by Dawn Martens
Minutes later, I sneak up the stairs and down the hall to Ava’s room and quietly open her door. I see her TV on, but she is fast asleep. I shrug off my shirt and my jeans, pull back the covers, and slide in next to her. I don’t want to spend another night away from her, ever. Sleeping next to her feels right. It feels like home.
Chapter 22
4 years of marriage
Cameron
Zach and Ava have been dating for a year, and I’m so fucking over it. I know they’re supposed to be going out later tonight, but it’s not going to happen. I’m done—done waiting, done pretending, all of it. She’s mine, and tonight, I’m not giving her a choice.
“Hello?” Zach answers.
“Zach, Cameron.”
He sighs. “What?”
“Cancel your date with Ava,” I demand.
He scoffs. “Why would I?”
“Because if you don’t, I’ll have the board vote your father out of the company, and we both know how much he loves his work,” I threaten, making my point clear.
“Fuckin’ bastard. Fine,” he concedes, hanging up, and I smile.
I never would have done that, mostly because his sister, Alana, and Ava are good friends now, and Ava would be upset if I hurt her friend. But I needed to say that to Zach to get him gone. I want Ava, and I’m sick and fucking tired of not having her.
I get home, and she’s typing away at her computer. I go to her, telling her to get dressed because we’re going out. I have plans to take her out for a date, but then I get to reading what she’s currently typing. All thoughts of going on a date fly out the window because I’m not waiting another second to have her.
“Tell me you want me, Ava,” I growl against her lips.
She whimpers as I trail my hands down her sides. “I want you,” she stammers out.
“Finally.” I capture her mouth with mine.
Her tongue melds against mine, and it’s like tasting a glimpse of heaven.
“You been saving yourself for me, my sweet wife?”
“Yes,” she answers, making me the happiest man alive.
“I want you so damn bad, but I don’t want to rush. Gonna take my time with you. It will hurt, but I promise I will make it good for you.”
I spin her chair around fully and pull her up from it as she looks at me, on the brim of tears.
“What’s wrong,” I ask, cupping her cheeks in my hands.
“Nothing. I’m just happy, Cameron.”
I capture her mouth again, taking my time and really tasting her mouth. Her breath tastes of strawberries and peaches from the wine she was drinking. I don’t know why I waited so long for this. I shove the straps of her camisole from her shoulders, exposing the top of her breasts.
My lips travel down Ava’s neck, tasting and pleasuring her. She moans as I roughly grab her breasts, filling my hands. She leans back into me, feeling my firmness against her backside. A shocked gasp leaves her throat.
“See what you do to me, Ava? You drive me wild.”
“About time,” she whispers.
“What?” I ask, but she claims my mouth, making me forget what I was asking.
We make our way to bed, stripping each other bare. She is beautiful. I trace her curves with my tongue, and she trails her fingers down my back as we get used to each other. We’ve shared a house but never a bed, until now.
Her hair fans out over the pillow as I lower my lips to hers and settle my body between her legs. With care, I pleasure her with my fingers, stretching her and preparing for her what is to come. Her legs tremble as I spread her wider.
“Open up and let me in, Ava. Let me guide you.” She responds eagerly, digging her nails into my back.
“I’m ready, Cam.”
I steal a small kiss, taking her mind from the burn she is about to feel as I push in slightly. She bites down on my bottom lip as I push a bit further.
“You okay?”
“Perfect,” she says.
“Perfect,” I say with a broad smile and fill her completely.
She arches up, bucking her hips against mine, meeting me thrust for thrust. I never thought of sex as anything more than getting off, until now. This is what people are talking about when they call sex ‘making love.’ I am making love to my wife, and it feels like nothing I have ever felt before. I never want this feeling to end.
Chapter 23
Present
Ava
Mom comes in my room to fix up my hair. “Are you putting on any makeup?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No, I’m just going to moisturize my face and grab some lip gloss, that’s it.”
