And the crowd started repeating me, “You can do it, Ava. You can do it, Ava.”
Slowly, she stood back up and took steps toward the finish line.
The crowd didn’t let up. “You can do it, Ava.”
She looked at me with tears streaming down her face. “I can do it,” she said, almost like it were a question, like she wanted me to confirm that I thought she could.
I nodded. “You can do it.”
I glanced up and saw London calling to Ava from behind the barrier. Another girl stood with her with the same long, blond hair as Ava and London, and I immediately knew that it had to be Daisy.
“Look,” I said, pointing them out.
As she turned to look, they began waving wildly. Ava returned their wave, wiped away her tears, and began running again. “I can do this,” she said, although this time it was a declaration filled with confidence.
It was a slow go. I could tell that she was in pain, and we were both exhausted. It’d been a hell of a long day.
Ava stumbled again, scaring the hell out of me. I was afraid that she’d pass out, but she straightened herself and continued to jog.
Cheering loudly, people in the crowd began holding their hands out as Ava ran by. She lifted her hand, reaching with her fingertips until she touched them. Something in that simple action seemed to transform her, as if the onlookers were passing along their strength and energy to her.
With every hand she touched, her pace quickened.
I saw her tears, heard her suck in gulps of air as that magical line became closer and closer.
London’s voice traveled across the pavement as she urged her sister on.
A strangled cry of triumph erupted from her throat as she threw her hands in the air, and we crossed the finish line together. As our names were announced, I took her hand and squeezed it, and the crowd roared to life.
Crossing that line had been nothing like I’d expected. My happiness wasn’t because I had completed the triathlon. It was because she had, because Ava Nottingham, a genuinely caring person who’d been dealt some tough blows, had done it. She’d pushed and battled and fought…and she’d come out a victor.
“You did it, Ava.” Wrapping my arms around her waist, I scooped her up as a squeal erupted from her lips. Her body pressed against mine. We were tired and sweaty and breathless, and she’d never looked more beautiful to me. Perhaps in one of the greatest moments of spontaneity of my life, I kissed her, her lips soft and warm beneath mine.
It would seem that my day would be full of revelations because the moment our lips touched, I knew that not only had she conquered the triathlon, she’d also conquered my heart. I realized in that moment that I was in love with Ava Nottingham.
Letting her body slide down mine, I whispered, “My sweet Ava. You did it, babe.”
She wrapped her arms tightly around my neck and hugged me.
As I reluctantly released her, her sisters swooped in, taking my place. London and Daisy flanked her, and her parents rushed forward to kiss her on the cheek. Both of her sisters placed one of Ava’s arms around their necks and whisked her away.
“Ridge!” I heard Kelsey’s voice. I walked toward the crowd and was met by my sister, my mom, and my stepfather. They each hugged me and congratulated me on my achievement, but even though complete a triathlon had been at the top of my Do-It-Or-Die list for months, any elation that I’d felt after crossing the finish line had disappeared the moment that Ava left my sight.
Chapter 17
Ava
As soon as I finished the closing I had scheduled, I threw my suitcase in the trunk, grabbed a few groceries, and headed to the cabin. I was leery when London assured me that she and Kelsey and Brandy felt bad that things hadn’t worked out between Ridge and me and that Brandy had wanted to offer to let me use the cabin for the weekend to relax. After being assured that they hadn’t set me up with some new guy in another attempt at matchmaking, I decided to take Brandy up on the offer.
Part of me wanted to go back to the place where I had so many wonderful memories with Ridge.
It’d been six days since the triathlon, and Ridge had texted me once, a short, sweet note inviting me to dinner. I’d wanted to go, but I knew I’d only be torturing myself. After our argument at the Halloween party, it’d become clear to me that even though I knew Ridge wanted me on some level, he would never allow himself the freedom to pursue a long-term relationship. Not now. Maybe someday, but not now. And as sad as that made me, I needed to move on. I was lonely, and I wanted to find someone who was ready to love me. So I had declined his offer.
