Page 7 of We Never Kissed

Ava was naturally beautiful and typically wore little makeup, but tonight she could have just stepped out of the pages of a magazine. The gown she wore was a dark and elegant shade of red, almost burgundy. It hugged her curves to perfection and had one sleeve draping her arm in sheer red material. The floor-length dress had a slit that I had to tear my gaze from before I broke out into a sweat. Iactually eyed the path that led back to the elevators, but now was not the time to turn tail and run.

I stalked after her, planning to…I wasn’t sure, but as she entered the room, I saw dozens of eyes turning her way—men and women. A sense of urgency shot through me; if I had the guts—and was the selfish bastard I wanted to be—I would drag her out of that place and take her back to my hotel room, where we’d stay until I properly worshiped her the way I’d only dreamed of.

I said her name, and she stopped short, hesitating a beat before she turned to face me.

Closing the distance between us, I said, “You’re breathtaking, Ava.” I’d never used that word in my life, but it felt appropriate and inappropriate all at once.

She grinned, but it only lasted a moment, and I knew something was coming. “Can we talk?”

“Dance with me,” I said without thinking. I took her hand and led her to the dancefloor but before we stepped foot on it, fear shot through me as my mind flew back to another time I’d held Ava in my arms.

Chapter 4

Alex

Six Years Ago

I held up a glass of champagne as I addressed the ballroom, toasting to my best friend, Sammy, and his new wife, Cass. I talked about how we met on the basketball courts at sixteen and how Sammy could do a layup like nobody’s business, even though he was only slightly taller than Kevin Hart. Everyone laughed and knew I was exaggerating. I tried not to get too emotional but shared how the guest room in casa Steadman was basically my bedroom whenever I needed it. And that was a lot. What I did not share was late-night trips to the kitchen, hoping I’d run into Ava—which I did sometimes. Or how many times over the years, I’d datedsomeone to forget about her. Sadly, it created this image in her mind of the kind of person I was, and I never corrected her. Hell, maybe I was that guy.

I raised my glass higher. “To the beautiful couple and the long, long, loooong”—everyone laughed—“journey you’re starting today.”

The night carried on with food and dancing, including the one designated for best man and maid of honor, which had me paired up with Cass’s sister Elsie, whom I’d slept with the night before. We were both drunk, and I felt like an ass afterward. But as luck would have it, Ava caught the bouquet, and I caught the garter, which meant we were to dance together too.

I stiffly took Ava into my arms as the crowd around the dancefloor watched before joining in. An adorable grin played on her face, but it was when she brought her gaze to meet mine that everything and everyone fell away.

“We really only have to do this for a couple minutes,” Ava said, flitting her eyes away. “Once the others join us we can stop.”

I pulled her a little closer, showing her I disagreed. “You got somewhere to be?”

“No…”

We stared into each other’s eyes without talking, but it wasn’t awkward at all. It felt like we were holding a conversation with our eyes…and our bodies. But then a sudden need to hear her voice took hold, and I said the only thing I could think of. “How’s the show going?” Before she could answer, I blurted, “You still seeing that tool, Eliot?”

She laughed because we both knew no one she dated would ever be good enough in her brother’s eyes or mine. That was one of the great things about being friends with Sammy. I could always blame my jealousy on him. And it was an added bonus that Ava was terrible at picking guys. “What if I am?” she said with a defiance in her eyes.

I pressed my hand firmly into the small of her back.Mine,I wanted to say. “I don’t like him for you.”

Ava leaned in until her lips were near my ear. “You don’t seem to like anyone for me, Alex.”

I breathed into her hair, wanting so badly to tell her how I felt. I’d stopped myself so many times from telling Ava I wanted her, had wanted her for so long, because I knew what a disastrous mistake it would be. But this night felt different. She’d just graduated college. She was a grown woman who could take care of herself.But you’ll never be good enough for her. And that was as good a reason as any.

Ava leaned back to catch my stare again. “Nothing to say, Alex? No smooth comeback?”

“You’re perfectly capable of making your own decisions. I need to stay out of it.”

She coughed out a small laugh. “Wow, how politically correct of you.” Her expression didn’t match her words, and I could see the hurt in her eyes. Sometimes it seemed, Ava wanted the same thing I did, and yet…she never said a word either. Her silence was another reason.

“Ava…” Her name came out harsher than I’d meant.

She took her eyes away and glanced around the dancefloor. “Actually, Eliot and I broke up. So, maybe I need to have a little something with one of these eligible bachelors tonight. Help me move past him?” She gave me a pointed look. “Sound like a good idea to you, Alex?”

“Damn, Ava, really?”

“So it’s okay for you to be a… I won’t saymanwhore, but oops—did I say that out loud?”

I shook my head, not wanting to let her goad me. “You’re better than that.”

Her brows furrowed. “Says who?”

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