by Jocelyn Han
“We’re stranded here,” Ava told Jeremy. “I’m Ava, Nic’s niece.”
“Nice to meet you.” Jeremy shook her hand and gave her a flirty smile, his gaze lingering on her lips for a second. “Really nice.”
“We were diverted here,” Nic went on. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to get to Birmingham by tomorrow. I guess that’s where you’re headed too?”
Jeremy shook his head. “I have to be in Old London for business. But I’m stranded, just like you two.”
“Jer is an old friend of mine,” Nicolas explained. “He lives close to Uncle Gerald in Birmingham.”
Ava smiled up at Jeremy. He was clearly Elite, but he lacked the arrogant attitude she had come to know in most Elitists. It was obvious Nicolas and Jeremy really clicked. It was also obvious Jeremy was mesmerized by her appearance. As he chatted to Nicolas about his trip, his gaze kept swerving to her face. He even offered to carry her baggage by the time the courtesy Solar appeared around the bend. “Allow me,” he grinned, shooting her a seductive grin.
“Of course,” she accepted, grabbing Jeremy’s other hand when he extended it. As she boarded the vehicle, she could feel Nicolas’s eyes boring into her back. Was he wondering what she thought of his friend?
The van took them to their accommodation for the night within minutes. Ava gasped when she looked up at the skyscraper almost touching the clouds above Old Berlin. The idea that this gigantic hotel was now fully booked was almost inconceivable. Thousands of people had to be stranded here.
“Why don’t we all have dinner together?” Jeremy suggested when they were waiting for the elevator to take them upstairs.
“Sounds good,” Ava said. “Maybe we should book a table right now before all the food is gone. I don’t think this hotel has ever seen such a high occupancy rate before.”
Jeremy chuckled. “I’ll see to it. Are you guys hungry yet?”
After some more chit-chat, Jeremy got off at his floor and the doors swished shut again. They both stood in silence until Ava cleared her throat. “He seems really nice,” she told Nicolas. “Finally an Elite man I get along with.”
“He seems to like you too,” Nicolas replied, a hint of resentment in his voice.
“Yeah, he does.” Ava fell silent again. Nic’s behavior was starting to drive her insane. If he wanted nothing to do with her, why was he being so awkward about his friend’s possible interest in her? “Wouldn’t that be nice – me dating one of your besties?” she went on, giving him a curious glance.
“Yes, it would,” he replied, trying to muster up a smile. “Jer’s a good guy. You could do a lot worse.”
They got out of the elevator and turned right to find their room. “So, how old is he?” Ava kept grilling him. “What family is he from?”
Nicolas opened the door. “He’s twenty-seven,” he said as he strutted into the room and dumped their suitcases on the queen-size bed. “Related to the Ascotts.” He wouldn’t look at her.
“So you think he’s a good match?”
“Sure.”
“Does that mean I have your blessing?” she inquired.
Nicolas gave her an exasperated look. “Why do you ask?”
She crossed her arms. “Because I remember you giving me the third degree about Alen some time ago, so I thought you’d appreciate it if I asked for your permission.”
He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Ava, we went over this. You can pick who you want.”
Liar. She wanted to say it to his face, scream at him for being so pig-headed and so impossible. When she’d chosen him, he’d pushed her away. And now that she feigned interest in someone else, he couldn’t stand it. Well, it wasn’t her fault that he wanted to torture himself like this. “If you say so,” she muttered.
“Let’s go down to the restaurant.” Nic held open the door for her, sounding so impatient and irritable that she suddenly felt the urge to stomp down the hallway like a little child.
12.
During dinner, Ava sat next to Jeremy. Nicolas sat across from them and kept quiet throughout most of the conversation. Jeremy told her all about his life in Birmingham, asking her all kinds of questions about the Windsors and her family history. He actually turned out to have known her dad quite well. He’d been working on the same kinds of projects. It was painful to establish that Jeremy was perfect in every way – she just couldn’t bring herself to give him a chance. Not when the real object of her affection was sitting on the other side of the table, tanking down one glass of wine after the other, observing the two of them with a mixture of regret and resignation.