After settling in, I walked out on the deck, overlooking the lake. The scenery had changed since I was here last. Like chameleons, the leaves on the trees had shifted colors from luscious green to vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds. Many leaves had fallen, carpeting the ground and drifting along the top of the lake like tiny sailboats.
A chilly wind blew errant strands of hair across my face, and I gathered them with my fingertip and tucked them behind my ear. Everywhere I looked triggered a memory of Ridge, and I wondered whether I’d made a mistake coming here. I did have my car with me this time, at least, so I could always go home if I chose to.
I hugged my arms around me for warmth and opted to go back inside. Wondering how difficult it would be to make a fire, I collapsed on the couch and stared at the fireplace, imagining roaring warmth coming from within its stone walls.
A knock at the door startled me, and I turned and stared at it, images of all the scary movies I’d ever watched flitting through my mind.
Crossing the room, I placed my hand on the lock. “Who is it?” I called, surprised by how nervous I was. I glanced at my phone to see if I had a signal, but just as expected, I had nothing.
“You’re not gonna shoot me, are you?” a muffled voice asked.
My fingers quickly unlocked the door and swung it open.
“Ridge, what are you doing here?” I took in his appearance, his hair was neatly styled, and stubble shadowed his face, the edges of it neatly trimmed like he had perhaps decided to sport a close-cropped beard for the winter months. He wore stylish jeans with dark boots and a black, leather jacket, and he smelled incredible.
He pulled my tricorn hat from behind his back and presented it to me. “I’m looking for the girl who wore this to my Hallow Eve’s Ball. Do you know where she is?” he asked, speaking properly as if he were a member of the nobility. “While I realize it’s not as romantic as a glass slipper, I hope that you’ll help me. I must find her.”
“You must?” I repeated, wondering where he had found my hat.
“I must.”
I tapped my finger against my chin as if I were deep in thought. “I don’t think there are any princesses here, but I might be able to find you a pirate wench.”
“Aye,” he said, his voice gruff as he slipped into his pirate accent. “A pirate wench she be. A beauty, she is, and I must find her.”
“Well, what ye be offerin’ as a reward for this missin’ wench?”
His face grew serious as he watched me, and I swallowed hard as the moment between us grew intense. I wanted to reach out and touch his face, feel his rough whiskers against the soft skin of my fingers. I wanted him to take me in his arms and crush me against the hard muscles of his chest and never let me go.
My heart thundered in my ribcage as the anticipation of his next words built. If he looked at me much longer, I was going to kiss him, not giving a damn how much of my heart I gave him every time my lips touched his.
“Ava.” I watched his beautifully sculpted mouth as he said my name. He looked away and tucked his fingers in the front pockets of his jeans. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since the triathlon.”
“You wanted to finish it in less than twelve hours,” I said, knowing what he had sacrificed. “Because of me, you didn’t meet your goal.”
“Ava, the day of the triathlon…what I felt when I saw you cross the finish line, it far
surpassed any feeling that I could’ve ever gotten from completing a goal.”
I watched his face, an expression of utmost sincerity crossing his features. Reaching out to skim his fingertips along my jawline, he continued, “I’ve been so hung up on proving to the world that I’m a success, but the truth is that Mom and Kelsey are doing just fine. And I know that I’ll be there for them if they ever need me. You’ve made me realize that my greatest accomplishments in life won’t be money or empty achievements, they’ll be what I’ve made other people feel, what they’ve made me feel. And the feeling that I had that day, that I have right now…I don’t even know how to put it into words.”
I reached up and placed my hand over his, loving the way his warmth seeped into my skin.
“To see you cross that finish line before the deadline, to see the pain in your face transform into, I don’t know, happiness, the sweet satisfaction that you did it, that you, Ava Nottingham, did it.”
