Page 23 of Taming Her

“When did you last see him?”

Ouch. It hurt to say it. But she did. “The week before Christmas, we stayed at the Ritz in London. Went shopping.”

“Very fancy.” He paused. “So what did you doatChristmas? You saw him again?”

She bit on her bottom lip. “No. I went to my friend Mel’s, she had all her family round.”

He nodded. “She’s a good friend, but not good enough.”

“She’s the best.” Ava bristled and stepped away. She adored Mel. She’d also had enough of Griff and she’d only been awake a few minutes. Her clothes had to be around here somewhere.

He set his coffee aside and stood. “A good friend would tell you to get yourself some goals. You can’t party forever.”

“Perhaps I can, Mr. Policeman who has a career all planned out.”

“I do, yes, I’m hoping to make detective sergeant next year.”

“Bully for you.” Damn it. Where were her clothes? Bastard had hidden them. She’d had on her little red number… or had it been the purple one? She glanced at her thong. Ah, yes, the purple one. “I need to get dressed.”

“No, you don’t. You need to have a shower to get the club off your skin, the smoke from your hair, and then some proper nourishment inside you.” He flapped his arm over her body. “A bit of meat on your bones would do you good.”

“How bloody dare you?”

He did that maddening thing with his eyebrows again. Lifting just the right one. “You’re annoyed because I’m telling the truth, Ava?”

“I’m annoyed because you think you can waltz back into my life after all this time and boss me about.” She slammed her hands on her hips and jutted out her breasts. “And I’ll have you know this body is the envy of many.”

“I’m sure, but I want you a fraction heavier, it’s not normal to see all your ribs.”

She looked downward. Maybe she had lost weight since Christmas. Certainly none of her clothes were tight and she had started ordering a dress size down.

“En suite is through there.” He gestured to a door on the other side of the window. “Shower then get your ass downstairs. I’ll leave more suitable clothes on the bed.”

“I wantmyclothes and—”

“You will do as you’re damn well told, Ava,” he shouted. “It’s clear you have no idea what is good for you, but luckily I do.”

Her mouth hung open.

“And whatever you’re thinking of saying, don’t. It would be pretty hard for me to be any more disgusted or disappointed in the way you’re conducting yourself but I guess you could stoop lower.” He glared at her.

She closed her mouth.

“Shower. Food.” He pointed at the door to the en suite again. “Don’t be long, breakfast will be waiting.”

He turned and strode from the room, his bare feet silent on the carpet.

The moment the door shut behind him, an aloneness wrapped around Ava. It was weird. It was like Griff’s presence was more than just the physical. He was a force—a force to be reckoned with.

Deciding a shower actually was a good idea, she headed into the plush en suite and flicked on a large walk-in rain shower. She guessed it had to be big; Griff was on a size different scale to the other men in her life.

After slipping off her thong, she stood beneath the warm spray and let it soak through her hair.

The other men in her life. There were none of note, hadn’t been for a long time. She flitted from guy to guy, no one holding her interest. Once, a few years ago, she’d introduced Toby—a hot young chef with a new TV show—to her father on one of his rare visits home.

But Daddy had said he was wet behind the ears, that he wouldn’t be able to handle Ava. She’d dumped Toby the next day. Then later on had seen him on TV, all smiles and charm, and tried to figure out what he’d been lacking. He’d always been polite, kind, funny, sweet.

Too sweet?

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