Just His Taste (17 page)

Chapter Thirty-One

Saturday Night

Jason sat on his couch, drinking a beer. His TV was on, but down low—the local radar channel showing the greens and oranges of the storm rolling in. Though just looking out his front window clued him in.

The sky lit up every so often from the lightning hidden in the coming wall cloud. Mother Nature was always gorgeous to watch, especially in the spring.

Maybe he'd get a tornado.

Let some of the natural chaos rip away some of his internal chaos.

On the plus side, at least it hadn't hit during the cook-off. Thunderstorms, or worse, were no fun when everything was in tents.

He'd only gotten unloaded an hour ago, and while he knew he was hungry, he couldn't bring himself to eat any of the leftovers.

Lightning flashed outside, reflecting off his third-place trophy.

Third.

Well, at least it wasn't last place.
Yeah, that was what he could tell himself. Because it looked like he wasn't going to win much of anything else in the near future.

Ava was gone.

Tessa was back with Lucas.

Jason felt like a third-place finisher in a three-man Round Robin.

Sucked ass.

Another rumble of thunder started, and Jason stood, deciding he'd go watch the storm roll in. The bungalow house had a nice wide porch, and while he preferred the privacy of his backyard, he'd never be able to see the storm come in from back there.

He walked onto the porch and dropped in the patio chair. The sky lit up like an explosion from heaven as more lightning tore up the heavy black clouds.

Yeah, totally matched his mood.

The temperature had dropped a good twenty degrees, and the wind picked up. Each hard blast sprayed him with rain. The cold chill felt good.

At least something felt good.

He should thank his lucky stars he got third at the cook-off. He'd been so off his game. He yelled at his dad twice, almost dropped his blind boxes when delivering them and stuttered every time he tried to say something.

It was not a good day. Especially when the realization hit him, early this morning, that Ava wasn't coming back.

He'd heard the verdict, yet some part of him hoped she'd find a way. At least before, anyway. Now, though, he knew better. They'd never let her go.

It was a whole other realm that he couldn't quite grasp—out of his understanding. The whole idea of eternity, that she'd be forever up there. Or over there, or whatever it was.

Maybe she'd put in a good word for him on judgment day.

Wouldn't that be nice?

The love of his life, waiting for him in the afterlife. At least he'd get to see her again sometime.

He closed his eyes and listened to the thunder pound in the air. He could hear cars in the distance, splashing at the dip in the road a half a block down. Storms always eased his mind. Took away the little stresses—after all, whether he got the water bill paid was of little consequence when the planet up and tried to kill him with one of its temper tantrums.

That was what his mother had always called storms…

Earth's temper tantrums.

A boom of thunder punctuated his thought.

“Maybe the Powers That Be are frustrated for me,” he muttered, then shook off the silly thought. His mother had been the spiritualist. All her connections between everything had filled his brain with all kinds of notions when he was a kid. The older he got, though, the less he saw them.

Didn't want to see them, really.

Though, tonight, the idea that Earth was as pissed off as he was soothed him.

More lightning.

More thunder.

And a whine of a motorcycle.

Jason smirked.

“Wouldn't want to be that guy,” he mused as the whine got closer. He glanced to his right, where the sound seemed to be coming from.

Sure enough, he saw the single headlight of a motorcycle coming his way.

He watched, amused, as the black crotch rocket flew past his house. As fast as it was going, he shifted from amused to irritated.

What kind of moron drove like that in the rain?

Fucktard.

Then he heard it brake. It sounded like it slowed and stopped, with a whirr of it turning, maybe?

In a second, the light from the bike pierced the rain. Yep, the guy had turned around.

The bike came back, not so fast this time, and slowed as it approached his house.

Pulled in the drive.

Adrenaline pumped through Jason.
Who in the hell—

He leaped up, ready to fight—he didn't know anyone with a black crotch rocket.

The driver pulled off the full helmet. Red hair fell down the driver's back, and she—because it was obvious, with those curves, it was a she—climbed off the bike.

Jason's heart skipped a beat.

Ava.

The deluge of rain immediately soaked her hair as she turned and their gazes met.

Someone could have shot him, and he would have been less shocked.

Ava!

“Jason,” she yelled through the rain.

He ran down the stairs, not caring that the rain pummeled him. He had to get to her.

He had to.

They met in his yard, and he wrapped his arms around her. They slammed together, and he kissed her with everything he was worth, pouring all of his hurt, his pain and his joy into the kiss as the rain drenched them. He held her tight, unable to fathom this.

Was this real?

Was he dreaming?

He put his hand in her hair—he could smell that sweet, soft smell of hers, mixed with the smell of fresh rain.

Rain that was washing away everything. Including the pain and the hurt.

“Ava,” he whispered and nuzzled her neck.

