“Thanks Mama. I love you.”
“I love you too, honey.”
Chris
Ava has always known how to push my buttons but this was something different. This was more than Sage showing up-granted, I did fuck up on that. I would have been the last person on earth to see this coming, Ava and I. The little pain in my ass girl, the same one that couldn’t take, ‘Stay away from me.’ as a good enough answer to leave me alone as a teenager. She is now the woman I can’t get out of my system or life without feeling a sharp pain of longing and an even sharper pain of need and lust by merely thinking about her.
“Hey, Chris.”
I groan pulling everything inside of me hearing my name from her. “Hey, Ava.”
What the hell does she want? Probable going to set my ass on fire by rigging my drawers so my boxers burst into flames once I put them on. “I’m kinda busy. If you’re looking for Cat, she’s inside.” I tell her flatly refusing to let a little girl I’m almost four years older than get the best of me by screaming at her.
“I know. I came out here to say hi to you.”
I stop riding my bike around in a circle in front of the house and look at her. “Why the hell would you want to do that?”
“Why wouldn’t I? You’re my friend’s brother and I like you. Duh!”
She must be out of her mind. I stare at her looking like a halfway decent little girl who couldn’t hurt a hair on anyone’s head if she tried. As cute as a little girl can be with an angelic face and wavy black hair and big dark blue eyes and a smile as sickening as sugar. Just like in a horror movie until you realize all too late she is the monster you need saving from right before she rips your throat out through your flaring nose in fear of her. Yeah, that’s my little sister’s friend.
“Ava, if setting a steaming bag of hot shit on my doorstep for me to step in and laughing your ass off with everyone, putting itching powder in my swim trunks, and everything else you’ve done to me is liking me, you have my full permission to hate my guts and show me how you mean it. Because it has to be better than this. Hate me, please!”
She looks down at her sandals lips pushed to the side. As if she feels remorse for the pranks she’s pulled on me since she’s been here for the summer. I doubt the little terror has an ounce of remorse in her.
“Chris, I usually don’t apologize, but for you I will.”
“You’re an eleven-year-old kid. What do you mean, you don’t apologize?”
She haughtily raises her head. “My daddy says I’m Ava Alexander and I don’t have to apologize. Unless I’ve unfairly hurt someone who did not deserve it. No one was hurt and everyone had a good laugh.”
“At my expense.” I raise my voice. “Every time I bring my friends and a girl I like over you’re here, ready to strike. Why don’t you just stay at home and leave me alone?”
“I’m sorry. I guess some of those things were kind of mean. Especially when your friends were around. But they were harmless and funny, so there.” She says indignantly. “And for your information Christopher Reed, those girls are not even your type. And they’re dumb and stupid and I like you so much. And I think you’re cute and I really like you and I wish you would like me, too. And one day you’ll see Christopher Reed, you’re going to be with me and you’re going to love me and like it, so there’s your stinking apology!” She yells marching off back to my house leaving me gaping without words at her retreating little form.
I smile thinking about us all those years ago. All I remember thinking during her whole word vomit was, ‘Wow, this little chick is crazy. I’m sorry for the poor guy who ends up with her.’
Nothing much has changed. She’s still leaving me standing at the curb gaping after her. Except this time around she was right, I do love her and not because she tells me so, but because of who she is and has always been. How can I not love her? She’s special that way.
A day without her feels like I’m suffering. Without her touch, her voice calling my name, her laughter ringing out against my ears, her held in my arms. I miss her more than I ever thought I could. In such a short time, she’s become a part of my life. An unpredictable but stable part I can’t wait to come home to at the end of each day.
All I need to do is see her as I walk through the door and I know she’s my new home. A new but familiar place, I feel intoxicated by her. Like I can do a million and one things at the same time, reach the highest of highs within the span of seconds. But with one look or touch she can instantly bring me back down. Anchoring me to her and what we have together, her love does that for me.
Unpredictable, unexpected love we share and I’m happy we found. Without it I would be living a stable predictable life without the spark I’ve grown used to having. Where it’s all about doing what’s best for my family and everyone else. Doing what’s right all the time, for the sake of keeping the piece for everyone else.
“Why do you always have to be the good guy? Take a chance for once and take what you want.”
That’s what she said the first night I went to her. I wasn’t sure what I wanted but I knew I wanted to be near her.
Sometimes, she does know better than me. It’s time I start listening more closely. I’m sure more than anything else in this world, I don’t see a future without her in it driving me crazy. Challenging me at every turn, daring me to do better, to keep up with her razor-sharp mouth, wit and charm. Which all somehow meld together to make her the amazing person I’ve come to know and love more than I thought I could. She is mine. And I accept her for everything she is and isn’t, no questions asked.
It’s been two weeks. No word from her. My calls to her have all been ignored. She’s not at the shop and her employees won’t say where she is. But I know the one person who will know.
“Where is she, Cat?”
“She said she needed to think.”
“Where is she doing this thinking?”
“I don’t know if she wants me to tell you.”
