Page 40 of Unexpected Love

The feel of her lips wrapped around me, her hand at the base of my shaft, the sight of her on her knees, and her hand playing with her clit had me coming down her throat faster than I ever had.

Ava Day might just be my undoing.

She shifts in her sleep, bringing me back to the present, reminding me that I need to get ready for work. I climb out of bed quietly, grab my clothes from the closet, and head to the bathroom to get myself ready.

Ava is just starting to wake up as I step out of the bathroom.

“Hey,” I say softly, coming around the bed and sitting on the edge by her.

“You have a shift?” Her voice is groggy and deep, still filled with sleep.

“Yeah, but you don’t need to rush out. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want.”

She tried to fight me when I gave her a shirt to sleep in last night, claiming she needed to get home so Declan didn’t findout about us. But she was quick to cave once she revealed that Declan rarely slept at home.

“No, I’ll get up. I need to be in court later today for Scott’s preliminary hearing.”

Ava leans forward, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before getting out of bed and moving into the bathroom. She leaves the door cracked, and I see her washing her hands and face before brushing her teeth with the spare toothbrush I gave her last night.

I watch her from the foot of the bed, transfixed by how natural she looks there—how domestic it all seems. And I realize I like it.

“The hearing’s today?” I ask, trying not to think about how much I like her in my space.

“Yeah, early this afternoon,” she says as she comes back into the room. Shimmying into her panties and jeans before taking my borrowed shirt off. Her eyes bounce around the floor, a puzzled look crossing her face as she searches for her bra.

“Lampshade,” I say, pointing to where it is in the corner, a smirk forming on my lips.

“I’m not going to ask.” She plucks it from where it is and puts it on before doing the same with her sweater. “It should be a relatively easy day. It’s just a preliminary hearing to determine next steps, which I expect to be mediation.” Ava sits on the bed next to me, slipping her socks onto her feet then her boots. “Most judges want parents to agree to their own custody arrangements. It’s less stressful for the kids, and really everyone involved.” She tilts her head. “Most of the time.”

“That makes sense.” I stand from the bed, offering her a hand before we make our way to the kitchen. “Coffee before you go?” I ask, walking to the machine.

“You have time?” Ava pauses by the edge of the island counter.

“Yeah, I’ve got about forty-five minutes before I need to be at the station.”

“Coffee would be great.” She smiles as she takes a seat at the counter, watching me move around the kitchen.

I glance over and notice her eyebrows are pinched, a look of concentration on her face. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just—I forgot to mention that I’m going out of town on Sunday.” She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, studying the counter in front of her.

“Okay.” I step to the island counter, standing across from her. “It seems like there’s more you want to say.”

She lifts her head, making eye contact with me. “I’m going to see my parents.”

I’m shocked by that news, especially after what she shared with me last night, but I keep my face neutral, my eyes on hers, waiting for her to continue. I know she’ll tell me more. She just needs to be ready to do it.

“I’ll only be there for about a week." She shrugs. “My dad called me a few days ago.” Her eyes go back to studying the counter. “I’ve been ignoring his calls since before I got here, and he finally left a voicemail. He sounded regretful, so when he called again I answered.”

“Ava, you don’t have to explain yourself to me.” I move back to the coffee pot, trying to give her space to decide what she wants to share. I pour two cups, placing one in front of her before grabbing the sugar and creamer and placing them on the counter where she can reach.

“I know. But I feel like you deserve to know after what I told you last night.” She grabs the creamer, pouring a small amount into her cup. “He apologized for how my mother has been speaking to me and for not speaking up sooner to stop her. I don’t know if I believe him, but I need to go back to Boston regardless to pack my things.” She lifts her eyes, looking backat me. “And while I might be furious with both of them, I don’t need to stoop to their level, so they deserve to hear directly from me that I’m moving here.”

“Okay.” I offer her a small smile.

“That’s it?” she asks a little incredulously.

I shrug. There’s plenty I could say, most of which is arguing why Ava doesn’t need to go home right now to talk to her parents. Christmas is next week, and she should be spending it here with people who care about her.

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