by KT Shears
Ava knew she was probably right. They had lined up for Shay, too.
‘Maybe,’ she said, grudgingly. ‘But he’s bad news, Elise.’
Elise shook her head.
‘You don’t know that,’ she said. ‘He might not be like him.’
‘They’re all like him,’ Ava said, sadly.
Elise rolled her eyes.
‘That is bullshit and you know it, Ava Duval. You had one bad experience and yeah, it was a bad one, but you know what? Other people get cheated on by people who aren’t sports stars, who are just regular everyday folk, and we just get on with it. We don’t sit there all “woe is me” vowing never to enjoy ourselves again because we got hurt once.’
Ava was taken aback at the ferocity in Elise’s voice.
‘You don’t know what it was like…’ she began.
‘How the hell do you know? I’ve sat here for a year and listened to you talk about Shay bloody Gardiner, watched you make excuses not to meet men or get on with your life, and it’s ridiculous. It’s been a year, Ava. People get cheated on all the time. It’s shit and it breaks your heart, but we just get on with it. I got on with life, so quit being such a martyr all the time. It’s exhausting.’
With that, Elise turned back to her screen. Ava sat, shocked. She wasn’t being a martyr. Shay had broken her heart, how did you just get over it? Maybe Elise could, but Ava wasn’t like that. She felt miserable as she bent her head to her screen to carry on with her work.
***
Asher walked into the large function room, Felipe following. He couldn’t believe he had been roped in to taking the odd little man along with him. He had tried to shrug off the whole event after he had got off the phone to Colin, but Felipe had been having none of it.
‘But you have plus-one, yes?’
‘Well…yeah, but it’s not the type of thing you would enjoy.’
‘Will there be women?’
‘Yes, Felipe, they make up about 50% of the population so I’m guessing there will be at least a few women there.’
‘Then I come, yes?’
Asher sighed. He hoped Felipe would wander off, or get bored and go home, so he could try to speak to Ava. He scanned the room, but couldn’t see her.
‘Why we here anyway, man?’ Felipe piped up, looking around curiously.
Asher sighed. He was going to have to tell him about Ava and the other night.
‘Remember that chick from the other night?’
Felipe nodded, grinning.
‘The one who chucked you out?’
Asher took a deep breath.
‘Yeah, well, I went round to hers a couple of nights ago again.’
‘Oh you wanted another go eh?’ Felipe asked, doing a thrusting motion with his hips.
‘For fuck’s sake man, rein it in. She kicked me out again.’
‘Fuck man, you must have been really bad in the sack.’ Felipe shook his head in wonder.
Asher gritted his teeth. Yep, bringing Felipe had definitely been a mistake.
‘She’s here tonight,’ he said, scanning around again.
‘Wait, wait, wait,’ Felipe said, screwing up his face. ‘So she kick you out two times, yes? And now are you are here to get kicked out a third time? Wow man, she fuck you up good.’
Asher signed but he couldn’t really argue. What the hell was he doing? He was certainly acting like someone who had been fucked up good, Felipe was right.
‘Look, man, just go with it ok?’
Felipe shrugged, lifting a canapé off a passing tray and popping into his mouth.
‘Sure,’ he said, spitting crumbs everywhere.
Asher scanned the room again. Where was she?
***
‘Every time, Elise,’ Ava said, shaking her head as she got out of the cab. ‘You are the most disorganised person I know. Why are we never on time for anything?’
‘I’m sorry,’ Elise wailed, as she got out of the car. ‘I couldn’t find the handbag I wanted, and then I got a hole in my pantyhose and then…’
‘Alright, alright,’ Ava said, shaking her head but laughing at her hapless friend. ‘Come on, let’s just get this over with.’
Elise had apologised for her earlier outburst. Or rather, had apologised for the way she had said it, but not the things she had said. Ava had accepted, knowing there was perhaps a pang of truth in what her friend had said. It had been a year after all, and she didn’t know of anyone else who was still sitting around pining for some dick who had cheated on them a year later. Maybe Elise had a point.
