Page 54 of Pretty Relentless

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.

Chapter Sixteen

Gavin

“I’m not so sure about this,” Ava states, the hesitation evident in her voice as she gazes up at the twenty-five-foot rock wall in front of us.

“No sweat, sweets. You got this,” I insist, trying to ease her worry. “We’re harnessed so you won’t fall, and you have proper grippy shoes. Annabelle and I have been coming here for a few years now. It’s fun.”

She continues to stare up at the brightly colored pegs on five thousand square feet of climbing space. “This doesn’t scream fun to me, Gavin,” she mutters, turning worried eyes my way.

I step forward, placing my hands around her upper arms and kiss her soft lips. “You look so stinkin’ adorable. If you don’t want to, we won’t. But I promise, it’s not as difficult as you think. We’re starting on the beginner’s side, which isn’t as tall, and the pegs are larger and closer together.”

She sighs and meets my gaze. “I haven’t done physical activity since PE in high school, and even then, I was the least athletic and coordinated person in the class.”

I snort a laugh and kiss her forehead. “And look at you now. A total badass, who’s about to climb a rock wall.”

Ava rolls her eyes and glances back up at the wall, reaching up and straightening her helmet. “All right, I’ll give it a try, but if I fall to my death, I’ll be haunting you for the rest of your life.”

“I’m certain it won’t come to that, but I would look forward to seeing you in ghostlike form,” I tease.

Of course, my mind goes to the haunting she’s already doing. She has no clue, but she was with me last night when I went home, the memory of her mouth against mine, her body wrapped tightly around me, the desire swirling in her brown eyes, kept me hard and wanting the entire way. She was right there when I tried to take a cold shower and the reason I ended up taking my cock in my hand and getting myself off. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

About our non-date date.

Same thing again from the second I woke. Okay, if I’m being honest, she was in my dreams too, but from the moment I got up this morning, she’s been on my mind, so when I say she’s been haunting me since last night, I speak the facts.

Her memory is right there.

Ava reaches up and grabs two of the larger pegs and places her right foot on one about a foot off the ground. Slowly, she pulls herself up, setting her left foot down on a peg. She sighs and glances over her shoulder at me. She’s barely a foot off the ground. “You know, maybe you should go again so I can see how you do it.”

Before I can say a word, a young boy rushes over to the wall about ten feet from where we’re at and scurries up to the top like it’s nothing. “See? Easy,” I retort, trying not to smile.

“He looked like Spider-Man,” she mutters, adjusting her hands and glancing toward the top. “You’re sure I’m not going to die?”

Grinning from ear to ear, I reassure her, “I’m sure. Take your time. There’s no need to try to outdo Spidey over there.”

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