by Hadley Quinn
“Ava?” they heard Chelsea’s voice call into the dark. It was kind of a whispered call from one of the decks so as not to alert everyone in the house.
Ava’s libido faltered for a moment. “Yeah, I’m out here,” she answered with the same kind of quiet restraint.
Chelsea didn’t say anything further, so Ava wasn’t sure if she was going to be joining her or not.
Gabe sat up and said, “That is your curfew call, little lady.” He kissed her again and then stood, holding out his hand to help her up.
She stood on wobbly legs, but put her hands on his chest to keep him from leaving. “I don’t care if she sees us together,” she told him. “She already knows I’ve got a huge, panting crush on you.”
That made him smile as he ran his hand through his hair and behind his neck. “You do, huh? Well the feeling is mutual, but being that you snuck out here in the middle of the night to be with me…” She could see how that might have looked and cast her eyes down at the ground. He lifted her chin and said, “Hey, it’s okay. Really. You’re here with friends and all that, and running next door to get a fix of the neighbor is kind of impolite, Ava.”
She smiled at his banter but asked, “And is this neighbor disappointed that I’m so rude to my guests?”
“Oh hell no,” he smiled. He barely touched her shoulders with his fingers and trailed them down her arms. It was such a simple action but it turned her insides into mush.
He grabbed his shirt from the ground and slid into it. Then he picked up her towel and wrapped it around her.
“I’d much rather be wrapped in your arms,” she told him.
He stood there for a second, looking regretful that he had to debate it. “I gotta let you go for tonight. But don’t forget about me by tomorrow.”
She chuckled at the tease. How in the world would she forget him after all that?
He took her hand and began walking toward the house. They stopped when they reached the path that jutted to the left toward the cabin. “This is my stop. Have a good night, Ava.” He gently cupped the back of her neck, giving her goose bumps again. He gave her a soft, simple kiss on the lips and then headed left.
She stood there for several seconds to watch him leave. She didn’t want to be separated from him and was tempted to make him reconsider or just follow him back to the cabin. But she really didn’t want to seem like the pathetic, clingy admirer she was turning out to be. It was probably better to walk away and leave him dreaming about the possibilities that could have been.
But damn, if only her body wasn’t going to suffer as well…
She made her way up to the house only to find Chelsea on the main deck. She wasn’t sure if she’d been there the whole time or not, until she could see her face and she had the biggest grin plastered to it.
“Was that Gabe?” she hissed.
“Was who Gabe?” Ava teased.
Chelsea looped her arm in Ava’s as they quietly made their way into the house. “You know, the guy that just kissed you goodnight.”
Ava couldn’t help her smile. “Oh, he did a lot more than kiss me goodnight.”
She thought Chelsea’s jaw was going to drop off of her face.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ava was way too wired when she went hiking the next day with her friends. She was on hyper drive and probably could have out-hiked the most athletic professional athlete known to man.
Adam teased her that she was being competitive, and after some playful banter, she decided to chill out a bit. Rushing an outdoor experience with her friends was probably going to ruin their day.
But all she could think about was Gabe. She smiled at her friends, but she was thinking of Gabe. She would laugh and joke with them, but she was thinking of Gabe. Chelsea and Ava told them stories about other hiking experiences they’d had, but Ava was thinking of Gabe. It didn’t matter what she did or said, she was always thinking about Gabe.
Just the thought of what he did to her on the dock made her squirm during lunch. She would get tingles in places that she didn’t need to be getting tingles, and she kept worrying if everyone else knew what was going on with her.
She almost shouted with joy when everyone claimed they were done for the day and ready to head back to the house. There was talk of swimming or boating or other things, but she basically just agreed with whatever.
However, Adam seemed to be willing to talk more than he usually was. They’d all squeezed together in Trent’s truck, but the day had turned out pretty warm so Adam and Ava climbed into the back for the twenty-minute ride home.
He had subtly mentioned Serena, the girlfriend he’d had just a couple months ago, and basically said it was probably best that they’d broken up. He didn’t really go into detail about it, but Ava was sympathetic and glad he felt comfortable talking to her.
“Good thing her name isn’t Eve,” she joked.
He looked at her for a second and then busted up laughing. He said something about how wrong that would be for a couple to have to live with.
“I once dated a guy named Sean Fava,” she said.
It took Adam a second and then he laughed again.
“Yeah,” she continued. “I didn’t care if he was my dream come true, I was not going to be called Ava Fava.”
“Poor dude just had the wrong name.”
“Well, that’s not my fault,” she scoffed.
He thought for a second as the truck pulled onto the road that led to Ava’s house. “What is your last name?” he asked.
Being keen to details wasn’t every guy’s forte, she decided. “It’s Carmichael.”
He barely nodded, seeming to think it over, and the truck slowed as they turned onto the hundred-foot stretch that was the driveway. She hopped out before they even came to a stop, and her eyes were already glancing toward the guest cabin. She didn’t see Gabe right away but wouldn’t lose hope. Finally when everyone had their things in hand, a movement caught her eye over by the boat garage.
