Targeted: Newlywed Navy Seals Risk It All! (Truth and Lies Series Book 1)

by Pinki Parks

  “On your left!”

  Ava gasped as the wind was knocked out of her lungs. Her chest collided with Tristan’s, and she squeezed her eyes shut just as she glimpsed a patch of grass rushing towards her face. The crunch of tires across the cement faded away along with the back of the cyclist that had just zipped past them.

  Tristan’s fingers were pressed into her skin, his nails pressed into her shoulders. Ava twisted her head and caught the unabashed stares of college students and couples that ambled by. She pushed her knee forward in an attempt to roll onto the grass beside Tristan, but her knee cap was sent towards the seat of his pants.

  Tristan eyes were bright with irritation and his cheeks were stained a faint pink color. He rushed to get up to be in position to pull her up “Fucking cyclists. They wait until the last minute to tell you that they’re behind you,” his voice trailed off into the wind that whipped around them, and he said, “Are you okay?”

  Ava swallowed a lump of spit in her throat and said, “I-I’m fine. Thank you, I think.” The remains of her coffee were splattered across the sidewalk and the smell of mocha and espresso clung to the surrounding air.

  Ava dragged her hands over the front of her coat and reached towards Tristan with her left hand. Tristan’s large hand enveloped hers, as she got to her feet. “Thanks for saving me from the cyclist,” a laugh bubbled up inside of Ava’s chest, and she said, “You think that I’d be used to cyclists by now.”

  Tristan squeezed her palm against his, his skin reminded her of the inner pockets of the warmest coat she owned. He speaks softly. Maybe that’s why I’m having a hard time seeing him as a man. I’m used to the alpha male that push their way up the ladder to gain success and power. Her eyes darted to the dark brown splotch that had been pressed into his coat.

  Tristan swept his free hand over the stain and said, “That’s because you don’t let anyone take you for walks in the park,” he smirked and said, “Want me to grab a fresh coffee for you?” He pointed at the stand that was about a hundred feet away from them, a Spanish food cart. A silver carafe balanced on top of the cash box.

  Ava’s eyes landed on a jogger running by them and stayed on him as he made the turn. He was muscular and tanned. “Can you believe how much time people spend working out? The entire health industry has really blown up since the 90s, don’t you think?” Before she could take a breath, Ava realized she had just dated herself.

  “I don’t know. But I work out.”

  “That’s fine and but some people overdo it. It’s the ‘live longer movement’, I call it.”

  “Well, I think you’re right on that, but I work out quite a bit actually. And I take it seriously.”

  “Oh, yeah, how so?”

  “I’m following this diet, it’s a one-year muscle building diet. Mostly for amateur body builders.”

  “Is that right?” Ava smiled with intrigue. Here is something that didn’t bore her to death. “What does it entail, exactly?”

  “Well, it’s a strict diet. And every time I go to the gym, I work out a specific muscle on my body. I focus on strengthening that muscle and start building off that muscle. I started with my core, then onto my smaller muscles, then the bigger ones.”

  Ava was pleasantly surprised at his focus and discipline. “So, do you do it to lose weight?”

  “I do it because it’s a challenge. I like how it feels. I have total control over every muscle in my body. The weight sheds off naturally.”

  “How long have you been doing this?”

  “10 months. There’s a competition in two months. Would you like to come? I mean, the main competition is for real body builders, but there is a segment at the beginning for amateurs to present themselves.”

  “You mean, like stand in your underwear and curl your biceps?”

  Tristan let out a titter. “Something like that.”

  Ava smiled, not because of what he said, but because he had a depth to him that made her feel more optimistic about them being together. She couldn’t help but see him as a kid that needed direction but she was slowly letting go of that. “So, is this what you want to do for a living?”

  “No” he let out a small chuckle “it’s just a pass time. I met this guy who was doing it and the way he talked about it made it sound interesting.” Tristan didn’t ask whether she thought it was vein. He knew that it had impressed her and was proud of his accomplishments.

  “What about you?”

  “I have a step machine in my study. That’s about all that I do.” She laughed.