I nodded, pressing his hand against my cheek. “I did, didn’t I? I did it.” A vivid memory of the emotion that had replaced the pain in my body flooded my senses, and I knew that it was a feeling that I wouldn’t soon forget. I would no longer be haunted by those eleven seconds that had stood between me and the completion of my first triathlon. The fears that I wouldn’t be able to do it, that the accident had taken more from me than just my leg, were gone forever.
Ridge leaned in closer as a cool breeze ruffled our hair. “I was happier watching you complete your goal, Ava, than I’ve ever been when I’ve completed one of mine.”
“I don’t know if I would’ve finished if you hadn’t been there.”
He gently kissed my lips and leaned back a hand’s breadth as the subtle smell of spearmint mingled with his cologne.
“I’m sorry about the night of my Halloween party. I never meant to hurt you. I was just so upset that you’d lied to me.”
“I can explain.”
“What’s in the past doesn’t matter anymore, but I want us to be honest with each other from this point forward.” He watched my face intently. “I want to be there for you from now on, Ava.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” I whispered, meaning it, “but I want to explain what happened that night.” I took a deep breath. “You remember the day that I was going to meet you at the restaurant, so that you could sign the offer on the house and I told you I couldn’t make it?”
He nodded.
“I was there, Ridge. I was at the restaurant. I saw you with Jeremy, and I just couldn’t do it.”
“You couldn’t do what? How do you know him, Ava?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“No, the night of the Halloween party after you walked away, he started talking business. He never explained how he knew you.”
I sighed. “I didn’t want to tell you,” I whispered. “I was afraid that it would make things weird for you at work. And you were up for the promotion. That’s why I couldn’t go to the office party. I was trying to protect you from an awkward situation, Ridge.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I used to date your boss. Jeremy’s the one who rejected me. He’s the one who told me he couldn’t handle my…situation.”
“That son of a bitch.”
I touched his arm. “I don’t want you to say anything to him. I don’t want you to put your promotion in jeopardy or your job.”
He sighed. “I really want to kick his ass. I knew he was an asshole. I just didn’t realize to what extent.”
“Violence solves nothing,” I whispered. “Let it go. In the end, he did me a favor.”
“Hell, he did me a favor, too,” Ridge said gruffly. “If he hadn’t rejected you, then I would’ve never met you, Ava.” He kissed me tenderly. “I know I’ve been….”
I placed my finger on his lips to silence him. If this conversation went the way I thought it would, I’d lose my nerve. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since the triathlon, too.”
“And?”
“Ridge, I think you’re a great guy, but I can’t…I just can’t.” I moved back out of his grasp. “I really like you, but I’ve had my heart broken once. I’m not ready to go through that again.”
“What makes you think I’ll break your heart?” he asked, and I could hear the hurt in his voice.
I gave him a sad smile, wishing things were different. Maybe if we’d met a few years down the road, he would’ve been ready for a relationship with me, but he’d made it painfully clear that he’d wanted to put distance between us, and even if he said he wanted us to be together now, how could I be sure he wouldn’t change his mind again? “Because you already have. After the triathlon, I hoped that you’d call me. It’s been almost a week. I finally realized that you’re not ready for a real relationship, and there’s nothing I can do to change that. The only thing I can do is protect myself, protect my heart.”
“Ava, I invited you to dinner.”
“In a text, Ridge. And when I declined, you never called me. I need you to really want to be with me. I need to be worth fighting for.”
“I know I’ve been overanalyzing our relationship, Ava. Maybe it’s the engineer in me. Maybe it’s my damn list. I don’t know, but you’re right. I wasn’t ready for a real relationship. But I am now.”
“Ridge,” I whispered, “I can’t go through it again. I can’t allow myself to love someone, only to find out that I’m not what they wanted. You told me at your Halloween party that you had planned to break it off with me. You were angry, and the truth came out.”
His jaw clenched.
“Bye, Ridge,” I said softly, waiting for him to leave, so that I could close the door to the cabin and the door to my heart. When he just stood there, I slowly began pushing the door, hoping that he would leave before I changed my mind, before I gave in to the longing that was fanning the ember that had ignited within my heart. I’d come here to snuff it out. If I stayed in his presence much longer, I’d be nurturing it instead. I knew the pain that came with false hope.
