Burn: Book 3 (The Heat Series)

by MJ Masucci

  She decided just to lay down to wait while he finished what he was doing, tucking her legs under her on the couch and placing her head on the armrest. Within seconds of laying her head down, she was asleep. Xander heard her breathing; she looked angelic, and he forgot his work to gaze upon her sleeping figure. They hadn’t slept in the same bed for three days, and he missed her next to him.

  At 5:20, he woke her. She looked around disoriented before she realized where she was. He stroked her cheek where the fold of her blouse had made an indentation. She closed her eyes at the feel of his touch inhaling the scent of his cologne.

  “Come, sweetheart; our appointment is in a few minutes.”

  She rose from the couch, a bit wobbly on her heels. She again missed eating a proper meal, downing a smoothie from the refrigerator around lunchtime. If Xander knew, he would have been upset.

  They got into the elevator, and she smoothed her hair as they descended to the seventh floor. It was then that Xander realized she wasn’t wearing her engagement ring. She looked up to see him staring at her hand and quickly put it down at her side. It tore at her heart to see the hurt in his eyes. She hadn’t intentionally forgotten to wear her ring. She had taken it off the night before when she went to bed and was so tired that it had slipped her mind in the morning after her hot shower.

  He said nothing to her, just looked down at his shoes until the elevator pinged. He held the door for her, and she stepped out with him following. The waiting room of Dr. Hornung was empty except for the receptionist who ushered them into the office.

  It was tasteful and calm, painted cream and decorated with several watercolor paintings of flowers, a large beige tweed couch, and two matching side chairs. She and Xander chose to sit in opposite chairs as opposed to next to each other on the couch. Ava fidgeted in her seat and began picking at her nails under the intense stare of Xander. She knew he was upset about her missing engagement ring.

  Thankfully, Dr. Hornung entered the room a couple of moments later. She was a woman in her late fifties with steel gray hair in a tight bun and soft brown eyes. She barely stood five feet tall, and even Ava towered over her when she rose to shake her hand.

  Dr. Hornung sat down on the couch and began writing on a tablet with a stylus.

  “So, tell me what brings you to me? I have a brief synopsis of the difficulties you’re having in your relationship, but I’m sure there is more. Let’s start with one of you telling me about your relationship, things like how long have you been together and what is the status of your bond.”

  Both Ava and Xander started to speak at once, but the doctor held up her hand to stop them.

  “One at a time. Ava, would you like to start?”

  “Uh, it’s complicated. We started dating when I was twenty-three, that was for three months. Then, um, we had a separation for four years, then started dating for another, uh, a couple of months, I think, then we dated for another few months and then were separated again and now we have been together for about two months.”

  She glanced at Xander, then at the doctor who raised her eyebrows.

  “Would you both feel more comfortable if I see you separately?”

  They both nodded.

  “Ava, you’ll start and Xander, I will see you in a little while,” directing him with her hand to return to the waiting area where her receptionist sat.

  Ava took her from the beginning how their relationship came to be, their familial connection, the accident, separation, reconnection, separation, reconnection, separation and finally engagement.

  “It seems that you have been apart longer than you have been together and have had a lot of missteps in your relationship. Now I would like to hear from Xander if you don’t mind.”

  She went to the door and left to get Xander. He filled in some of the missing pieces including the attack by Liam, Tim’s possessiveness along with electronic stalking and the trivial arguments they had been having. When he finished, Dr. Hornung asked him to get Ava.

  “Now that I have some history, can you tell me other aspects of your relationship, like sex? Are you physical with each other or are there lapses of time where you do not sexually interact?”

  “That is one part of our relationship where we have no problems,” Xander said.

  “Please explain.”

  “We often have sex several times a night when we’re together.”

  “Are you always so physical?”

  Again he answered, “A lot of times we are. We… I… find it hard to keep my hands off her even if it’s just to touch her in non-intimate places.”

  “And Ava? Do you feel the same way?

  “Most of the time.”

  Xander frowned and knitted his eyebrows.

  The doctor checked her watch and realized that they had used up the entire hour.

  “I’m sorry, but I have another patient. I would like to see you both separately and also together once a week for the time being. Can you work that into your schedules?”

  They said they could.

  “You can make appointments as you leave. On a final note, I think you need to hold off on sex and work on being intimate.”

  Xander again frowned. “Aren’t they the same thing?”

  “No, they are not. Often people interchange them with each other. I think you have spent so much time apart that you don’t know each other well. I suggest that you take the time to get to know one another again, your likes and dislikes. Physical contact is fine, but I caution you to try to refrain from sex until you can resolve your differences. You both seem to use it as a tool of control.”

  They made the three appointments with the receptionist for the following week. During the walk to the elevator, Xander asked Ava if she wanted to have dinner with him. She wasn’t sure if she should, but Dr. Hornung said to spend time with each other, so she agreed.

