Page 33 of Dirty Hearts

Chapter 8

Ava

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Eight years ago…

I was trying to tell myself this wasn’t a dream. It felt like a dream, but the intensity of his kisses would remind me it was all real.

God, I didn’t think I could even call this kissing. I was on his lap, straddling him, and my shirt was completely ruffled, my hair a ruffled mess from the way we were devouring each other. If anyone saw me, they’d think I’d had wild sex even though the man had actually barely touched me.

This was, however, a tamer version of us because Marissa was downstairs.

I shared this house with her. Mostly, it was for her convenience because I was away for most of the year.

I was darn certain she’d either be listening in or dying to know what we were up here doing. I could feel it and had heard shuffling on the steps earlier.

Claudius intensified the kiss, and I thought I’d lose my mind.

“Fuck it, Ava, we’re not teenagers. Marissa’s a big girl. She’ll understand,” he whispered against my lips and slid his hand up to cup my breasts.

The sudden jolt of electricity and heat from his touch made me jump, and I smacked his hands, giggling.

“Claudius, we can’t. It’s weird.”

“Jesus Christ, it’s been eight weeks, and you won’t let me touch you.” He winced looking at me like I’d lost my mind.

I was well aware of the time frame in which I’d last seen him. I’d been going crazy, but for other reasons.

I wasn’t stupid. He was older, deliciously gorgeous, and had that badass attitude that could make a girl melt. I wouldn’t be stupid enough to believe that he was actually mine, and that for eight weeks he’d waited for me while I was away.

We’d been together for six months, of that time I’d been away for… well, if you were to add the time up, I’d probably been away for around four of those months. In the other time that we’d been together, however, I’d done more with this man than I thought was possible.

He lifted my chin and looked me over.

“What’s up? You have questions.”

“No, why would you say that?” Of course, I had questions. I had maybe a million. It just freaked me that he knew what I was thinking.

“Because, Angel Doll, I can see it in those beautiful eyes of yours. What do you want to ask me? Looks like you have a few somethings on your mind.” His smooth, sensual lips curled up into a devilish grin, and he gave me that look he always gave me. Like he was plotting on all the ways he could shock me.

“I can seriously just ask you whatever’s on my mind?”

“Yes, but if it makes you feel better, I get to ask you questions too.” He nodded.

I laughed. “Me? I go to college to study food. That’s me in a nutshell, and you already know that.”

“That’s what you do, not what you’re thinking about. There’s an infinity of things to know about you, and I’m going to find out each one.” It didn’t take much for me to start blushing, and he smiled at my reaction. “So, go on, Angel, ask away.”

I searched his eyes and tried to find the courage to ask the most pressing thing on my mind. There were two main things. One was mainly for me.

The other was a little external but still mattered a lot.

“What is this? I mean… what are we?” I was really trying hard to keep the quiver out of my voice, but I failed.

He chuckled. It was almost like he knew I was going to ask that. “We’re whatever you want us to be, and don’t worry. I wasn’t with anyone else while you were away.”

I pressed my lips together, not knowing what to say. “Why?”