Forever Box Set

by Wendy Louise

  I drop my stick and move to Ava in two quick strides, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her up against me.

  “Oh, I would like to make it much more permanent Ava. But no, I don’t want you to carve that in to a tree instead, I’d rather you carve it into your heart.”

  She takes a deep breath, eyes wide and smiles, “I think I already have.” Her voice is low and breathless but I don’t miss what she has just said.

  Just like that, she takes my breath away.

  Cole

  This has been the best night I’ve had in a very long time. Ethan has been so attentive and romantic, and I’m falling for him further and further as the night progresses. The meal we shared was amazing and the music, incredible. The trio played nearly all my favourite songs. My heart feels full. Fuller than it has ever been and it is all thanks to the incredible guy in front of me.

  Truthfully, I would have been happy to forgo the nightclub tonight and spend the time back in the Suite with Ethan. I’m so attracted to him and I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out without taking this further.

  I really want him.

  Badly.

  Tonight has been like one long evening of foreplay and I’m ready to move it along.

  The nightclub is packed with people and the music pounds a driving rhythm throughout the room. Ethan is recognised as soon as we arrive, so we are ushered back to the VIP area where the rest of the cast and crew are already partying. Ethan has kept hold of my hand since we left the restaurant, and he shows no sign of dropping it, which is perfectly fine with me. I love it when he gets possessive of me. It makes me feel wanted and cherished.

  There is a bar specific to the VIP area and a scantily dressed waitress has eagerly made her way over to Ethan to take his order. She pushes out her ample chest and sways her hips as she approaches with a tray held high.

  “What would you like Ava?” Ethan asks, deferring to me. The waitress turns her gaze to me and looks me up and down, assessing whether I’m special enough to be on Ethan’s arm.

  Bitch!

  I push my annoyance aside.

  “Just a beer for me please.”

  Ethan turns back to the waitress and orders two Coronas with lime. As we move towards the seating area, Olivia comes bounding back from the dance floor with Ryan in tow.

  “Hey Sis, how was your date?” she asks, taking in the sight of my hand in Ethan’s.

  “Great,” I reply, smiling back at her.

  She wiggles her eyebrows up and down and turns back to Ryan. She tugs his hand and he waves and rolls his eyes at me as she pulls him back to the throng of people on the dance floor. Olivia is a great dancer. She has so much confidence in her body and how she moves. It is hard to take your eyes off her when she is on the dance floor. I have to say, Ryan can hold his own though.

  Ethan catches me watching them and grabs my hand as he cocks his head towards the dance floor. I love to dance. I can’t think of anything else I would rather do than be in his arms, dancing with him, well maybe one other thing….

  The DJ is playing Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake. I adore this song.

  Ethan pulls me tightly against his chest and moves me close, bending his legs so his hips are level with mine. His long fingers bite in to the flesh on my hips through the thin fabric of my dress and all I want is more.

  I want him to hold me tighter.

  I want him to dig his fingers into my hips, my ass, and then run them up my sides.

  I just.

  Want.

  More.

  There is an urgency to Ethan’s movements too.

  He wraps one arm up my back pulling me flush against him. There is not an inch of space between us now. I run my hands up his muscular arms and wind them around his neck, tugging on the hair at his collar. He tilts his head to mine and lowers his sinful mouth, smiling that breathtaking smile as he comes closer.

  Then…

  Then we kiss like we need oxygen from the other to survive.

  Lips - sliding and moulding.

  Tongues - dancing and swirling.

  He breaks the kiss first and breathes in to my ear. “Stay with me tonight Ava. We don’t have to do anything; I just want to wake up with you.”

  I nod and smile. I don’t even hesitate. I want that and more.

  Ethan’s lips are back on mine, kissing me like he can’t get enough. His hand slides over the curve of my ass and squeezes ever so slightly, but enough to leave me wanting more.

  A new song begins – Kings of Leon’s Sex on Fire, how apt. It’s like the DJ can read what is going through my mind.

