Page 104 of Honest With You

To which she answered without a second thought, “Room service.”

Now we’re standing on opposite sides of the elevator, our eyes never leaving each other. Her hair is mussed up from when I tugged at it. I imagine mine looks the same but I can’t get myself to move an inch to try and fix it. I had gone so long without her and now that she’s given me the green light, all my energy is spent on controlling every single urge I have not to take her against these walls.

Her lips are now devoid of the dark stain that I’m sure I’m wearing on either my lips or neck now.

She’s fighting a smile but I sense the nerves radiating from her. Making me wonder if she’s second guessing herself, doubting her decision to give in to our inevitability.

Ava has a tendency to get too into her head, so I know she’s currently waging a war in that beautiful mind of hers.

A ding slices through the silence between us and I follow her out. As soon as we get to our suite, I stop at the doorway.

“Ava.”

She looks over her shoulder at me, her eyes hot with unbridled lust but also with a slight twinge of hesitation. And that’s what gets to me. No matter how hot I’m burning for her right now, if waiting until she’s at a 100 percent is my penance for ruining us, then I’m prepared to do whatever she needs me to do to get there.

I start with a little honesty.

“Ava.”

Her eyebrows meet in question as she waits for me to continue.

“I need to tell you something that might piss you off.”

Tilting her head and sighing, she tosses her purse into the room without waiting to see where it lands. Leaning on the door jamb, she gives me her undivided attention.

“Let me guess. You’re still with Margaret?” There’s an edge of sarcasm in her tone so I know she’s half joking, but it doesn’t lessen the sting of the jab.

I shut my eyes for a moment, overwhelmed with the knowledge that the wounds I caused cut so deep. “We’re going to circle back to that, but…”

I box her in, no longer caring to give her personal space because I’m suddenly feeling frantic. I know that if she told me no, I would have to leave.

“I need to remind you of what I said earlier.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m willing to do anything I have to do to be with you.”

“I’m not following.”

I blow a breath out and my hand rests on her hip, squeezing once before I let it fall off.

“My mom still lives in San Diego.”

She quirks an eyebrow, jutting her chin out and resting her head against the wall. She looks at me confused. “I don’t—” Then realization dawns and she pushes against the wall. “Wait a minute… Does that mean–?” She pauses to look inside the room, then back at me. “You could have stayed in your own house this whole time?”

“One more thing but please don’t be mad at him.” I smile at her sheepishly. “Your dad also helped orchestrate things. He made sure we only had three hotel reservations and that the compound would be out of commission.”

“He what?” The disbelief is evident in her tone but she doesn’t look mad, so I keep going.

“He wanted to help right some wrongs for both of us, Ava. He made us film here so you would stop hiding.”

She shakes her head in awe. “Why am I not surprised? You were always his favorite godson.”

I trace her jaw with my thumb. “He’s been more of a father to me than my own these last few years. He knows how much I care about you and he also sees what you try to hide from, Ava.”

I cup her cheek, and she leans into my touch, making my heart beat faster and my chest tighten with emotion.

“And what’s that?”

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