Page 151 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

If things weren’t still so new between me and Ava, I’d have her moving in with me. Even so, she knows she can stay at my place anytime she wants.

There’s nowhere else I want her to be.

When Monday rolls around, Ava is pulling a late shift at the dance academy. It’s after nine o’clock when she wraps things up and steps out the back door. The parking lot is shared by a couple of other businesses in downtown Braysen, but I made sure to park near the front.

Call me overprotective, but until we know who was behind the break-in, I have no problem meeting her after work to make sure she gets to her car okay.

“Well, hey there, beautiful,” I drawl.

She stops when she spots me, her smile growing big.

“What the heck are you doin’ here?”

“I was missing you…” I trail off, and she shakes her head, fighting off her grin.

“You couldn’t wait until I got back to your place? I told you I was gonna come right over.”

We made plans to head to The End Zone to grab a late dinner. She came from dance practice to work, so she only had enough time to eat a protein bar. Plus, there was an NFL game on tonight I didn’t want to miss.

I pop the door and hop out in front of her.

“No, I couldn’t wait.” I bend down, lifting her in my arms. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I bury my face in her neck. “Not for this.”

I take a deep breath, inhaling her fruity scent. It’s mixed with the light smell of her sweat, and I’m ready to haul her ass back to my house.

We could order in for the night. I don’t give a damn.

She doesn’t stop me either, tilting her head to the side. Her subtle sigh and the way she drags her nails through my hair spur me on.

I carry her with me over to my truck, pinning her against the side.

Her palms grip the side of my face, her fingers massaging into my beard. “You mean what you said the other night?” she whispers.

I pull away and glance up to look into her eyes. She’s a few inches taller than me in this position.

“I’ve never meant anything more in my life,” I say with absolute certainty.

Tears prick the corner of her eyes. “Say it again.”

“I love you, Sugar.”

“My sweet, sweet man!” She laughs, and a tear escapes her eye. I press a kiss to it first, then to her lips.

She sighs again, and I vow at that moment to always make her smile and sigh like that every single day, as often as possible.

When we break our kiss, she presses her forehead against mine.

“I love you,” she echoes.

I moan, loving the way those words sound on her lips. I grip her chin, forcing her eyes to lock with mine.

“Stay with me tonight,” I say, and she nods.

“What the fuck—” someone shouts behind us. A diesel engine roars, followed by tires skidding to a stop.

I lower Ava to the ground and stand in front of her, turning to see who it is. Alec is hanging his hand out the window, and his eyes widen when he realizes who she’s with.

“You’ve been dodging my calls and texts for how long now? Is this why you’ve been blowing me off?” Alec grunts, shifting the truck into park.

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