“Can we stop by and see Maggie before we go?” she asked as they got into the truck.
“Sure,” he mumbled and drove to Maggie’s in silence.
A quick glance at him showed an unreadable expression. Did he regret last night? As awkward as they were acting this morning, she hoped not; she didn’t.
Maggie was on the front veranda when they drove up. Shielding her eyes from the morning sun, she smiled as they got out of the truck. Molly barked happily at her from the back of the truck.
“Just in time for coffee,” Maggie said as she kissed Nick on the cheek and gave Ava a warm hug.
“We’ve already had coffee. I’m taking Ava into town. She wanted to see you to say goodbye.”
Maggie turned to Ava. “You’re leaving so soon?”
Ava laughed. “I think Nick’s getting sick of me tagging after him.” She glanced at him, but he didn’t dispute it. Disappointment tugged at her stomach.
Maggie waved her comment away like she was swatting a fly. “You’ve most likely been wonderful company.”
Ava would have thought so last night, but this morning he was back to barely speaking to her. This was why men weren’t worth the trouble. One night with one and it was playing with her mind. She never wanted to be one of those girls pining over a guy, wondering if he’d call.
“I’m not sure Nick would agree,” she joked. Then, to change the subject, she added, “Before I go, I was wondering if I could take some photos of your pictures to show my friend Lauren.”
“You were serious about that?” Maggie sounded surprised.
“Of course I was. They’re beautiful. I know she’s going to love them.”
Maggie blushed a deep red at the compliment and then ushered Ava inside.
“I’ll just wait out here,” Nick called after them as they entered the house.
As they walked through the hallway where the photographs hung, Ava pulled out her phone, her attention once again landing on the run-down gazebo. Her heart broke at the image of what was once a beautiful structure and one of her favorite places. But the photograph was gorgeous, and it was the first one she snapped. She ended up taking photos of all of them. They were all so good.
“Brad mentioned he was helping you frame some.” She glanced around the living room where they had ended up. “Brad’s gone?”
“Yes, he left early this morning. Doesn’t like leaving Lexi for too long, especially now that she’s pregnant.”
“Have you ever considered displaying your work in a gallery?” Ava asked as she thumbed through the photos on her phone, checking to see if she’d missed any.
Leaning a little closer to her, Maggie flicked a quick look to the front door and whispered, “There’s an empty shop in town that would be perfect.”
She didn’t know why Maggie was whispering, but she thought she should too. “And… Why don’t you lease it out?”
Maggie’s shoulders slumped, and her expression grew grim. “I would love to, but traveling every day from the farm to town and back is too far.”
Ava didn’t blame her, especially when the weather turned rough like the last two days. “Would you ever consider moving into town? You must be lonely out here now that Paul’s gone.” Then she slapped a hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry, Maggie. I didn’t mean to sound so insensitive.”
“It’s fine, and you’re right, it is lonely. I want to sell the farm and live in town. All my friends are there, and I’d keep busy with the gallery.” Maggie’s face lit up with excitement, but it was gone in a flash. “But I can’t.”
“Is it because of all the memories here?” Ava gently asked.
“I can take those memories wherever I go. Yes, it will be hard to leave the farm where I raised my family, but I have no problem leaving.”
Ava frowned. “So what is the problem?”
Maggie took a deep breath. “Nick.”
“Oh.” Ava nodded. Where would he work if she sold the farm? But surely there would be plenty of farms that needed good farmers.
“Could he buy it from you?”
Maggie was stopped from answering when the front screen door opened and slapped close. Heavy footsteps tapped on the timber floor as Nick made his way to the living room.
“Ready?” he asked Ava.
“Yep.” She turned and hugged Maggie and whispered in her ear, “Go for it.”
When they pulled apart, Maggie’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Promise you’ll see me again before you leave town?”
“I promise.” Then she followed Nick to his truck.
As they drove away and headed to the main road, Ava glimpsed a white, circular roof in the distance, peeking from amongst the trees, something she hadn’t notice when it had been so overcast.
She pointed in the direction. “Can you take me to the gazebo?”
“Why?” Nick threw her a quick, quizzical look.
“I saw a photograph on Maggie’s wall. The gazebo’s destroyed. I want to see it for myself.”
He gave her a curious look but said nothing as he took the dirt road, now muddy from the rain, that led to the gazebo. She didn’t know why she wanted to see it in such disrepair, she just knew the desire to was strong.
Deep green pine trees stood like soldiers around it, protecting it like it was in their charge. Well, they hadn’t done a good job. What was once gleaming white and solid was now dull and cracked. Timber railings had collapsed into pieces and sat rotting on the ground.
Ava’s chest clutched, and she squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, trying to remember its former beauty when flowers of every color grew wild around the perimeter. It was their place to hide away from the rest of the world, especially from her troubles at home.
Getting out of the car, the grass up to her knees, she made her way to the stone steps. She heard the sound of Nick following behind her.
“What happened to this place?” she asked, surprised to hear emotion thick in her voice.
