Beautiful Innocence (7 page)

“The girls are all about sweets, and AJ doesn’t know what he likes yet. Annabelle is just six, Lily almost five and AJ is only two.”

“Great names.”

“Thanks, Ava, we think so, too. We do really appreciate it. Usually their uncle sits but he’s been complaining about needing a break.”

“Well, see you Sunday then.”

Well, I’ll be? Joshua Woods is a designated babysitter of three little kids. Who would’ve thought? I assume he’s the brother Dane’s speaking of. I know there is one more, but he looks much older than the other two and is married.

I have off tonight, which stinks since Joshua comes in with his brothers, but at least I’ll be getting some answers on Sunday. Kids are famous for spilling the beans without even thinking twice.

A rather large piece of me wants to go downstairs and order a beer to see if Josh picks up any girls tonight, but Sam’s working and I can’t very well make a spectacle of myself in front of him. That would be unpleasant. And the last thing I want to do is hurt Sam. That’s the only reason I’ve turned him down. I can’t bring myself to hurt him.

Forcing myself to stay in and eat is something I’m not looking forward to. I’ve gone through my fridge four times since my Aunt cancelled telling me Hank is sick. I’m hoping for something new to pop out at me, nothing but milk, water and some leftovers from last week stare back at me. Okay, no biggie! I’ll pop downstairs, order a sandwich and bring it back up. No big deal. People do it all the time. Frantically I run my hand through my hair, pulling it up into a messy bun and glossing my lips to make me look somewhat decent. I grimace at my outfit, but this will have to do so it looks like I’m not trying too hard. I have a pair of cut off jeans on that are a little skimpy and a comfy sweatshirt that hangs off one shoulder.

It’s still kind of early and I’m hoping to miss Josh, but silently praying that I won’t. As long as I can pull off the whole I’m not too obvious routine I’ll be fine. It’s hard not to be when he’s around. Josh Woods just does something to me that feels so new, so exhilarating, yet so scarily intimate that I almost can’t take being in his presence without feeling like I’m going to explode.

Sam sees me immediately as I walk in and he does that manly chin jerk thing to acknowledge me. I refuse to look around, so I just smile brightly at Sam and make my way over to take a seat. “You’re actually coming in here on your night off?”

I lean in. “I’m starving. Can I order a sandwich to go?”

He smiles and pours a soda. “Did you want a beer instead?” He asks, keeping his hand wrapped around the glass as I scrutinize his choice of refreshments, wondering why he assumes I want a soda and not something harder. That little bird whispers in my ear to play it cool.

“Actually, I’d love a martini.”

He chuckles like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard. “A martini?”

“Yeah,” I say firmer. I have no idea what one tastes like, but I remember my mother ordering them all the time.

He smiles and turns to get my drink. While he stays busy making that and pouring a couple beers, I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up in attention. I don’t even have to turn around to know he’s here. I don’t know where, but I can feel someone burning holes through my back as millions of goose bumps pop up all over my body.

Holy Mother of God, how does he do that?

JOSH

I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of her since I saw her walk in. She went right to Sam, and I hated the way he smiled at her like she was his. I know I should back off for everyone’s sake, but I’m finding it harder with each day. I have never in my life wanted someone so much that I shouldn’t have or desire. I glance around checking out all the women in here, most of whom I’ve been with and can easily take home. She might as well be the only girl in town, cause at this point I only have eyes for her. But she’s fucking smiling bright at another man and granting him the smile that keeps me awake at night.

Jason and Charlie, are both running late, so it’s just Dane and me, since Johnny can’t make it tonight. “Your shot, man.” I place my beer down on the ledge and grab my pool stick. I line up my stick and aim it for the stripe and slowly pull my stick back and tap just as her laugh echoes through the bar, making me miss my shot all together.

Dane laughs, smacking me on the back. “Left corner,” he mutters, walking around me.

I use my stick like it’s holding me up. I watch her sip her drink. My mood is deteriorating with every second watching them interact as if something is going on between them. It’s actually the first time I’ve seen her with a drink and her expression as she sips it is one for the record books. Apparently whatever she’s drinking is not up her alley.

She picks up the menu and rattles off something to Sam, who touches her hand casually, but I notice it as he takes the menu from her. I look away and back at the pool table, waiting on Dane to take his shot. The obnoxious sound of Charlie and Jason bellowing out for us once they walk in instantly makes Ava turn on her stool. I pretend not to notice or pay any attention to her, but then I see Sam head through the doors that lead to the kitchen. Somewhere in the back of my mind I let it register that the jukebox kicks in and my feet are pulling me to her like there’s this invisible string tugging me in her direction.

“Where you going? It’s your shot,” Dane says.

“Dancing,” I immediately respond.

