Chapter Fifteen

Ava

"So, Denny and I invited a few girls to tag along, and we all went swimming in the pool. Denny and I dared each other to strip down to nothing, but the girls decided to keep on their undergarments. It was fine for about five minutes, and we were all having a great time. I had just dared Denny to jump off the diving board when a security light turned on. Turns out, they were home and not away for the weekend like Denny was told. When they heard us splashing around at close to midnight, Mr. Zecker came outside in his tighty-whities, carrying a shotgun because he thought a bear had gotten trapped in his yard," Gavin says, trying not to smile while telling his story.

I, on the other hand, am grinning from ear to ear as he recounts the story I had heard long ago while away at college. A group of five or six students climbed over the fence surrounding Principal Zecker's backyard and went skinny-dipping, but I guess I didn't realize it was Gavin who did it. "I bet that was a sight."

He shivers. "Sometimes, late at night, it pops in my head like a scene from a horror movie you just can't stop thinking about, and I have to cry myself to sleep."

Giggling, I reach over and rest my hand on top of his. Upon contact, a flash of electricity races through me. The zap startles me, but I'm not sure why. I've felt it every time we've touched, even with the most basic contact through layers of winter weather gear. Clearing my throat and trying to catch my breath, I reply, "The stuff nightmares are made of."

"You have no idea. Especially when he realized it wasn't a black bear frolicking around in his yard and pool, but his students, he made us boys get out of the pool—naked, covering ourselves with only our hands—while he proceeded to hand out detentions like throwing confetti. It wasn't until he was done with his lecture that he realized he was in his underwear. His face went beet red, and as much as he tried to… cover himself, it was no use. The damage had been done. He was so embarrassed, he told us if we never speak of this again, we could skip those detentions, but thanks to the giggling girls and their big mouths, it got around town faster than Saul's meatloaf announcements, and by Monday morning, those detentions were back on."

I'm laughing now, unable to stop myself. "Oh my God, I heard about this when I was at college, but didn't know the specifics. This is horribly funny. I'm so sorry for laughing at your expense."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Did you at least get a date out of your experience?" I ask, even though I'm not sure I really want to know. Gavin is incredibly gorgeous. I'm sure he's had plenty of dates in his time.

Way more than me.

His smile is slow and to the point. Without saying a word, I already know the answer. "Perhaps, but only because I was a true gentleman and turned around while the ladies got out of the pool and put their clothes back on."

Shaking my head, I beam at him, at the story he shared. I've been told Gavin was a wild one when he was younger, and while he was three years younger than me in school, it's a small enough town to hear the stories over the years. Sure, I'm certain a few have been embellished, but I have no doubt that Gavin Pierson, with his charming smile and charismatic personality, was every bit of the gorgeous troublemaker I heard about.

We sit and stare at each other for several seconds, enjoying the conversation and getting to know each other. The meal is long consumed, the dishes already in the dishwasher and the leftovers in the fridge. We've been sitting here, talking, for almost two hours, and neither seems to be ready to part ways. It's comfortable having him here, and I find the more I learn about him, the more I like. I want to know more.

Clearing my throat, I blurt out, "Would you like a tour?" I feel my face flush a thousand shades of red and wish I could reel the invitation back in. It's much bolder and more brazen than I'm used to.

"I'd love one. Tell me what you and your dad have done to the house since you purchased it," he says, standing up and reaching for my chair.

"Well, there hasn't been too much, just some cosmetic updates here and there. We pulled up the flooring in the kitchen and bathroom and repainted the cabinets. They were a horrible shade of yellow when I bought this place."

"You have a great color scheme with the lighter color on the top cabinets and the darker one on the bottom," he says, taking it all in.

"Pinterest is my favorite site. I love to craft and create, and you can find so much on there. I spent hours and hours looking over kitchen designs and color schemes."

"You did well," he informs me.

When we move from the kitchen to the living room, I feel his hand on my lower back. It's warm and inviting and causes butterflies to flutter in my belly. "Umm, we painted in here. The original walls had three gray ones and a dark red accent. It was…I don't know, but it wasn't the comforting feel you'd want when relaxing in the living room. It was overwhelming to me. I guess I prefer more soothing earth tones, which is probably why I chose the ivory and sage green colors for the cabinets."

"It fits you," he says as we walk down the short hallway.

Pushing open the first door, I reveal my playroom, as I like to call it. It's a combination library and craft room and was the first project my dad and I tackled when I received possession of the house.

"Impressive," Gavin states, glancing around the clear, organized space.

"Thank you. Dad built me the shelves, workstation, and organizers. It took some time, but I couldn't imagine what it would have been like without it. I use the workstation for nearly everything, and thanks to the organizers, I have bins and spaces for materials."

