Beautiful Innocence (9 page)

I become a laughing, crying mess as I squirm under his torturous fingers.

“Uncle Joshie, what are you doing to Miss Ava?” Lily peeks her sweet little face down, running her eyes over the two of us, as the tears stream down my face.

“Yeah, Uncle Joshie, what
are
you doing?” I manage to eek out the words between screaming and laughing.

“Lily is the only one that I allow to call me that.” He reaches back and swoops her down right beside me and begins the torture all over, but this time he only tickles my left side. From the way Lily is screaming he is tickling her right.

The high screech of an alarm halts all movement. Josh springs off both of us and, runs down the stairs taking two at a time. The two girls cover their ears while AJ starts crying as he pushes his toy fire truck back and forth.

“Oh, god,” I yell as I quickly jog downstairs. “My cupcakes.” Smoke is swirling through the kitchen and Josh is busy opening every window downstairs trying to clear out the distinct smell of burnt food.

I skid to a stop in front of the oven and grab a mitt to pull them out. “Oh, shoot,” I cry.

The distinct cries of two sad, little girls follow a minute later. Josh picks them both up and hushes them. “Annabelle, you hush now. Do I need to remind you that you lied to Miss Ava, and you, you little squirt,” he kisses Lily on her cheek. “Didn’t I see a few cookie crumbs in your mouth two seconds ago?”

They both shift in his arms and look at me. “Sorry, Miss Ava.” Josh looks rather pleased with himself, but I pretend not to notice him, even though I want to smother him in kisses. “It’s okay girls, next time I’ll be more prepared.”

JOSH

I feel like a thirteen year old boy with his first real hard on. And just like when I was thirteen, I have no fucking clue what to do with it. Normally this is a no brainer. Take her home, screw for a few hours, and then send her packing. I can’t do this with her and I know it. Maybe she even knows it. I don’t know. The one thing I do know is that she is like the damn forbidden apple to Adam and Eve and I want to take bite after bite until it’s all gone, without thinking about any of the consequences. I know once I take that first mouthful, my demise is surely soon to follow. That’s probably what keeps holding me back. I haven’t felt this way about anyone since I was fifteen damn years old. And it’s fucking frightening, yet exhilarating, to have my heart feel like it’s working again toward the opposite sex.

The cupcakes are ruined, and I take the blame for distracting her, but I can’t say I’m sorry. I don’t even know what I was thinking lifting up her shirt like I did. I couldn’t even blink seeing her soft skin peeking out from under her t-shirt. I’m positive if Lily hadn’t come out and cock blocked me, I would’ve taken Ava right there on top of the steps. There really is only so much one man can take, and this little angel is too tempting to wait much longer. This isn’t my game. She is holding all the cards as no girl has ever held them before. I start to admit to myself that she’s wrapping herself around my finger because I’m letting her, not because she wants to.

I hear her tell the girls to go watch television and watch her rock AJ softly as she hums to him while he sucks his thumb gazing up at her. “Hey, I’m going to just heat up the pizza.” She registers it, but barely, or at least that’s how she’s playing it by her slight reaction. I start to head to the oven, but stop to watch her as she sings softly into AJ’s ear, calming him down from his earlier tantrum from the alarm going off. Smiling, I turn. I’m totally screwed. I love at the most ten people, and she seems to be touching at least half of them within three weeks of being here.

After two Dora episodes and one very bad episode of some very weird character called LaLa, Ava looks over to me. “I’m going to put him down.”

AJ has been passed out on Ava for at least an hour, and as much as I love that little stinker, I’m envious. I’m actually jealous of a two-year old right now. He’s touched her more than I have.

Ava takes off and the girls pounce on me. “Uncle Joshie can you please tell us the story about the princesses again?”

Two years ago I came up with a story for Annabelle and Lily that is a cross between Snow White and Red Riding Hood, using their names, and the girls just took to it. So I begin…

“And Princess Belly and Princess Lily lived happily ever after.” Belly is Dane’s nickname for Annabelle, which I decided to name her princess, because she shines as bright as a beacon whenever she hears her daddy call her that.

Clap, clap, clap comes from behind me. I don’t turn.

“That was my short version. I’m tucking them in. Meet me downstairs in five.”

Ava doesn’t say one word, but I hear her feet on the wooden stairs as she heads down.

