by Lara Swann
I shake my head. “I do. I need this job too much.”
And I can see he really understands that now, in a way he didn’t before.
“Mm…the moment this contract ends, then. Then I take you out for real.” He gives me a sudden grin. “Maybe I’ll try and speed up the project.”
I groan. “Great. Everyone will be thrilled. See, this is why dating the boss is a bad idea.”
“Ohh, but there are so many reasons why it’s a great idea. I’ll show you.”
He leans in to nuzzle at my ear, then down my neck, kissing and making me gasp and shiver in response.
“Damien.”
“Say it’s a great idea.” He murmurs against my skin.
I moan - and I can’t help it, something about his expectant attitude mixed with the easy humor between us has heat coursing through me. I clutch onto his shoulders and buck against his hips a little, making him suck in a breath too.
“It’s a damn bad idea.” I mutter. “But there are some upsides.”
He laughs, raising his sparkling gaze to meet mine.
“I’ll take that. I think if I don’t, this might not be the slow first date I was intending.”
He stands up, nudging me back - and after kissing for a whole lot longer, I reluctantly let him take me back to Vicki’s.
We hold hands the whole way back, resting over the center console, and I barely even notice his sleek black Mercedes. I’m too absorbed in him.
We make out there in the car, in the middle of the street like two teenagers, and I love every moment of it. I don’t want to let him go - or anything about this evening.
“I’ll see you again soon, Ava.” He murmurs. “You can count on it.”
I kiss him goodbye one more time, then leave just before my body threatens to combust unless it gets more.
I feel him watching me as I walk up the steps toward the apartment building - and despite everything I’ve told myself, despite all my attempts not to dive into something unlikely and crazy…
I feel the hope I’ve been avoiding start to bloom in my chest, spreading through me like wildfire.
Uncontrollable and wild.
Chapter Twenty
Damien
“I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“I think meeting down here might be enough of a surprise.” Ava says, looking around nervously.
We’re in the car park under Indivest’s office building, the Monday after our ‘first date’ - and this is still entirely too close to ‘work space’ for Ava, but it seemed too ridiculous to suggest we both go home separately, only to then head to meet each other.
“The only other person who uses this is Katy - and she left an hour ago.” I say, reassuring her. “Come on, there’s somewhere I want to take you.”
The idea of getting out of here seems to perk her up, at least, and I smile to myself as we head to my car.
“Okay, this one time. But let’s not meet here again, alright?”
“Alright.” I agree, easily enough.
I’m hoping that after today, we’ll have somewhere else to meet anyway.
She gets into the car and I run my eyes up and down the cute blouse and tight skirt she’s wearing, even as I wonder how much longer she’s going to be able to keep that up. I have no idea how long it takes for the pregnancy to start to become obvious, but I can’t deny I’m looking forward to it - even though I know she’s slightly terrified of the idea. There’s just something about the idea of seeing my baby start to appear in her belly, being able to touch and feel it, that warms me right through to my core.
Something suddenly occurs to me, and I look over at her with alarm.
“Ava…”
“Yes?” She frowns at my expression.
“Have you…when are you supposed to go for your first scan? Do you know?”
I have no idea when these things are meant to happen, but I suddenly hope I haven’t missed it. I want to be there - for all of it.
“In a couple of weeks, I think.” She says, but she’s quiet and she doesn’t quite look at me.
“Ava?”
She shrugs, staring out the window.
“I’m working on it, okay?”
“What do you need to—”
I cut the question off as it suddenly occurs to me. If she’s not a permanent employee with Indivest and she’s mainly been doing freelance work…I can’t help wondering what the state of her health insurance is. If she has any. Something flips inside me as I contemplate the idea of trying to have a baby without that. My baby.
Well, that’s something I’m going to fix.
I don’t say that, though, or push her any further. I saw how hard it was for her to admit that she doesn’t have a permanent job - and I can imagine how much she’s stressed over that, and money in general. I get the feeling she’s ashamed when she talks about it, and that’s the last thing I want to make her feel. If anything, I admire her for trying - for working so hard to get into the industry she’s wants so badly. And she’s almost there. I can feel that as much as she can.
I remember all too well how stressful I found it, trying to start my own business while keeping up with all the expenses of raising an eleven year old. I was simply lucky that the life insurance money from my parents didn’t run out before Indivest took off.
“Okay.” I say simply, instead of any of what I’m thinking, and I start the car.
We’re silent as I navigate through the streets of Downtown Fresno, but it’s comfortable, and I start wondering what she’ll actually think of my ‘surprise’. With things like this, it’s hard to tell - and I’ve already run up against Ava’s fierce pride and determination a few times. I hope she doesn’t take it the wrong way.
Either way, I’m going to convince her. This is what’s best for the baby - and for her.
When I drove her home on Friday, she admitted she was living with a friend at the moment - crashing between her parents’ house and her friend’s couch - no doubt because she didn’t have the stable income to feel comfortable trying to rent somewhere. I had another burst of understanding about why she was so reluctant to bring a baby into her life - and then a moment of horror at thinking of what that might be doing to my unborn child, that she was living like that.