Gabe.
He was leaning against the building with one hand, and when he saw her he smiled. He also barely motioned with his head for her to come see him. She glanced at her friends that were occupied with unloading the truck, and when Adam was the last one through the door with the cooler, she took off for the garage.
“This has been the longest day ever,” she said when Gabe pulled her to him.
He leaned against the building so they were out of site and wrapped her in his arms. They kissed, and just tasting him again sent shivers through Ava’s body. He softly nibbled on her lip, ran his tongue along the inside of her mouth, and barely came up for air. Finally he did say, “You didn’t have fun?”
She sort of laughed while she tried to catch her breath. “It was fine. I just missed you too much.”
He smiled. “Well, good to hear.”
They heard the front door shut and Ava frowned. They listened as the door to Trent’s truck opened, then it closed, and a few seconds later the front door to the house opened and shut again.
Gabe kissed her again and then motioned that she could re-join her friends. But Ava didn’t want to. She wanted to just bring him back to the house with her so she could enjoy her vacation the way that made her happy: being with Gabe. What was she afraid of? She’d originally wanted Adam to fall head over heels for her, and now, after meeting Gabe, it didn’t even sound right. She liked Adam, but whatever this was with Gabe just had her tangled up in all shades of happiness.
“I think we’re going boating,” she told him.
She paused as they stared into each other’s eyes. His were dark green, kind of mossy. She wondered if they reflected the scenery around them, but she’d also seen them as a lighter shade in the daylight. Maybe they had something to do with his moods.
She traced his jaw with her thumbs and slid her hands to the back of his head. She tickled his nape with her nails and ran her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes to enjoy it and she added, “I want you to come with us.�
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His eyes flicked open and he stared at her again. She didn’t know what she saw in them because she couldn’t read him. Then he shook his head. “No, that’s not a good idea.”
“Why?” she asked automatically. “I want to be with you.”
He sighed, seeming torn between agreeing with her and sticking to his decision. “I can’t, Ava. It’s just not in me to be…social.”
“Social? Honey, I don’t expect you to talk,” she smiled. “Just kiss me and hold me whenever I want and I’ll be happy. I promise.”
He did smile. However, she could tell that she might have been missing the point entirely. She considered the thought that he wouldn’t go swimming with her either, and combining that with his confession that his brother had drowned, she wondered if he wanted to avoid the water entirely.
“If boating doesn’t sound appealing, join us for dinner. Please?”
He adjusted his stance and put his hands on her shoulders, softly rubbing her skin with his fingers. She’d made him uncomfortable, she knew, but she wasn’t sure in what way exactly. When he finally chose words to say, she was surprised.
“I’m here because I can’t make it around normal people yet. The solitude here is basically the only thing keeping me together. Unless I’m with fellow soldiers—people that understand this shit—I’m not suited for socializing. What happened on my last mission… I’m not ready for questions, and egos, and people judging… I just… I still need time to pull myself together, Ava. I can’t put myself in a position where…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. And Ava thought he looked embarrassed, or regretful, like it was the last thing on earth he wanted to tell her. He also seemed ready to just leave her there to search for his solitude again. She’d pushed too soon, not realizing what was really going on. The monster inside of him—his Hulk, so to speak—really did exist, and he was afraid of being put in a position where he couldn’t control it. She wasn’t quite sure what it consisted of, but it was real, and he was obviously worried about it.
“I’m sorry, Gabe,” she told him. “I just wanted you to know that I want you and…”
“I’m an angry person, Ava. I’m sorry I can’t fix that already and be normal again.”
“You’re a good person, Gabe. I know you are. And you don’t need to ‘fix’ anything right now, not around me. Maybe you’re not comfortable around people now, but I’ve spent time with you and—”
“You’ve spent maybe an hour with me total.” He said it in such a way that made her feel like she had no idea what she was talking about. And now he really was getting irritated and he moved her so there was three feet between them. “I should have known better. I’m sorry.”
He turned away to head for the backside of the garage. She quietly called his name and he slowed, and then he turned around.
“You deserve better, Ava. You guys are leaving tomorrow so just...enjoy the basic enchantments in life, okay? You’re young and beautiful, and you’ve got a lot to offer the world. Be happy and that’s enough for me.”
He disappeared around the building and Ava remained where she was, completely and utterly crushed. What the hell did I do? What did I say?
She heard the ground move behind her and she jumped. Adam was standing there looking as confused as she felt. She had no idea if he’d been nearby the entire time or not, but at last he said, “Is everything okay? I came out to find you and heard voices.” He looked past her where Gabe had disappeared and asked, “Was that the guy from next door?”
She sighed and decided to just answer him. What was there to hide? “Yeah, that was Gabe.”
Adam studied her for a second. “He sounded a little mad. He’s not bothering you is he?”
She still wondered how much he’d heard but shook her head. “No, he’s not.”
“Well I didn’t hear but a few words and something about you enjoying life. What’s going on?”
She felt trapped. On one hand, she didn’t feel that Adam would judge or criticize the situation, but on the other hand, filling him in felt like a betrayal to Gabe. She decided just to be completely honest and said, “Actually I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with him. He’s hard to figure out.”