  Ava shook her head just as her pocket vibrated with the afternoon barrage of emails. “No, no. I need to get back to the office,” Her fingers lazily trailed along the outside of his hand. She inhaled before she said, “Thank you for the walk.”

  Tristan leaned forward and insisted, “Let me take you for another one. Only, I’m going to need to figure out when you’re free,” he reached into his coat pocket and withdrew his cell phone. “Can I have your number?”

  Ava hesitated, but she pressed her fingers against the screen and saved her number under AVA. I can’t believe that I’m giving him my direct cell. The surprised look on his face over the fact that he has her number, gave Ava a warm feeling inside. She wouldn’t admit to herself that she was tickled pink. Even though Ava was on the fence about him, she liked the feeling that was brewing inside her.

  Snap out of it Ava. One day, he’s going to wake up and want to party with his friends and meet a 20-year-old model at a club. Or worse, an 18-year-old! I would be 40 and he would be 25 and leaving me for an 18-year-old. Oh God. Ava swung her head to the right of her and said, “I’ve gotta get going.”

  Tristan dropped her hand and the corner of his mouth turned upward. He ran his tongue over his lips and said, “I’ll call you. Or text” he stammered in excitement.

  Chapter 7

  Ava’s hair spilled over the side of her mattress and her eyes were tilted towards the lush carpet that covered her bedroom floor. Her mouth was set in a thin line, and a crease had started to sneak its way in between her eyebrows.

  Ava’s right hand dangled her phone above her face, the faint lines of text underneath each photo of a man that seemed more suspect than the last went by in a blur. Her finger swiped across each profile until a gray pinwheel spun in the middle of the screen. An aggravated groan began in her lower belly, spread to her chest, and spilled out of her mouth.

  Are you kidding me? I finally try one of Valeria’s stupid dating websites and all I can find are men that think playing lacrosse drinking cheap beers is a date? Her eyes widened as a loud blip floated out of the speakers on her phone. A pale white circle reflected a message, Are you DTF?

  A laugh spilled past Ava’s lips, and she pulled herself forward. She pressed her thighs into the soft cushion of her mattress. “If I have to look up what your abbreviations mean, this probably isn’t going to work…” she dragged her finger across the screen and sent the message flying into a virtual trash box where all the other DTF men probably ended up.

  Ava had never had any trouble picking up some stranger in a bar or lounge and bringing them back to her place or to a hotel room. The problem with picking up strangers is that after a few martinis and some eye fucking over greasy bar nachos, these men were usually only invested in their needs. Ava wasn’t proud to admit the number of times that she’d basically been a come rag for some guy from the bar. The bar guys had tendency to linger if she took them back to her apartment. They’d roam around the living room, poking at the glass figurines that she’d purchased forever go, and scrunch their noses as they pretended to inspect the detail of a painting that was made by an obscure Italian artist.

  She swung her legs over the side of the bed and moved towards the cold tile of the bathroom. Her eyes fell on the extra-large tub that sat in the corner. She slid into the warm soapy water filled with bubbles with her mind looking for someone that made her feel excited and sexy. Tristan. Sweet Tr
istan.

  “What the hell?” She lifted her phone screen towards her face, a news alert stood out in bright red colors: Students Erupt into Protests at Aston University. Ava tilted her head to the side as she pressed her bottom against the granite counter top of the sink and scrolled through the story.

  “Students want offensive uniforms to…. class suspended due to an outbreak of fights…” Ava lifted her head and chuckled. “Just sounds like college to me.” She pursed her lips and drew an invisible line on the outside of her mouth. I wonder if Tristan is there. I wonder if he even lives on campus. A rush of heat attacked her cheeks, and a wave of embarrassment followed as she twisted her torso around. The fact that she was actually taking this kid seriously was what really blew her away. She’d always considered herself to be a no-nonsense kind of person, the flaw was partially responsible for her success. However, Tristan didn’t fit the mold that every other college student his age did. He didn’t reek of microwave burritos and stale beer. His skin was soft, his voice was velvety.

