick’s answer.

  “Not that I’m aware of but you never know with Ava. Why?”

  “You really need to ask me why?”

  “What am I, a damn mind reader? Yeah.”

  “I know she was always hung up on Chris here but he’s in a serious relationship with Sage. Right?” He directs his question to me.

  Trying for a neutral tone because I have a good idea where he’s going with this, I give him a one word answer, “Yeah.”

  “Great, and you’ve never shown any interest in what she was offering, so you won’t mind if I ask her out?” Nick watches me from where he’s sitting not saying a word. Like it’s the question of the day. Makes me wonder if he suspects something.

  Turning my head, I take a sip of my beer before I shake my head. “Nah.”

  I thought Shawn and I had this talk already at the wedding. When he said he was thinking about asking her out. My answer was an unmistakable, NO.

  “Then she’s free and clear for me to hit up.”

  “Watch it, that’s my cousin!” Nick exclaims.

  “No disrespect.” He holds his hand up. “What I meant to say was I’m going to ask her out the next time I see her. Sheesh, you guys are touchy tonight about the women in your family. Relax, I wouldn’t disrespect Ava like that. Not that she would even let me, I know she doesn’t put up with bullshit. You have to bring your Triple A plus game with a woman like Ava to keep up with her.”

  “Truer words were never spoken,” I mumble.

  “What was that, Chris?” Nick asks.

  “He’s right?” I raise my voice. “Ava is a lot to handle. You better bring your triple A plus game. You sure you want to ask her out, Shawn? She’s not like your usual one night stand girls.”

  “I know. You having second thoughts about her?”

  “I’m good. I have Sage.”

  “Then that’s that.”

  “That’s that.” Fuck that’s that. I gave him an answer before. We’re going to talk about this again, but for now I’m going to let it drop.

  We finish up and Shawn leaves because he’s on duty tomorrow at the police station. Nick and I are shooting the shit. I would have left already but I’m not ready to go home yet. Especially if Sage wants to continue our conversation from this morning when I didn’t have a clue for what our next step should be. I thought I knew but I’m not sure anymore. The only thing I’m sure of is I want to know how Ava’s doing. She hasn’t called me since she stepped
out of my car kissing me.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” Nick asks.

  “Nothing.” I shrug. “Sitting here with you.”

  “You might as well not be here. You haven’t said a word since Shawn left. As much as I like you, I’d rather be in bed with my wife.” He jokes.

  “I’m trying to figure it out myself.”

  “What exactly? Is Ava a part of your figuring out? Has she finally worked her way under your skin through your anti-Ava armor?”

  I smirk looking in my glass. “You can say that.

  “I thought you were the one who was going to get away. I should learn not to underestimate her.” He smirks. “She’s a force to be reckoned with.”

  “Don’t I know it!”

  “Explains why you’re confused about taking the next step with Sage. Does Sage know you’re having conflicting feelings about your relationship with her and Ava?”

  “I’m sure she doesn’t care much for Ava. I like being with Sage but I don’t know...something about your cousin...I don’t know if she’s worn me down or what.” I smile. “She’s a bit of a contradiction. We’re a contradiction together. I like my life on an even keel. I want it as stress free and drama free as possible. But here I am, moving towards exactly what I don’t want. I can’t believe it. I’ve resisted this maddeningly beautiful woman for years and here I am, sitting here with you, not believing it myself.”

  Maybe it’s just lust, wanting what you shouldn’t. I should have more sex and try to work it out of my system. Problem is...I’ve been doing that already.

  “It’s a choice between the safe bet and taking a risk.”

  “It’s more complicated than that. You know me better than my brother, Nick. You know if this was a few years ago, there wouldn’t been a doubt in my mind of what to do. I wouldn’t have gotten this serious with Sage if I wasn’t certain about us. Especially with her mother dying, leaving me the only person in her life apart from a few friends.”

  He nods sympathetically, listening to me like the lawyer he is, figuring out a case.

  “You know my family history and how I feel about making a commitment, whether it be binding or a mutual understanding. My mother almost destroyed our family by not sticking by her word, her promise and commitment to my father. Kate and I are a product of that. We are the product of adultery. I love my mother but it took me a long time to get over that.”