So I spent the rest of the weekend looking for something better - and I’m pretty sure I’ve found it.
We stop outside an apartment building in a relatively nice area of Downtown. This side of Downtown is quieter, away from some of the bustle of restaurants, stores and businesses - but with a grocery conveniently around the corner. Yeah, I did my research.
Ava shoots me a quizzical look as I pull up and get out of the car, but she follows me anyway.
“Where are we?”
“Still Downtown.” I say. “About twenty minute walk from the office.”
She looks around, obviously still puzzled, as none of that answers exactly what we’re doing here.
“I want to show you something.”
I smile at her, taking her hand and swiping a key fob at the entrance to the building. We walk into a well-appointed concierge and a professional looking man behind the desk. He nods at us, but when I just give him an easy smile, he doesn’t say anything as I lead Ava along the hallway and to the elevator.
Ava is looking more and more curious and keeps glancing over at me. I can’t help the way my smile starts widening in anticipation. I can’t wait to see what she thinks - how she reacts. I just hope it’s going to be in a good way.
I take her hand again as the door pings open and walk her down to the end of the hall. On this floor, there are only a couple of apartments, and the entrance to the one I picked out is at the very end.
I pull the keys out and unlock the door, pushing it open for her to enter ahead of me. She gives me another uncertain look, but she follows my gesture, and I come in behind her.
“So, are you going to tell me where we are?” She asks, glancing around. “And what we’re doing here?”
/>
I step up to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her into me, leaning down to brush my lips against hers. I deepen the kiss just long enough that her eyes start dilating, and then I pull back.
“Have a look around, Ava. Tell me what you think.” I murmur against her ear.
She glances around us again, paying a little more attention this time. She gives me a confused look over her shoulder, but she walks forward into the main area of the apartment without asking anything else, her curiosity leading her forward.
“Ohh, it’s lovely.” She says, looking back at me with a smile as she comes out into the open-plan living space.
It’s furnished and decorated with soft blues and creams, the room split between living and dining space by a large L-shaped couch that faces a huge glass window just opposite us. It covers almost the whole wall, facing out over Fresno - and further, with the day clear enough that the mountains in the distance seem so close you could almost touch them.
The table set to the left of the couch is a light pine and beyond it there’s a hatch that goes through to the kitchen. I’m not sure Ava notices that though - she’s moved straight to the window, looking out over the city with a soft sigh.
“It’s a beautiful apartment, Damien.” She glances back over her shoulder at me with a smile. “Why, though? Are you thinking of getting another place? I’m not sure quite why you’d need it, your house is already so close to the office—”
I step up behind her, sweeping her vibrant blond hair back from her neck and leaning down to kiss it, distracting her. She turns away from the window toward me and my arms wrap around her, some silly part of my ego pleased to see I can be even more appealing than the gorgeous view outside.
I raise my mouth to her lips and kiss her again. That’s not what this is about, or why I brought her here, but I just can’t seem to keep my hands off her. I spent the whole weekend fantasizing about having her underneath me, writhing and crying out my name…and when I wasn’t thinking about that, I was thinking about our baby, and the future we might have together.
Yeah, I’ve got this bad.
Maybe it was a mistake not to give her that ‘grand tour’ of my place on Friday. Maybe that would have sated some of this single-minded need. Though I have a feeling it wouldn’t have worked quite that way.
When I finally withdraw, her eyes are big and heated with the same kind of desire that I know is reflected in mine. I can taste her on my lips, feel her soft body against mine, and it’s almost enough that I forget why I’m here. Almost.
“It’s for you.” I finally murmur, keeping my gaze locked on hers. “It’s yours, if you want it.”
Her eyes go wide, some of the haze from the kiss clearing as she shifts back, just a little, to look at the whole of my face.
“What?”
“I rented it this weekend.” I say gently. “After you mentioned that you’d been sleeping on your friend’s couch. I know that you’ve been fine with that so far, but…I thought maybe you could do with something like this - with a bit of space. Both of you.”
My hands drop to her waist, my thumbs stroking over her stomach very carefully. It’s still hard to believe there’s a little life in there now, growing.
“I…” She blinks up at me, and I can see her struggle to process it - to work out what this means, or how to react.
I wish she wouldn’t even try, that she didn’t have to think about it or worry about it and that she could just take it as it’s meant. Easily, simply, with nothing more to it. Just a little help. For her and our baby.
“Damien, I…” She takes a breath, looks around again, seeming to see the place again for the first time. She bites her lip and I can see from her expression just how much she wants it, in that moment. How tempted she is by everything she sees around her. Hope flares within me. “I don’t know if I can…it just…it feels like too much.”
I lean forward and kiss her again, my hands caressing her sides and sweeping around to her ass, pulling her a little closer to me. She doesn’t resist, sinking into my body, and I can read the confusion on her face.
