Page 98 of Honest With You

There’s a spark in her when we’re near each other. Her eyes flick to my dimple whenever she pretends to force herself to look at me. I see the longing and pain in her eyes when our eyes meet.

I know it’s hard for her to be back here in San Diego when she left the first chance she got. Now that she’s back, I’m determined to remind her of us. And I’m desperate enough to ask for help.

Hence the room situation and the sudden change of venue.

Because like it or not, Ava will forever be the consummate professional. Which is why she handed Mickayla and Chuck their room keys with a smile on her face and urged them to order room service on her and take it easy, since we’re doing another early morning shoot tomorrow.

Those two scampered off to their rooms as soon as they could, but I stayed put. If I had popcorn, I’d be eating it right now while I watch my ex/boss/soon-to-be-girlfriend-again try to talk her way out of this.

She stalks back inside and I can see the argument in her expression, so I grab the handle of her suitcase, gliding it towards the elevators so she has no choice but to follow me there. She’s mumbling to herself as she moves to grab it from me. I gently nudge her to the doors of the elevator as it opens, ignoring her request to pull her own bag. She reluctantly enters, not wanting to draw more attention to herself. I follow behind her and hit our room floor before she changes her mind.

Which she does halfway through our journey up to the top floor.

“I can’t do this. I’m going home.” She’s shaking her head adamantly, her hand already reaching into her purse to grab her phone.

I sigh and take her purse from her, sliding it on my shoulder.

“I’ll take the couch, Ava. It’s like I’m not even there.” The elevator dings and we exit to our floor, heading for the executive king suite. She fishes the keycards from her suit jacket because yes, my girl wears suits now and she looks so damn hot.

Reluctantly, she waves me in first. As soon as we enter the room, she slams it shut, leaning her back on it.

“We need rules.”

I shrug, suddenly wary. “You're the boss, right? Go ahead.”

Licking her bottom lip, Ava sighs as she pushes off the door. She sets her purse on the counter in the kitchenette and drops down on the barstool. She folds her arms and arches an eyebrow. I heed her silent request and perch on the arm of the couch opposite her.

But she doesn’t say a word, her eyes straying behind me at the couch which she eyes with disdain.

“Ava?”

“Jesse, you’re six feet tall and that couch is like four or five feet, tops. How on earth will you fit on that?”

I shrug. “I’ll make it work. I’ve slept on worse.”

Her eyebrows pull together and I can see the battle in her. She wants to ask me what I mean by that, probably asking me questions about how my life has been for the last six years, but the stubbornness wins and she shakes her head. She tilts her head, eyeing the room to the right.

“It’s a California king…” She trails off and without thinking twice, I stride over to her, take her chin and tilt it so she’s looking at me.

“There’s no way in hell, I’m going to let you sleep on the couch. I’ll sleep on the floor. In the car. Anywhere else before I let you sleep somewhere other than that bed right there.”

My eyes trail down to her lips, just inches from my thumb clasping her chin. I give in and trace her lower lip with it before letting it slide over her jaw and neck. I pause when I reach her pulse, satisfaction rising in me when I see the goosebumps my touch left in its wake.

She lets out a sharp breath.

“Jesse…”

“Ava.”

Her chest lifts on a breath and she pulls on my wrist. I let my arm fall, missing the feel of her skin against my fingertips.

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“What then?” I challenge.

“I was going to say we can share a bed for six days. It’s not like we haven’t before.”

I force myself to calm down and not sink to my knees like I desperately want to, in front of this girl who’s owned a huge chunk of me since I was thirteen. I need to stay calm to get through this, but I can’t help the fact that I'm grinning like a fool. I’m aware of it and ashamed of it but damn, this girl never fails to surprise me.

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