  We continue to dance within the packed confines of the dance floor. This song is a favourite, the whole crowd is singing at the top of their lungs, especially the chorus. The atmosphere is electric. I’m hot and feel sweaty, but I wouldn’t move from this dance floor if someone paid me. This is exactly where I want to be.

  When the song is over, we head back to the seating area to finish our beers. Josh and Olivia are now on the dance floor, dancing and gyrating to the beat, and Ryan is watching Liv, unable to take his eyes off her. He smiles at me, realising I’ve caught him staring, and raises his beer towards mine.

  Ethan has his arm around my waist protectively while he chats to Mike, the Director. His thumb is caressing my curves through the fabric of my dress and sending tingles firing through all of my nerve endings. All my senses are on alert.

  Mike looks my way and asks, “What do you think of Hawaii Ava? This is your first time here right?”

  “I love it Mike. Even though it is so far away from home, I understand why Australians make the long journey here. From what I have seen and experienced so far, I never want to leave. It really is paradise.”

  Ethan smiles a knowing smile and raises my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it gently. He leans towards my ear, “I don’t want to share you anymore, let’s get out of here.” His words send a flare of excitement through my veins. I can’t wait to be alone with him.

  “Let me run to the ladies room real quick. I’ll be right back.”

  I gather my bag and head out of the VIP section towards the bathrooms that we passed on the way in to the club. There is a long line so I’m forced to wait. My mind keeps drifting over the amazing evening that I’ve just enjoyed with Ethan. We have been so comfortable with one another. He’s opened up to me and I know that I’m falling hard for him. That part scares me. I didn’t want to open my heart to anyone over here, especially not him, but I can’t resist that pull.

  I can’t resist him.

  As I wash my hands and re-apply my lipstick, I know that I’m so ready to be with him, I want all of him and I don’t want to wait any longer. I throw my lipstick back in to my purse and head out of the bathroom, eager to start the next part of the evening.

  As I round the corner I bang in to a hard chest. My face is smooshed in to the linen, and a familiar scent fills my senses. I look up to apologise when my eyes lock on to a pair of deep green ones.

  These are eyes that I know well.

  Very well.

  I spent two years looking in to them.

  What the hell is Cole doing here?

  Shit!

  My heart skips a beat, but not in a good way. I cannot believe that he is here. I’ve travelled half way across the world to leave that part of my life behind and here it is standing in front of me.

  I feel sick.

  “Ava?” Cole says in his deep gravelly voice, shock showing on his face.

  “Cole, what on earth are you doing here?” I can’t hide my bewilderment.

  “I’m here for a trade show for work. Me and a few of the guys from the office have five days here. What about you? I thought you were working with Olivia in LA.”

  “Yeah I am. We’re here filming scenes for the movie for a week.” I am speechless. I shake my head. “Sorry Cole, I’m just really shocked to see you here in Hawaii.”

  “Me too,” he says with a smile. He takes my hand i
n his and looks down on me, his eyes softening. “Ava I’ve really missed you. I won’t lie; I’m pumped to be standing in front of you right now.”

  Oh God, this is the last thing I need.

  I’m not going back there with Cole and I want my night to move ahead with Ethan. Someone up there is not looking out for me right now.

  I shake my head. “Cole, please don’t go there. You know that there’s no going back for me. You hurt me too badly.”

  He squeezes my hand and looks at me with pleading eyes, taking a step closer to me and moving me against the opposite wall. “Ava please. Just give me a chance to talk this out. I need to explain to you where my head was at, and why I did what I did. I know how badly I hurt you, I know I fucked up, but Ava I never stopped loving you. Not for one minute.”

  I shake my head at Cole, just as he closes the remaining distance and pulls me to his chest, holding me tight. I keep my arms down by my side. I don’t want to lead him on or make him think that he is getting anywhere with this.

