Page 28 of More Than a Friend
Ava could get here, tell me she’s too drained from therapy, we have dinner, and call it a night.
Or she could get here, tell me she thinks this is a bad idea and we should stay friends whodon’tfuck, and then we’ll move on and pretend nothing ever happened—like we originally planned.
I really fucking don’t want that to happen.
I can’t pretend nothing happened.
You’re going to have to when she’s moved on with someone else.
I bat the thought away. It’s future Skylar’s problem.
As I’m checking to see if the pasta is cooked, there’s a soft knock on the door, followed by the soft click of the door opening. I can’t help but smile. I’ve told Ava a thousand times she doesn’t have to knock before she comes in, but the stubborn, polite woman refuses to change her ways.
The pasta probably needs two more minutes before I can strain it, so I meet her in the entryway.
She’s changed out of her work slacks and blouse into a pair of black leggings and a cropped University of Utah sweatshirt which shows a strip of skin on her stomach when she shifts her backpack off of her shoulders.
Her eyes are a little red-rimmed and puffy, and I’m immediately on alert. Who made my girl cry?
Notyourgirl, dumbass.
“Hey, Aves. You okay?”
She blows out a long breath, “Yeah. Therapy was intense, then Gus didn’t want to go with Shea because Alisa was there, so we had to have a talk in the car. I’m okay, though. Just exhausted.”
“We don’t have to hang out tonight if you’d rather?—”
“No!” she cuts me off quickly, her cheeks flushing. “No, I want to be here. With you. I want to spend the night with you.”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach at her sure tone. She wants to be withmeafter a hard day. She wants to spend time withmewhen she could be at home in peace and quiet, reading a book or soaking in the tub.
Don’t think about your best friend naked in the bathtub... bubbles covering her, flushed from the warm water…
Jesus. I need to get a handle on my lust.
I dip my head, trying to hide my giddy grin. “All right. I need to drain the pasta and mix it with the sauce. The steak is resting and ready to go, and the wine is chilling. I picked up some chocolate covered strawberries from the chocolate store you like downtown for dessert, andCelebrity Dance Offis queued up and waiting on us,” I prattle off, making my way to the kitchen.
Ava follows quickly, the sound of her sock covered feet padding on the floors shouldn’t affect me, but it does.
She’s rarely ever been here. We usually spend the night at her place in case there’s an emergency with the kids, and whenever she has them, it makes sense to hang out there where all their toys are.
I glance at my small, two-person dining table and picture a larger one in its place. A table big enough to fit the four of us comfortably, passing around food and talking about our days.
Ava groans when she smells the sauce permeating the air. “It smells delicious, Sky, but seriously, you didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”
I pour the pasta into the colander in the sink as I reply, “It’s no trouble, Aves. We both need to eat.”
“Yeah, but?—”
“Please, just say ‘thank you’ and accept I wanted to do this.”
Ava sighs. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, sweetheart.” The term of endearment slips out way too easily, so I rush past it, hoping she didn’t notice. “Will you grab the wine from the fridge?”
She definitely noticed because she’s looking at me with a heat I’ve only seen once before, but thankfully, she doesn’t say anything. She grabs the bottle from the fridge while I mix the noodles with the sauce, then slice the steak.
I dish us up equal portions while Ava uncorks the wine and pours us each a glass, and we take our plates to the living room whereCelebrity Dance Offlights up the screen.
