Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 77576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
I don’t normally sleep this late, even though I don’t begin my own work until the afternoons. I’m usually up by eight o’clock and out on a run.
I stretch, enjoying the feel of my capillaries bursting.
What should I do?
I need a shower for sure. I don’t really want to go to my parents’ house and explain where I’ve been. Not that I owe them any explanation, but Mom will ask, and I’ll feel obligated to say something.
Nope. Best thing to do is to shower here at Ava’s place and then head over to the bar to get things ready for the day. Exercising will have to wait until later. I can always hit the gym for a quick cardio workout. I prefer running in the open air, but the Snow Creek gym is a good alternative, and I use it when the weather is bad.
Today though? On this mid-November morning? The weather is gorgeous. The Indian summer has been beautiful this year. Yes, the snow will come. Possibly even before Thanksgiving. But today is gorgeous. Colorado blue sky and the Rockies to the east. Picture perfect.
I gather my clothes and head into Ava’s small bathroom. Just a simple sink, toilet, and shower, with some requisite Ava-eclectic decor, including a porcelain toothbrush holder in the shape of a golden retriever. I smile. So very Ava.
I start the shower. How did I not hear Ava this morning? I’m not usually that heavy of a sleeper, but after that orgasm inside her?
I’m not sure a freaking army could’ve awakened me.
I don’t have my toothbrush, and I don’t want to use hers, so I simply slide toothpaste over my teeth with my finger and then rinse well. Good enough until I can actually brush my teeth.
I step into the shower and squeeze some of her shampoo—it’s an unmarked bottle—into my palm. And I inhale.
Smells just like Ava.
I can’t quite place the fragrance. Woodsy with a touch of spice and a dash of sweetness. Kind of like citrus and peppermint.
I rub it into my scalp—definitely peppermint with the tingle—and through the ends of my hair. When I’m thoroughly cleansed, I turn off the shower, and—
I don’t want to use her towel, but I wasn’t thinking far enough ahead to get one out for my own use. Plus I don’t want to be too nosy around her place. So I dry off with her towel. It’s still slightly damp from when she took her own shower this morning. I borrow her brush, bring it through my hair, and then clean the red hairs I left in it. My hair falls in wet strands around my shoulders.
I walk back into the bedroom, dress in the clothes I wore last night, and then I pull my wet hair back with a leather band.
I need to go down to the bakery to see Ava. I want to tell her goodbye, tell her what a nice time I had.
Which means…walking down there and possibly confronting her employees. Plus, it’s a Saturday, and people will be in buying their bread for the weekend or a Saturday morning pastry. Eating lunch. Or brunch.
Yeah…
The whole town of Snow Creek will know I spent the night at Ava’s place.
Does she want that? I don’t want to sneak away, but it may save face for her.
I walk down the stairway, open the door that leads into the back of the bakery, and as I suspected, it’s bustling. I sneak out the back way, nearly knocking over a garbage pail as I do so.
I hate doing this, but what other choice do I have? I don’t want to embarrass Ava.
I begin walking toward the alley, when—
“Brendan?”
I turn.
Ava stands there, her pink hair pulled back into a hairnet. She wears a black apron smudged with flour.
“Hey.”
“You weren’t going to say goodbye?”
Shit. I did the wrong thing. “I wanted to. I just wasn’t sure you would want me to. I didn’t want to embarrass you or anything by coming into the bakery.”
“Are you kidding me?” She points to her hair. “I don’t get embarrassed. Besides, it probably would’ve just looked like you came in the back way.”
“Oh.” Warmth hits my cheeks. “I’m sorry, then. Thank you for last night. I had a great time.”
She smiles. “I did too. Are we still on for tonight?”
“Absolutely.”
“Good.” She glances at the back door. “I’d better get back to work.”
“I understand. I’ll see you tonight at eight.”
“Yep. Just show up here at the back door like last time.”
I nod.
Then I walk, unaware that I’m whistling a bright and happy tune, toward my parents’ house.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
AVA
Saturdays are ridiculously busy at the bakery.
I called Brock earlier, asking him to come in for lunch so we could chat. He’s waiting for me now at a table in the back. I finish up a sandwich, wrap it up, and then turn to Maya.