Page 4 of Her Desire

"Come on up. I can’t believe you are here!”

“I know, I think I may have lost my mind,” I laugh. I promised to come and visit over the years but never made it work. I just couldn’t seem to find a way to leave work, but something inside of me forced me to take the leap this time.

“Tyler thought you would flake, so I can’t wait to see his face when he sees you. And Ava's excited to meet you." She flashed a knowing smile, leading me upstairs to their apartment.

The apartment was cozy, a blend of vintage furniture and colorful textiles giving it a lived-in feel.

“Oh, shit. You finally showed up,” Tyler announced, rushing to me and offering a side hug.

When Lydia and Tyler first started dating, she brought him to Miami for a visit. He and I hit it off instantly and we text whenever I get the chance. He’s a cool guy and he loves Lydia.

“Don’t give me a hard time. You know I’m busy,” I countered, smirking at him.

“Well, we are going to make this vacation the best!” he cheered, causing all of us to laugh.

A soft giggle caused me to turn from Tyler and Lydia. My heart began to race as I spotted the face that had brought me to Seatle. There, framed by the bay window, stood Ava. Petite and demure, her brown hair fell in soft waves around her face, and when she turned to greet me, the kindness in her eyes struck me.

"Sam, this is Ava," Lydia introduced.

"Hi," Ava smiled, extending her hand. Her touch was gentle yet sure, echoing the quiet strength I'd sensed in her photo.

"Hi, you must be Sam," Ava said, her voice a melody that seemed to dance on the cool breeze. She was petite, with delicate features accentuated by her warm smile. Her brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her face like the delicate brush strokes of an artist's painting.

"Guilty as charged," I chuckled, extending my hand. Instead of a handshake, she pulled me into a hug, taking me by surprise,but it was a pleasant one. It was the kind of hug that felt like coming home, even though we'd only just met. "It's great to meet you finally. Lydia has talked about you a lot," I murmured, taken aback by the immediate sense of comfort that enveloped me.

"Only good things, I hope," she quipped, a playful glint in her eye.

"Of course," I chuckled, finding myself already leaning into the easy banter.

We gravitated toward the plush sofa, the conversation flowing as naturally as if we'd known each other for years. We spoke of our shared love for indie music and hole-in-the-wall bookstores, laughing at the uncanny similarities in our tastes. Lydia and Tyler sat nearby, their presence a comfortable backdrop to the connection unfurling between Ava and me.

"Seattle's music scene is pretty great. You should check out some local gigs while you're here," Ava suggested, her enthusiasm infectious.

"I'd love that," I replied, acutely aware of how her mere proximity sent a ripple of excitement through me. "Maybe you could show me your favorites?"

"Sure, that sounds fun," she answered, a genuine warmth in her expression that I longed to bask in further.

“Tyler has a whole list of things he has planned,” Lydia interjects.

“Yeah, and the first thing is to beat your ass in bowling,” Tyler seethes.

I can’t help but laugh. The last time we all hung out, I beat him bowling. He had vowed to whoop my ass in a rematch, and I guess he was eager to make that happen. Tyler was so easygoing until it came to winning.

“Are you still mad about that?” I teased.

“I can’t prove it, but you cheated,” Tyler yelled.

We all burst out laughing as he shook his head. Lydia just gave him a sweet smile.

“Don’t worry, I believe you,” Lydia said, turning and winking at us. “Anyway, we are going to have fun. All of us.”

She is completely unaware of my plan, and I doubt that she can see how much I want Ava already. Everyone thinks this is just a friendly visit, but of course, I have my own motives.

“Cool,” I reply.

“I can find somewhere else to stay the next few nights if you want. I don’t want to intrude on family plans,” Ava says.

“That’s not necessary,” Lydia and I both say, though my voice is louder.

---