“I have to use the restroom,” she said, getting up before they brought dessert. “I won’t be long.”
“I’ll miss you,” Jeremy replied with a wink.
Ava hastily scurried off, not wanting to listen to all the questions Jeremy would undoubtedly fire off at Nicolas. What would her guardian tell his best friend? She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists, kicking open the door of the ladies’ room in frustration. Tomorrow, they’d be on their way to Uncle Gerald. In a couple more days, they’d be back on Luna and she’d tell Nic about her plans to move out. This would be her last chance to talk to him in private – but what should she say? Would it make any difference? Her face, drawn and pale, stared back at herself in the bathroom mirror, challenging her to be bold and brave, to show Nicolas what she wanted. But she’d tried that, and all it had done was alienate him from her for good.
When Ava exited the restrooms, Jeremy was waiting for her outside. “I came to see how you were doing,” he said. “You were gone for quite a while. I thought maybe you were sick.”
Ava smiled feebly. “Ah. Nic told you I was nauseous during the trip?”
Jeremy nodded. “How are you?”
“I’m fine. Sorry to take so long.”
He reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair away from her face. “That’s all right. I’m happy to hear you’re okay.” Ava gulped down her nerves when he closed in on her, his hands warm and strong on her lower back as he leaned into her. Jeremy was making his move. He was going to kiss her, and she knew Nicolas could see it from where he was sitting. She sighed, her eyes fluttering closed as she tried to block out reality and just savor the moment with this handsome guy who was available and within reach.
His lips tentatively explored hers. They felt good against her mouth – non-intrusive, tender, and warm. When Jeremy slipped his tongue between her lips, she opened up and answered his kiss. It didn’t rock her world, but it was pleasant. Maybe pleasant was all she should settle for right now.
“Ava,” he whispered when they broke apart. “Your mind is somewhere else.”
Crap. She blushed, staring at him in embarrassment. “What do you mean?”
He smiled indulgently. “Meaning, you’re not into me.”
Ava bit her lip. “I could be.”
“But…?”
“But I’m in love with someone else,” she couldn’t help divulging.
He shook his head in bewilderment. “Well, why didn’t you just say so?”
“Because he doesn’t want me,” she replied miserably. “And I have to get over him.”
Jeremy cocked an eyebrow at her. “Ah. You want me to be your rebound guy?”
“Stop it.” She lightly shoved him away. “You’re too good for that.”
“Oh, really?” He grinned wolfishly. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that. Look, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of you in the future, but if you just want to settle for one night of really hot sex, I can live with that, too.”
Ava turned red. “I can’t do that. Nicolas will know.”
“So?”
“So – he’s my guardian. He’s gonna flip out.”
“Why would he?” Jeremy grinned. “He’s kind of a playboy himself, in case you hadn’t noticed. Plus, I’m one of his best friends. He knows I’m not gonna hurt you.”
“Well.” She shifted uncomfortably. “It would hurt him.” Ava’
s eyes flitted to Nicolas still sitting at their table. She decided it was time to end this conversation. “Come on, let’s just go back.”
Jeremy narrowed his eyes, a look of understanding suddenly dawning on his face. “Hold on,” he said slowly. “Are you…”
Ava whipped around before Jeremy could finish his question and rushed back to Nic. He was sitting there looking so sad and lonely that she suddenly just wanted to pull him into her arms and hug him. When he drowsily looked up at her, Ava smiled timidly. “Hey. I, uhm – I’m gonna skip desert. I’m heading upstairs.”
Nicolas tilted his head toward his friend. “Is Jer coming with you?” he mumbled.
“No.” She firmly shook her head. “I’ll be in our room. Okay?”
“Okay.” Nic blinked at her a few times before smiling back. “Sweet dreams, darling.”
“Thanks.” His last remark made her blush like a schoolgirl.
At that moment, Jeremy popped up next to her. “You’re leaving?” he inquired.
“Yes.” Ava pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for the lovely evening. It was really nice meeting you.”
Jeremy’s lips curled up in a faint smile. “Same here. Now let me stop your uncle from ordering even more wine. Maybe he and I should talk.”