  He tentatively held out his hand to her when they got out of the elevator, and she took it.

  “Do you want to go to Filipos? You seemed interested last week.”

  “Yes, I would like that. I’m starved.”

  “Did you eat today?”

  “I had a few things.”

  “That means no. I’m not going to press this issue. You’re an adult, and you need to decide what is best for you, but you know my feelings.”

  Inwardly, she smiled. Normally he would have started giving her a hard time about eating, but this time he let it go. He was right, though; she should eat better.

  At Filipos they were shown to a table right away. It was Tuesday; the restaurant wasn’t as busy as it would be during a weekend. Ava looked at her menu while Xander fixated on her ringless hand. She noticed him looking.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t do it intentionally. I forgot to put it on this morning before I left. Please don’t be upset. I still consider myself engaged as long as you do.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous; it’s all I ever wanted.”

  He paid attention to his menu and Ava was thankful when the waitress came to take their order. They had faded into an uncomfortable silence.

  “Sweetheart, remember the first date we had?”

  “You mean at The Half Pint?”

  “Yes. I thought you didn’t consider that a date?”

  “I thought about it for a long time, and after you had confessed your love to me the next day, I realized that it was our first date.”

  He reached across the table and grabbed her hand and squeezed.

  “Stay with me tonight. I can’t sleep without you. Do you know what I did last night?”

  “What?”

  “I watched Rear Window because I know it’s your favorite movie.”

  “You remembered?”

  “Yes, I did. After I couldn’t sleep, and I replayed it at two this morning. My bed is cold without you.”

  “But Doctor Hornung said…”

  “I didn’t say we had to have sex, but she did say to be intimate. I think kissing is on that list, don’t you?”


  “Well, yes but kissing always leads to other things.”

  “This won’t, I promise. I just want you near me.”

  Their food arrived, and he watched as Ava dug into her enchiladas. He sipped at his water and ate his meal. They were silent for the most part. After he had paid the check and they got to the street, he asked her again.

  “Where are you sleeping tonight?”

  She leaned against him, “With you, but we need to stop at my apartment first. I need to get a few things for work tomorrow.”

  Forty-five minutes later after she fed the boys and packed a few things, she came out of the bedroom with her engagement ring and handed it to him. She held her hand out, and he slipped the ring on her finger then kissed her hand.

  He took the bag from her, and she locked the door. He held her hand on the walk to his apartment building. The air was warm, and he started sweating in his suit. They stopped so he could remove his jacket, and he thought he saw someone watching them from across the street.

  He squinted his eyes, but the man was gone. He probably was seeing things, but he thought it was Liam. He said nothing to Ava because he didn’t want to worry her. He took her hand again and picked up the pace so much so that Ava had trouble keeping up.

  In the coolness of his apartment, he removed his clothing and watched as she changed hers. He wanted to touch her as she removed her bra and her firm breasts became unencumbered.

  “No, don’t even think about it.”

  He groaned, “I’ll behave.”

  “Not if you touch me. Now, go take a shower.”

  When he was finished, she was nowhere to be seen. He slipped a pair of boxers on and began to call for her. He found her sitting on the terrace, dressed in the champagne colored satin nightgown.

  “You pick tonight to wear that?” He asked as he sat next to her.

  “I could put on a pair of your shorts and a t-shirt if you like.”

  “No, at least I get to look at how beautiful you are even if I can’t touch.”

  He didn’t realize that his state of undress was just as hard for her to bear. His beautiful torso and chest were fully exposed. The tight boxers accentuated his posterior as well as his muscular legs.

  She turned away and looked out at the city. The evening was sliding over the day, and the lights started to wink on.

  “Sweetheart, do you want a glass of wine?”

  “I think we should take a break from alcohol. At least I will.”

  “I will, too. What would you like to do?”

  “I’m tired. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

  “You want to lie in bed?”

  She rose, and he followed her to the bedroom. He felt himself start to harden as he watched the satin move against her as she walked. He looked at the ceiling until she got in bed. He slipped in behind her and splayed his hand against her belly, pulling her against him.

  “Ava, Dr. Hornung said we shouldn’t have sex, but she didn’t say that we couldn’t do other things?”

  She turned her head to look at him.

  “What do you have in mind?” She asked suspiciously.

  “I’d like to kiss you. Remember when we got back together I said I wanted to court you without the sex? Maybe we should do that again.”

  She chuckled, “As I remember, that didn’t last very long.”

  “Maybe it’s what we need. It will allow us to get to know each other better.”

  “I don’t think we knew each other well to start. There are basic things about you that I don’t know, and I’m sure you don’t know about me, either.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know your favorite color. Do you know mine?”

  “My favorite color is green, like your beautiful eyes. Yours is purple, right?”

  “Yes. Is your favorite drink scotch or what was that beer, IPA Goose Island?”

  “Yes, both are right. Yours is gin and tonics with lime.”

