Page 17 of Snowed in with the Grump

But I’m not too beat up about it because I’ve wanted to spend time alone with Ava for a while now.

Ava is curled up on the couch, firelight dancing across her face and casting a warm glow over her skin. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear when she catches me staring.

I smile, enjoying the view. “Are you hungry?”

Ava gazes at me from under her lashes, a smile playing on her lips, her voice a husky tease. “Starving.”

Heat floods me as I remember what we were doing in the kitchen earlier, our bodies pressed close, and her soft gasp as I explored every curve and contour, savoring the taste of her sweet nectar.

Holding her in my arms and tasting her sweetness only makes me want her more. I long to strip her bare, worship her completely, and make her mine the way I've dreamt of for so long.

There’s no going back, but I’ll respect her wishes if she wants me to stop. I need to play my cards right.

Get a grip. Breathe.

My hands curl into fists. Although we're alone in this cozy cabin, hidden away from the world, there’s no need to rush.

It's taken years to get to this point. And a little luck. I want Ava to feel comfortable around me, and I need to earn her trust.

If we go further, it needs to be at her pace, and I won't ruin things now by losing control and making her believe I'm taking advantage of the situation. Because I'm not.

Ava deserves a better experience than having some grunt pawing at her like a beast. I want to show her I'm more than that.

I'll be a gentleman who treasures and protects her, not a brute overcome by passion.

“Come on,” I say, searching for a distraction. “Let's eat.”

I carry the food into the dining room, lit by the crackling fireplace. Ava has already set the table with candles, a bottle of wine, and cloth napkins. She sits opposite and watches me serve generous portions of steaming hot chili.

Her smile disarms me. “It smells delicious.”

I rub my neck, avoiding her earnest gaze. “Thank you for cooking.”

She uncorks the bottle, pouring two glasses. “Team effort.”

“To us,” I say, raising my glass.

She smiles. “To new beginnings.”

My pulse kicks up a notch. She's something else—those eyes that dance when she laughs and a smile that could start a fire.

I shovel a hasty bite into my mouth, and focus my attention on appreciating the moment. Not on the way she looks in flickering candlelight. Or what I want to do when we’re done eating.

I clear my throat, trying to think of a safe topic as she plays with the stem of her wine glass. But my mind keeps wandering. To the curve of her neck, the swell of her lips.

“Carter?”

Heat creeps up my neck. “Sorry, you were saying?”

“Where did you drift to?”

Her hand rests temptingly close to mine on the table. I drain my wine glass, needing something to occupy my hands. “Sorry, just distracted.”

“It looked like you were thinking about something interesting, and I want in on it.”

I meet her curious gaze, hoping my nonchalant tone will satisfy her prying. “Nothing worth sharing.”

Ava’s lips curve into a smile. “How long have we known each other? Talking with me shouldn’t be a chore. I bet if you tried harder, you could charm me.”

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