Julienne POV

Ava POV

He strode further into the room, his movement contemplative, and as he rounded the table, I shoved my thigh hard and once, the drawer closed immediately in front of me, and I stilled. He looked over my shoulder.

"Ah, the family portrait, one of the good times in my family," he whispered, taking it from my hand. I gulped.

"Are you mad I was peeking?" I asked, and he pulled back, staring at the photo so intently.

"Bad timing," he muttered underneath his breath, and I looked to him gently.

"Sorry," I asked, and he smiled, looking to me with a soft gaze.

"Of course not, I just find my family a tedious discussion to have," he replied, and I nodded, eager to get away from that desk and fast.

"Let's go get the drinks," he offered, gesturing to the door.

I nodded, following him out the door. As he closed it behind us, I was not sure I wanted to do anything about it, so I ignored him and moved on. He handed me the drink, and I took a small sip as we sat on the couch. I tried to keep a distance from him, but he pushed an inch closer to me, and I drew back an inch further from him, and he pushed closer to me. We were in a push-and-pull game, and neither one of us was winning.

"I want to kiss you," he mumbled, and I stilled, blinking rapidly at his words. I needed to get out of here and now before this got to the point of no return.

"We shouldn't," I gulped, trying to stall. He smiled as he took my hand.

"I love you," he whispered, and I froze. This was escalating, and very fast.

I needed something to make him leave me alone for a little while, just enough time to hide from him or get out of the house. I knew he hadn't locked the front door when we came, and I fingered the bottle of pepper spray in my bag.

"Is there a room?" I asked, and he nodded, rising from his seat and looking down at me almost immediately.

"I'll come down and get you," he said softly, and I forced myself to nod quickly to his assent.

He jogged upstairs to the bedroom, the sounds of his boots clomping along the stairs.

I turned on the TV, putting it on a news channel, something generic, then I grabbed a pen and paper and scribbled out a short note.

I'm sorry, I just couldn't go through with it.

I penciled down and then dropped the pen, stopping to listen to the sounds of people walking through the corridor and then in his home. He didn't sound ready to come down anytime soon. I tiptoed to the door, holding in my hand the only thing that would help me for now, and I turned the door knob and twisted it to the left, pulling open the door and taking a deep breath. I slid out the door, locking it behind me quickly. I hurried down the stairs, aware that I was in a bad place at a time of night that wasn't very good for now.

I jogged across the street, a little nervous and a little scared at the thought that someone could pull me into a corner. Why Ryder had a home here that no one knew about in the middle of the roughest part of the city was baffling to me, and I needed to find out why.

I hurried along the road, waving my hand for a taxi as I reached the street, struggling not to step into puddles of water or anything else. A cab stopped, and I mentioned the house address, clutching my bag to my chest closely.

I got to the house tired and a little out of breath and reason. I needed a break, so I walked into the house, collapsing on the chair. Immediately, the weakness filled my body until it was like my arms were made of lead.

The house was quiet, and I couldn't hear anything from anyone else. Ryder was likely asleep, which meant I was allowed to crawl to bed with my secrets and thoughts. Once I was calm and settled, I rose from the chair, pulling off my shoes as I walked to the room I had been sleeping in for the last few days. I dropped them to the floor, my bag joining the pile as well. I reached for the zipper of my dress and pulled it down, letting it pool at my feet. I strode to the bathroom, opening the door and sliding into the bathroom. I turned on the shower and let the water run over my body, trying not to feel anything. I didn't want to cry; this was a decision I had made, and I was not going to let time with Ryder make me regret it. I was tired, my memories playing in my head of the

I didn't hear the door open, but I felt him behind me - Ryder. He strode to me, engulfing me in his heat without saying a word, and it was too hard to push him away despite the many reasons I should. I wanted his comfort and his arms around me.

We stayed there like that for a while, but then he started kissing me, first at my neck, then my cheeks.

"Just let me make you feel good," he said, and I nodded in assent.

He moved down, dropping a kiss on each nipple, first one then the other side. I jerked a little, trying not to pull away from the wave of sensations rushing over me like a waterfall.

My breathing turned harsh and choppy, I writhed against the door, wanting and yet unable to ask for more of the pleasure that I already had.

Satisfied, he lowered his fingers to my pussy, parting the lips, and they were immediately wet with my arousal. He groaned, pressing against me, his bulge so prominent.

"Ryder, please," I begged, pulling him to myself. I needed him to make this good for me. I wanted to forget, and he obliged me, kissing me harshly as my hands reached for his shoulders, grabbing onto them tightly, unwilling to let go of him.

He crowded me against the door, his shaft pressing against my stomach. He took my mouth in another kiss, and I sighed, unable to take it anymore. I remembered why I loved kissing him; he tasted warm, as he always did, with the familiar vanilla taste. I wanted this forever and always. Why couldn't I have it forever and always? I wondered as tears built in my eyes.

He lifted my leg off the ground, wrapping it around his waist. He thrust against me, rocking us both to a rhythm only he could hear, causing us both to groan. I clung to him, finger biting his skin, he rasped against my skin, mouthing over my neck, then he stilled. I moaned softly, tightening the grip of my thigh around him. He rolled his hips, grunting.

I moaned continuously as I came, my body going hot then cold again, this total and complete pleasure and want that filled me again, and I had no thoughts to want it to end. My breath hitched with each spasm, and I collapsed against his shoulder, trying not to melt into the floor. That would be embarrassing for both of us at this point, and I didn't want to lose this high.

He kissed my eyelids and my cheeks, and it was then I realized I was crying, tears falling from my eyes.

He straightened, pulling me into his body and letting the water run over us both. He ran his hands down my back, and once we were dry, he dragged himself away, took a towel, and wrapped it around me, leading me out of the bathroom and into the bed. He dried my hair, packed it, shoved a shirt over my head, and helped me dress. Once that was done, he tucked me into bed.

"You can rest today. Forget revenge and everything else and just rest," he said softly as he pressed a kiss to my damp hair.

"I have a friend in town. Let's invite him for dinner. Make a good time out of it," I snuggled into him. That was tomorrow's problem.

And that's the end of the story! Let me know if you have any other requests or questions.