Page 56 of Maid in Heaven

As the credits rolled, Will chanced a glance down at Ava and smiled. She grabbed the remoteandclicked off the television. Without a word, she wiggled from his arms and extended her hand to him.

Barely able to see, Will tilted his head curiously and finally took it.

“Will you stay with me tonight? I feel a little freaked out still.”

Though it seemed understandable, Will had no idea how he would be able to do so and keep his hands to himself. “I… don’t know.”

“Look, Will, I completely respect that you don’t want to do more. We could just…sleep. I just feel vulnerable. He broke into myhouse.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to do more…”

“You don’t need to explain. You’re allowed to do things in your own time and feel how you feel. You can’t rush a good thing.”

He could feel her smile through the darkness, sense it in her voice.

“I just feel like he might barge back in here at any minute.”

“Yeah, I don’t have any clients until eleven tomorrow.” His watch gently lit up his face before returning to his side. “I can stay.”

“Thank you.”

Ava reached for his hand. When she found it in the darkness, sheled him to the bedroom.Once there, Will grinned, his stunning smile faintly visible in the roomstreaked with slivers of white through the blinds. The light playedoff the features of her face, andhe wished he could take a photograph of her, capturing the moment forever. She was agoddessbathed in moonlight.

He grinned, leaning against the doorwayto mentally soak her in like a sponge. “You are so damned beautiful.”

Kuda padded in and curled up on the large dog bed in the corner. Avasmiled,whipped back the covers of the bed, and patted the Egyptiancotton sheets.“I promise I won’t bite.”

“I usually don’t sleep in anything but boxers.”

“Hallelujah,” Ava howled.

Will snickered,tugged off his shirt, and set it on the dresser. His pants followed. He climbed beneath the covers, and Ava wriggled backward, nestling against his muscular chest. A weighty arm wrapped around her, pulling her close.

“Do you snore?” he asked quietly.

“Almost never. I promise, if I snore, you can just make me go sleep in Kuda’s bed.”

He laughed andbrushed a lock of hair from the side of her face, trailing his fingers delicately along her scalp.“I would never do that to any woman.”

“You’re a gem.”

“Even if you snore, I’m sure it’d be more cute than anything.”

Ava relaxed into his cuddle,tucking her damp head beneath his chin. The apricot and lemongrass conditioner left her air smelling like an orchard he blissfully wanted to escape toand live forever.

“Thank you for this,” Ava cooed sweetly.

He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her tighter.“Goodnight, Ava.”

16

“So, do you likeher?” Starla asked, shoveling an awkward forkful of spaghetti into her mouth.

“You’retooyoung for me to be talking about this kind of stuff with,” Will muttered, swirling more spaghetti around his fork.

“I’m six years old. That’spractically an adult.”

Will snorted. “Well then. Since you’re anadult, we should discuss you paying rent.”

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