"Maybe he should have gone into carpentry and construction instead of farming and insurance," he says, taking a few extra minutes to look around.

"Farming has always been his love. Well, after my mom and family. Insurance kept a steady income rolling in, especially when the farm had a rough year for whatever reason."

When he seems to have his fill of checking out my playroom, we move on to the small bathroom. We don't hang around too long because, well, if you've seen one bathroom, you've pretty much seen them all, so we move on to the final doorway in this part of the house.

My bedroom.

The master bedroom is a nice-sized room with two big windows on the back wall that face the timber behind me. I love to keep the window shades open during the day to enjoy the view and let in the natural light, but now that it's dark, they'll need to be closed before I get ready for bed.

I take in the space, trying to put myself in Gavin's shoes. There's plenty of room to move around. My queen-sized bed is positioned against one wall, while my dresser and standing jewelry box I received following my mother's passing are opposite. I do most of my reading in the living room, but I do have an old rocking chair that belonged to my grandma in the corner, along with a small table with a reading lamp and a couple of books.

"This suits you."

I glance around. "How so?"

He steps forward until he's directly in front of my bed before he turns around and looks at me. I'm very much aware of the fact we're inside my bedroom, so close to my bed, my body starting to hum with desire. I feel my nipples pebble against my bra, and a low tingle starts to swirl between my legs. My breathing quickens into short little pants and my head feels like I'm floating. Memories of that kiss from last Friday night flash through my mind, and all I want to do is repeat it.

"Well, it's relaxing and inviting, with the tans and soft pinks. There's a mix of newer pieces of furniture, as well as a few things that are most likely sentimental items you'll never part with. You have a few throw pillows to add comfort, but not so many they overwhelm the bed, and the carpet is thick and plush, just like the socks you tend to wear on your feet. It's welcoming and very…you."

My throat goes dry at the thought of welcoming Gavin into my bedroom. Not because I don't want him here, but simply because I do. Having him standing beside my bed makes me picture things I have no business imagining, yet can't seem to stop myself. I see him standing here at the end of a long day, climbing beneath the covers, and snuggling up against me as I drift off to sleep.

That's relaxing.

The thought of him being here.

With me.

My feet move before I can even reconsider. I stop when I'm directly in front of him, our socked feet toe to toe. He doesn't move a muscle, just watches me, waiting for me to make the first move.

So I do.

Going up on my tiptoes, I press my lips against his. It's not the light brush of our lips from last Friday, but one packed with heat and hope. Wrapping my hands around his arms, I lean into his chest just as his arms snake around me. His hands sit low on my back as his tongue slips across the seam of my lips. My mouth opens, granting him access. His tongue slides against mine, taking the lead in this incredible dance we seem to engage in.

Hesitantly, I move my hands. They glide up his back, around his shoulders, and to his neck. My fingers dive into his hair as I crush my chest against his. I ignore the ache in my feet as I climb higher, to get closer.

More.

I don't even realize I'm moving backward until I gently meet the wall. His hands dive down to my rear. Long, firm fingers grip the globes of my butt, gently squeezing moments before he lifts. A yelp of surprise erupts from my mouth, and my legs instinctively wrap around his waist.

With my back against the wall and his strong arms helping hold me in place, he deepens the kiss. Tongues duel, lips nip at lips. When he sucks on my tongue, I almost orgasm right here, right now, my body pressed firmly against his. I can feel the firmness and thickness of his erection between my legs, and while that might usually embarrass me, I don't give it a thought. Instead, all I want to do is grind against him until I explode like a bomb.

I've had sex. I may not be super experienced, since I spent my college years actually learning instead of partying and sleeping around, but I'm not unfamiliar with desire. But any desire I've felt in the last fifteen years has paled in comparison to how I feel right now. My body is hot, tingly, and craving more.

His touch.

His mouth.

His ability to make me feel wild and free.

For the first time in I don't even know how long, I want to experience everything I didn't even realize I was missing in my life.

And I want it with Gavin.

He kneads my butt with his big hands and my hips rock forward. The only air in the room is what we share. What he breathes, I breathe. This kiss is ravenous, desperate, natural.

Ours .

And I never want it to end.

A soft meow breaks the moment. "There's something brushing against my leg," he murmurs.

"Tabitha. She's very jealous, but I'm not sure why. Half the time, I don't think she likes me."

He gives me a lazy smile. One that makes it hard to catch my breath. I'm not exactly sure if it's from the epic kiss or the way he makes me feel when he grins at me like that. His hazel eyes brim with the desire conveyed, and all I want to do is kiss him again. By the feel of his erection pressed firmly against my core, I think he'd be game for it too.

But that's not what happens.

He carefully starts to lower my legs down, holding me against him as my feet touch the floor. While his hands remain firmly on my ass, his front pressed to me, he rests his forehead against mine and murmurs, "I really want to continue that kiss."