  “God I’ve missed you so much,” he says as he lowers his face and places a kiss behind my ear right where he knows I like it.

  I push against his chest hard and move myself away from him, just as I see Ethan coming up behind us. His face is red, and the look of fury on it does not go unnoticed by me. I need to place some distance between myself and Cole before Ethan rips him apart. He takes two quick strides before he is at my side, lacing his arm protectively around my waist, staking his claim. I can see his hands fisting at his side and a light shudder goes through his body. It is taking all his control to remain at my side, rather than getting in to Cole’s face.

  “What’s going on Ava?” he asks as he continues to eye Cole up and down.

  There is hurt mixed in with the angered tone of his voice, and it makes my heart ache. I don’t want him to look and sound like that. The shutters have come down and he is in protective mode.

  I fix my voice in to a matter-of-fact tone and make the introductions. “Ethan this is Cole, my ex-boyfriend. He’s in Hawaii for work. Cole this is Ethan Drake.”

  “I know who he is,” Cole says with venom in his voice, waving his hand dismissively towards Ethan. Cole’s eyes fix on the arm that Ethan has curled around me and his jaw ticks.

  Cole moves to take my hand and pull me out of Ethan’s grasp but I pull my hand back before he has the chance to get a good grip.

  “Cole, we were just leaving. It was nice to see you again,” I say. I need to get away from him and try to salvage my evening with Ethan.

  “Wait Ava, can I talk to you for a moment before you go? Alone?” Cole pleads. I look from Cole to Ethan. Cole doesn’t look like he is going to let this go and I need him to understand that we’re over; that there’s no going back for me. I sigh loudly and turn to Ethan. I place my palms on the hard planes of his chest and look up at him through my lashes.

  “Do you mind if I give him a minute?”

  He doesn’t look happy but he steps aside with a loud sigh, leaning on the opposite wall to give us privacy, but staying close enough to protect me if the need arises. He crosses his arms and ankles taking a defensive stance.

  Cole lowers his voice and tilts his head closer to mine so Ethan can’t hear him. “I need another chance with you Ava. I need you to hear me out. Please.”

  “Cole, there’ll be no second chance for us. I’m not interested. I don’t need to hear you out because I’ve put the demons to rest. It’s over. I’ve moved on.”

  “So are you with him now?” Cole says nudging his head towards Ethan who continues to watch us closely.

  “That is none of your business.”

  “Is that why you left me? You wanted a chance with someone famous, someone rich….get your photo in the papers Ava? I know how you love those glossy magazines,” he says with a nasty tone in his voice.

  “I don’t need to hear this from you and it is none of your business who I’m seeing. Let the past stay where it is and move on.”

  I turn to make my way to Ethan when Cole grabs me around the upper arm and pulls me back towards him. His eyes are full of pain. “Please Ava. Please just one conversation, it’s all I’m asking.” I look in to those green eyes that used to belong to the person that was my reason for living and feel my heart constrict. I don’t feel the same way about Cole as I did when we were together, he’s hurt me too many times for that, but I do feel like he is unfinished business.

  “Please Ava?” he asks again. “Have breakfast with me. Just a quick breakfast and then we can go our seperate ways if that’s what you want.”

  He’s worn my resistance down like he always does. “Fine. One breakfast, that’s it. Tomorrow morning in the hotel restaurant downstairs at seven.”

  “Thank you,” Cole pulls me back against his chest and I inhale his scent – a scent that is so familiar to me, but I would take Ethan’s over this any day. I don’t want to get too close to him.

  He’s comfortable.

  He’s familiar.

  All those things that I usually like in my life.

  I don’t want him to suck me back in to his world, so I pull back and turn to find Ethan, but he is no longer standing to the side waiting for me.

  I head back to the VIP area but I can’t see him anywhere. I spy Josh in the corner, “Josh, where’s Ethan?”

  “He left Ava, I thought you knew.”

  “Where did he go?”

  Josh shrugs, “Back to his room I guess.”