By the time I get back down from telling the story one more time, and they make me do the long version, Ava is sprawled out on the couch asleep. Those little monsters, I can never say no to them. I don’t know how long I stand there and watch her before the lights of Dane’s truck break my stare.

The porch door swings open and I pull away.

“Hey, I didn’t know you were coming,” Ashton says, kissing me on my cheek as she comes in. “We could’ve saved fifty bucks.”

I grab my keys off the table. “It was nothing. Just making sure Ava can handle those little squirts.”

Just as I’m walking out, Dane steps in with a grin on his face. “Hey, bro. Hope we gave you enough time.”

“Shut the fuck up.” I slam the door behind me and jump into my truck to take off.

~~~

Shuffling papers on my desk at the office, I can’t get my mind off of her. I’ve managed to avoid her for two painfully long weeks. Ever since I met her it’s been all about her, too fast. Because if one sweet little kiss goodnight has me feeling the way I am, and as much as I want to see where it leads, it’s too much. I force the guys to meet at a different bar on Thursday night. Everything about helping sit with my brother’s kids was intense. It was too close to home and too close for comfort. I can’t decide if I want to make her mine and see where it takes us, or if I want to run for the hills to never see her again.

When the phone rings beside me I answer on automatic. “Woods.”

“This is detective Marley from Annapolis, I believe you’ve looking into a Lori Scott.”

My throat catches and I try to find my voice but it’s not there.

“Uh, can I speak to a Dane or a Josh Woods?”

Sitting straighter and now on alert I respond. “Yeah, it’s Josh Woods. Go ahead.”

“I wish I was calling with better news, but someone turned in the wallet of Lori Scott three days ago. I’m sorry I’m just now reaching out.”

“So, that’s it? A wallet?”

“Yes, sir. We confiscated it off a bum that we pulled off the street. He said he found it in a trash can, but since it still had a couple bucks in it he took it.”

“So the whereabouts of Lori is still unknown?”

“It would seem so.”

“What else was it the wallet? Where did you pick up the bum?

“Nothing out of the ordinary. A couple credit cards, no cash, and one photo of a girl. That’s it. He was picked up in the city, here.”

“Okay,” I mumble.

I tell Dane and Jason, but we decide it’s too soon to divulge anything without any proof that something is seriously wrong with her mama. Part of me knows she isn’t coming back, and I think they feel the same, but all three of us agree on one thing—no one wants to be the one to break her heart. There are too many what ifs at this point. Maybe she ditched it. Maybe she’s living under a fake alias, or maybe she was mugged. Without any hard evidence we can’t say for sure at this point.

Angie calls me late in the evening after day sixteen of not seeing or speaking to Ava. She’s frantic and I can barely get a clear word out of her other than Ava’s scared. I jump into my truck and head straight for the bar. I never make it inside.

Ava barrels out with tears streaming down her face and slams into my chest. “Hey, what’s wrong? What’s going on?” I search her face, but she’s crying and snotty and I can tell not happy to see me.

She slams her fist into my chest. “Go to hell, Joshua.”

When she tries to storm past me, I grab onto her elbow. “I asked you a question, Ava. What’s up?”

“I need to get out of here. Can you drive me?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” She hurries to the passenger door of my truck. Before I can help her up she uses the step bar and hoists herself in. I take a second to appreciate how good she looks getting into my Chevy—too fucking good.

I’m terrified to ask what is going on after that call we got and Angie’s lack of information. Ava hasn’t looked at me since she ran into me, but she doesn’t need to. “Where we going?”

She shakes her head and crosses her arms over her chest. “Anywhere.”

As fast as a bullet we’re off, hitting the main road while I figure out how to approach this sudden onslaught of fear that she’s trying real hard to not let me see. The music is on real low, and Ava is apparently finding the outside very appealing as she hugs herself so tight that I want to stop right there in the middle of the road and grab her to me and tell her that I’ll keep her safe.

“Babe, where do you want me to go? I can take you anywhere.” She turns toward me. She rests her cheek on the headrest, and when I look to my right I notice a tear slip down the side of her face, but she remains silent. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“Can you pullover?” she asks quietly as she continues to stare at me.

I do a quick scan of my surroundings. “Here? Why?”

“Just do it,” she pleads.