She bit her lip. What the hell was he going to discuss with Nic? She didn’t like that knowing look in his eyes. It was probably best to get out of here right now. “Sure. Talk away,” she replied bravely before scooting off to the elevators. When she looked back one more time, Jeremy was just pouring himself the last glass of wine from the bottle, sitting down next to Nicolas.
No. She wasn’t going to stress out over this. Nothing Jeremy said to her half-uncle would make a difference. And if it did, things could only get better, not worse. Ava inhaled deeply, rubbing her face as she stepped into the elevator. It wouldn’t surprise her if Nicolas and Jeremy would sit there and talk into the wee hours of the night. Enough time for her to fall asleep and avoid having to talk to Nic about Jeremy’s kiss. She didn’t even know what to say about it, except that it had left her more or less cold.
“How about a nice bubble bath?” she mumbled to herself as she pushed open the door to the bathroom. Even Nic didn’t have luxurious jet tubs like these in his mansion. Ava decided to run a bath, pouring generous helpings of rose and lavender oil into the bath water. The tub filled in no time, and after five minutes, she sank into the hot, bubbling water, hoping it would relax her tense muscles. She still felt sore from stressing out during the trip to Earth.
Just as she was drying off and slipping into a pair of satin PJs, Ava heard the front door slamming shut. Oh, shit. Nicolas was already here, and she wasn’t sound asleep in bed yet. Even worse, she was all warm and rosy from the bath, wearing just a flimsy camisole and petite shorts for pajamas. Hardly a proper outfit to parade around in, but how could she have known she’d spend the night in one room with Nicolas? That had never been a part of any plan.
There was nothing for it – she’d have to go out there, unless she intended to spend the rest of the night in this bathroom. Ava gulped down the lump in her throat, opened the door to a crack and peeked out.
Nicolas was standing in the middle of the room, stripping out of his clothes. He’d just flung his T-shirt on the bed and was now about to unbuckle his belt. Ava quickly slipped out the door, clearing her throat to alert Nic to her presence.
He spun around to face her, his hazy eyes growing more alert as his gaze roved over her scantily-clad body. “Hey. Not sleepy yet?”
“No.” She bit her lip, trying not to openly eyeball his broad, muscular chest. “I took a bath.”
Nicolas nodded, licking his lips as his eyes swept over her long legs and round breasts. He wasn’t exactly trying to hide what he was thinking. In fact, he’d never been more obviously attracted to her. Ava blushed when a lazy smile pulled at his mouth. “So, was it good?” he said huskily, taking a step toward her.
“Yeah,” she replied hoarsely. “My muscles are less sore now.”
“You were tense?”
“Y-yeah. Kind of.”
“Maybe you need a massage,” Nic suggested, still showing her that seductive little smile. “I could give you one.”
Ava blinked disbelievingly. Okay then – the wine seemed to have taken away all of Nic’s inhibitions. Either that, or she’d fallen asleep in the bathtub and she was dreaming this whole thing. Resisting the urge to pinch herself, she slowly nodded. “That would be nice,” she mumbled breathlessly.
“Sit,” he simply said, taking control as if it was his natural-born right. Nicolas pushed her onto the bed, lowering himself onto the floor so he was sitting between her knees. His strong hands reached out for her, kneading her shoulders and upper arms. She sighed almost inaudibly. His hands on her felt divine, and not just because of his massage. Her entire body screamed for more. As Nic sensually rubbed her sore muscles, his breath also quickened. “You know what, Ava?” he rumbled, heat burning in his gaze.
“What?” she squeaked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He stared into her eyes. “You’re very beautiful.”
She nervously bit her lip. “And you’re very, very drunk.”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t make it any less true, darling.” His thumb traced the left strap of her cami before he slid it halfway off her shoulder. “Hmm. I’ve always wondered what you look like naked.” Ava shivered when Nicolas’s fingers trailed down to her breasts and lightly touched her hardened nipples through the material. “You like that, don’t you?”
Ava nodded mutely. She wasn’t sure what would come out if she opened her mouth. Was he going to take her top off? Did she want him to, in his inebriated state of mind?