  Ava clenched her thighs together upon remembering the feel of his chest against hers when they crashed into the grass. His chest had been solid, sculpted. This kid must go to the gym every day. Her fingers were traveling through the air before she realized it. She tugged at the skin underneath her eyes and felt a tinge of disappointment at the faint circles that had settled in there.

  I’ve never known any guy his age to care about what a woman looked like from the waist up.

  She lifted her phone off of the counter and her fingers pecked at the screen until she found the text that Tristan had sent the other day, Thanks for the walk. Ava grinned, the number was still unsaved. She lifted her fingers to her lips and slipped the corner of her nail into her mouth.

  Ava pressed her finger against the screen and typed in, are you hoping to get away from the campus protests? Her heartbeat pounded her in ears. This is stupid. I could just go out or try my luck with that app again. You don’t have to do something stupid because you’re a little horny.

  A little was an understatement. She pressed her thumb against the ‘send’ button. Her chest was tight and her eyes slid over to the door. It was cracked at an angle that allowed her to see a sliver of her bedroom. The sheets on the edge of her bed were neatly tucked against the side of the mattress. She stepped forward, grabbed her bathrobe and pushed her hand against the door until the back of it connected with the wall.

  Ava scanned the bedroom, the sheets clung to the bed as tightly as if a hotel maid had stopped by and given the room a once over. Her bedroom window was pushed up slightly, a slight breeze brought the smell of cheap food and city fumes in. The carpet surrounding her bed looked as if no one had ever walked on it, but Ava still broke into a jog and hurried to the hallway closet. She whipped her vacuum cleaner out of the closet, and the wheels squeaked against the floor as she moved towards the bedroom.

  Ding.

  Ava swallowed a gasp and abandoned the vacuum cleaner at the entrance to her bedroom. She tripped over herself as she slammed her hand against the bathroom door. Her shoulders heaved as she snapped her phone off of the bathroom counter.

  She skimmed the message that Tristan sent, Not at the university. At my place in Sunnyside.

  That’s right. He lives across town. Her heart sank as her fantasy of rolling around in the sheets with a hunky twenty-year old fell out the window. Ava cupped her hand over her mouth as she read the next text from Tristan, Up for another walk? It’s kind of late, though.

  Ava filled her lungs with air and pecked at the on-screen keyboard, Not in the mood for much walking. Or talking, for that matter. I can send a car for you if you send me your address.

  Ava wracked her brain for Eric’s schedule and shook her head, “I’ll send an Uber car.”

  Her phone dinged again, and she copied and pasted the address into a separate app. Within minutes, her screen lit up with a notification from the car service. Ava hopped on top of the countertop and dragged her hand through her hair, she winced at her reflection in the mirror.

  You already showed him the grays. It’s no big deal. Her fingers abandoned her scalp, and she wrapped her fingers around a tube of red lip gloss that rested on top of the counter. She swiped it across her lips and pressed them together. Ava untwisted a tube of eyeliner and swiped it under both eyelids, framing her green-eyed gaze.

  With her hair falling in loose curls around her shoulders, she reminded herself of a model from a lingerie ad. Ava gasped and hurried into her bedroom. She pulled her sweats down around her ankles and ripped her plain t-shirt off of her chest. Ava moved into her closet and pulled a pair of black lace panties over her knees. A matching bralette was pulled over her shoulders. She stuffed her legs into a pair of jeans and a clean, tight-fitting t-shirt. Ava’s feet slid across the carpet as she hurried into the bathroom. She pushed the cabinet doors open and reached into the far back. A square, tan box dangled from her fingertips, and she ripped her finger across the edge. The smell of hydrangea floated out of the box, and she retrieved the diamond shaped bottle. Ava sprayed herself on either side of her neck, her hair, and her lower belly.

  She exhaled. Are hookups supposed to be this stressful? Ava couldn’t picture any other woman in her position worrying about gray hairs and underwear if they were about to sleep with anyone that looked like Tristan.