She looked around as they entered the large room, nodding. She was satisfied with the decorations – she had been involved with the planning of the event, and she was glad to see the suggestions she had made had been followed.
‘Hey, it looks great in here.’ Elise was looking around, too, and sounded impressed.
‘Yeah it does,’ Ava said. ‘Now we just have to survive among all the business bores for a ffwe hours.’
‘Urgh.’ Elise pulled a face. ‘I hope we don’t have to sit beside anyone deathly dull.’
Ava shrugged.
‘More than likely,’ she said. ‘Let’s go look at the seating chart.’
As they crossed the room, Elise suddenly stopped, seizing Ava’s arm.
‘What are you doing?’ Ava asked, puzzled at her friend’s reaction.
‘Oh my God, Ava. Promise me you won’t freak out.’
‘What’s wrong? Have they screwed up with the table layouts?’ Ava was annoyed – they had gone through this all time and time again.
Elise shook her head.
‘Your racing driver is here!’
Ava whipped her head round to where Elise was pointing. Oh shit.
‘What is he doing here?’ Ava hissed. He wasn’t looking in their direction and she wondered if she could make a run for it. Probably not in these heels.
‘Wasn’t he on the guest list?’ Elise asked, craning her neck to stare him. ‘God, Ava, he’s really hot. Who’s that funny little guy beside him?’
Ava shrugged. Her heart was pounding. What was Asher Carter doing at her charity benefit? She had seen the guest list – she had been involved in putting it together, for Christ’s sake – she would have known if his name was on it. Surely he couldn’t have wangled himself an invite just for her? No, that would be silly and she was flattering herself. There was obviously a sensible explanation.
He was looking amazing, and she allowed her eyes to roam over him. He was wearing a tuxedo and it fitted perfectly around his muscular body. She could just see the smallest hint of one of his sleeve tattoos on his wrist. He still had that stubble and she remembered the way it had tickled her thighs.
‘What should we do?’ Elise asked, bringing Ava back down to earth.
Ava threw her hands up into the air.
‘I don’t know! This is bizarre. Why, suddenly, everywhere I turn, is that damn racing driver in my face?’
Elise grinned at her.
‘Maybe it’s a sign.’
Ava shot her a filthy look.
***
Asher was beginning to think Colin had made a mistake, and that Ava wasn’t coming. He would kill him – it would be rude to leave now, so he would have to go through the whole evening looking like he and Felipe had come as a couple. This had been an awful idea. He looked away from Felipe, who was rambling on about some girl he had slept with a few weeks ago, and then he saw her.
She almost took his breath away. She was wearing a floor-length, electric blue dress which clung to every curve on her body. It had a split up the side and he saw a tantalising glimpse of one of her long legs. Her hair fell in soft, blonde curls around her shoulders. She was with the woman she had been in when they met in the bar – the woman who had excused herself rapidly, leaving him and Ava to it. He was grateful to her.
‘Holy shit.’ Felipe’s voice came thundering through his thoughts. ‘Is that her?’
Asher had forgotten Felipe hadn’t seen Ava.
He’d been off chasing another of his conquests that night.
‘Yeah.’ Asher swallowed. Suddenly being here didn’t seem like the greatest idea in the world.
‘Man, she looks a bit pissed.’ Felipe observed, seizing another canapé from a waiter as he passed.
She did look a bit pissed, Asher had to admit. He wasn’t sure what he had expected, mind you, given the woman had already thrown him out of her home twice.
‘Shouldn’t we go over?’ Felipe asked, looking oddly at Asher.
‘Yeah I guess we should.’ Asher said, and started towards Ava and her friend, Felipe following behind.
When he reached them, the two women were engaged in a hissed conversation. Asher could tell that it was about him.
‘Hi,’ he said, and they both turned to look at him.
‘Hi,’ Ava said, coolly.
‘Hi! I’m Elise, I don’t think we met properly the other night.’ Ava’s friend, at least, seemed a bit more pleased to see him. She stuck her hand out and he took it.
‘Hi, Elise. Nice to meet you properly. This is my friend, Felipe.’
Felipe came forward, grinning broadly.
