Page 73 of Aussie
Aussie lingered a moment longer, already picturing the evening ahead. Tomorrow night couldn’t come fast enough.
“Thanks again, Mom,” he said, heading toward the door.
“Anytime, sweetheart,” she called after him.
Aussie laughed, shaking his head as he left the kitchen. His mom always had a way of making everything feel just right.
As Aussie was passing by his dad’s study, he noticed the light was on, and he peeked in.
He saw Ava sitting in one of the oversized leather chairs with her legs crossed in Indian style. Her laptop was balanced on her lap. There was a steaming mug of coffee next to her on the table, along with a half-eaten cookie.
He leaned against the doorway and watched her work. Her brows were furrowed slightly as she concentrated on whatever was on the screen. She reached for the cookie and nibbled on it as she typed something on the keyboard.
She was beautiful. Her long black hair fell loosely around her shoulders. But it wasn’t just her looks that had him captivated. It was the way she threw herself into everything she did. Whether it was protecting Christian, baking cookies with his mom, or sitting here now as she worked, she was all in.
Aussie couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face as he straightened up. “Hey, beautiful,” he said, stepping into the kitchen.
Ava’s head lifted, and her lips curved into a smile. “Hey yourself,” she said. “What are you up to?”
He walked over and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. She smelled like vanilla and coffee. “Just watching you,” he said, grinning as he sat in the chair next to her.
She chuckled, closing her laptop halfway. “Well, that sounds productive.”
“Very,” he teased. Then, more seriously, he added, “You still have some Christmas shopping you wanted to do, right?”
“Yeah,” Ava replied, taking a sip of her coffee. “There were a couple of things I still needed to pick up for Christian. Plus, I would like to get your parents something.”
“How about we go tomorrow morning? I still need to grab a few things myself,” Aussie said. “We could knock it out together.”
Her smile softened. “That would be perfect.”
Aussie leaned forward a little and rested his elbows on his knees. “I was also thinking…”
“Uh-oh,” Ava teased, narrowing her eyes playfully. You already introduced me to blindfolds. Are handcuffs next?”
Aussie burst out laughing. “That was a good one. Though since you did bring it up…”
Her eyes widened, and she slapped his arm playfully. “Stop it!”
He laughed again. But then he reached over and took her hand into his. “Seriously. I was thinking this morning that we haven’t exactly had an official first date yet, have we?”
Her head tilted slightly, curiosity dancing in her eyes. “No, I guess we haven’t.”
“Well,” Aussie said, his voice warm, “I want to change that. Tomorrow night. Just you and me. I’ve got something special planned.”
Her face lit up, a blush spreading across her cheeks. “Really? What are we doing?”
He grinned, loving the way her excitement bubbled to the surface. “It’s a surprise,” he said, tapping her nose lightly. “But I promise no blindfolds,” he joked. “However, dress comfortably and warmly.”
“You’re not giving me any hints?” she pressed, but there was no frustration in her tone, just delight.
“Nope,” he said, popping the “p” with a mischievous smirk.
“Fine,” she said, laughing softly. “But now I’m really curious.”
“Good,” he said, leaning in closer. “That’s the idea.”
He didn’t give her a chance to press for more details. Instead, he closed the distance, capturing her lips in a soft, lingering kiss. Ava sighed into it, her fingers brushing lightly against his jaw as she kissed him back. Just as the kiss deepened, a sharp buzz from Aussie’s phone shattered the moment.