“Please.” I murmur, my mouth over hers. “For our baby. It will be good for you both. It doesn’t…mean anything, Ava. I just want you to have a space of your own. Nothing more than that.”
Her eyes hover on mine for a long moment, then she breaks the contact to look around again. She seems stunned and I can see the disbelief when she looks back at me.
“Really?” She breathes. “All this?”
“All this.” I say again. “Take it, Ava. Let me help.”
Her hands dig into my hips and I see her close her eyes as she gives one sharp nod.
“Okay.” It comes out like a held breath finally being released. “Okay, yes. It…it’s too much, but…it’s wonderful Damien. I—I don’t know what to say.”
Her eyes open again and the glimmering of moisture there stirs something deep within me.
“You don’t have to say anything.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.” She shakes her head, her eyes darting around, seeming unsure whether they want to be looking at me, or at the apartment again.
“Don’t. You don’t need to. This isn’t like that.” I give her a soft smile. I don’t want her to feel beholden to me - I don’t want her to think she needs to worry about this. Not at all.
Her lips twist and I can see she doesn’t like that idea, so I interrupt before she can say so.
“Okay.” I reach up, stroking her cheek gently. “Then just say ‘thank you’. And then it’ll be done, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Her wide eyes meet mine and she gives a small, half-nod.
“Okay.” She whispers, leaning forward to brush her mouth over mine. “Thank you, Damien.”
I smile, then kiss her back, more forcefully as she moans underneath me. That seems to be enough for the last of her reservations about this to disappear and I cup her ass against mine while our tongues tangle together, tasting and exploring every part of her mouth. My cock twitches with interest, pushing against the confines of my suit pants and pressing against her stomach. She wriggles a little as she feels it, one of her hands coming up to run through my hair as we kiss.
I can’t get enough of her and when we finally part for a moment, we’re both breathless and smiling stupidly at each other.
She laughs, the light sound going right through me, then gives me a quick grin.
“C’mon. I want to see it all.” She grabs my hand and even as I groan at the sudden loss of her body next to mine, part of me is thrilled at seeing her excited reaction.
We walk through the apartment as Ava opens doors and looks into the different rooms, investigating the kitchen and bathroom before finally finding the bedroom. I’m paying more attention to the expression on her face as she looks around what’s now her apartment than the actual rooms themselves, and her obvious thrill and excitement makes me feel warm all over. I can’t remember feeling like this for a long time - being able to do something so nice for someone I care about like this, seeing how happy it makes her…
It makes me want to do more - to find other things that might excite her, to give her everything she’s ever wanted. The strength of the feeling surprises me, but it’s a warm tingle all through me and I love seeing the affect all of this has on her. It’s exactly what I was hoping for.
“It’s so nice, Damien. Really.” She breathes as she turns around to me, looking up with beautiful sparkling eyes. “I love it. How did you know what to pick?”
“I have good taste.” I say with a smirk, and she rolls her eyes at me - before stepping close again and tilting her head up to kiss me.
I meet it with all the passion of this wonderful good feeling flowing through me, taking her head in my hands and bringing her closer so I can explore every part of her warm, soft mouth. She moans under me, her body sinking into mine and her hands wrapping around me tightly.
My hand drops to rest behind her back, stroking d
own her body and bringing her tightly into my hard chest. The sweet softness of every slight curve has my cock starting to swell again, the pressure increasing as we barely break the kiss for breathing. Nothing has ever felt as good as this - being with Ava, kissing her, making her happy. It’s all I want.
“God, Damien.” She murmurs against me, nibbling on my bottom lip before gently breaking the kiss to look up at me, breathless and eyes wild, her body still just as close to mine.
I can taste her sweet, floral scent on the air and it seems to fill my senses - she fills my senses, everything about her.
“So…” She says, slightly breathy with the hint of a smile on her lips. “Do you think this counts well enough as a second date?”
“Hm?”
“And if it does…well, I’d say waiting until the second date is plenty slow enough for us to be doing this properly…don’t you think?"
She glances deliberately over toward the bed and I finally catch her meaning. My gaze sharpens as I look back at her, feel the way she’s shifting against me, just ever so temptingly over where my hard cock is pressed against my pants.
I give her a slow smile.
“Ohh, I think I could be convinced that this is a good pace to move onto more than just…kissing…”
The way this is going, I’m not sure I have enough control for us to wait for another ‘date’.
She matches my smile, leaning forward to kiss me again, and I can’t resist any longer. My hands move down to her ass, touching and squeezing as she moans, until I lift her up against me in one easy motion. She gasps, her eyes flying open, but she brings her legs around me automatically and then I’m walking us back toward the bed.
She keeps her mouth on mine, leaning down to kiss me as I hold her up, her arms around my shoulders.
“Damn, Damien…I love how strong you are.” She says against my mouth, her voice deep and throaty and seeming to work its way inside me. “It feels like you can just throw me around.”
I raise an eyebrow at that, too tempted to ignore that suggestion - and I toss her onto the bed. She lets out a surprised squeal, then laughs as I jump on after her, barely kicking my shoes off as I do.