She straightens the back of my hair for me, something I never manage to do unless I’m using the iron and a cloth. “There, done,” Mom declares. “The pink is fading already,” Mom observes, frowning.
“I know. I washed it too soon and in warm water after I got it done,” I tell her glumly.
“You’ll just need a touch up because the color suited you. Okay, it’s go time. Cameron is probably waiting for you downstairs.”
“Okay.” I grab my overnight bag, and Mom takes it from me. I woke up this morning, and my body was overheating, but no one was there. I knew that, at one point, Cameron must have come in, though, because the pillow smelled just like him. The thought of him sleeping next to me last night makes me smile.
“Stop daydreaming,” Mom teases, smiling. “Cameron can carry this for you.”
I laugh her off and follow her down the stairs. Cameron has a small bag over his shoulder, and he instantly moves to my mom and takes my bag from her. “Ready?” he asks me.
I nod.
“Have fun. I’d say don’t get pregnant, but well, you already are,” Mom jokes.
“Ha ha, Mother,” I quip.
“She gone yet! I need you, woman,” Dad shouts from the living room.
“Gross!” I shout and hurry out the door. I hear my mom giggling as she shuts the door.
“Your parents sure are characters,” Cameron muses.
“They are gross, old, yucky people,” I inform him.
“No, they’re just in love. I hope we do the same to our child someday.”
I shake my head; he doesn’t get it. If that had been his parents, he’d be grossed out.
“So, where are you taking me?” I ask him as we get into the car.
He grins. “The Sheridan Hotel in town. I only booked it because I saw their room service menu. Plus, I got us a suite.”
I know what that means: a huge hot tub in the room. “Sounds great.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re pulling into the parking lot. As Cameron grabs our bags, I follow him inside. He left earlier today, probably checking in already, since we don’t stop at the front desk for our key.
Once we’re up in our suite, I look around. “Wow, this is amazing,” I whisper.
The hair on my shoulders is swept off, and Cameron places soft kisses on my neck.
“Only the best for you,” he coos. “How about I run us a bath, yeah?”
“Us?”
“You are my wife, and I want to experience everything with you, Ava. I want you to see that I want this to work. I want to be your everything.”
“I want that, too,” I tell him.
I settle on the couch and check through my emails to make sure I haven’t missed any important messages. Cameron calls to me from the bathroom a few minutes later. I walk in to find he has set the most romantic scene, like something out of one of my novels. Candles are lit, and rose petals trail all the way to the tub.
“Thank you. This… you didn’t have to go to the trouble.”
“I wanted to. I’ll always do anything to make you happy.”
After undressing, we slip into the tub together. Soft music plays in the background from his phone. What starts out as playful washing and petting soon turns into heavy want and desire.
Cameron helps me from the tub, so that I am careful not to slip, before wrapping me snugly into a r
obe.
He leads me to bed where chocolate covered strawberries wait for us. Cameron is being so sincere and attentive, making sure my every need is met. I want to take care of him, too. He is lying next to me in bed, still in his robe. I smile seductively at him before exposing his naked form and kissing the head of his cock lovingly.
He growls; it turns me on and encourages me. I suck him in deeper between my parted lips and his size grows. Cam wraps his hands in my hair and tugs. I swirl my tongue around, licking and teasing his erection.
“God, I love you,” he says.
Cameron
I lie on the bed, bringing her closer to me, her head resting on my chest after making love. “Cameron?” she calls quietly.
“Yeah, babe?” I stroke her arm with my fingers, tracing lazy circles, afraid she is going to tell me we are through.
“I love you,” she tells me finally.
“Thank fuck,” I breathe out in relief. “Do I have you back, Ava?”
“Yeah.” She grins up at me with one hand resting on her stomach.
“Forever?” I ask her.
“You want me forever?” she asks, shocked.
“Damn right I do.”
She smiles, looking up at me with tears in her eyes. “Forever.”
I smile at her and then claim that sweet mouth. I try to deepen the kiss, but she pulls back, a question hidden behind her eyes.
