Finding the Love Back (6 page)

Ava shook her head. She wasn’t expecting Christian to come at her the way that he did.

“No. Actually, I’ve taken a bit of time off of work to make sure my dad is taken care of. I’m not leaving anytime soon. If that’s okay with you.” She tried to make it seem as though she was joking to combat the serious turn the conversation had taken.

“Look, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I shouldn’t have come at you like that. I just-forget it. I’m sorry.” Christian turned briefly and looked at her before putting his eyes back on the road. He reached over and gently rubbed her thigh and then he rested his hand there.

Ava gulped. She suddenly felt a heat brewing between her thighs. What was Christian doing? Why was he acting like that?

“I hope you have some time to hang out with me this morning, Ava Marie. I have something special planned for us.”

She smiled. “Really? A surprise. I’m impressed.”

He smiled as well. “Don’t get your hopes up too high. Just sit back and enjoy.”

Christian turned his truck down the next street and before she knew it, they were right in front of their old high school. The football team was outside practicing their summer drills.

Ava just stared out of the window. “I haven’t been over here in years,” she said in a voice that was speaking in a whisper more to herself than to Christian.

“I come over here when I come back to Conner and do a bit of volunteer work from time to time. It’s pretty rewarding. Plus the kids keep you updated on what’s going on in the world.”

Ava gently patted Christian’s hand, the one that was still resting on her thigh. He took it as a signal to move his hand and Ava was happy that the temptation had removed itself.

They rode by the school and a few other places in their old stomping grounds. While they toured their hometown, the two enjoyed easy conversation.  Ava could barely contain herself each time Christian called her by her given name, Ava Marie. She had been Ava or Ava M. for so long, she’d almost forgotten who Ava Marie was.

It was comforting to ride past so many familiar places. Coming back to Conner wasn’t so bad after all. She just wished that it hadn’t been under the circumstances that she was dealing with.

“Now that I’ve given you a tour of the town, I hope you have enjoyed seeing the new twenty-four hour Walmart and the brand new dollar store.”

Ava laughed at Christian’s joke. As progressive as Conner claimed to be, it was still a rural southern town and change often knocked but was seldom invited in.

Ava felt a bit refreshed. “Where to now?” She didn’t recognize the road they turned off on.

“Well, I promised you breakfast. So I’m going to cook for you.”

Ava scrunched up her nose. “Seriously? You cook?”

“Ava Marie, there’s a lot of things that I do that you don’t know about.”

“Well, I think I’ll stick around to find out what some of those things are,” she replied flirtatiously.

“Good. I think we have a lot of catching up to do.”

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Butterflies danced in Ava’s stomach. She didn’t know what Christian had in store, but she was ready to find out what how she would spend the rest of her afternoon.

In another twenty minutes, Christian pulled the truck into the driveway of a Spanish style cottage. It was a rich mustard color and had a modern exterior. The curb appeal looked like something out of one of the television shows for gardening.

“Welcome to my home,” Christian said as they parked in the semi-circle driveway. The house sat alone on a few acres of land and to get back to the house, they had driven through a private gate.

“This is where you live?” Ava asked.

Turning off the engine, Christian looked over at her. “You didn’t think I stayed with my parents when I came home did you?”

She sat there as she waited for Christian to come around and open her door. “I didn’t really think about it. I just kind of assumed you lived this bachelor lifestyle living in hotels and traveling and then coming home to your mother’s home-cooked meals when you come back to Conner.”

“What an imagination, Gorgeous. I’m a grown man and I can’t live with my parents when I come home. And contrary to popular believe, I don’t live on the road. I do a lot of work out of my home office.”

When Christian opened the door, Ava gasped. “It’s beautiful, Christian.” She looked around admiring the contemporary décor.

“You couldn’t have done this yourself. This has a woman’s touch.” It was her way of asking if he was in a relationship with anyone without coming straight out and asking.

“The only woman that helped with this was the interior decorator that I paid to help. I’ll show you around later. Let’s hit the kitchen and get something to eat.”

Christian threw his key in an ashtray that sat on a demi-lune table in the foyer. She followed him to the quaint chef’s kitchen furnished with all stainless steel appliances and deep cherry wood cabinets.

“One thing, I have to help you cook. I’m a bit scared of your capabilities,” she said, half joking and half serious.

“Whatever you say.” Christian led the way. He began to pull out ingredients; eggs, tomato, cheese, spices, onion, and ham.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ava stated, singing the words.