  Damn Cole!

  Ethan and I were having the best night and now he’s gone and left me. I hurry out of the club and make my way towards Ethan’s Suite, hoping that he is not angry with me and wanting to explain what just happened.

  I knock a number of times, but there is no answer.

  Shit!

  I pull my phone out of my purse and text him:

  Where r u? Plse let me explain.

  I knock on the door to Ethan’s room again, but there is still no answer. I head back towards my room feeling dejected and disappointed. My wonderful evening just got derailed. I don’t know where Ethan is and I want to explain. I want to spend the night with him.

  I want to hold him and kiss him and cherish him.

  Just him.

  Seeing Cole has made me realise that Ethan is what I want and now I need to find him and let him know.

  I need to make this right!

  But I need to find him first.

  I don’t know what happened to me last night, but seeing Ava in the arms of her ex sent me in to a fuckin’ tail spin. I couldn’t stand there and watch it happen.

  We had the most amazing night together and our connection was getting much stronger. I couldn’t just watch them embracing and touching, so I fled. If there was ever any question about how much Ava was under my skin, I think that reaction answered it. It made me feel sick, like that bastard was touching what was mine, and I panicked.

  I took myself off to the lobby bar and hid in a corner where I could down a few drinks and hide from the women that were circling. I didn’t know how to react, so I thought that drinking would drown it all out of my head. I’ve never felt that level of jealousy before, and I was scared I was going to rip his fucking arms off if he went near her again.

  Now that it’s morning, I feel like shit. Ava texted last night and I didn’t answer because I honestly don’t know what to say. I spent the night trying to decide whether or not to pursue this with her, I hate feeling so out of control of my emotions. I’ve spent my whole life keeping people at arm’s length so that I don’t have to feel this way.

  Then my heart comes in to play and I know that I’m already in too far, too deep, to turn away from her.

  The truth is that I’m terrified that now her ex is back in her life, she is going to change her mind about us. After the night we had, that would crush me. I don’t put myself out there, and now that I have, it would be just my luck for it to go fuckin’ south before it begins.

  I sound so pathetic.
>
  Like my balls have disappeared; but I can’t help it.

  I want her.

  I’ve been awake for over an hour and it is only seven in the morning. I decide to get up and go for a run on the beach. Running always helps me clear my head. I throw on my jogging shorts, tank top, cap and runners, and grab my ipod. I need music to think to. I scroll through to my playlists and decide on Maroon 5.

  I make my way through the hotel lobby and out through the back, straight on to the sand. The sun is really bright in the sky this morning, and the air is already warm, so I figure that a bottle of water would be a good investment before I head down the beach.

  I make my way over to the restaurant in the lobby to get a bottle and see Ava sitting with her douchebag ex-boyfriend over breakfast. They’re sitting at a booth towards the back of the restaurant talking animatedly over their cereal.

  Ava looks amazing as always.

  She has her long, dark hair pulled up in to a messy bun on top of her head. I love it when she wears it like that. Hell, I love her hair no matter how she wears it. She has a white tank top on and black rimmed glasses. I’ve never seen those on her before, they look fucking incredible on her face, framing those stunning deep brown eyes.

  Her ex has obviously weaselled his way back in to her life.

  Holy Shit, I hope he didn’t spend the night with her. I mean they were together when I left them and they’re still together now, what other conclusion can I come to?

  I feel like my stomach just bottomed out.

  I want to run, but something is keeping my feet flat to the floor. It’s like a car crash that I don’t want to see, but I can’t tear my eyes from it. Ava lifts her head to motion for the waiter and catches my eye. Her face falls when we make eye contact.

  That sets me in motion. I turn on my heel and make my way for the beach; I need to get away from her with him. I can hear Ava calling my name from behind me but I don’t want to speak to her right now. I push all thoughts of her from my head, turn up the volume on my ipod and hit my stride, running away from the pain that has somehow burrowed its way into my chest.