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 rake my fingers through my hair once more with my free hand. “Damn it, Ava. That is not at all what I meant.”
“I know.” She squeezes my hand. “I like you too, Brendan. Our age difference throws me off a little, but I can handle it. I just always would wonder if you could.”
“How can you ask me that?”
“Because I’m so young. I have so much less experience than you—and I’m not just talking about sex. I’m talking about…everything.”
“That doesn’t matter to me. None of that matters to me.”
“Not now, but what about the future?”
I grin. “So you’re saying we have a future?”
“I’m saying I’m open to it. But I want us to be friends, too. I don’t want anything that happens between us to affect our friendship. Especially because of these messages. Clearly we’re going to have to work together to solve this mystery.”
“I’ll always be your friend, Ava.”
And I mean it. At least I hope I mean it. If something happens between us and we don’t work out as a couple, I’m not sure if I could remain friends with her.
Because honestly?
I don’t feel like there’s anyone else for me. I’m already half in love with this woman.
I have been for a long time. It makes no sense, but since when did love make sense?
“I promise,” I tell her, hoping like hell I can keep the vow I’m about to make. “No matter what happens, you and I will always be friends.”
“Good. I’m glad.” She fingers a lock of my hair. “You said you wanted this to lead somewhere. Right now, at this moment, I’d really like it to lead to you following me up to my apartment.”
My groin tightens. “I would love to.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
AVA
As soon as we’re inside the bakery, Brendan grabs me and crushes his mouth to mine. I open for him instantly, letting him devour my mouth with his teeth, lips, and tongue. The bakery is dark, and the scents of yeast, almond, and fresh-baked bread drift around us, sweeter, to me, than any perfume or flower.
He said it was okay if we didn’t make love. It was okay if we just talked.
But I’m glad he’s kissing me. I’m glad he didn’t want to just talk. Because frankly I don’t want to talk right now. I want to not talk.
I want to not think.
If I have to think, all I want to think about is Brendan’s lips on mine, his mouth between my legs, his dick inside me.
I need to feel right now.
I need to turn my mind off and just feel.
Somehow we make it through the door and up the stairs to my place.
His mouth still fused to mine, Brendan brushes my jacket from my shoulders until it’s on the floor.
A soft breeze from my heating vent brushes over me.
He breaks the kiss and stares down at me. “You’re so beautiful, Ava.”
“And you’re magnificent, Brendan. Just gorgeous.”
He takes his shirt off, unbuttoning it slowly, and I savor each new inch of flesh that’s exposed.
My gaze goes straight to his left bicep, to a Celtic knot tattoo. It circles his upper arm, and on the back of his left shoulder is another Celtic tattoo. I noticed his ink last night, but I was way more focused on his musculature. Now I want to take in these images.
“Turn around,” I tell him.
“Okay.”
I touch the tattoo. “The triquetra.”
The Celtic symbol for mind, body, and spirit—just like the reading I did for both of us. The three-card spread, representing mind, body, and spirit plus past, present, and future. Indeed, the symbol represents anything that comes in a three.
The triple goddess—maiden, mother, crone.
In Christianity—father, son, holy spirit.
Land, sea, and sky.
Birth, life, and death.
Three is everywhere.
“Yes,” he says.
“But you’re Irish, not Scottish.”
“I’m a little Scottish, but that doesn’t even matter. Celtic symbolism is important in Irish and British culture too. Besides, it’s a common misconception that the triquetra is Celtic in origin. Some say it’s Germanic or Norse.”
“Which you aren’t either.”
“No, I’m not, but I love the symbolism of it. The power of three.”
I run my fingers over the beauty of it. “It’s very nicely done.”
“Cyrus over at the tattoo shop did it for me years ago.”
“How did you choose it?”
“It’s the first one I got, right after high school. I was looking for balance in my life, and it reminds me that to have balance, you need to pay attention to mind, body, and spirit equally. If you become strong of body but neglect your mind and spirit, you may live a long life, but you’ll only be existing.”
I smile and kiss him, outlining the triquetra with my tongue.
He shudders.
“I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo. I love my ear piercings, and of course my lip. But I don’t have any ink yet.”
“Cyrus does an amazing job. He did all my tats.”