Nick shook a railing, she assumed to test its stability, then leaned a hip on it. “We had a big storm about five years ago. We lost a couple of sheds, and the gazebo got a beating.”
“Why didn’t you have it repaired?”
“No one was using it, wasn’t worth spending the money.” He picked off some chipping paint and it crumbled in his hands.
Did he care so little about what was once so special to them? Maybe she’d only been the one who thought it significant. She’d made love to Nick for the first time here. It was the first time she’d ever had sex.
“You took my virginity right on this very floor.” They’d had blankets, and with the seclusion from the trees, they felt like the only two people in the world.
Nick’s eyes widened, then he shook his head. “You weren’t a virgin.”
“Yes, I was.” When he still didn’t look convinced, she added, “I only made out I wasn’t to piss off my father.” It had been the only way she knew how to hurt him for hurting her mother.
Nick ran a hand through his hair. “Had I known, I never would have…”
“What? Had sex with me? Of course you would have. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”
He gave her a long look. “So, was I a way to get dear old daddy pissed off too?”
She couldn’t deny that had originally been her plan. What would make her father blow a gasket more than her dating a poor Williams farmer boy? She nodded, and when he shook his head and shoved away from the railing, she quickly added, “I was going to go on one date with you. It was all I needed to flip Dad out, but one date wasn’t enough for me. You were exciting and kind and fun. It didn’t hurt that you were freaking hot.” She smiled, hoping he could see she was telling the truth.
Blowing out a breath, he chuckled, the deep, sexy sound making her insides quiver. “Freaking hot, eh?”
“Like, oh em gee so freaking hot. I could have died,” she said, imitating the voice of a teenage girl.
“You were freaking hot back then too. And even
hotter now.” He sauntered over to her and ran a finger down her cheek.
Her body flushed hot and turned on in an instant, and she tilted her face to receive the kiss she hoped was coming.
She didn’t have to wait long. His mouth brushed against hers with feather-light strokes. His tongue darted out and slid along her bottom lip. She groaned into his mouth, and the kiss turned hungry. Stroking his hand along her stomach, his fingers brushed underneath her breasts, and she shivered at his touch.
He broke the kiss abruptly, and she groaned with disappointment. “I want you again, Ava. I don’t give a fuck that we said it would only be one night. Right now can be the last time. What do you say? One more for the good ol’ days?”
She tried to laugh, but a moan escaped her lips when he slipped his hand in the waistband of her jeans and tugged her closer. The feel of his warm, hard body against hers made her legs tremble. Suddenly, she felt restricted in her tight jeans.
Like he was feeling her frustration, he said, “If I had my way, you’d be wearing that t-shirt I gave you 24/7. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.”
That t-shirt was now packed in her luggage. It had been so comfortable she didn’t want to give it back. Or so she told herself.
He flicked open the top button on her pants, giving his hand better access, and headed south. She could barely stand, because her legs were as wobbly as cooked spaghetti.
“Ava,” he growled. “Yes or no?” His breaths came out in shuddery, hot puffs against her neck. Her body exploded with goosebumps.
“Yes,” she gasped, threading her fingers through his hair and tugging his head so she could look at his face. His eyes were dark and heated, and she wanted to remember that fierce expression.
They made quick work of their clothing, and Ava welcomed the cool air over her feverish skin. Nick’s hot gaze traveled the length of her body, and her blood pulsed with excitement.
Instead of grabbing her and taking her fast, he surprised her by running a finger slowly from her collarbone down to her belly. She shivered. This was going to torture her to death. And what a beautiful way to die.
“I don’t have a blanket,” he said.
At first her lust-filled mind didn’t know what he was talking about, then a moment of clarity hit and she knew he meant using a blanket to lie on. She scanned the floor, then picked up his t-shirt from where they’d tossed it. Spreading it on the bench seat, she motioned for him to sit.
The sexy grin he flashed caused her stomach to do backflips. “You in charge again?”
“Someone needs to be. Now sit.”
He didn’t argue. Spreading his legs, he pulled her between his muscular thighs, giving him the perfect height to reach her breasts, and he took his time paying equal attention to them both. Blood pounded through her veins. When he reached his hand between her thighs, her already unstable legs buckled beneath her.
Catching her, he straddled her on his lap and continued with his slow, sensual exploration of her chest. Then he nipped her shoulder and palmed a breast and she was lost in the sensation of his caress. Leaning away, he reached down to pick up his discarded jeans. Was he getting dressed? I’m going to kill him. He can’t leave me like this! But he reached in the pocket, pulled out his wallet, and took out a condom.
She let out a long, shuddery breath. Thank God he was still thinking straight. For the first time ever, she’d forgotten about protection.
The slow smile he gave her was so sure and sexy it made her hot and bothered, and she couldn’t wait any longer. Raising slightly, she then lowered herself on him.
“God…” he hissed.
As he moved within her, they kept their eyes locked on each other. When her body exploded, he gripped her hips, thrusting until he found his own release. She collapsed on his chest, her body so weak she didn’t think she could ever stand again.
Nick wrapped his arms around her and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder. She was surprised at the tenderness, and her heart squeezed.
