Page 31 of Yes, Love

I gave her a soft smile, puzzled at my desire to kiss her nose. For some reason, nose kisses were more intimate than sex to me. I cared for Ava. My heart ached for her and everything she’d been through, but… this felt like a bit more than caring.

Ava let out a dry laugh and sniffled. “Oh, come on, lover boy. Don’t hold out on me. I just bared my soul to you and got snot on your shirt. I’m so damn embarrassed right now, and I need you to get real with me.” The corner of Ava’s pretty little mouth turned up.

I chuckled and nodded. “Right. So. My father is a sorry excuse for a human being. The bastard pushed my mum around until…” I clenched my fists and squared my jaw. “Until I got big enough to stop him.”

Ava sat up and frowned. “He beat her?”

I offered a stiff nod. “Not enough to get the cops involved, but enough to leave a few nasty bruises.”

Fresh tears rolled down Ava’s cheeks now. “Dom, did he hurt you, too?”

“Only a few times. My mum usually put herself in the way of his wrath. Then I got stronger than him. When I turned fourteen, my mum and I both got jobs and left the cowardly arse to choke on his own poison. I’ve not spoken to him since.”

Ava slid her arms around my waist and burrowed her head into my chest. “I’m so sorry, Dom. Fuck the bullies. Fuck. Them.”

“Fuck them all, love.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, feeling loads better after confiding in her. I’d wanted to explain it to her earlier, but she’d been pushing me away.

“Hey, is that shit with your dad the reason you, um, at the party on Saturday?” Ava’s voice trembled a bit.

“Yes. I’ll never put my hands on a woman like that, even if it’s in play.”

Ava let out a shuddered breath. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Course you didn’t. There’s nothing to be sorry for.” I ran my hand gently up and down her shoulder. “I’ll call Jeanie and get your meds sent. I’ll tell her the party tonight is off, too. There’s another tomorrow and the next day.”

“Thank you,” Ava sighed and watched me as I stood to retrieve my cell.

After a very firm conversation with Ava’s publicist, I returned to the sitting area to find Ava gazing at her hands. Her eyes flashed up to meet mine, and the vulnerability I saw there made me stop in my tracks. “Dom, I’m so embarrassed. I just had a full-on mental breakdown on your nice white shirt.” She shook her head and tried to smooth her hair. “And I must be such a mess right now. Ugh. Don’t look at me.” Ava covered her face with both hands.

“Stop it. You’re stunning. And I never liked this shirt anyway.” I tugged it off and tossed it to the ground.

Ava peeked at me between her fingers and let out something halfway between a laugh and a sob.

Was it wrong of me to want to pull her into my arms and kiss a smile onto those beautiful lips? Was I an arse for wanting to feel her bare skin against mine? Maybe there was something a bit off in my head. Maybe she’d slap me across the face, but I wanted Ava. I pulled her into my arms and pressed my lips against her trembling mouth.

I’d kissed her hundreds of times at this point if you counted every staged photo, but this kiss was raw and unfiltered.

Sixteen

Ava

My sexy British boy toy was full of surprises. I’d just had a humiliating mental breakdown — the kind with snot and tears and ugly hiccups— and he hadn’t even batted an eye. Not only had he kept his judgment at bay, but he’d also said some truly perfect things and let me see his own broken pieces.

And now, to top it off, he was still attracted to me.

Dom pulled me toward the bed, deep, dark eyes never leaving mine. How could I ache with desire like this while I shouldered the weight of my depression? I’d never felt anything like this before. Desire didn’t usually come until the depressive monster was caged, but something had just happened between us, something raw and emotional. I felt this wild connection to my fake boyfriend and wanted that connection to extend to our bodies, too.

“Come on, love.” Dominic’s voice was low and growly. I loved it when he called me that. I thought he did it to mock our fake relationship, the same way I called him lover boy, but it sounded different tonight. It sounded more real.

My heart pounded in my throat. I was an emotionally scarred mess. He had his own awful and heart-shattering wounds. Maybe this was a bad idea. But Dom was already seated on the edge of the bed, with me standing between his legs. His hands gripped my hips and then slowly slid up my body, taking my tank top with them. I raised my arms and let him slide it off. God, what was I thinking?

Dom’s hands palmed my back now and his soft, warm lips devoured my abdomen. “Wait,” I gasped, my breathing already heavy. “Let me go fix my makeup.”

Dominic laughed and shook his head, hooking his thumbs in the waistband of my skirt. “No. I want you now.” He gave my skirt a single tug, and I stood before him in nothing but a thong and a thin, gray lace bralette. “Mmm…” he groaned and ran his tongue down my inner thigh. “Gorgeous, Ava. You are a gorgeous fucking woman.”

My body trembled, and I looped my arms around his neck. I wasn’t gorgeous. I had mascara rivers down my cheeks. My hair was a frizzy mess, and I felt sticky from the Miami humidity. He was either crazy or horny enough not to care. I let out a nervous laugh. “There’s something wrong with you if you think I’m gorgeous right now. At least let me turn off the light.”

Dominic chuckled again and pulled me backward onto his lap, kissing my neck and shoulders. “No. You’re stunning, Ava. I want to see every inch of you, especially the parts you keep hidden.”

---