“What about Becky, though?” she asks hesitantly.
I sigh. “She might be a problem, along with her father, but don’t worry. Nothing will touch us. I’ll deal with those two, and they’ll be out of our lives for good.”
“Okay,” she agrees, trusting me.
“I’ll never let you go, ever.” I kiss her face and cradle her in my arms, wondering if we are having a boy or a girl.
We spend the evening in bed, watching movies, and making love.
Once Ava is asleep, I slowly and quietly get out of bed and grab my phone, moving into the living area of the suite.
“Ms. Hart,” I say when Lana answers the phone.
“Yes, Mr. James?”
“I need you to buy up all of the shares of Mr. Velhuizen’s company. I’m going to make a play to get him out, and if I have controlling shares, he’s gone.”
“O-o-of course, sir.” She clicks off, and I smile. Soon, they will be out of our lives for good.
I power down my phone and go back to Ava, pulling her close to me, and fall asleep.
Chapter 24
The day they met
Ava
What does one do for her eighteenth birthday? Spray paint Vinny’s bike. Kristi is keeping a look out to make sure I don’t get caught, and Trixie couldn’t make it because her boyfriend doesn’t want her to do stupid shit now that she’s pregnant.
I’ve only been friends with Trixie for about a year, after her entire family moved up from New Brunswick. She’s a little wild, or was; now that she’s pregnant, she’s a wet blanket.
I move to the other side of Vinny’s bike and put my mark on it. AL. It’s stupid, I know, but I’m not going to flat out put my actual name on it.
I grab my backpack, put the cans of paint away, and run like crazy to where Kristi is. “You finish it?” she asks.
“Sure did,” I tell her, grinning.
“Good. Let’s get out of here before they come out.”
We’re about to jump into her car when we hear it. Vinny is yelling. “Avalynn! You little shit!”
I giggle as Kristi unlocks the car, and we make our getaway while Vinny runs after us.
“I’m glad we picked Vinny’s bike and not Mason’s. Mason would probably actually kill us,” Kristi says, once she stops laughing.
It sobers me up instantly, and my eyes bug out. “Shit, yeah, probably. Dude is scary as hell.”
“No gloom, Lynnie. Let’s go out and have some fun,” Kristi declares.
We make it to Red Deer a little after nine and head into Billy Bob’s. We dance for a bit, get a few drinks, and then take a seat around the bar.
“Lynnie, dude!” Kristi shouts over the music.
“What?” I shout back.
“Hot guy behind you—totally checking out your ass.”
I turn around, blushing instantly when he smirks. I start to turn away when he moves, walking toward me.
“Oh, shit. He’s coming over here.”
“Be good,” Kristi tells me. I’ve always been awkward around guys I get interested in.
“Buy you a drink?” the man asks.
“Um—” I mumble.
“I’m Cameron. You are?” he asks me, leaning in a bit.
“Avalynn,” I answer, taking in his handsome good looks. His dark green eyes stare into mine intently. I hope he knows he is flirting with disaster. He has that good boy charm about him, smiling widely as we continue to flirt. His smile is perfect.
The bartender comes over, and he orders himself a drink and tells her to get me another of whatever I’m having.
Kristi taps me on the shoulder. “You be good. Have fun. Don’t screw up.” She winks and walks off, leaving me alone with Cameron.
He asks the same old tired line I have heard all too often. “You come here often?”
Normally, I would leave at this point, but something about him makes me want to stay.
Chapter 25
Present
Ava
I start packing all of my things since Cameron thinks we should go home tomorrow. This time, we’re in this for real. I’m excited, yet nervous. Yes, we’ve been married for six years, but only now are we actually starting. Well, that’s not true. We started two years ago, but we’re having a do-over now.
I’m zipping up the last of my luggage when Mom calls for me.
Going downstairs, I hear chatter and see it’s Alana. I smile at her. “Hey, chickie,” I say, giving her a hug.