  Ava pulled her eyes together. What if he doesn’t want to sleep with me? What if he’s just been trying to get close to me so that he can have a job? She frowned and smoothed her hands over the front of her shirt. I’ll give him more credit than that. Ava caught her wide-eyed reflection in the mirror as her ears caught the echo of a knock at the door.

  Her heart rattled in her chest as she moved towards the front door. She paused just a few feet shy of the door and fluffed a pillow that had been standing perfectly fine on the sofa on its own.

  Ava pressed her body against the door and looked in the peephole. Her eyes connected with Tristan’s, and she cleared her throat before saying, “Hey!”

  She unlocked the door and pulled it open, Tristan stepped inside. He wore a pair of jeans and a loose sweater. He smelled like he just walked out of a cologne ad for the finest Italian cologne on the market.

  “Wow,” Tristan said. He craned his neck and took in the deluxe kitchen to the left of him. Ava’s fingers twitched as she waited for him to assess her place. She knew that some men were intimidated when they walked into her apartment, with the large windows and the view of the city. Ava eyes anxiously followed him as he wandered towards the long hallway that led to the bedroom, bathroom, and spare room. He raised his hand and pointed at some paintings that hung from the walls. “Wow, I didn’t think I’d ever see pieces like this outside of a museum.” He took a few steps towards a painting of a woman that turned her head over her shoulder just slightly, the light reflected off of her dark eyes and created a dark tunnel for the observer to fall into.

  Ava blinked. He’s not pretending to be interested. “You like art?”

  “I love art. I’m no good at it myself, but I love looking at art.” Tristan hooked his fingers into the pockets of his jeans and said, “But you probably didn’t invite me here this late to look at art.”

  Ava felt warmth spread throughout her neck. She pressed her palm against her skin and said, “You’re right.”

  Tristan’s lips slipped into a sexy smile. He stepped forward until their chests were almost touching. He leaned forward and brushed his lips across her neck. His breath was hot against her skin and just as penetrating as if he’d just slipped his hand up the front of her shirt. Ava clenched her thighs together and said, “I want you to know something before this goes anywhere.”

  “What,” he breathed. His lips were warm as they moved from one side of her neck to the other. He pulled back and ran his eyes over the bright red skin that covered her neck and chest. His lips moved across the exposed skin on her chest, and he said, “What do I need to know?”


  Ava moved her hands between herself and Tristan. “Obviously, this could never work on a serious level.” Ava’s jaw clenched as she struggled to keep her expression neutral. Tristan’s eyes fell, and she raised one of her arms and hooked her finger underneath his chin. “I’m too old for you to date. I can’t go to parties with you, I’d probably be a bummer at concerts because I probably won’t know the bands and I’ll want to go home by nine.” She chuckled and thought, not to mention, you won’t want children for several years and I…, she pressed her palm against her lower belly, “And, I’m…running out of time.”

  “Then why am I here?” Tristan asked. Tristan wanted so much more from her but she set up this meeting and he wasn’t going to turn away. He placed his hands on either side of her body and one of his hands traveled down her flat belly. He hooked one finger onto the belt loop of her jeans and tugged slightly to signal for her to come closer.

  Ava squeezed her eyes shut before saying, “You’re here because I wanted you to stay for the night. Just tonight.”

  Tristan had been dreaming of her lips the moment he bumped into her outside the university. He leaned in slowly with a slight hesitation as he couldn’t believe this moment had come. He looked into her eye then down to her lips and gently kissed her. They both took a breath through their noses as the small gentle kiss turned into a deep sensual one. The tension on her neck and shoulders released as they caressed.

  Ava placed her hand on his chest to feel is powerful pectoral muscle, and the other hand on his waste, ready to pull him in. He cupped her face with is large hands then ran his fingers down her back and onto her hips. He tugged at the waistband on her jeans one more time.

  “You are so incredible” he grinned. Tristan slid his hands underneath her thighs and hoisted her into the air. He tossed her onto the couch with little effort. Ava’s back was arched and her fingers were digging into the sofa.

  They moved down the hall and towards the master bedroom, “This way.”