Read Online Ever After (The Christmas Cottage - Book 2) by Samantha Chase - Free Book Online
Authors: Samantha Chase
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cry. I’m sorry,” he said in a near whisper. “I didn’t realize that I was making you this miserable. I should have respected what you asked of me and stayed away.” He hated saying the words but he hated seeing Ava cry more. Clearing his throat, Brian took a moment to find a way to say goodbye. “I only wanted to be near you; to get to know you. I thought that if maybe you spent some time with me, you’d want to get to know me, too. I never wanted to cause you any pain. I’ll keep my distance. I just want you to be happy, Ava. I won’t bother you again.”
He’d almost made it all the way back to his truck before Ava called out to him. “ You don’t tell someone that you love them and then walk away!” she cried.
Brian turned, stunned at her words. Ava angrily walked toward him. “Was it all a lie? Was that your way of making sure that I didn’t marry Mason, by telling me that you loved me?”
“What? No! I wouldn’t lie about something like that, Ava, I swear!”
“Loving someone means staying with them; standing by them,” she stated. “Yet every time you even hint about caring about me, you leave.”
He knew he shouldn’t laugh but when she stamped her foot on the last word he couldn’t stop his lip from twitching. “Well, it didn’t seem as if you wanted me to stay.”
“Well then maybe you don’t know me as well as you think,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.
In all his life Brian didn’t think he’d ever seen a more adorable sight. “So what you’re saying is that all those times you told me to leave, I should have stayed. Do I have that right?” He quirked an eyebrow at her and was rewarded with a small smile from Ava.
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“How about now, Ava?” Brian leaned in close, his mouth a breath away from hers. “Do you want me to leave right now?” he whispered.
Ava felt his warm breath against her cheek and couldn’t help but lean into him. She was tired of fighting this; of fighting him. She could no longer deny the attraction they shared and if she was honest with herself she could admit that she’d been waiting for this moment for far too long.
“I don’t want you to go anywhere,” she admitted softly and was rewarded when he slowly touched his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss; one of re-acquaintance. When Ava sighed and relaxed into him, Brian deepened the kiss and Ava found herself winding her arms around his neck and combing her fingers through his hair.
Far too soon, Brian pulled back, his breathing labored. “As much as I hate to stop, I certainly don’t want us to be entertainment for the neighbors.” The night air was cool but his skin was on fire and all he wanted was for them to be alone and someplace private but he was afraid to admit that out loud. After finally finding themselves on the same page, he hated the thought of scaring her off.
“I have to agree,” Ava admitted and then looked from Brian’s truck to her condo, indecision written all over her face. “It is getting late,” she said after a moment and Brian’s heart sank. He was going to have to leave and while he was sure it was going to be okay, the selfish part of him was reluctant to let the night end. He’d waited so long and to now be so close to finally being alone with Ava and having to leave was torture.
He simply nodded in agreement and was about to suggest they go out for dinner tomorrow when she surprised him and grabbed his hand.
“We certainly don’t want to waste what’s left of it,” she said saucily and led him inside with a seductive smile on her face.
****
Av a woke up early to a long-forgotten sensation; a man sleeping beside her. She took a moment to take in Brian’s features relaxed in sleep. He was so handsome and such a good person and she almost felt ashamed of herself for very nearly attacking him once they’d gotten inside her home the
He’d almost made it all the way back to his truck before Ava called out to him. “ You don’t tell someone that you love them and then walk away!” she cried.
Brian turned, stunned at her words. Ava angrily walked toward him. “Was it all a lie? Was that your way of making sure that I didn’t marry Mason, by telling me that you loved me?”
“What? No! I wouldn’t lie about something like that, Ava, I swear!”
“Loving someone means staying with them; standing by them,” she stated. “Yet every time you even hint about caring about me, you leave.”
He knew he shouldn’t laugh but when she stamped her foot on the last word he couldn’t stop his lip from twitching. “Well, it didn’t seem as if you wanted me to stay.”
“Well then maybe you don’t know me as well as you think,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.
In all his life Brian didn’t think he’d ever seen a more adorable sight. “So what you’re saying is that all those times you told me to leave, I should have stayed. Do I have that right?” He quirked an eyebrow at her and was rewarded with a small smile from Ava.
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“How about now, Ava?” Brian leaned in close, his mouth a breath away from hers. “Do you want me to leave right now?” he whispered.
Ava felt his warm breath against her cheek and couldn’t help but lean into him. She was tired of fighting this; of fighting him. She could no longer deny the attraction they shared and if she was honest with herself she could admit that she’d been waiting for this moment for far too long.
“I don’t want you to go anywhere,” she admitted softly and was rewarded when he slowly touched his lips to hers. It was a gentle kiss; one of re-acquaintance. When Ava sighed and relaxed into him, Brian deepened the kiss and Ava found herself winding her arms around his neck and combing her fingers through his hair.
Far too soon, Brian pulled back, his breathing labored. “As much as I hate to stop, I certainly don’t want us to be entertainment for the neighbors.” The night air was cool but his skin was on fire and all he wanted was for them to be alone and someplace private but he was afraid to admit that out loud. After finally finding themselves on the same page, he hated the thought of scaring her off.
“I have to agree,” Ava admitted and then looked from Brian’s truck to her condo, indecision written all over her face. “It is getting late,” she said after a moment and Brian’s heart sank. He was going to have to leave and while he was sure it was going to be okay, the selfish part of him was reluctant to let the night end. He’d waited so long and to now be so close to finally being alone with Ava and having to leave was torture.
He simply nodded in agreement and was about to suggest they go out for dinner tomorrow when she surprised him and grabbed his hand.
“We certainly don’t want to waste what’s left of it,” she said saucily and led him inside with a seductive smile on her face.
****
Av a woke up early to a long-forgotten sensation; a man sleeping beside her. She took a moment to take in Brian’s features relaxed in sleep. He was so handsome and such a good person and she almost felt ashamed of herself for very nearly attacking him once they’d gotten inside her home the
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