“She’s over the top dramatic. Your best friend thrives on drama, it’s built in her DNA. You know and I know she wants you to tell me.”
“I beg to differ, if such was the case, you would know where she is.”
“We had an argument about where our relationship is and where it’s headed. Basically, her tendency to fly off the handle and mouth. And what I won’t put up with.”
“Hmmm...”
“What?”
“You know you’ll put up with it. You knew who she was before you got involved with her. And the proof you’ll put up with her is you’re here. If you had enough of her and didn’t want her, you wouldn’t care where she was.”
“I’m not denying that. Your point is?”
“I know you as well as I know Ava. She’s a strong woman. You don’t shy away from strong women, proof, our mother and Kate. Out of everyone in our family besides Dad, you handle them well. With an understanding and caring most of us don’t have the patience for.
Much like her when you care about someone deeply, you won’t give up on them easily. When you love them, you don’t let go. You pull away for a bit but you come right back when your cooler head prevails. Why haven’t you told her you loved her?”
“Should I have, to make her understand I wasn’t leaving her for Sage?”
“Yes, you ass!”
“Watch it. I’m still your big brother.”
“This is why I expect better from you. You and Ava are the best at giving advice but you suck at taking it. Don’t do stubborn, Ava will outdo you. You and Ava have so many things in common, with your lives and family, but yet, your personalities are very different. But strangely similar in the things you hold close to your hearts and the things you love. Friends, family.”
“Of course, I love her. I needed her to understand. I care about her but I’m not going to let her run over me and call the shots. This is a partnership, not a dictatorship. I know who she is and I’ll take it all. Even if she makes me so angry I can’t see straight.
She makes me feel alive and I’m not leaving her for anyone else.”
“Those are the words you should have said to her. Instead of taking the heavy-handed road when she was put in a place to be insecure about who she was. Think of where your relationship was before you were together. The things you all but swore by, what you wanted and where it is now. Wouldn’t you be insecure? An assurance of, I love you, and the things you just said to me about her would have went a long way. She’s in Vegas. Go get her.”
“Thanks, sis, love you.”
“If you had only listened to me long ago, you would have figured this out already,” she yells after me.
I look out the window flying high in the air waiting to get to her. I really don’t know what I’m going to say, but I figure I’ll play it by ear. As long as cool heads prevail like Cat said, mainly mine, we’ll be fine. She had two weeks to think about us and what she wants. I would be a cocky asshole if I didn’t think for one second, out of anger, she would turn me away. Her temper is out of this world outrageous, more so when she feels threatened. She feels Sage is a threat, no matter how much I try to reassure her. I should have listened to her when she told me her concerns.
One thing I know about Ava is she doesn’t admit to insecurities well. She’s proud, stubborn, head strong and everything else in the book associated with these words. Not to mention, fiercely independent. It took a lot out of her to tell me those things and lay it on the line. To tell me she loves me without me admitting exactly what I feel for her. In that way, I fucked up and let her down. I asked her to let me take care of her but I forgot to take care of the most important thing to her. Her heart.
Chris
True to Ava’s style, she’s staying in one of the swankiest hotels in Vegas. Looks like a place made for a queen. That’s exactly how I see her when I find her sitting poolside in a two-piece white string bikini. Sheer sarong draped around her curves knotted at her hip. Shit, I don’t know why she bothered with it. It leaves nothing to the imagination but a hope and a dream of a chance for any sucker looking at her. They don’t stand a chance. She’s mine. Every beautiful feisty inch of her.
I tried to outrun her for many years. She caught up to me and made me realize there is no getting away from her. Once she has you, she has you and I wouldn’t change a thing. Standing here seeing her half reclined on a chair, hair flowing over her shoulder, drink in hand. Shades fixed on her head, held high reining over us mere mortals who barely stand a chance against her, I know she’s it for me. She’s infiltrated my heart. I smile watching her lift the glass to her lips. There is no getting her crazy ass out of my system. This is what love is for me. Ava Alexander.
I walk up to her table as she pours another glass full of the yellow liquid into her glass. I smile down at her, taking off my glasses. True to form, she’s cool and collected. Like I’ve been here all along with her and it’s not a surprise to see me. Crossing her legs, she give me a tantalizing view of her well-toned long legs I see wrapped around my waist every night as she screams my name. She slowly licks her lips with a smile pulling off her glasses. As always she knows what she’s doing to me.
She takes a drink subtly licking the rim of the glass with the tip of her tongue. Enticing as fuck. Then she addresses me with her trademark wit, in song.
“Hello from the other side, I must have called a thousand times.”
“You didn’t call once.” I purse my lips trying not to chuckle. “Did you know I was going to come looking for you?”
“No.” She holds up her glass. “Mimosa?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I need to keep a sharp mind with you. Can’t have anything dulling my senses.”
“Smart man.”
She tilts her head. Sun shining down on her glowing body. Her scent wafts over me causing me to inhale her sensuous beauty deeply. Wanting to take her in my arms and lick her from head to toe.
