Ava nodded, thoroughly chastened. “Will that be all?”
“For now,” he said curtly.
Tate smirked at her.
Her humiliation complete, Ava rose from the chair with as much dignity as she could muster and strode from the room. By the time she reached her office, her insides were shaking so badly she felt as if she were having a seizure.
Shutting the door behind her, she crossed to her desk and dropped into her chair just before her legs gave out. Putting her head between her knees, she tried to slow her breathing as tears of shame and regret burned the back of her eyelids.
She had no one but herself to blame for what had happened to her. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t feel cheated by the outcome. She’d risked everything—her personal standards, her reputation, her career—because she’d fallen for the wrong man. She’d ponied up to the table and gambled on love.
Dear God, she thought, lifting her head and staring blindly out the window. How could I have been so stupid?
* * *
Colby had just returned from the courthouse that afternoon when the receptionist buzzed his extension, announcing that Tate Childress from Aldridge & Spaulding was on the line.
Colby frowned, wondering why Childress—not Ava—was calling him. “Put him through, Linda.”
He picked up the phone and clipped, “What can I do for you?”
“Hello to you, too, Mr. Austin.” Childress’s voice dripped with a smug condescension that set Colby’s teeth on edge. “I just wanted to inform you that the Southern Pacific lawsuit has been reassigned to me.”
Colby narrowed his eyes, dread tightening in his gut. “What happened to Ava?”
“I’m afraid she had to be removed from the case. Seems that she had a conflict of interest. You know, because she was screwing you and all.”
Colby clenched his jaw, guilt sweeping over him.
“So I hope you won’t mind having to deal with me from now on,” Childress said mockingly. “I realize I’m probably not your type—”
“Cut the bullshit and get to the reason for your call.”
“Touché.” Childress chuckled. “Well, since you asked so nicely, I thought you might be interested to know that I just got off the phone with Southern Pacific’s human resources manager. She told me that a witness came forward with some damaging information about your client.”
Colby instinctively tensed as Childress continued. “Seems that Johnae was sleeping with one of the company’s senior executives. When she got pregnant, she tried to blackmail Mr. Dunleavy into giving her a boatload of money. When he refused to pay her—and threatened to tell her boyfriend about the affair—she backed off and decided to sue the company instead.” Childress paused, savoring what he obviously assumed was a slam-dunk victory. “Are you sure you want to proceed with this lawsuit?”
“Absolutely,” Colby said smoothly.
There was a startled pause. “You can’t be serious.”
“Why not? You think this new piece of ‘evidence’ has me shaking in my boots? First of all, who is this witness who came forward? A colleague of Johnae’s? A close friend? Why did she wait so long to speak out? And what are her motives for coming forward now? How do we know she doesn’t have an ax to grind because Johnae told her she won’t be sharing her settlement funds with her? These are just a few of the questions I now have time to investigate, thanks to you.” He chuckled. “You played your hand too soon, Counselor. See, if I were you, I would have waited until the deposition to spring this attack. You might have caught me and my client off guard and gained the upper hand.” He paused, then couldn’t resist adding, “Ava would have known that.”
In the ensuing silence, he could feel the other man seething with fury.
He smiled with satisfaction. “As for Mr. Dunleavy, I don’t know how you could possibly think that his affair with my client won’t be a liability to you. Ever heard of abuse of power? Dunleavy is a senior executive who preyed on an impressionable young employee and refused to accept responsibility when he got her pregnant. Are you kidding me? I can’t wait to depose him. And you’d better hope to God that Johnae’s supervisor doesn’t have any skeletons in his closet. By the time I’m through with both of them, my client is gonna own that damn company. Now ask me again if I’m serious about proceeding with this lawsuit.”
A long silence followed.
“I’ll have to get back to you,” Childress muttered darkly.
Colby smiled narrowly. “You do that.”
He hung up, then clenched his jaw and dialed his secretary’s extension.
“Yes, Colby?”
“Call Johnae Kearse for me. Tell her I’m sending a cab to pick her up. I need to see her ASAP.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll take care of it.”
Colby thanked Mary, then disconnected and called Ava. As he waited for her to answer the phone, he paced to the windows, impatiently tugging his tie loose.
“Hello.”
His pulse drummed. “Ava?”
Pregnant pause. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Colby said gently. “I just spoke to your colleague. He told me you were removed from the case. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Her voice sounded hollow. Unnaturally calm.
Colby frowned. “Who told Rainer about us?”
Ava sighed. “Does it matter? I’m off the case. End of story.”
Colby blew out a deep breath, leaned his forehead against the window and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
She said nothing.
“I wanna see you,” he murmured. “Are you free for lunch later?”
“No.”
“Ava—”
“Let me ask you something. Do any of your colleagues know about our relationship?”
Colby hesitated for a long moment. “Yes.”
“That’s what I thought.” Her voice was laced with bitter cynicism. “We both broke the rules, but I was the only one who ever had anything to lose. I’m the only one who will suffer the repercussions of what we did.”
Guilt assailed Colby. “Tell me what I can do for you,” he said, low and urgent. “Tell me how to make this right.”
