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“It’s not what you think.”

I raise my eyebrows at her, “so you weren’t cleaning his desk after hours?”

“You are so disgusting,” she said getting up.

Reaching out I grab her wrist, “I’m sorry, come on sit. Tell me about it, seriously”

“There isn’t much to tell. It wasn’t the best decision on my part and as soon as I realized it, I broke it off and he …” Her mood shifts suddenly as her mind obviously wanders elsewhere.

“He what? Don’t stop there the story is just getting good.”

“He left me alone when I needed him the most. But it didn’t matter my best friend Kyle and I wanted to start our own business anyway and there happen to be some opportunities in Atlanta that helped us get started.”
Well that story went nowhere good.

“Aren’t you hot in all that?” I said waving my hand up and down at her body.

“Ummm yea, a little, but I didn’t know what would be appropriate.”

“Appropriate? You mean appropriate for sitting in a cabin alone with me?” She nods. “Don’t worry about it, get comfortable. I promise I don’t mind or care”

“Maybe before we go to bed,” she says nervously.

“Sleeping with me again tonight are you? Maybe this time you can end up on top.” I joked but her wide eyes nearly come out of her skull. “Only kidding, calm down. Damn.” She curls up in a ball in her chair covering herself even more. “So tell me more about you.” I listen to her sweet voice as I gaze over her body, making mental notes of things I want to do to her, places I want to concentrate on.

“What the hell are you doing?” She asked suddenly.

I jump at the sound of her voice. “Nothing why?”

“You look like you were having a little too much of a good time. Do you need for me to give you some alone time?” She giggled through her held down bottom lip.

“No. Keep talking.” I huffed.

“No, it’s your turn to share. Tell me about all those supermodels you have dated,” she asked me with sincere curiosity.

“Which one in particular, there has been quite a few?” I stick my chest out like the man I am.

She laughs, “oh my gosh, only wanting some dirt stud. Don’t get too excited about yourself again.”

“Again?”

“The plane.”

“The plane?”

“Yea on the plane, you acted like I should lick your boots or something.”

“Lick my boots? No wonder you don’t have a boyfriend. Do you go around licking people’s boots very often?”

“No, it’s a saying.”

“I haven’t ever heard of it. I think you made it up.”

“I did not, my grandfather uses it all the time.”

“Your grandfather, well that makes since then.” I laugh at her while she growls folding her arms and looking away from me. It is comical and cute as hell, especially the growl.

“Okay I get it, I treated you like an annoying groupie.”

“Yes,” she said turning towards me again.

“Well I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have acted like that.”

Her face brightens, “thank you. Okay so tell me.”

“Which one do you want to know about?” I asked smiling at her with more want than I care to admit at this moment.

“The last one, she was so beautiful why in the world did you break up with her?”

“She’s too into herself and she isn’t that smart honestly. She bored me to tears, not much behind the good looks.”
And she certainly
does not
have your body.

“I’m surprised you didn’t find her sexy enough for it to even matter that she’s boring.”

I reach for my glass and pour another drink. “Honestly Ava, I haven’t met anyone as sexy as you.” I stop to wink at her before taking a drink. “Ava?”

“I heard you,” she said folding over herself again.

“I was joking with you Ava. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You were joking, so you don’t think that about me?”

“Honestly, I haven’t thought about it.” I ease out the next statement carefully, “I guess, you have sexy qualities about you.”

“Like what?”

“Can we change the subject? I do not feel comfortable with this conversation. This happens to me a lot with you I’ve noticed.”

“Please tell me, I promise I won’t fall in love with you and become an annoying groupie.” She says sitting at the edge of her seat and staring at me fixedly.

I gaze over her, “that piercing is nice.”

“My diamond?” She asked lifting her shirt to show it.

“Yes, what’s the story with that?”

“It made me feel like I had taken back control of my life.”
Not sure
,
what she means by that but it doesn’t look like
she is
going to explain it.

“Why the diamond?”

“My friend Kyle picked it out, it’s a little too showy for me but he said it would drive guys crazy for some reason,” she said as if she doesn’t believe it herself.