“You’re so lovely, Ava,” Nic whispered, suddenly sounding so serious. He sat up and pushed her onto her back, lying down next to her on the soft mattress as he kept gazing into her eyes. “I can’t get you out of my mind, you know. You’re my dream girl.”
It almost brought tears to her eyes. Would he still remember his sweet words to her tomorrow? And even if he didn’t, did the words ring less true because he didn’t have a filter at the moment? “I dream about you, too,” she admitted shyly. “But I – I know dreams can’t come true.”
“Ssh,” he told her, putting a finger on her lips. “Just let me hold you.”
He rolled her onto her side and spooned her, his arms cradling her in a warm and gentle embrace. The warmth of his body so close to her own set her skin on fire. Ava snuggled up to him, her ass rubbing against the erection that had sprung up in Nic’s groin despite his drunken state. She could hear him moan softly, close to her ear, his breath tickling her neck. His arms tightened around her, and then he didn’t move anymore. He was holding her, just like he’d said. The only thing still moving was his mouth. He kissed her on her shoulder, in her neck, on her outer ear, on her temple, his touch completely electrifying her. Ava swallowed hard, resisting the urge to beg him to do more to her. She didn’t want to scare him off again. If this was the only thing that would happen tonight, she’d still be a happy woman.
And then, Nicolas moved one arm. His large, warm hand slid down her side, landing on her hip, pulling her bum closer to his cock. He caressed her hip through the silky fabric of her shorts, then ran up his hand under her top to fondle her boobs and gently tug at her nipples until she shivered with anticipation. Ava wasn’t even sure if he was still fully awake, but she definitely was. Her entire body was tingling with desire.
She gasped when Nicolas’s hand wandered back down again and slipped into her shorts, finding the place where she ached for him the most. Her cheeks grew hot when she felt how wet she was for him. His fingers lightly rubbed her swollen clit. Ava eagerly spread her legs to give him easier access, her pussy slick with need. “Hmm,” she moaned very softly, gripping his other hand still resting on her shoulder. Her heart was tripping in her chest. He wanted her – he was finally allowing himself to want her. “Oh, Nic,
” she whispered, trembling under his touch.
“Feels good?” he mumbled, his face buried in her hair. So he was still awake after all.
Ava bit down on the pillow under her head. “Yeah.” When he slipped one finger into her pussy, she repeated more loudly: “Oh, yeah.”
She wished Nic’s caresses would last forever. Afraid she’d interrupt him, Ava decided not to turn around and face him. Being in his arms like this was enough for now. Actually, Nic knew exactly how to turn her on. His experienced fingers quickly pushed her to her peak. Soon, she cried out as she exploded in a blood-rushing climax, holding on to him with eyes closed.
In the silence that ensued, Ava let out a deep, satisfied sigh. “You want some too?” she mumbled, provocatively brushing up against him with her butt.
He waited for a beat. “I’m okay,” he then murmured. “Sleep, Ava. Stay with me.”
His sleepy words made her smile, despite the fact that she felt a little bit brushed off. He wanted her to stay with him. Nicolas didn’t seem to be afraid of her anymore. Whatever Jeremy had told him, clearly it had convinced him to give in to his feelings for her.
That night, she slept peacefully next to him.
13.
“Ava.”
His voice woke her from a deep sleep. Grunting with dismay, she opened one eye. “Too early,” she objected succinctly.
Nicolas chuckled slightly. “Not if you want to have breakfast. There are ten million guests in the hotel all hitting the buffet at eight, remember?”
Ava shifted, rolled onto her back and suddenly realized what had happened last night. With a slight blush on her cheeks, she flung back the sheets and peeked up at Nic, who was standing shirtless by the foot of the bed. He didn’t look worse for wear – he’d probably taken one of those hangover pills the Elitists always seemed to stock up on. “Hey,” she said softly, giving him a tentative smile as she sat up. “Uhm – did you sleep well?”
“I slept like a log,” he replied with a grin. “A log with a pounding headache, by the way. I just washed down some Neutrazol.”