“Jason… Oh, Jason.” She tipped her head back, moaning as he kissed her throat.

He kept kissing her. Even through the downpour, he wouldn't stop. He couldn't. He had to feel her, to taste her. Even to take her. Here on his lawn.

He didn't care.

He wasn't letting her get away again.

Mine.

It pounded in his head, like the rain.

Mine…

“Jason, wait… The rain.”

He didn't want to break away from her. “What? Can't you just shield us?” He released her just enough to wave his hand.

She shook her head. Her eyes wet, but not from the rain.

He blinked.

“I'm mortal. I'm not a fairy anymore.”

He nodded, turned…and went back inside his house.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Ava stared, her heart breaking into a thousand pieces.

After everything—
everything
—Jason didn't want her? Couldn't even say anything to her? Anger flooded her, boiled through her veins, and she wouldn't have been surprised to see steam coming off her bodysuit, she was so pissed off.

“How
fucking
dare you, Jason Gregorian!” How could he reject her now? After everything? After the file, after all they'd shared…

Now
she wasn't good enough for him?

She marched after him and grabbed the door handle.

Or would have, if it hadn't flown open in her face, Jason standing on the other side.

“Do you know what I had to go through to be here? And you fucking walk away, not even saying a word? I've been riding that goddamn bike for four hours, trying to get here! I had to atone for every goddamn sin I ever made in the Fairy world, just so I could be here, for you. With you. And you fucking walk away?”

Jason held up his hand. “Towel.”

Sure enough, he held a thick, plush bath towel in his hand. And he wrapped it around her.

She blinked, the anger diffusing as the towel warmed her shoulders. “You couldn't have said, ‘Ava, let me get you a towel'?”

“Figured you'd know what I was doing.”

She blinked. “Why would I?”

“Common sense.” He shrugged. “I gotta take care of you.”

“I don't need anyone to
take care
of me. I can be just fine by myself.” She spun around to walk away.

She didn't need this shit. Her heart split in two, and she wasn't about to be some charity case for Jason.

He grabbed her arm, stopping her. “If you're stupid enough to ride a motorcycle in this downpour, then, sweetheart, you need someone to take care of you. Badly.”

“How dare you!” She jerked out of his touch. “I didn't come here for a babysitter. I came here because I thought you fucking loved me.”

“I do.”

She opened her mouth to continue, not really registering what he'd said. “The file said— Wait…what?”

“I love you,” Jason said. “I think I fell for you at the wedding. It nearly killed me when Zeus—”

“Jupiter. His name's Jupiter.”

“Whatever. When he slammed that ball down, I felt like I died.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “What about the file?”

She shook her head, the words slamming into her. “I'm your HEA, Jason. That's what was changed in the file.”

He nodded. Looked at the floor. Then back at her. A gambit of emotions rolled over his face as what she said truly sank in. The same surge ran through her—confusion, exhaustion, desire, love, relief. All of it tugging at her in a million different directions.

Jason loved her.

He loves me…

She'd never felt anything like it—the overwhelming emotion surged through her, and she couldn't articulate what to say. What to do.

This time, when he looked at her, his eyes darkened, and a very primal expression covered his face.

“So you're mine.”

Ava nodded.

“Good.”

And he scooped her into his arms and took her back to the bedroom, kissing her all the way.

The thunderstorm had backed off, and was now just a soft spring rain, the noise a happy overture outside as Ava lay on Jason's bed.

Ava stretched, rolled onto her stomach and purred. The man certainly knew how to make her feel amazing. Even without her wings.

“Lovely,” Jason said when he came back from disposing of the condom. Now that she was just as mortal as anyone, condoms were very necessary.

“Two questions,” Jason said as he climbed on the bed. “First off…are we gonna have fairy babies?”

She smirked. “Well, I wasn't told I couldn't, so you never know.”

“Ahh,” he said, running his hand over her bottom. “And what about this…” He slid his hand higher, across her back, where the ridges that held her wings used to be. He began to trace the outlines of the fairy wings tattoo on her shoulder blades. “Because it's very, very sexy.” He leaned over and kissed first one side, then the other.

“Can't forget my roots, you know?” she said, mewing as he kissed up and down her back.

“No, we can't forget that.”

And then he tried very hard to make her forget again.

Epilogue

Two Weeks Later—Saturday Night

“I am so ready for a drink,” Ava said as she climbed into Jason's car.

He smiled. “Rough day at the clinic?”

“Holy Hera, you have no idea,” Ava said. “First, I spill my coffee on the appointment schedule, and I have to print another one, and you know how I feel about computers. They just take
forever
…”

Jason let Ava talk, but couldn't help musing to himself about how perfectly everything had worked out. Even finding Ava a job.