He caught the door with his hand only inches from my face, bringing it to an abrupt halt. His quick movement caused the smell of leather and cologne to fill my nostrils.
He pursed his lips together, his scorching gaze never leaving my face.
“I know what I said,” he bit out caustically. “But damn it, Ava, I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with you.” His gaze softened. “But I did.”
My mouth dropped open at his revelation, and words failed me as I let his confession sink in.
“Hell, Ava, how do you think I knew you were at the cabin?”
“Kelsey.”
“I rented the cabin from Brandy’s parents, and I asked our sisters to get you here whatever it took.”
“You did?” My heart swelled in my chest.
“You’re at the top of my list now, which means I won’t rest until I’ve made you mine, so you may as well let me in now.”
Speechless, I stepped back and pushed the door open.
“No,” he whispered, moving toward me. “I wasn’t talking about letting me in the cabin.”
I gazed up at his face, confused.
He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest. Kissing my jawline until he’d inched his way to my ear, he whispered, “Let me in your heart, Ava. I’m perfectly able to love you—if you’ll let me.”
I nodded, knowing he was already in my heart. “I’ll let you,” I whispered, thinking that if this was a dream, I wasn’t ready to wake up.
Lifting me up against his muscular chest, he kicked the door closed on the cold wind that was whipping into the cabin. He pulled me to him, frantically melding our lips together as his tongue slipped into my mouth. He lifted my body higher and spun me around, my back pinned against the door as my legs wrapped around his waist. Holding the backs of my thighs with his large, warm palms as his fingers dug into my flesh, he deepened the kiss, devouring me until we were both breathless.
He carried m
e to the couch, and with our bodies still entwined, we dropped onto the smooth, black leather. His hands roamed my curves while his lips teased my neck.
Standing long enough to peel his jacket off and discard it in a pile at his feet, Ridge grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. He pressed his palm against my satin bra, and I arched my back, pushing my breast into his hand as his fingers squeezed my flesh.
“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you,” he whispered, lifting my back off the couch as he unfastened my bra.
When he sucked my hardened nipple into his hot mouth, I thought I would expire from the pleasure. My hands grappled at his shirt, and he finally rose and pulled it over his head, his muscles rippling under his skin with the effort.
He froze, his heated gaze following his fingertips as he trailed them up my abdomen, traced the circumference of my breast, and ended at the hollow of my neck.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered, my hips writhing beneath him.
“I want our first time to be under the night sky,” he said softly. “I want to see you wearing nothing but moonlight.”
“Ridge, it’s cold outside,” I countered.
“I’ll keep you warm.” He stood up and held his hand out to me.
I placed my hand in his, and he pulled me up from the couch. I crossed my arms over my chest, and he wrapped his long fingers around my wrist, tugging gently. “Don’t cover yourself,” he whispered. I dropped my arms to my sides, and he gently caressed my breast, teasing the nipple.
He released me long enough to grab a blanket, and then he tugged my hand as we walked onto the deck. In response to the cold wind, the tautness of my nipples increased. A crescent moon dangled from the sky like a glamorous earring missing its mate. I sat down on the picnic table bench and removed my prosthetic leg while Ridge removed the cushion from the chaise lounge, stretched it out on the deck, and covered it with the blanket.
Scooping me up in his arms, he deposited me tenderly on the soft blanket. I shivered as the wind blew and the leaves rustled like pom-poms cheering us on.
Straddling me, his warm palms cupped my breasts, and the sensation of hot and cold made my breathing erratic. A soft moan escaped my lips, and he answered my call, covering my lips with his own. His head dipped down until his hot tongue caressed my breast. He rose up, unbuttoning my jeans, tugging them down over my hips, and discarding them in a crumpled heap.
Perfectly Able Page 18