‘Beautiful ladies,’ he said, sweeping down and kissing Elise on the hand and then doing the same to Ava. Asher shook his head. He couldn’t believe this guy. To his surprise, Elise blushed and looked away.
Asher felt his arm being grabbed, and let himself be dragged by Ava off to the side, leaving Felipe grinning at Elise. Even though it clearly wasn’t intended to be arousing, the touch of her hand on his arm made him take in a sharp breath.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ she snapped, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him. Her lips were pursed a little, and Asher had to resist the urge to dart forward and kiss her. Man, she did crazy things to his body.
He shrugged at her, and her eyes narrowed.
‘Did you wangle an invite just so you could come and bug me?’
‘Bugging you wasn’t what I had on my mind,’ Asher said, smiling at her. She flushed a little, he was proud to see.
‘Didn’t you get the hint the other night? This- ’ Ava waved her hand between her and Asher. ‘This isn’t going to happen. It was a one-time thing. A very enjoyable one-time thing but still, a one-time thing.’
Ha, so she had enjoyed it. He wanted to ask her to say it louder so Felipe could hear. Maybe then he would stop ribbing him so much.
‘Can’t it be a two-time thing?’ Asher asked, leaning forward. ‘I don’t feel like we are done yet.’
Ava shook her head, fiercely.
‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Why are you even here? Surely a super sports star like you can get any woman he likes.’
The way she spat out sports star surprised Asher. Woman usually liked that he was a racing driver – it was one of his selling points. He hadn’t realised she had known he was a racing driver, anyway. He was sure he hadn’t even mentioned it.
‘What’s being a sports star got to do with what happened with us the other night?’ he asked, confused.
Ava stared at him and he could see something in her eyes. Was it sadness?
‘Everything,’ she whispered, and turned on her heel, leaving him standing on his own as she walked back to Elise and Felipe.
Chapter six
Ava couldn’t believe that not only was Asher here, he had somehow managed to fix it so he and his stupid friend were sitting at her and Elise’s table. This was a nightmare, surely. Even worse, Elise was chatting away to them like they were all old friends. She also seemed to be flirting with Asher’s odd companion. She had truly left the normal world and entered some sort of bizarro-land.
She listened to their chat and was surprised by how articulate and at-ease Asher seemed to be. He was laughing and joking, and a few times she had to suppress a smile herself at one of his jokes. He and Felipe were ridiculous together, and she couldn’t believe it when Asher said they had only known each other a couple of weeks.
‘You’re like an old married couple,’ she piped up, forgetting she was meant to be sitting there in a bad mood, studiously ignoring them. Asher turned to look at her, and she had to stop herself from losing herself in his deep, brown eyes.
‘I’ll be filing for divorce any day now,’ he said, shaking his head. That had made her laugh, despite herself. He paused for a moment, obviously considering how to keep the conversation going.
‘I’m sorry I came here without telling you,’ he said, looking at her intently. ‘I don’t usually do stuff like this.
Ava raised an eyebrow and he burst out laughing.
‘I don’t, honestly. I think it’s because you kicked me out – no one’s ever kicked me out before. Certainly not twice.’
‘I didn’t kick you out,’ Ava protested. ‘I just asked you to leave.’ And she had to laugh along with Asher then as he shook his head.
‘That’s the same thing,’ he said.
‘Well, perhaps,’ she said. ‘Sorry if it hurt your feelings.’
‘It didn’t hurt my feelings,’ Asher said, looking at her with that intent gaze again. She felt like she was under some sort of x-ray machine when he looked at her; felt like everything she thought was laid bare for him to see. ‘But I meant what I said before – I really enjoyed myself the other night and I wanted to see you again.’
Ava sighed. She didn’t want to be rude, but how could she explain that it just wasn’t going to happen?
‘I’m not looking for anything right now,’ she said. What she actually meant was ‘I’m not looking for anything with someone who is a professional sports star,’ but she didn’t want to get in a discussion about Shay and how he had hurt her.
‘I’m not asking you to marry me,’ Asher said, cocking an eyebrow at her. ‘I’m not looking for anything either. But we had fun, didn’t we?’