“More than you know. Here, start dicing these tomatoes. I’ll start dicing up the ham.” Christian passed her a cutting board, the tomatoes, and a knife. Before he began dicing the ham, he pulled out two champagne flutes.

“Can I interest you in a drink? Maybe a bit of champagne?”

“In the morning?” she asked curiously.

“I have a bottle that I’ve been dying to open. Plus I have these strawberries in here and I don’t want them to spoil.”

Ava turned back and began dicing the tomato. “Sure, why not?” There was no reason why she couldn’t have champagne for brunch.

She couldn’t believe that she was standing there in the kitchen with the man that had once been the love of her life. Ava would have never guessed that this would be a possibility for them. She diced tomatoes while Christian opened the champagne.

Suddenly, she felt him standing closely behind her. He bent over and lightly kissed her earlobe. “For you,” he said offering the glass of champagne.

Ava turned around and they were practically chest to chest. Christian passed her the glass and she was delighted to see that there was a strawberry immersed in the liquid and one perched on the rim of the glass.

She took her glass and Christian stood there before her holding his. He took the berry off of the rim of his glass and lightly traced the outside of her lips. Ava could taste the sweet juice and it was mixed with the taste of the champagne. Ava licked her lips, first taking in the taste of the strawberry, then taking a bite of it as Christian fed her a bite.

Christian then took the berry and after dipping it in his champagne, ate the rest of the fruit. He followed the fruit with a sip of his champagne. All the while, his eyes never left Ava’s. She followed suit and sipped on her champagne.

They sipped the liquid quietly, and then Christian took both of their glasses and set them on the counter. With his hands now free, Christian pulled Ava closer to him. Her body was wedged between his body and the kitchen counter.

She was ready for what was next. He kissed her and she tasted the sweet deliciousness of the strawberry and champagne on his tongue as it searched for hers.

Christian dove in, kissing Ava with an urgency like his life depended on it. She felt the same urgency and returned the passion. Christian was surprised that she reciprocated. He was scared that after hurting Ava so long ago, she would push him away. Was it possible that she felt what he still felt for her?

He lifted her body up on to the counter. They were now eye to eye.

“What was that all about?” Ava asked.

“I want to tell you, but I’m not sure that you’re ready to hear what I have to say.”

Ava leaned forward and gave Christian a peck on the lips. “I want to know what’s on your mind.”

Staring into Ava’s soft green eyes was making it hard for Christian to tell her how he truly felt.

“When I heard you were back in town, I knew that I had to see you. I’ve thought about coming to Atlanta to get you back in my life, but I didn’t want to pop up on any unexpected situations. Like if you were already taken or something, so I stayed away. I also stayed away because I didn’t know if you wanted to see me.”

Ava listened intently as Christian poured out his heart. He took her hand in his.

“I knew I had a chance to apologize when I found out you were here and I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. Ava Marie, I’m not going to lose you again. There have been other women, but no one that I want to be with like you. I’ve never stopped thinking of you and loving you.”

When Christian spoke, he accentuated the word never. He stood there waiting for Ava to say something. He’d just poured out his heart to her and she was sitting there silently.

So when she responded with a kiss and began to rip off his shirt, Christian knew that he had his answer.

Ava wasn’t sure how they made it back to the bedroom. She was almost sure that Christian had picked her up and carried her back to the room. She didn’t even take time to take in her surroundings because she was too focused on Christian.

He laid her on the bed and with his face nuzzled in her neck, his lips brushed her skin and began to light her on fire. He planted kisses with an urgency that begged her not to leave his side. Ava sighed, enjoying the feeling of Christian’s warmth. She lay back, prepared to let him take control of her body. And he did just that.

By the time they reached the room, they had practically stripped. Christian had to just take off the blue boxer briefs that he had on. Ava loved the feel of his skin on hers. She was impressed with the feeling of his hard body on hers. It was so different from when they used to make out in high school. With mature bodies and minds, they were about to give in to each other more intimately than either one of them had done with anyone else before.

Ava quickly turned over the thought in her mind that she had not been sexually involved with any man in over six months. She had convinced herself that she was on a self- imposed celibacy kick, but the truth was, she was no longer into casual sex with random men. She truly wanted to give her heart to someone who loved her and adored her and she hadn’t found the man that would do that and that she could feel the same about.

No words were spoken and the only sounds in the house were the two of them moaning and breathing heavily. Christian leveled his body over Ava’s and she held his face in her hands and kissed his lips. Their tongues danced with one another playfully. Christian then began to lead a trail of kisses to her earlobe, whispering sweet nothings to her.