“You can’t make this right,” she said resignedly. “What’s done is done. But there is something you can do for me.”
“What, baby? I’ll do anything.”
“I want you to leave me alone.”
His heart plummeted. It was the absolute last thing he’d wanted to hear from her.
He shook his head, his grip tightening on the phone. “I can’t do that,” he growled. “Damn it, Ava, let me come see you—”
“No,” she said sharply.
“Ava—”
“Don’t push me, Colby. I mean it.”
His chest tightened. “What are you saying? Are you saying you don’t want to be with me?”
“Not right now.” Her voice shook. He heard her inhale a deep breath, then let it out slowly before she continued, “I need time, Colby. Time to sort through everything that’s happened. Not just today, but over the past few months. As I told you yesterday, I was dating someone before I met you. I didn’t give myself enough time to recover from that relationship before I became involved with you. That was a mistake. So I’m stepping back now and taking a breather to clear my head and figure out what I truly want.”
Colby should have been okay with that. It was selfish of him not to be. But he didn’t care. He loved her, needed her, didn’t want to be without her.
“How much time do you need?”
She sighed. “I don’t know, Colby.”
He scowled, jamming his fist into his pocket. “And what am I supposed to do? Wait around indefinitely?”
Silence.
He held his breath, his back teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached.
“If you want me as much as you say you do,” Ava said very quietly, “you will.”
With that, she ended the call.
C
hapter 12
Six weeks later
Sweat ran down the side of Colby’s face as he pushed a lawn mower across his mother’s large front yard, cutting a broad swath through the overgrown grass.
Holiday lights and icicles were strung along the rooftops, windows and doorways of neighboring houses. Christmas was only a few days away, but he was feeling anything but festive.
It had been six weeks since he had last seen Ava. Six long, miserable weeks during which he’d thrown himself into work with a vengeance, hoping to purge his mind of the woman who had his heart in limbo. But work didn’t cure him.
One night he’d accompanied the fellas to an exclusive gentlemen’s club to celebrate Jagger’s birthday. But even with half-naked beauties gyrating on his lap and thrusting jewel-tipped breasts in his face, all he could think about was Ava.
He’d spent Thanksgiving with his family and the Reddicks. Throughout dinner, one of Quentin’s cousins had flirted shamelessly with him, boldly rubbing her foot along his calf and resting her hand on his thigh under the table. Though Colby could always appreciate the attention of a gorgeous woman—especially one who wasn’t working for tips—he couldn’t get his mind off Ava. After dessert, he’d snuck outside to the porch to send her a text message, wishing her Happy Thanksgiving. He hadn’t really expected her to respond, so he was surprised when she’d texted back almost immediately to reciprocate the greeting.
Encouraged by her response—and unable to help himself—he’d typed back, I miss you.
He’d waited, heart knocking against his ribs.
Finally she’d replied, I miss you, too.
He’d swallowed tightly before texting back, Then why are we still apart???
When she didn’t respond, it had taken every ounce of willpower he possessed not to drive over to her house and sweet-talk his way back into her bed and into her heart. But the last time he’d seduced her, she’d ended up resenting him for it.
He wanted her to return to him on her own terms, when she was ready.
Even if the wait killed him.
As he turned the lawn mower around to tackle another swath of uncut grass, he saw his mother standing on the wraparound porch. She was waving and calling out to him, her voice drowned out by the drone of the motor.
Frowning, Colby shut off the mower and wiped his forearm across his sweaty brow. “What’s up, Ma?”
“Your sister just called to tell you what time to pick her up from the airport on Monday.”
Colby nodded. “I’ll call her back later.”
“That’s what I told her.” Carlene smiled at him. “Why don’t you take a break and come visit with me?”
“I need to finish mowing the lawn. It’ll be dark soon.”
“You’ve been working nonstop since you showed up. Don’t get me wrong, baby. I appreciate you fixing things around here like you used to, but I’d like to enjoy your company before you leave.”
Colby hesitated, surveying his unfinished work.
“You could always come back tomorrow after church,” his mother suggested.
Colby met her hopeful gaze, then nodded slowly. “I could do that.”
She beamed. “Let me get you some water so we can sit on the porch and enjoy this nice weather. Never know how long it will last.”
“True,” Colby agreed, thinking of their own fragile truce.
After putting away the lawn mower and rinsing the sweat and grime off his face, he joined his mother on the porch, perching on the balustrade while she sat on the wooden bench.
She sighed contentedly. “Ain’t this relaxing?”
Colby nodded, sipping his bottled water.
As dusk fell, the neighbors’ holiday lights flicked on, transforming the quiet street into a twinkling winter wonderland.
Colby smiled poignantly. “Summer always liked Christmas lights. I think I’ll buy some tomorrow and put them up on the house.”
“That’s a wonderful idea.” Carlene gave him a soft, grateful smile. “Thank you for talking her into coming home for Christmas.”
“It’s the holidays,” Colby murmured. “She shouldn’t be alone.”
“No one should.” Carlene’s expression softened. “Including you.”