“Well it does, I would say that’s one thing about you that drives men crazy.”
It drives me nuts.
I am
not even sure why, I hope she doesn’t ask.

“What else?” She sits up straight eyeing me a little harder.
Okay you asked for it.

Sitting my drink down, I get up to lean down over her while she scoots to the opposite side of her chair. “What are you doing?” I laugh.

“What are you doing?” She said watching my hands carefully.

“Sit still for a few seconds please … trust me.” I wait for her to unclench her jaw before caressing her face in my direction and gaze over her face appreciatively. Her breathing becoming heavier as I sweep my fingers gently over her cheek. “Ava you have the sweetest face and the most hypnotizing sapphire eyes and your hair.” Running the backs of my fingers down one side of her face gently and pushing the edges of her hair to one side, I take a soft breath against her neck. “Your hair is more beautiful than any sunset I have ever seen, not to mention your full, soft pink lips,” I said tracing my finger around her chin and grazing the outer edge of her bottom lip. Pleased with myself I sit back in my chair enjoying watching her gasp for breath. “Not to mention your incredibly sex body.” Her eyes widen. “Happy?” Getting up smoothly, I move back to my chair and take a drink, watching her.
Now if I did my job right she will be in my lap straddling me in no time.
I adjust expectantly, “Ava? Sweetheart, are you okay?” I ask rubbing my smile away so as not to look too obvious.

“Do you know we met once before?” She whispers.

“What are you doing?” I ask confused.

Her shoulders sink with a cock of her head, “I was trying to tell you about when I first met you.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about? When you first met me?”
Nor why
you are
talking at all and not over here in my lap.

“In New York.” I shake my head as she continues to explain her story to me. “We both lived there at the same time. You probably don’t remember, I am sure you don’t remember seeing me since I was so covered up but you rescued me. You pulled me out of the way of a mob of girls trying to get to your brother.” She gulps as my smile disappears and the confusion turns to anger. “I was standing in front of an Italian restaurant,” she pauses looking away from me. “That place always had the most incredible smells,” she said closing her eyes and taking in a breath with a smile. “Silly but we were so poor then, all I had was my fantasy food.” She finds my eyes again and pushes her lips into an innocent smile. “You don’t remember do you? It was a few minutes but when you pulled me out of the way, you held me so tight and when I looked into your eyes they were so.” She says with a dreamy expression. “Wonderful and warm. I couldn’t believe how incredible one moment could feel,” she looks back at me and pauses to clear her throat. “Anyway I wanted to tell you that,” she shrugs without looking at me.

“Why?” I asked harshly.

“Because you said all those nice things about me and I wanted to tell you something nice about you. You made me feel so good that day, I thought you might like to know that it meant something to me. The moment anyway not that I am trying to make it more than what it was but that encounter got me through some really tough times.” She shrugs again looking at me with a wary smile. “And now you carried me off a burning plane. How crazy is that?”

“What do you want from me?” I seethe at her.

“Nothing.”

“Then why are you telling me this … story?” I asked waving my hands at her.

“I told you. I thought it might make you feel good that you were a part of a special moment for me.”

“You are such a typical fucking groupie!”

“I’m not a groupie. I have not seen you since then or even tried to. I barely remembered that it was you until Kyle reminded me. You weren’t that famous then. You were a regular person like me and that’s how I remembered you until I was reminded that it was … you.”

Huffing, I stand waving off her obvious attempts. “Whatever.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you mad. I promise I don’t expect anything from you.”

“Fine.” I said sitting back down and pouring another drink. She rips the bottle from my hand and pours herself and even bigger drink. “Should you be drinking this much?”

“If you’re drinking then I am too.” I sit back eyeing her with disgust. “You know you don’t have to be such and asshole about it. I didn’t expect it to mean anything to you,” she said tearing up.

“Mean something to me! Baby I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Do you know how many times my brother was chased by mobs of girls? I probably pulled a hundred different girls out of the way,” I steamed, while Ava curls over herself yet again, and downing everything she has. “Fuck, are you going to cry now?” Tears stroll down her cheeks as she shakes her head. “Ahhh damn it! We were having such a nice time. Why did you have to go and ruin it?”

