Page 58 of Unexpected Love

Her gaze slowly returns to mine. There’s still a weariness to her eyes, but there’s also a slight glimmer to them. She’s coming back to herself, and the knowledge that I helped get her there has pride swelling in my chest.

“Trying new things. Really experience life—on my terms instead of someone else’s.”

“What do you mean?”

“Practically everything I’ve done in my life has been because my parents manipulated me into it. I didn’t recognize it at the time, but now I see it in everything I’ve ever done.” She releases a self-deprecating laugh, her gaze drifting back to the window. “I think the only thing I ever did for myself was read, and I had to hide that from my parents because I wasn’t reading the ‘right’things.” A tear slips down her cheek, and she brushes it away before turning back to me. “I’m thirty years old, and I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I have no idea what brings me joy.”

“Rebel, that’s not entirely true.” I reach for her hand, pulling her toward me. She turns in the water, placing herself between my legs, her back to my chest. “You know what brings you joy—you just haven’t been able to go after it until now,” I whisper in her ear.

She shakes her head. “I don’t know. I have no idea what I like and don’t like.” Her voice is tearful, and my arms around her waist tighten.

I bring my lips down to place a soft kiss at the spot where her neck meets her shoulder. “Okay, then we’ll try new things. What do you want to try?” I say into her skin.

“I don’t know. How messed up is that? I know I want to try new things, but I have no idea where to start.” She lets her head fall back against my chest. “What do you like to do?”

“I’m a physical person. I like to stay active, so I do a lot of hiking. In the spring and summer I also go kayaking. Nature is my safe space, so any chance I get to be out in it, I’m there.”

“Hmm,” she hums, her head falling to look back out the window. “I think I like the idea of the outdoors.” Her voice is so quiet it’s almost a whisper.

“Then let’s go hiking.”

“Right now?”

“No.” I chuckle. “But I’m off this weekend, so let’s go.”

“I don’t know,” Ava mutters. “I’ll have to see what Declan’s up to. See if I can sneak away.”

I didn’t have a problem with us being a secret before—I didn’t have a problem with us being casual before—but this doesn’t feel casual anymore, and I don’t think I want it to be. I don’t want to be a secret.

I lower my head, placing my lips against the skin at her shoulder. “Or we could tell him,” I murmur against her.

Her body stiffens slightly, but she doesn’t pull away from me. “I thought we agreed.”

“We did, but I’m open to changing that agreement if you are.”

“Gage…” She doesn’t have to say anything else. I hear it clear as day in her tone—she’s not ready for more.

It stings more than I want it to, but I understand. “Okay.” I place a kiss to her shoulder and squeeze her to me. “Let me know if you can sneak away for a hike after you talk to Declan.”

Ava shifts in the water, rolling herself so we’re chest to chest, her back arching in the water. She studies me, looking for something, but I don’t think she’ll find anything other than truth in my eyes. It’s not that I don’t care. It’s just that I understand. She’s been through a lot over the last twelve hours. She needs time to figure out how she feels about all of it.

I’m not backing down from having more with Ava Day. I’m just giving her time to accept that itwillhappen.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“Any time.” I reach up and gently push a piece of hair back behind her ear, leaning down for a light kiss to her lips.

twenty-four

GAGE

I’m leaningagainst the bar when I feel the air shift. I’m not totally shocked by it—the fact that I sense her in the room before I see her. Just like when I first saw her on the courthouse steps, my attention was immediately drawn to her. The only difference from that first moment to this one is now I know her. Now I understand that haunted look in her eye, and now I want even more desperately to help erase it.

I haven’t seen Ava since she left my place two days ago on Christmas morning. We didn’t talk anymore about telling Declan or anyone else what was going on between us that morning, but we did make a list of things she’s interested in trying.

Even after everything the two of us shared, it was easy and comfortable between us. There was no pressure to be someone else. There was no pressure to come up with something for us to do—we just existed in the same space. And I want to do it again and again.

I smile as I see Ava grimace at something Quinn says to Declan before there’s a brief exchange and Ava turns for the bar, picking her way through the crowd.

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