Who would have thought his biker fairy would get a job as a receptionist at a doctor's office? Yet, while it seemed to drive her up the wall, he knew she loved it.

“I'm telling you, when I get that manager job, I'm going to change a few things around there,” Ava said.

Jason raised his eyebrow. “Manager, eh?”

“Well, yeah. You weren't even listening, were you?”

“Not really.” He reached over and stroked her shoulder, grazing the edge of the wings tattooed on her shoulder.

She reached up and patted his arm. “You know, we're gonna be late.”

He smiled. “What makes you say that?”

“You have that look,” Ava replied, her hand on his leg.

He laid his hand on her lap, very close to the edge of her little black skirt. And to a very special place. “And if I do?”

“You're insatiable,” she said, her legs parting.

“You like it.” He stroked her inner thigh, sliding his hand up. She rocked her hips into his fingers, and sighed when he felt her bare beneath her skirt. “You're a naughty girl.”

“And?”

He leaned over and kissed her. He kept stroking her as he did, and she moaned when he kissed her neck. His fingers moved over her center, sliding in and out, and she groaned, her hips matching the movement.

He whispered naughty commands in her ear, and she obeyed.

When they finally pulled apart, Ava sagged in the seat. “We're really going to be late, now.”

“We're going to a bar. It doesn't matter if we're late,” Jason said. He started the car and drove toward the bar to meet Roark and Bruce. “Besides, you're more relaxed now, right?”

“Better than a good bourbon.” She smiled that drunk-after-sex smile.

After they got to the bar, Jason came around and opened her door.

“Oh, all gentlemanly tonight,” Ava said as she climbed out of the car.

He raised his eyebrow. And whispered more naughty things to her about their plans for later.

She moaned. “You sure we have to go in? Because I'd much rather do that than go in here and behave.”

“Orgasms come to those who wait.”

If he wasn't mistaken, Ava's cheeks turned a little pink and she bit her lip.

Checkmate,
Jason thought.

He led her inside, and hadn't really considered the backlash of bringing Ava with him to meet Roark and Bruce. This had always been a guys' night thing, but Jason felt like his friends needed to meet her. Still, he hoped he didn't cross any boundaries bringing her.

They came around the corner, and Jason saw Bruce and Roark.

And the women with them.

Huh. Kismet.

“I thought you said this was a guy thing,” Ava said as they crossed the bar.

“It was,” Jason said. “But it looks like you fairies got the job done.”

“I guess so,” Ava said.

“Hey, Jason,” Roark said as they reached the table.

Bruce turned to Jason. And his eyes got as big as softballs. “You!”

Roark glanced at Bruce. “You know her?”

Bruce nodded. “But…but…” He pointed at Ava.

Ava took a seat next to Bruce's date. “Yeah, this was a great idea, Jason.”

Jason narrowed his gaze on Bruce. “Yes. It is. And you're going to shut up about it. Right now.” He'd been aware that Ava had helped out her other fairies, but it didn't dawn on him until just now that the guys might actually know her.

Jason glanced at Roark. “Like Christy.”

Roark stared at him. Blinked. Once. Twice. Then his eyes got huge too. And he elbowed Stephanie, leaned over and whispered in her ear. Then it was her turn to look shocked.

The only woman who wasn't saying anything was Bruce's date. The very woman Bruce had hired Jason to take pictures of.

She, however, was glaring at Jason.

He tried to play it off. “Introductions. I'm Jason. This is Ava.”

Roll call continued. “I'm Bruce, and this is Greta.”

“And I'm Roark, and this is Stephanie.”

Hands shot across the table, everyone shaking hands with each other, though Jason noticed immediately that Greta didn't reach over to shake his hand.

She just kept glaring.

Ava put her hand on his leg. “What is it?”

Jason whispered in her ear. “Look at Bruce's date.”

“Ahh.” Ava leaned over to Greta. “If you want, I'll hold him, you punch.”

Greta snapped her gaze to Ava. “You know what—what he does? Did?”

The table got silent.

“What the hell did you do?” Roark asked Jason, leaning over Stephanie.

Ava ignored Roark and nodded at Greta. “I do. And I wouldn't blame you a bit if you wanted to beat him up.”

“It's my job,” Jason said. “I d-d-did my j-job.” He turned to Greta. “For what it's worth, I'm s-s-sorry.”

Greta nodded. “While I wouldn't mind punching you, I don't know what it would prove. You didn't do it randomly.”

“Yes, it's my fault. I take all the blame,” Bruce said, and squeezed Greta's hand. “I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Now, can we get on with our evening?” He glanced over his shoulder, where a table of two more couples sat.

Two couples that Jason recognized. The women, anyway. “I'll be damned,” he muttered. “Ava.”

He nodded toward the bar.

Ava turned. And let out the girliest squeal in the world.