Colby held her gaze for a moment, then glanced away and took another swig of water.
“You should go after her.”
He feigned ignorance. “Who?”
“The woman you’ve been moping over for weeks.”
Colby said nothing, becoming absorbed in an inspection of his grass-stained Nikes.
“I’ve never seen you this way over a woman,” Carlene said. “She must be very special.”
Colby swallowed hard, then reluctantly lifted his eyes to his mother’s. “She is,” he admitted.
“Then why haven’t you gone after her?”
Colby blew out a heavy breath. “It’s not that simple, Ma.”
She sighed. “Few things in life are.”
A long silence passed between mother and son.
“You’re nothing like your father, Colby.”
He went still, staring at her.
Guilt shadowed Carlene’s eyes. “I know I used to tell you that you were like him. But I was just lashing out, taking out my frustration on you because he wasn’t there like he should have been. But I never once believed that you’d end up like him. I saw the way you looked after your sisters, and I remember what a hard time you gave any man I brought home. You were always fixing things around the house, running errands for me and making sacrifices that never should have been required of you. By the time you were fourteen years old, I knew your father could never be half the man you were going to become.”
Colby silently absorbed her words, letting them wash over him like a healing balm to his battered soul.
“I understand why you left home,” Carlene continued quietly. “I drove you away, and that’s something I’ll have to reckon with for the rest of my life. I only hope one day you and your sisters can forgive me for all the pain I caused you.”
Colby swallowed a hard knot of emotion. As his mother gazed at him, he set down his empty water bottle, then got up and sat beside her on the bench.
Tears welled in her eyes. “I just want you to be happy,” she whispered.
“I know. And I want the same for you.” He reached over and gently took her hand. “I’m here for you, Ma. I’m not going anywhere.”
She smiled tenderly, her eyes searching his face. “I hope that young woman comes to her senses and realizes what a good man you are.”
A ghost of a smile touched Colby’s mouth.
“She will,” he said, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded.
Chapter 13
Christmas Eve
As Ava boarded the elevator that would take her to the top floor of the luxury high-rise where Colby lived, she felt as if a colony of hyperactive butterflies had been set free in her stomach. Once the elevator doors closed behind her, she surveyed her reflection in the mirrored walls. Beneath the belted trench coat she wore, her body was all but pouring out of a sheer red minidress with a white ruffle trim that was accessorized with thigh-high stockings and garters and a pair of fur-trimmed red stiletto boots—a naughty Santa’s helper costume she’d picked up yesterday during her foray to an adult novelty store with her sister.
Anita had been all too happy to accompany Ava on her little errand. She’d been worried sick about her ever since she’d showed up at Ava’s house on Thanksgiving morning and found her curled into a ball on her bed, crying her heart out over Colby. Anita had held Ava as she’d sobbed out the whole story. When she’d finished, Anita had gently wiped her tears, looked her in the eye and told her, “I think you already know what you want. You want Colby, but after everything that’s happened, you’re afraid to risk any more than you already have. But unless you’re willing to open your heart and be vulnerable again, Ava, you’ll never know whether Colby was worth the risk you took.”
Since that convers
ation, Ava had been going through the motions, trying to convince herself that she’d done the right thing by pushing Colby out of her life. But it seemed that everywhere she went, she was reminded of their ill-fated affair. At no place was this more painfully true than at work, where conversations halted when she entered a room, and she could feel her colleagues staring at her, whispering and speculating.
To keep the lawsuit out of the media, Southern Pacific had reached a $500,000 settlement with Johnae Kearse. Tate hadn’t taken the loss well. Cornering Ava in the copy room, he’d accused her of deliberately sabotaging the case from the beginning. She’d been cleared of any such wrongdoing, so she didn’t bother to dignify his accusation with a response.
Shortly after the lawsuit was settled, Johnae’s supervisor and Scott Dunleavy had quietly parted ways with the company. Ava hoped they remained unemployed for a very long time.
Going through her text messages one night, she’d come across the question Colby had posed to her on Thanksgiving. Then why are we still apart???
She’d stared at the words and realized that she didn’t have an answer.
That was when she’d decided it was time to go claim her man.
Stepping off the elevator now, Ava made her way down the corridor toward Colby’s apartment. Reaching the door, she drew a deep, fortifying breath and pressed the doorbell.
She was ready, she assured herself. She knew exactly what she wanted to say to him.
But the moment he opened the door, her carefully rehearsed speech went spiraling into the cosmos. The air squeezed from her lungs, her heart thumped into her throat and all she could do was gaze at him with the naked yearning of the lovesick fool she was.
Colby looked stunned to see her. “Ava?”
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi.” He stared down at her. “What’re you doing here?”
She smiled tremulously. “I wanted to wish you Merry Christmas.”
Those searing dark eyes searched her face, then slowly roamed over her body until every inch of her flesh burned.
“Come in,” he murmured, stepping aside to let her enter.
She brushed past him, her gaze sweeping around the tastefully furnished apartment that featured gleaming hardwood floors, picture windows, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and a cozy fire crackling in the hearth.
Merry Sexy Christmas Page 29