My heart is pounding a million beats per second. "I sense a but coming…"

His smile is gentle as his right hand moves to caress my cheek. He brushes his thumb over my bottom lip. "I've dreamt of kissing these lips since I was fifteen."

Okay. I wasn't expecting that.

"What?" I whisper, my mind spinning a little. Clearly the power of his kisses has knocked me for a loop, because there's no way he just said he's wanted to kiss me for eighteen years.

He smiles again, leaning forward, brushing his lips across my forehead. "True story, Ava. I had the biggest crush on you when we were in high school."

All I can do is gape at him, trying to process.

His gritty chuckle is a balm to my soul, one I didn't even know I needed. "Freshman year, I saw you walking down the hallway with your friends. You were holding this big stack of books, laughing at something one of them said. I literally stopped in my tracks in the hallway and just watched you. You were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen."

My face flames red. "I'm not so sure about that," I insist. "No one thought I was beautiful. I was a nerd."

His lips caress my cheek as he inhales, breathing in the scent of my hair. "The most beautiful nerd in the world," he confirms. "I was smitten with you that entire year."

I blink several times before replying, "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, just listen." He pauses and holds my gaze. "Call it a crush or whatever, but I've been attracted to you for as long as I can remember. I probably should have made a move and asked you out before now, but I was afraid it was just that. A crush. But the more I saw you, the more I wanted to know you, and my timing might not be the greatest because of your rule about dating a student's father, but I think this chemistry I feel when we're together is worth exploring."

He takes a deep breath before continuing, "That's why I'm not taking you to bed like I want to. This isn't just sex for me. This is…more, Ava. I feel it in my bones, and I'm going to prove it to you. When we're finally together, when you're in bed with me, naked, it's going to be because you're all in. You and me. We can keep it quiet though the rest of the school year or however long you need to feel comfortable, but when the time comes, I'm going to tell the world how I feel about you."

My mind is spinning from his words, his declaration, but more importantly, from the way they make me feel. For the first time in my adult life, I realize I want more. Not just a relationship. Someone to come home to, chat about my day with, and hold me while I fall asleep, but more with Gavin. Call it rushed or too soon, but I don't want to ignore these feelings I have. I want to find out where they lead.

But I'm also scared. I'm not one who usually takes risks. I prefer the comfort in familiarity, and while I'm a pro at dealing with change on a professional level, I'm not so good with it personally.

Maybe that's exactly why I need someone like Gavin in my life.

Someone who not only makes me want to step out of that comfort zone, but who's willing to catch me if and when I fall.

He presses his lips to my forehead once more, as if he can't stop himself. Frankly, I hope he never stops wanting to kiss me. "Can I see you again?"

I nod instantly. "Yes."

He gives me a slow smile that makes my thighs clench. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Usually just grocery shopping and catching up on laundry and cleaning."

"How are you with heights?"

That question gives me pause. "Uhh, okay, I guess."

"Good. I'll be here at two. Comfortable shoes and clothes." He presses his lips to my own in a chaste, yet sweetly perfect kiss.

I want to ask him to stay, to tell him I'm ready, but deep down, I know I need just a little more time. And the fact he knows it is all the more reason to put my trust and faith in Gavin Pierson. Why this man is still single is beyond me, but I'm damn glad he is.

Tabitha jumps up on my bed and gets comfortable, while Gavin takes my hand and walks me to the front door. While he slips on his coat and hat, I grab his boots from the mat in the mudroom. It doesn't freak me out when I see them beside my own boots. In fact, it's as if that one little picture is the most natural sight in the world.

What is this man doing to me?

When he's ready to go, he takes me in his arms, slipping his hands into my hair. "Thank you for dinner. It was delicious."

"You're welcome," I murmur right before his lips swipe gently across mine.

"Tonight has been incredible," he whispers before releasing his hold on my head and stepping back.

I miss his touch already.

"It has," I confirm, my throat dry and my lips tingly.

"See you tomorrow, Ava." He flashes me a happy, yet somewhat cocky smile before stepping through my front door and onto the porch. "Lock up behind me."

"I will," I reply.

He waves goodbye before walking to his truck. Even when he climbs inside and starts it, I can feel his eyes on me. My fingers automatically go to my lips, tracing the still-swollen flesh he just spent the better part of several minutes devouring.

A wave of excitement sweeps through me as he slowly pulls away, leaving me with the memories of his amazing kisses, the hardness of his body against mine, and the desire for more.

Gavin Pierson might very well be my Kryptonite.

And the wild part is, I don't seem to be as worried as I used to be.

In fact, I'm anxious to find out more.

Excited to spend more time with him tomorrow.

Elated at the prospect of jumping into this relationship with him.

Hoping and praying it doesn't all come crashing down around me.