When they were stable enough to move, she got off his lap, and they both picked up their clothes and dressed. Smoothing out her hair, she turned to Nick as he was pulling a t-shirt over his head. What a shame to cover such a beautiful body. But as good as his body was to look at, and as amazing as he made her feel, not knowing why he’d betrayed her was always on her mind. If she didn’t ask him now, she might never know the answer.
“Why did you do it, Nick?”
He paused as he was putting on his boots and glanced up at her. “Ummm. Wasn’t it what we both wanted to do? You looked like you were having a good time.”
She waved a hand in the direction of the bench. “No, not that. You…”
“I what?” Boots now on, he stood in front of her.
“You took the money and ran,” she blurted.
“I what?” he repeated, his eyebrows boosted into his hairline.
“When my father offered you money to stay away from me, you took it.” Why was he pretending to act so surprised?
“You’ve got it all wrong.” His lips flattened.
“My father didn’t offer you money?”
He let out a long, low sigh. “He did.”
Even though she knew this and thought she’d moved past it, it was still a punch in the gut to hear Nick admit it.
“But I never took the money.”
“Dad said you couldn’t get your hands on it fast enough.”
“I didn’t take it.” His tone took on a hard edge.
Still not convinced, she said, “The day after you allegedly took the money, I was told you bought Colin Benson’s workshop where you worked. How did you get the money if not from my father?”
Hard lines creased the sides of his mouth. “I had enough saved up for a deposit.”
“And you expect me to believe that? Colin was known to be a tight arse, he couldn’t have been paying you much.”
“Believe what you want. Me and Brad worked fucking hard to save that money. Why the hell do you think I never took you anywhere nice and we spent so much time on the farm? Because I was busting my arse to find a way to do better for myself. Better for us.” He waved a hand between them.
There was something about the intensity in Nick’s eyes, the fierce tone of his voice, that Ava believed. Why had she automatically believed he would’ve taken the easy way out? He was too proud and worked hard. She always knew that. But she’d been looking for an excuse for the guy she was falling for to hurt her; preparing for it. Didn’t people eventually get hurt in relationships? Nick had been too good to be true.
“The son of a bitch lied to me!” she yelled, slapped her hands on her hips, and paced the gazebo. “And I believed him.”
A flash of hurt passed through his eyes, and it was like a knife twisted in her heart.
“I shouldn’t have believed him. I’m sorry.” And she was. “Why didn’t you come and tell me?”
He sat on the bench and rubbed his palms on his thighs. “He told me you took off to Sydney with Lachlan Ranger.”
Her jaw dropped open. “Lachlan Ranger, the real estate guy? He was probably fifteen years older than me.”
“He had money and connections in the city. An offer you couldn’t refuse.” That’s what her father had told him.
“But… I didn’t…” Her face heated. “If my father was standing in front of me right now, I’d wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze.” She slumped down on the bench seat next to Nick. “That’s why you looked as if you wanted to kill me at Dexter’s.”
“Kill is a bit strong of a word.”
She laughed. “No, you wanted to. If looks could kill, I’d be dead and buried.”
“How am I looking at you now?” His eyes hooded and blazed with pure lust.
She leaned in and kissed him. “Once more for the road?”
“You don’t have to ask me twice.”
Chapter 12
Ava hadn’t left Nick for bigger and better things with Lachlan Ranger like Bernie had
him believe. Nick pondered this as they drove in silence toward town. When Bernie had offered him money to stay away from Ava and he rejected it, he should’ve known he’d try something else to keep them apart.
Bernie had been keeping something from Ava her entire life, and Nick happened by accident to know what it was. At the time, her father would’ve done anything to keep it from her. He wondered if, after all these years, Bernie had finally told her. She hadn’t mentioned anything, so he wasn’t going to ask.
Why had he been so quick to believe she’d left him for someone else? Had he thought so little of her, so little of himself, that he believed she didn’t want him for who he was? If he delved too deeply into his past, his answer would most likely have been yes. So he’d spent the last ten years making something of himself. Was it to prove his worth to himself or Ava? Probably both.
“Am I dropping you off at Greenhill House?” he asked.
Ava had been so engrossed looking out the passenger window, she jumped at the sound of his voice. “No, I called this morning, they’re booked up for the next few days.”
The bed-and-breakfast he owned was popular. He owed it to Ron and Megan for doing such a great job running it. “So where am I taking you?”
She let out a long sigh, and her shoulders slumped. “I guess I better go to Dad’s place. Bella needs me.”
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
Shrugging, she rested her head on the headrest and turned to look at him. “Not really sure. Bella wouldn’t discuss it unless I came home. Teenagers tend to dramatize things.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
They drove through the main parts of town, and Ava gazed at all the buildings and shops that weren’t around ten years ago. “Wow, Sunland Valley is looking quite impressive. Wait…” She swiveled in her seat to look back at a caryard they drove past. “That used to be Collin Benson’s old workshop. Now it’s twice the size and has a caryard.”
Chasing Trouble Page 11