  They went back and forth telling each other what their favorite things were. Little snippets of information that would draw them closer to knowing each other. Two hours later, they knew more about each other than they had thought. Ava snuggled into Xander’s chest. He reached over and turned her head.

  “I want to kiss you. If I can’t make love to you, I want to do that at least.”

  She turned on her back, and he slipped his hand under her head. She fisted his hair, gently tugging as he sucked at her bottom lip. He removed his hand from her head and feathered it over the smooth satin at her breasts. She moaned in his mouth as he rubbed her nipples.

  “What you do to me,” he whispered as they continued to kiss.

  She finally turned her head to break away from his sexy lips; her breathing had become a pant.

  “I can’t anymore,” she said as she pushed his hand from her breasts.

  Xander was exasperated. “I can’t see myself with anyone other than you for the rest of my life. So here is how it’s going to work. Either we get along, or we are destined to be alone.”

  The prospect was not something she wanted, especially if it meant being apart from him. They already did that, and it was torture on both of them.

  “I don’t want to be apart from you. It would kill me.”

  He nuzzled her neck and started to suck on it.

  “Careful. I think you have to stop using your lips on me now. I’m already hot and bothered.”

  “I could use my lips somewhere else.”

  “No sex, remember?”

  “That isn’t sex.”

  “It is, and we would be cheating.”

  He huffed, “Did she say how long we have to do this for?”

  “No, she did not. You will just have to behave.”

  He grumbled and turned on his back.

  Ava stayed where she was, her eyes closed and soon she was sound asleep. Xander turned on his side to watch her. Her face softened with sleep; hair fanned out on the pillow. One of the spaghetti straps of her nightgown has slipped off her shoulder, and he resisted the urge to adjust it. He continued to watch her until his eyelids drooped. Then he reached over and shut the bedside light.

  The next morning they both woke before the alarm clock went off. The room was just starting to become light with the dawn. Ava had slept wonderfully since she was with Xander and they hadn’t awakened several times for nocturnal activities. Xander, on the other hand, was grouchy. He desired sex with Ava and was annoyed he couldn’t make love to her.

  He had risen around 2:00 AM with a raging hard on and his efforts to get it to subside were futile. It made it especially complicated when Ava was sleeping next to him, and her nightgown had shifted, emancipating her right breast. How he had longed to take her nipple in his mouth. But he resisted the urge and went to the bathroom to take care of himself.

  Now, this morning he lay next to her smelling her sweet perfume. He kissed her shoulder, and she turned to him.

  “Good morning. How did you sleep?”

  “Fine with you next to me. Better than the last few nights.”

  She got out of bed to shower, and he followed her into the bathroom.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  “We can shower together, can’t we?”

  “Yes, as long as you keep your hands to yourself.”

  Xander realized that celibacy was going to be harder than he thought. All he wanted was to take her against the tiled shower wall.

  “Very well. I’ll shave while you shower.”

  “So you are telling me you can’t keep your hands to yourself?”

  He smirked, “Not where you are concerned.”

  She went into the enclosure shaking her head.

  He shaved while finding it hard to keep his eyes off of her while she showered. He turned away when she stepped out, concentrating on finishing. He kept his eyes on his face, but they kept drifting to her reflection. He washed the shaving cream away just in time for her to tuck the towel around her and leave the bathroom.
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  Xander turned on the shower water and slipped off his boxers. He was erect, and he knew that he would need to take care of himself or he would be uncomfortable all day. After he had come out, he was a happier Xander but not by much. He would have much preferred to come inside Ava than on the shower floor. He wondered how long this was going to last.

  They took a cab to the office and spent most of the trip kissing like teenagers on a first date. Ava was breathless when the cab pulled up to the building. He slipped out first and took her hand as she stood. She stopped by her desk before going to his office to retrieve the files she needed. He was on the phone and red faced.

  She could hear part of the conversation, and it concerned her. It sounded like he was talking to the police. She sat on the couch and started to wring her hands as he raised his voice. Minutes later he slammed the phone down and turned to her.

  “They told me that the trail for Liam has gone cold, it’s like he just disappeared. They said more than likely he isn’t in the area, but they will continue to monitor the situation. Of course, he has new charges to face with his escape and the attack on Jayne. The White Plains police found his fingerprints at the scene.”

  “Did you tell them that he was calling me and Roger traced him to this area and Lake George?”

  “I told them that, but they said that doesn’t mean he is still in the area. They found the hotel he was staying in and were told that he hadn’t been back for days. Like those people were going to give accurate information.”

  “They have contacted his family and said if he gets in contact with them, to call them. That’s it.”

  “This is ridiculous. Are we supposed just to sit and wait for him to come for us?”

  “I’m not so sure he is going to do that.” He doubted his own words, especially since he was sure that the man he saw the day before was Liam.

  “I don’t want to deal with this right now. Can you just give me the research you need me to do and I will take care of it? I need something to keep my mind off of this.”