“Hey. How have you been?”
“I’m good, actually,” I say, and she tells me what she has been up to, avoiding what we need to discuss. “Enough small talk. We have something to discuss, remember.” I give her a pointed look.
“Of course,” she grumbles.
We go to my room and I shut the door. “For someone who has a boyfriend dating someone else, you don’t seem overly upset by it.”
“It’s not what you think, and you’re probably going to be pissed, but please, just hear me out?”
“Okay, start talking.”
“Emma, Kristi’s sister, came to Bryce and me when we were in the shop. She had a proposal for us. I met Kristi in one of my classes, and I liked her. At first, I didn’t know who Emma was talking about, until she showed a picture. She wanted to find love for her sister. The plan was, Bryce dates her for a bit, has Kristi falling in love and getting over her hatred for men. That’s it. Then they’ll break up eventually.”
I’m going to kill Emma when I see her.
“Thing is, Bryce hasn’t fessed up to me yet, but he actually likes her. And that’s fine with me, because we started growing apart lately. It’s all the same. We work together, I go to school, come home and cook, and we make love before going to sleep. Day in and day out. All the same. Bryce lights up whenever Kristi is around, or whenever she’s mentioned. Hell, I even like Kristi. She’s becoming a great friend to me.”
“Wait, hold up. I don’t get it. You’re both playing her. When she finds out, she’ll hate you both.”
“I know,” Alana whispers. “I’m trying to find a way to end things permanently with Bryce, so he can stay with Kristi, and then we can avoid her finding out.”
I look to her. “This is my best friend. I don’t like this, Alana. Not at all.”
“I’m sorry, Ava. I had no idea your Kristi was Bryce’s Kristi.”
“What a damn mess.”
“Everything will work out. I promise. Okay?”
“It better, Alana. Otherwise, you’ve just lost my friendship.” I sigh. “I’ll keep this from her, for now, but if she finds out, I’
ll help her get revenge.”
She pales and nods.
I get over the anger I’m feeling toward her and Bryce, the upset I feel for Kristi, and my rage at Emma, and we start talking about my pregnancy, Cameron’s explanation for everything, and how she’s falling for someone I know. It’s so weird, considering he’s Kristi’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother. Small, confusing world this is turning out to be.
If there is hope for Cameron and me, maybe there is hope for her, too.
Cameron
I carry my luggage out to my car. I was about to go up and get Ava’s, but she and Alana are having a chat about Bryce and Kristi. I don’t know Kristi all that well, but I know a bit of Bryce. He never seemed to be the type of man to cheat—even if he’s openly cheating on Alana, and she’s okay with it.
Walking back to the house to look for Loretta and Jeff, I find them cuddled on the couch watching TV. “Can we have a chat?” I ask, sitting on the love seat next to the couch.
“Of course. What’s up?” Loretta asks.
“I want to marry Ava.”
Both look confused. “Huh? You’re already married.”
I grin. “I know. I want to remarry her. You know, like a vow renewal.”
Loretta lights up, and Jeff looks smug. “That sounds wonderful,” Loretta squeals.
“Will you help me set something up, say, next weekend? You can stay at our house. We’ll do it in the backyard.”
“Perfect. You can count on us. We will be there,” Jeff says.
Loretta starts going over little details when I finally cut her off. “Nothing outlandish. Just simple, just family. Connie will make the food. You just need to get her out of the house, find her a dress that will fit, despite being pregnant, and the rest will just happen.”
She smiles. “Okay, Cameron.”
My phone rings, interrupting our planning, and I see it’s my mom. “Hey, Ma.”
“Cameron, you haven’t called me in almost a week. What’s been going on?” she demands.
“We’ll be home tomorrow,” I tell her.
“Really?” Her voice perks up. “You and Ava?”
“Yes, Mom, we’re coming home, and while I have you on the phone, I need you to round up Connie and ask her if she can help me out. I plan to remarry Ava. A vow renewal, really, and I would like her to make a small spread.”
