Page 19 of We Never Kissed

When I didn’t say anything, still left speechless, he said, “Lower your camera…”

My heart pounded double time. “What?”

He laughed. “Your shirt… I want to see what it says.”

“Oh.” I let out a breath, then made the adjustment so he could see the words, which read:Dance Your Ass Off.

“Do I make you nervous, Ava?”

Yes. “No.”

“You’re breathing pretty heavy over there. What can I do to help you relax?”

“Alex, I’m not nervous…” I blew out a breath. “Okay, I am. You’re not?”

His eyes darted away for a few moments, then, “You’d think… But seeing you, that kiss… Knowing we’re alone right now. I’m feeling something entirely different.”

Shit. “If you think something’s going to happen right now…” I coughed out a laugh. “I’m in my parents’ home.”

“So, afraid you won’t be able to keep quiet?”

My mouth fell open, then I looked away, shaking my head. After a moment, I turned back to the screen, leaned over so he got a nice view of my cleavage, and whispered, “You know what I think… You’re all talk, Alex.” Just to mess with his head, I ran a hand down my neck, then grazed the side of my breast. “I think you love the chase, and if I turned the tables on you, started taking my clothes off right now… you’d run for the hills.”

His dark eyes had pinned me, taking in every word, and his lips parted yet he wasn’t responding.

“Now who’s breathing hard, Alex? Nothing to say? I mean doesn’t a little secret cybersex with your best friend’s little sister make you—”

“Whoa!” He shook his head and huffed out air. “Fuck, Ava, you had me right up until you mentioned your brother. Talk about sabotage. What are you doing to me?”

At first I laughed, hard, but thenwhen I saw the genuine look of concern in his gaze, I sobered quickly. “This is really a big deal to you?”

“Isn’t it to you?”

I sat crossed legged and clasped my hands in my lap. “I couldn’t care less what Sammy thinks.”

“And what about your parents?”

I narrowed my gaze on him, wondering how he could doubt their love. “You should know after all these years, they think of you as a son.”

Rubbing his chin, he said, “Exactly. And if we start something up and it doesn’t work out, you still have them.” The despair in his expression killed me.

“So what? We go back to Alex and Ava one point oh?”

“Shit, I don’t want that either.”

“Whatdoyou want, Alex?”

He adjusted himself so he was sitting like I was and said, “I wantyou, Ava. Always have. Always will.”

Holy Hell. For a moment, my heart stopped yet my pulse beat like a drum in my ears. I knew I needed to respond, but it was all too much, especially so soon after Mark. Alex’s gaze flicked away at my silence. “Alex…” When his eyes came back to me, I said softly, “I feel the same way…”

We stared at each other for several long beats, a longing in my chest aching to be near him, to touch him,feel his lips on mine again, to have him right here in my bed with me. “Maybe… we don’t have to tell anyone. We figure out a way to be together, see how things go between us first.”

A wide smile grew on his face. “I like that idea. Wanna come over?” He laughed. “Too soon?”

“I think so. But, what if I came over on Friday night? We have game night on Saturday so we’ll see each other then too.” As soon as I’d said it, I felt regret. Was I ready to be alone with him in his apartment? I knew exactly what would happen if I was.

Alex paused before his answer, his mouth tightening all of a sudden. “Friday will be…tough. Work stuff.” A sense of relief washed over me until he added, “Maybe Sunday but we can confirm at game night…”

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