Ava had to admit he was right. She had been thinking about their night – well, hour or two – together for the past few days, and as she looked at him, she felt a fluttering in her stomach…and further down.
‘It was fun,’ she said, sighing. ‘But if we do it again, then again, it becomes harder to stay emotionally detached. And I don’t want either of us getting hurt. I’m a no-relationship area, it will never happen, you need to know that.’
Asher nodded.
‘I get that,’ he said, ‘and that’s fine by me. Can’t we at least give it a go? No strings, and either of us can end it when we like. Just sex?’
Ava considered. It was a tempting offer – she wanted to explore his body again, run her hands over those muscles and tattoos. And she knew she could stay emotionally detached – her desire never to get involved with a sports star again was off the charts, so there was no risk of her falling in love. And surely, surely Asher wouldn’t fall in love? Not a chance, it would probably last a couple of weeks and then he’d move on to someone else. And that would be fine.
‘I don’t know,’ she said, hesitantly.
Asher gave her a roguish wink and she felt her resolve weaken. Screw it, one more night couldn’t hurt, surely.
‘Okay,’ she said, sternly. She couldn’t quite believe she was agreeing to this, but he had said no strings, after all. Maybe that’s what she needed – some good, no-strings fun. ‘And there are rules. No getting attached – that goes for both of us, although I’m sure that won’t be an issue for you anyway. No romantic stuff, no phone calls just to “chat” and definitely no flowers and chocolates. This is not, and will never be, a relationship. I like your body, you seem to like my body, so let’s mutually appreciate them and then go our separate ways. Got it?’
***
Asher listened to her reel off the rules, not really paying attention. Ava had said yes to another night with him. He knew she would. He glanced around to see if Felipe had been paying attention, but he was deep in conversation with Ava’s friend, Elise. He shook his head – what was that dude’s secret?
He noticed Ava was looking at him expectantly and racked his brains trying to re
member what she had just said.
‘Sounds fine,’ he said, not really having any idea what he had just agreed to.
Ava nodded, looking satisfied.
‘So,’ Asher said, leaning back in his chair and giving her a smug grin. ‘Do you want to come back to mine after this?’
She shook her head.
‘Mine,’ she said. ‘That’s another rule – you come to mine and leave when I tell you.’
‘Shall I leave my balls on the bedside table for you, too?’
Geez, she needed to loosen up. He had a few ideas about how to go about getting her to do just that.
‘That won’t be necessary,’ Ava said, sounding prim. ‘Your friend and my friend seem to have hit it off.’ She gestured at Felipe and Elise. ‘How do you know him?’
Asher shrugged.
‘He’s my race teammate.’
‘Oh.’
He felt her clam up again, and wondered if this was related to the weirdly irrational hatred she seemed to have for anyone involved in sports. What was her deal?
‘He’s a bit of a weirdo,’ Asher admitted and that made her smile, at least.
‘Elise isn’t exactly conventional,’ Ava said.
‘How do you know her?’
‘Just through work. She took me under her wing when I moved here a year ago and we’ve become pretty close friends.’
‘Where were you before here?’
‘New York,’ Ava said, and looked away quickly. More mystery, Asher thought. This was all quite intriguing.
‘Nice. I’ve just moved here myself. I’ve visited before, for races and stuff, though. I just moved in to a new apartment. Man, houses are expensive here.’
Ava nodded.
‘They really are. I’m lucky – Madison Flare pay for my apartment. Otherwise I’d be living in a box. Surely money is no object for you, though?’
Asher laughed.
‘Well I’m not exactly poor,’ he admitted, ‘but it’s only my first year, I’m on a fairly low salary, compared to some of the others.’
‘Hmm.’ Ava didn’t sound convinced.
‘You don’t have a husband or boyfriend, do you?’ Asher asked, suddenly. He remembered the other night and the urgency with which she had pushed him out the door. The last thing he wanted was to get a punch in the face from some dude in a suit. That was probably the kind of person she would be with. To his surprise, the thought of Ava being with another man made him feel angry. And he was relieved when she shook her head.
