Unsure of what to say next, I follow up on what I just said with more clarification. “Kissing you was incredible, Ava.”
A smile darts across her soft lips before it disappears. “I liked it too.”
Judging by the way she pressed her body against mine and the sounds flowing out of her, she fucking loved that kiss as much as I did.
“It scared me,” I admit. “It felt too good, and given who you are, I didn’t handle things well.”
Her finger trails over her chin. “You completely ignored me at dinner tonight.”
I want to correct her and tell her that I didn’t speak to her, but in no way could I have ignored her presence. I barely ate any of the food on my plate because I couldn’t tear my gaze from her face.
“I was gathering my thoughts,” I explain. “And there were a hell of a lot of people there, so I admit that I was worried about saying anything that would give away what I’m feeling.”
She wastes no time in responding to that. “What are you feeling?”
Something I can’t describe. Maybe this is what pining for a woman feels like. It could be that I just want to fuck her raw to get her out of my system, but whatever it is, it’s eating me up inside.
“I like you,” I say in a low tone. “I liked kissing you, Ava.”
“And?” she presses. “There must be more.”
If she needs to hear it, I’ll lay it all out for her. I came over here to do that. I tried to convince myself it was to return the charm, but I found it before she left Sean’s apartment. I could have easily handed it to her there or passed it off to her brother, but I did neither.
I took Roxy to my home, tucked her in bed, waited for Jos to show up, and then I left to come here so I could speak to Ava alone.
When she didn’t answer my calls or texts, I had visions of another guy in her bed. That set my blood on fire, so I got off the subway and sprinted here to stop whatever the fuck was happening within these four walls.
It’s ludicrous and makes no sense, but I’m consumed with thoughts of her.
“There is more,” I say as I round the couch to be closer to her. “I want you, Ava.”
I see the shift in her expression almost immediately. It softens as her eyes widen. “You want to take me to bed?”
My cock hardens at the thought and the sound of the desire in her voice. “Yes.”
She shakes her head slightly. “What’s changed? I’m still his sister.”
I’m grateful she didn’t drag his name into this. I’ve thought about him and her for days. I’ve listed the pros and the cons over and over in my mind. I’ve replayed the beginning of my friendship with Sean and imagined what will inevitably be the end of whatever happens between Ava and me when she returns to London.
There is no long-term future for us. It’s not in the cards, the stars, or wherever soul mates hide until fate throws you in their path.
I want to fuck her. I want to know her. Then I’ll let her go because I have to.
“I trust that we can keep this between us.” I pause to gather my thoughts.
Before I can get another word out, she clears her throat. “You’re saying that if we take this beyond a kiss, we don’t tell anyone about it.”
I nod. “It would be temporary until you go back to London.”
Her gaze scans my face. “You can trust me not to say a word to anyone, Harry. I keep my personal life very private. After what happened to me, I…”
I step closer to her, urgency pushing the next words out of me. “What happened to you, Ava?”
She sucks in a short, brisk breath. “I got involved with this guy. It didn’t end well, so I’m careful now. I don’t talk to anyone about who I’m sleeping with. To me, that’s no one’s business but my own.”
Apparently, we live by the same doctrine.
“Are you sleeping with anyone now?” I ask because I want a clear path to her body. If a guy is waiting for her in London, I need to know.
“No,” she answers quickly. “I like to have fun, so no.”
I read between those lines. If she’s looking for a one night hook-up, I’m the man for the job. If she wants that to stretch over the course of the next few weeks, I’m all in.
“Harry?” she says my name softly.
I glance up at her. “Yes?”
“Will you be able to face him if we fuck?”
My cock swells in my pants at the sound of that word leaving her lips.
“I won’t come between the two of you,” she says. “I love my brother. I trust you to know whether you can handle the baggage that will come with sleeping with his sister.”