She didn’t know if that was a satisfactory answer or not, but Adam slightly nodded. “He is a bit mysterious. But maybe you should be careful around him, okay? If there’s something you need to talk to him about, let me do it for you.”
She felt a bit of admiration for Adam at that moment. What guy in their right mind would want to confront Gabe about anything? She realized that Adam’s courage might have been influenced by his desire to help, so she just went with it.
“There isn’t anything that I need to discuss with him. And thanks for the offer, but I don’t really want you to lose your teeth or anything.” She immediately wished she hadn’t said that, fearing that she’d most likely wounded his ego.
But instead, he laughed. “Thank God. I mean I don’t think I’m a pansy, but that guy…”
She nodded like she agreed with him. She did, but there were just too many variables to consider when it came to Gabe.
Adam was the one that dropped the boat into the water that day. Ava didn’t see Gabe for the rest of the night, and even though she was mad at him for being such a dick, deep down she was hurt more than anything. She wanted to understand him, and because of that desire, she felt he should give her a chance to.
They roasted hot dogs over the fire for dinner and spent some time in the hot tub. When morning came, they packed up all of their things to head out. Chelsea could sense Ava’s mood, and even though she’d told her everything about what went on with Gabe, Ava sensed her friend was kind of relieved that he’d distanced himself.
But Ava couldn’t let it go. She felt that she couldn’t leave without resolving something and she sent Chelsea along with Trent at the last minute. Chelsea didn’t want to leave her at all, but after Ava promised that she’d call or text, Chelsea headed out in the last vehicle.
Ava stood on her balcony, leaning against the house. The very second that Trent’s truck pulled away, Gabe stepped out of the guest cabin. He stood there for a moment, like he was watching the dust settle at the end of the road. Most likely he thought she’d left too and came out to make sure. But Ava’s car was parked on the other side of the house; he wouldn’t be able to tell unless he went over there to look.
His movement was quick as he turned from the porch and found the path next to the cabin. He walked straight down the dock, took off his shoes and socks, stripped his shirt and jeans off, and dove into the water.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ava was in shock.
She was also dying to join him. But…she decided not to. She just watched for a little bit as he swam expertly away from the dock about fifty yards, and then swam back. He did this over and over several times.
He was swimming laps.
About thirty minutes later he pulled himself up onto the dock and just sat on the edge. Oh how she was dying to rub her hands all over that body again.
But she watched. And when he got up and gathered all his clothing, she slipped into her room and watched from the window instead so he didn’t see her. He walked back to the cabin in just his clinging boxer briefs and it made her stomach coil in knots. The sun made the water glisten all over his body, and when he brought a hand up to run it through his hair, the muscles on his sides rippled just like the nerves between her legs.
Holy hell, what has he done to me?
Gabe entered the cabin and the door shut behind him.
Ava so badly wanted to go to him, to kiss him, to hold him, to apologize… But he’d seemed so irritated with her the day before and she was afraid of being rejected again. Her instincts told her that he was just insecure, or trying to save her the hassle of dealing with whatever personality traits he deemed unfit for her. She knew she needed to make the first move again but was scared.
“Well hell, he doesn’t even know I�
��m here…”
That gave her an idea and she smiled.
Five minutes later she had a towel under her arm and the tiniest bikini she owned tied to her body. She resisted any sort of glance to the cabin and just made her way to the deck that connected to the dock.
She lounged out in a chair and focused on soaking up the sun.
It must have been an hour later when there was still no sign of Gabe. She figured he’d spotted her out his window and continued to avoid her, or he was otherwise occupied.
Would he actually be checking out his window anyway?
By then her body was way too hot from the sun and the water was beckoning. She made her way to the end of the dock, but instead of diving in, she sat on the edge and slid in gracefully.
And that’s when she saw Gabe.
Her heart raced at the sight of him. He was shirtless again with a pair of shorts on, and as she tried to determine his mood, he remained where he was, leaning against the cabin as he watched her.
She wasn’t sure if he knew she saw him or not, but either way she decided to just ignore him for the time being. This was going to play out a little longer, just so she knew where she stood with him.
Knowing that he was nearby allowed her to enjoy her time in the water. She only spent about ten minutes in it, just leisurely moving about. When she decided she was done, Ava didn’t get out at the dock. She swam toward the house to walk up to the deck from the shallow end.
She could feel him watching her as she walked out of the water until she was only in waist deep. She deliberately lifted her arms up to gather her wet hair, and took her time wringing it out.
Ava sat on a lounge chair and chose not to look toward the cabin even though she was dying to at least smile at him. But she had a feeling that he was not going to come join her.
After a few minutes, she dried off with her towel and chastised herself for not bringing suntan oil out with her. Now that might’ve given him incentive.
She lounged back, imagining his hands all over her again. It made hot emotions pool in areas he’d touched her so intimately. She was supposed to be doing this to torture him, not herself! But she continued to be patient, almost pleading with the Lord above that he’d finally come talk to her.