Page 62 of Maid in Heaven

Will’s expression turned serious, and he shoved his hands into his pockets.“I’m trying so hardnotto bethat guy anymore. I want something different.Something deep. Something real. And I can’t figure out what that is if I’m just focusing on getting in someone’s pants.”He stepped closer. “Look, I’m no prude. It’s not like I’m saving myself for marriage or anything. But, you… I don’t know. You seem… special.”

His cobalt eyes met hers, and she felt her knees buckle. She leaned against her Denali to save her from falling.

“I do?”

“Yes!” he saidwith a laugh into the air. “Ava, I’m trying to take this slow and get to know you because… I don’t want this to be just some fling. I think you’re fucking amazing. And I’m not here to just play games or add to my body count. I… I want awife. I want real love.”

Silence filled the frozen air between them.

“I enjoy spending time with you,Ava. You’re fun and bubbly and spontaneous. You’re notafraid to take a risk and look like a fool sometimes. You’re different than anyone I’ve ever met, andif I kiss you…”

“If you kiss me…what?” Ava asked, feeling her stomach flip as she waited for the answer.

“If Ikissyou, I swear to God, Ava, with lips like yours, I won’t be able to stop.”

Ava felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her body felt like a furnace suddenly, as if she might look down and see a circle of snow melted down to the grass beneath all around her.

“You are so fuckingbeautiful. And the fact that you are a teensy bit of amessdrives me crazy,in agoodway. I just… I don’t wanna screw this up.”

Ava nodded and smiled. “I can respect that.”

“Thank you.” Will stuffed his hands into his back pockets, spreading the lapels of his jacket open enough for her to glimpse the shirt clinging to his firm chest beneath.

“So, if not a kiss… thenhow do we end a date as nice as this? Fist bumps? High-five? Is this a slap-on-the-ass ’good game’situation?”

Will laughed. “We say goodbye, and you text me the next night you’re free so I can take you out again.”

Ava smirked, blushing. “Goodbye, Will Jessup.”

“Goodbye, Ava Quinn.” He smiled back and blew her a kiss from across the parking lot.

She caught it and held it close to her heart

20

Will let the showerrain down on his muscles. The chilled water did nothing to soothe his throbbing hard-on. His mind raced back to the moment Ava had asked him about not putting the moves on her. In his fantasy, he lunged, pressing her against her SUV and kissing her with every ounce of passion in his body, hands roaming over the curves of her sweater, feeling her knee slide against his rigid cock as he pressed against her. He’dwanted to pick her up,right then and there,and fuck her in the back seat until the windows fogged into an opaque wall of gray.

He stroked himself, imagining her silken tongue sliding against his before moving his mouth to herbreast. His groin swelled to the point of pain at the thought.

He needed her.

Needed to bewithher.

Needed to beinside ofher...

He pumped with an eager hand, aching for relief. He braced against the shower tilesand pictured Ava’s lips andtongue sliding downhishardened shaft.He let the shower water blast against his face as his orgasmbuilt.

His mind flitted to rubbingher pussy through the fabricof her panties. Pulling them to the side and slipping a finger into the wetness beyond. He imagined buryinghis face between her legs, lapping up every drop of heras she begged for more.

“Fuck,” he growled quietly into the tile, water caressing his open lips. He came so hardhe had to hold the soap dish to keep from collapsing, flexing every muscle of his body as each lustful spurt swirled down the drain. A clarity befell him, and his body relaxedto a zen-like level, temporarilysated. It was the fifth time in three days he’d touched himself to the thought of her.

21

Will lay in bedwith boxers on, flipping through the social media apps on his phone, listening to Starla’s gentle snoring from the next room when his phone chimed, and a text alert popped up at the top of his screen from his best friend, Barrett.

BARRETT: Sup dink? When are we gonna hit the gym? Doc finally cleared me for exercise again.

He stared at it for a moment and set the phone down in his lap. The device chimed again. Another notification lit up the screen: a message from Ava.

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