Heartache and Hope (Heartache Duet #1)(54)

“I can probably get you a copy tomorrow.”

“Guh! Tomorrow’s too late. I need it now!”

“You’re not—”

“It’s here,” she cuts in. “Blah blah blah, people I don’t care about! Hey, it’s you! Okay, I’m going to watch it. Bye!”

She hangs up before I get a chance to respond. But no more than five minutes later, she sends me a text.

Ava: Damn, Connor. You look good on camera.

Connor: Stop it.

Ava: You think I’m joking? unzips

Connor: Hey. No unzipping unless I’m with you.

Ava: Hmm. The thought of you unzipping me… unzips twice

Connor: You could come here… if you want to. I can leave my window open. Dad doesn’t get back until morning.

Ava: I wish I could, but the doctors came by today and changed Mom’s meds. I have to be here in case she has a reaction.

Connor: How is she?

Ava: She’s doing much better. She just had a few bad days, that’s all. Thanks for asking.

Connor: Of course.

Ava: Okay, I’m going to go watch now. Bye, boy, bye!





An hour passes, and I’m already in bed when the next message comes through.

Ava: Welp. It’s decided. Sorry to tell you, but you kind of suck, #3.

Connor: I know.

Ava: Feel like giving me a goodnight kiss?

Connor: …

Ava: ?

Connor: Sorry, I didn’t realize that was a question. How? When? Where?

Ava: Now. Left side of the house. Second window.





I’m out of bed and into sweats and out the door in less than ten seconds. I smile when I see Ava waiting for me, half leaning out her window. She brings her finger to her lips in a shushing motion, and I slow my steps, go lighter on my bare feet.

“You’re crazy fast,” she whispers.

“I wasn’t sure how long the offer would stand.”

She rolls her eyes, leaning farther forward to grasp my shoulders. Pulling me as close as I can get, she kisses my forehead. “Goodnight, boyfriend.”

“That’s it?” I deadpan. “You made me come over—”

Her lips meet mine, soft and warm, while her arms wrap around my neck. I reach up, fingers threading through her curls, and hold her to me. She tilts her head, her tongue swiping against mine, and I let out a guttural moan. Then she gently bites down on my bottom lip, and no joke, my knees give out beneath me. I catch myself, one hand on her window ledge, the other grasping her hair, tugging with enough force that her head rolls back, giving me access to her jaw, her neck. I release the window ledge and bring my hand to her shoulder, down her chest, the backs of my fingers skimming a part of her I’ve fantasized about for so long. Too long. She moans, taking my mouth again. Then my jaw. My throat. God, I love her there. She nuzzles into my neck, her breaths heavy. My heart races, blood rushing to an organ I’ll no doubt be paying attention to as soon as I’m back in bed. “I could do this all night,” she whispers.

I grunt. Because I’m incapable of forming words, apparently.

“But we can’t,” she says, laughing silently. “Another minute, and what we’re doing will be illegal.”

I take a few calming breaths, let my pulse settle. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

She rears back, my hand still in her hair. Then she offers one last kiss. Chaste. Her eyes lock on mine, a smile playing on her lips. “Goodnight, boyfriend.”





Chapter 35





Connor





With my basketball schedule and school and Ava’s life, we don’t get anywhere near as much time together as I want. And with the team doing as well as it has been, there are more commitments I have to deal with. Pep rallies, meetings, and media interviews. It’s not a bad thing. It means more chances of being noticed, but it sucks that I barely get to even speak to my girlfriend. And we’re only ten days into the relationship.

Ava: Hey, can you ask your dad when my dressing is supposed to come off? I can’t remember whether he said ten or fourteen days.





I peel myself off the couch and go to the kitchen, where Dad’s starting on dinner. “Hey, Ava wants to know when she should take the dressing off her burns.”

Dad looks up from whatever he’s doing. “It depends on how well it’s healed.”

“Okay, I’ll tell her,” I say, starting to type out a text.

“She can come around if she wants me to have a look at it.”

I pause, my thumbs hovering over the screen. I look at Dad again, my eyebrows raised. “Yeah?”

He nods.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Connor: Dad says it depends on how it’s healed, but you can come over, and he can take a look at it.

Ava: …

Connor: ?

Ava: Are you sure?

Connor: That’s what he said.

Ava: Okay, I’ll be over in a bit.





“She says she’ll be around soon,” I tell Dad.

“Good.”

Something’s off with Dad’s reaction, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Regardless, I find my home back on the couch and wait. Fifteen minutes later, there’s a knock on the door, and I’m on my feet and swinging that bitch open. The door. Not Ava. She’s not a bitch. She’s The Best. I lean down to kiss her, but she presses her hands to my chest, stopping me. She shakes her head, and I smell… perfume? Ava never wears perfume, at least not that I know of. I take a step back to let her in. She’s dressed nice, but like, if she were going-to-church type nice. I like Ava in tank tops and sweats, and yeah, her school uniform, but that’s a whole other conversation. “Why are you dressed like that?” I whisper.