I take a right and swing in to a parking lot and head to the back, where it’s empty. It’s late and the stores are all closed except for the supermarket. I throw my truck in park, and then take one huge breath before looking back at her. Those eyes cut right through me when I look into them, and now it’s practically painful not holding her. That little twinge in my chest becomes a little stronger when Ava lifts her cheek from the leather of the seat and leans closer. “Do you like me?” Her words come out in a rush.

I don’t really want to give my hand away so early in the game, but she’s impossible to resist right now with those tears in her eyes. “Yeah, I like you.” I reach over and run my knuckles down the side of her face, taking the moisture of her tears with it.

She leans into my touch like she’s savoring it, like it’s going to be the last time we have this moment. “If I asked you to do something for me would you do it?”

Swallowing, I nod. I’ll do anything she asks of me right now, even it means heading to the slammer and wearing a damn orange jumpsuit the rest of my life. Without taking her eyes off of me, she lifts her shirt up and yanks it over her head.

“Come here.” I grab a hold of her arm and pull her until she’s sitting on top of me. She’s wearing a sweet little skirt, one that I’m very thankful I bought her. I tilt my head back, enjoying the view for a minute as she squirms on top and bites down her lip. She looks behind her and pushes on the steering wheel and then leans down, pressing her mouth on mine.

And I’m gone, just like that.

I pull back from her kiss. “C’mon, this isn’t comfortable.” I throw open the door and help her out before pulling her to the back of my truck. I open the tailgate and hoist her up. Her beautiful legs dangle over as she leans back on the palms of her hands. “You sure, baby, because I don’t think I’m going to be able to hit the brakes once I start with you? I’m barely holding on now.” I’m giving her one chance to shoot me down. I don’t want her to, but if she says no, if there’s even a hint, I’m backing away.

She scoots back up, so I step between her legs, grabbing her ass in my hands. “I’m totally sure,” she whispers in my ear right before I feel her mouth traveling down my face until her lips are back on mine.

I pause to look at her, to appreciate her for a second. “I swear you’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen,” I tell her because I want to and because I can’t keep my thoughts inside as those angel eyes stare back at me. Something snaps, because in two-seconds flat she goes from looking innocent as hell, to passionately grabbing my neck and bringing my mouth down to hers. I moan, running my tongue over hers, tasting the sweetness of her lips, her jaw, to her neck and then back to her delicate lips.

When she buries her face against my neck her lips smother me in small delicate kisses. I’m trying to pay attention to every detail but she makes this sweet little noise that makes me come undone. I’m so completely consumed that I barely register her hands unbuckling my belt until I hear the faint sound of my zipper. I pull her off the tailgate and slip my hand underneath her skirt. Her head drops back as I slip a finger inside of her soaking wet panties. She tilts her head back giving me access to her throat. I lavish her with my mouth, feeling the pounding of her heart, and hearing her pant like she can’t catch any air. I peel down her panties and toss them in the back of my truck. Her nails rake down my back just as my cock springs free when my jeans slide down.

Never in my life have I been so turned on or wanted to be inside someone so badly. Not one word has been spoken in over ten minutes, but enough is being said with each stolen glance, or kiss that she gives me. I know I should stop, or at least slow down and take her gently, but I can’t. My head is screaming at me to slow the pace a notch, but my dick is not listening. Every time she quivers, or makes that little noise, or smiles when she notices me looking into her eyes, I feel like I’m about to explode with feelings that I’m not use to. I scoop her up by her ass and shift her to the side of my truck to have something to prop her up against, never once letting either one of us break the kiss.

Ava’s back is pressed up against my truck, her legs wrapped around my waist and I want to see all of her, but there’s no time. I promise myself I’ll go slowly the next time. Just as that thought sinks in that I’m even considering round two I smile. “Go time, baby.” I warn her quickly and then pull her hips down enough for her to let me sink inside her.

“Oh, fuck, Ava. Jesus, fuck.” I pant. “What the fuck? You’re so tight, so good. Why?” I barely breathe. I feel the immediate barrier break as I ram one more time into her. Her entire body tightens like she’s trying to curl into a ball as I freeze. Two things happen before I can even blink an eye. I realize in my rush to figure out what she feels like, I never put a condom on, which I never forget, and that I’m fucking a virgin in the parking lot of a Piggly Wiggly.