“I didn’t know that I was,” she whispered.

We sit in silence for a time, both drinking what we can to get on to the next moment. “Listen I’m sorry I yelled at you but you wouldn’t believe how many girls make up stories to try to persuade me to be with them or take them out or whatever they are after me for.”

“Well I’m not making it up and I didn’t tell you to persuade you into anything,” she whimpered.

“Fine. I believe you.”

“Besides the moment might have been nice but it wasn’t perfect. I ended up losing my locket that night.”

“Your locket?” I asked unable to look at her.

“My mother’s, it had pictures of her and my father before they died and then me as a baby,” she said unknowingly striking me hard. “Not that you care but her name was Lillah and that locket was all I had of hers and … oh forget it!” She snapped at me. Her blue eyes suddenly meet mine and my heart jumps, like it hasn’t since .... “You know what you’re right it is hot in here, I think I will change.” I stare blankly at her, everything I was planning for tonight is suddenly off the table.
I don’t want anything to do with this girl.
Ava returns wearing an outfit that suits her body much more so than the previous.
Why didn’t she put that on before?
I lean down lowering my head to look at anything other than her. Out of nowhere, she reaches over touching my hand. “Sean, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

I can’t breathe.
“Ava I’m going to bed,” I said getting up quickly but I am not able to take more than a few steps before she grabs my arm.

“Why? Did I upset you that much? I am sorry Sean. I didn’t realize. I was only trying …” I take hold of her face causing a stillness between us that allows me to see her for the first time. My heart continues to pound its way out of my chest as she stands in silence watching me gaze over her, trying to understand what I am feeling.

Without thinking, I move in until I feel her sweet breath against my lips. “It can’t be you,” I whispered into her mouth taking in one lip between mine and then the other. My heart easing its desperate escape, as I go deeper into her mouth, craving even more with every soft touch she returns. My mind explodes and I pull away from her abruptly. “I’m not going to have sex with you Ava. I’m not doing it.” I said turning away from her.
No. I don’t feel anything.
I am
not having anything to do with this girl, it’s not possible … it’s a lie … NO!

“I didn’t ask you to. You kissed me!” She yelled as I pace away from her. “I don’t understand you, you’re like an emotional roller coaster. I can’t figure you out at all.” Continuing to ignore her, she becomes even more emotional. “You are so exhausting no wonder you drink. Have sex with you? Which one of you would that be?” She smacks my arm gaining my full attention. “Damn you Sean, talk about messing up a nice night. Well that was all you
baby
, not me.” She is silent almost long enough for me to turn around and apologize. “I’m going to bed I have had enough of this.” She said huffing her way into bed, while I turn out the remaining lights. “Not that one!” She yelled at me. “Please.” I shrug catching her tear-filled eyes shyly pleading.

“I’ll leave it on. No big deal.” I crawl in next to her as she clings to the opposite edge. “I’m sorry Ava, it is my fault.” I am not sure if she heard me since she doesn’t respond.
I hope she doesn’t expect me to say it again, because
I’m
not. She heard me.
The most annoying woman I have ever met. I don’t even know why I care whether
she’s
mad at me or not.
I spend the rest of the night tossing and turning in the uncomfortable bed. I am not sure how much time passes before I hear her soft murmuring turn into tense flinching. I sit up seeing her lip quivering and her fists clenched.

“I don’t want to be here. I want to go home please. Let me go, please let me go,” she whimpered getting more hysterical by the second. “NO! No, you’re hurting me. STOP!” She screams hysterically fighting me to get a hold of her.

“Ava! Ava … Ava.” I wrap my arms around her, holding her and kissing her cheek until her eyes open filled with tears and that same desperate fear I saw the night before. “It’s okay it was just a dream.” She shakes her head. “Yes it was. It was only a dream. A bad dream.” I clear the tears from her face as she stares at me pitifully.
I am
not sure what she wants or even needs at this moment.
“It’s okay, no one is going to hurt you – not while I’m here.”