Roark started smirking. Jason rolled his eyes. And Bruce just shook his head. “Nice girly one you got there.”

Greta smacked him in the arm. “You like girly.”

“
He
doesn't,” Bruce said.

Jason shrugged. “Most of the time, she's not. Usually she's on a motorcycle.”

Roark turned to Stephanie. “Do you want motorcycle-riding lessons?”

She elbowed him.

Within ten minutes, another table had been pushed together with theirs, and the other two couples joined them—the other two couples being Roark and Bruce's Fairy Godmothers, and their husbands.

The women got to chatting about girl stuff—evidently Greta was wearing an engagement ring—and the guys, including the fairy guys, headed over to the pool tables.

Roark glanced at Jason. “So she's, ah, a, uh…”

“Retired,” Jason said.

Roark nodded. “What about her, uh…” He gestured to his shoulders.

“Gone. She has the sexiest tattoos there now. Guess it's part of the retirement.”

Roark nodded.

Christy's husband, Ewan, overheard them. “It's the mark,” he said, rather quietly. “They get to pick the location, though. Christy's is not on her back.”

“Where is it?” Roark asked.

Ewan raised his eyebrow.

“Oh,” Roark said. “What about Bruce's? Isn't she retired too?”

Ewan shook his head. “She changed jobs. She's now working with Cupid.”

“Lovely,” Jason muttered. If he ever saw that damn god again, he'd probably punch him in the face.

Ewan touched Jason's arm. “You do know what he did.”

“Yes.” Jason squeezed his pool stick. All the more reason to punch him.

“No. I mean, what he did for Ava?”

“Yeah. He royally screwed up her life.”

“No. He took her place. He allowed her to be free, to be with you. And will live out her sentence.”

“What?” Jason stared at Ewan. Surely, he'd heard him wrong. They were in a bar. He must have. “Why would he do that?”

Ewan raised his eyebrow. “Because he loved her too. In his weird, twisted way.”

It hit Jason like a truck. He couldn't believe Cupid would do something like that. Maybe the guy wasn't so bad. “I suppose I owe him a thank-you.”

Ewan shrugged. “Thought you ought to know.”

Huh. Imagine that.

The God of Love actually did something right.

Jason handed Ewan the pool stick and crossed to Ava. She visited with her friends.

“I can't believe you two got married,” Ava was saying, her eyes on Lilly and Andres as Jason tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hi,” she said, smiling at him. “Lilly married Andres! That's just crazy.”

Jason had no idea why, but he was going to go with it. He leaned down, resting an elbow on the table. “I hear we owe Cupid.”

She blinked. “We don't
owe
him anything.”

He raised his eyebrow. “At least a toast.”

“Who told you?” Ava asked.

“Ewan.”

She sent a death stare to Ewan, then her shoulders slumped. “I didn't want to bother you with the details. But he's right. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Cupid.”

“Honestly, if he hadn't helped, you'd still be here,” Lilly piped up.

“True. Meddling asshole.”

Christy leaned in. “So maybe we owe him, at the very least, for making all of our last jobs more challenging than ever?” She waved to the waitress and ordered a round of drinks for everyone.

“Oh the challenge!” Ava said. “We never figured out who won!”

Lilly glanced at her new husband, Andres. “I think we all won.”

“Yeah. I think so too,” Ava said, patting Jason's arm.

“Challenge?” Jason whispered in her ear. He didn't remember hearing anything about a challenge.

“I'll explain it later.”

The guys came over, and everyone took a shot glass.

“What are we toasting?” Bruce asked.

“Cupid,” Ava said.

Bruce blinked. “Cupid?”

Roark leaned over to him. “I'll explain later.”

“To Cupid!” they all said at once.

Cupid, hovering in the Fairy Realm, watched the table of fairies and humans, all toasting him.

“Interesting—after all your naughtiness, they still toast you,” Anteros said.

“I am the God of Love…”

Anteros rolled his eyes. “Come on, it's time for your next therapy session.”

“Do I really have to go?”

“It was part of your sentence. You have to talk about your
feelings
.”

“How long do I have to do this?” Cupid asked.

“As long as it takes,” Anteros said.

“You think this is funny,” Cupid said.

“Of course I do,” Anteros replied. “You deserve every moment in therapy.”

“Why aren't you in therapy? We had the same parents.”

Anteros smirked. “Because I got the heart, and you got the ego.”

Cupid laughed. “Fair enough.” They closed in on the healer's residence. “Thank you, though. I doubt I would have been able to bring this together without you turning Ava in.”

“My pleasure.”

Cupid shook his head. “And those foolish fairies think I do this stuff by myself.”

Anteros laughed. “If they only knew…”

“Be nice, brother.” And Anteros took Cupid's arm, leading him to his counseling session for his meddling behavior and narcissism.