“Didn’t know you were coming,” she says. “Your sister forgot to mention it when I spoke to her less than fifteen minutes ago and she asked me exactly where I would be. Should have guessed something was up.” She squints her eyes at me. “I thought you were going to let me sit and pout.”
She gives me a mock pout with full lips that bring me to my knees. Draining me of strength and reason when we’re together.
After momentarily distracting me she continues. “But you’re here, which leads me to believe you want something. So, I’m going to tell you right now, if you’re looking for Sage advice you’ve come to the wrong person. I don’t do Sage. Supposedly neither do you, anymore,”
A low chuckle leaves me. “Oh, how I’m growing to love your sharp cutting wit.”
“I love it myself. Keeps me thoroughly entertained. I don’t know what I’ll come up with next flying by the seat of my pants, or I prefer crotch.” She holds up her hand. “Flying by my crotch...doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Okay, I think you’ve had enough morning sunshine in a bottle.” I move the pitcher and the glass back on the table out of her reach.
“Why are you here, Chris? Did you come to give me my walking papers? Was my ultimatum too much for your manly sensibilities? Is this fire breathing dragon too much for you to handle?”
“Not at all. I believe I can tame the savage unruly beast.”
She shakes her head looking down with a faint smile. “Boy, you flatter me.”
“You should be. I’m not running form you, Ava. I’m coming to you as the man in your life. You’re it for me. And I’m pretty sure, I’m it for you. Final destination, no getting back on the train.” I brush my hand across a spot on her arm. I can’t help but touch her, being this close to her. “Unless you’ve made up your mind and you’ve found I’m not the man you thought you wanted for so many years?”
She looks at her arm. Eyes firmly glue to the spot and I see the slight rise and fall of her chest. “What about Sage?”
“What about her?”
“I don’t want to play second fiddle. I’m not built like that. It may sound selfish and unreasonable, but that is who I am. It’s not going to change. If it’s me you want, it’s me you’re going to get. I won’t change for any man. I am who I am. You need to accept that and let me be me. I know I can be over the top and infuriating t-”
“At times.” I end for her, holding her chin up making her look at me. Because the Ava I know bows her head to no one. Who she is. “Yes, you are all of those things. But those are the same things that draw me to you. They make up who you are. And if they weren’t a part of you you wouldn’t be the Ava I love. I accept.”
She looks at me biting her lip, eyes dilating holding her emotions in check.
“I accept you for who you are. I don’t want you to change a thing about who you are. I choose you. Sage is my past. You are my here, now, and future. I love you, Ava.”
“Oh, Chris, don’t make me cry...I hate crying!” She smiles holding back tears and I smile with her.
Taking her hand, I pull her to me on to my lap. “I’ll concede I wasn’t as understanding as I should have been about your feelings where Sage was concerned. No more. You are it for me, I love you and it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”
She laughs holding the sides of my face. “I had faith you’d make the right decision”
“Did you?” I smile brushing my lips past hers. Loving the feel of her soft rose petal mouth against mine.
She kisses me deep. Stirring the feelings in me she always does when we come together. “God, Ava, I want to be in you. I missed you so damn much. I know it sounds stupid but it’s been two long ass weeks, and I’ve spent almost every night with you since the first night we started this.” I tell her between kisses. “We’re in this together, I want to make you mine forever.”
Our hands roam over each other. In her hair, down her back, feeling her soft curves, her body pressed against me breathing hard, pulse beating to our own beat. she pulls away holding my face, breath fanning over my lips staring in to my eyes. True Ava fashion,
she shocks me to the bone.
“Make me yours forever. Marry me.”
I smile at her. “Marry you? We just got back together. We didn’t really break up but-”
“Chris, it’s been a rough year for all of us. Cat almost died. Jace was born, things could have gone so bad for him. I was sick and out of my mind with worry and pain. But somehow it all turned around and worked out. I finally got you and I found love. A love I wasn’t actively looking for but I found.
I knew I loved you but it took me by surprise how hard it hit- how fast it happened. Being healthy and fine one day and then almost cripplingly sick, having you take care of me, when you didn’t have to. You having no attachment to me whatsoever made me see who you were beyond the boy and man I had in my mind.”
“Beauty, in a way you always had me. I was too stubborn to listen and let you in.”
“Then listen to me when I say I want to live my life to the fullest with you. You’ll never be bored a day in your life. You’ll have something unexpected to look forward to each and every day. What do you say, Chris? Will you marry me and finally make an honest woman out of me?”
I look at her. Seriously look at her. Weighing all the options the ups, down, the good and bad of it all. A life with Ava...
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
That is how we ended up getting married in a little white chapel in Vegas with, god help me, an Elvis loving minister. Minus the Elvis getup. That would’ve been too much. We both drew the line there.
She was beautiful. Walking down the aisle to me, her long raven black hair flowing down her back. A contrast against her white short sleeve midriff top, showing a sliver of smooth skin, and ankle length matching lace appliqué mermaid skirt. I was dressed in a gray tuxedo vest and pants, gray button down shirt with black tie.
Imperfections Take Me As I Am (The Imperfections Series Book 3) Page 23