Page 8 of Going Viral for Christmas
Ava’s rattled, though. She won’t look back at me. That small tell makes my morning. Because it’s allmine.
I continue watching her a moment longer. The soft amber in her eyes has gone watery at the edges, speaking louder than the smile she’s forcing. Her shoulders stay tight even when she laughs, like she’s bracing for impact. Her fingers worry at her sides, flexing in and out, again and again, as if stillness might make her unravel.
My focus returns to Ava’s whiskey-colored eyes. Much like her stories, they hold multitudes—grief tucked beneath the beauty, achethreaded through every line, a quiet pain hiding even in her happily ever afters.
If that wasn’t enough of a clue, the guarded flame in her gaze is. That wary, wounded kind of look comes from surviving, and never quite believing you’re safe.
Someone shattered her faith in love, and she’s been writing her way through it ever since.
It’s evident that Ava Bell is a fortress—mentally, emotionally… maybe even physically. I respect that. I understand caution. How it wraps around your heart like barbed wire, and doesn’t let go. She’s rebuilt herself with wallsno onegets past.
Bet she can spot a threat from miles away. Which, for her, is me. Except I’m not a threat. Not even close.
While whispering in her ear, the guy next to her demolishes a cookie with the dedication of a man on death row. A blush creeps across her skin, from her throat to her ears, almost like spilled wine.
I’d sell my soul to know what caused it. Hell, I’d kill to be the reason for it.
But alas, Ava Bell is immune to my swagger and smirks, too intelligent for surface charm, too scarred to trust a stranger.
“Mr. Pembry?” A clipboard-wielding volunteer suddenly materializes, headset askew, chest heaving, cheeks flushed.Has she been running?
I nod, point to her nametag. “Jade, right?”
“We’re ready for the Genre Feud panel with you and Ms. Bell.”
My heart kicks against my ribs at the sound of her name. I cap my Sharpie with a soft click, letting the persona slide back into place with one last practiced grin for the girl still waiting in line.
Drawn by that same magnetic pull that’s been torturing me for over a year, I turn to see Ava striding toward me. That sweater dress hugs her tight little body like a love letter, clinging to curves I’ve tried very hard not to imagine touching, but failed miserably.
Her curls bounce with every determined step, glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose until she pushes them back up with the same fingers I wouldn’t mind curled around something far less innocent.
My lips twist at that thought. Ava looks straight at me. A pull tightens deep in my chest, uninvited, undeniable.
She moves with purpose, light catching her hair, defiance in her stride. Ava’s fierce, and she’s not going to spar with my words up on that stage today. She’s going to aim for my soul.
And the sickest part?
I very much want her to hit her mark.
Three
AVA
“This is so exciting,” Jessica chatters on, clearly oblivious to the silent showdown happening behind her—where Soren and I are locked in an intense, slow-blinking stare-down. “The whole team has been talking about this panel for weeks. The social media buzz is incredible. Everyone’s calling it the literary event of the year.”
The banter war begins the second our gazes collide.
Soren sweeps over me, taking inventory of every curve, curl, and guarded breath I’m pretending not to take. “I can’t believe I’m actually face-to-face with the Queen of Emotional Catharsis.”
His mouth curves, mine tightens. It’s all instinct now—words as armor, wit as weapon.
“Yes, and here he is—the Sultan of Sword Porn, in the flesh.”
A hit of his cologne flies up my nostrils when I step closer. It’s woodsy, clean, hellaciously distracting.
I gesture to the sword on his hip. “Tell me, did you have to check that thing as luggage, or did you register it as a service animal?”
His laugh is genuine, unlike the masterful charm he uses on his fans. “Service animal. I like that. It does provide emotional support. Mostly to the lonely and the curious.”