All three yell in unison, laughing. “But you don’t dance.” And they’re right. I don’t dance. It’s not that I can’t. I can. I’m just choosy about who my partner is, and it’s rare to see me get out on the floor at Shooters. The last time I did this I was twenty-four and so bombed, I didn’t care who the hell I danced with. I can’t figure out what it is about her, but I’m drawn to her like there’s this invisible string she’s hiding from me and secretly pulling on whenever I’m near.

Just the sight of her delicate, tanned, bare shoulder has my dick straining in my Levi’s. Her hair is up and messy and strands are falling softly down the sides of her face. Her warm, tanned skin on her exposed neck is so soft looking I want to run my tongue all over her to see if it feels as soft as it looks. I’m barely aware of my surroundings, of who is where, and if Sam is back out and watching, but I don’t care. I have one thing one my mind.

I lean over her shoulder, and she instantly stiffens. “Ava,” I murmur in her ear, loving how her name rolls off my tongue. “Come dance with me, Angel eyes?”

“I can’t,” she answers so softly, but I can hear the indecision in her voice.

My finger grazes the side of her neck. Inwardly I sigh at the warmth. “Why not?”

She shrugs, still avoiding eye contact. I have never in my life had to work so hard to get a kiss before, let alone a dance.

“Just one and then I’ll let you be.”

She slowly turns until her cheek is right in front of me and those baby blues practically knock me on my ass. She has no make-up on, her hair is messy, but it works on her. Her clothes look like she’s hunkering down ready to watch a movie, but yet she looks oh so fuckable that my dick throbs again.

Her eyes fix onto mine, and she nods slowly without a word. I sense Sam watching, but I don’t care anymore because she just gave me the yes and the ‘take me to bed now’ sexy bedroom eyes that I was looking for. I grab her hand and pull her off the stool and begin to guide her, resting my hand on the small of her back, to the dance floor. Dane, Charlie and Jason are all standing there pretending to drink their beers but I know they’re watching and getting a good laugh on my account.

She’s nervous as hell, I can tell by the sheer apprehension on her beautiful face and the fact that her once tanned skin has dropped a shade or two. “I’m not very good,” she warns me in a weak voice, looking down.

I tip her chin up. “I got ya, darlin’.”

She doesn’t move on the floor. She just stands there with her arms by her sides, looking up at me for guidance. I can’t stop the smile from spreading or the soft laugh that she causes. “All right, here we go.” I place my hands on her hips and guide her from side to side at first, trying to get her to feel the beat of the music, but she jerks too quickly.

“No, like this.” I wrap one arm around her waist and let the other one dangle at my side and slip my leg in between her thighs, slowly grinding into her. She tries to hide her smile, but I see it before she drops her head. I take my free hand and tilt her chin back up. “Keep your eyes on me, Ava.”

Her hips start to move a little more freely, so I grab her hands and throw them loosely around my neck and rock into her. The song hits a fast beat, so I dip her down slowly bringing her back up noticing the ample cleavage that just came into view. We’re both in a trance, unable to tear our eyes from each other and I know this song is gonna end soon and I don’t want it to. Her hands tighten, so I wrap mine around her waist and pull her into me, moving slowly side to side, our faces close, my forehead pressing against hers. I just need to move that little inch to close the deal.

I need to break away, but at the same time she has me so worked up it’s embarrassing what she’s doing to me in the middle of the dance floor in a fucking bar. And worse, with my brothers watching us.

I spin her out and she freezes. My eyes travel from the small curve of her waist, to her bare shoulder that I’m dying to suck on, up to a very torn look on Sam’s face as he watches from the bar with a bag of food in his hand.

“I have to go,” she stammers. She runs and grabs the food and then disappears.

I turn to go after her, but he’s on me fast, spinning me around. “I asked you to leave her the fuck alone.”

“Relax, Sam. It was just a dance.”

He shoves me, but I don’t move. I like Sam a lot, but I will not hesitate to kick his ass if he wants to go there. “That was not just a fucking dance, Woods, and you know it.”

“Whatever, man.” He’s right it wasn’t just a dance. It was so much more.

I storm back to my two brothers and Charlie, each one of them wearing a shit-eating grin.

“What the hell was that?” Jason laughs.

“What?” I yell.

“Dude, you looked like you were about to screw her right there in the middle of the fucking bar,” Charlie pipes in.

Dane is cracking up. “Should I tell him now or later?”

“Tell me what?”

“Nah.” He shoves a pool stick at me. “I’ll let you sweat this one out.”

After she’s been gone for a good amount of time I’m able to finally settle down and have some fun. At first I had high hopes that she’d come back down, but with Sam shooting me the death glare every five minutes, I decide it’s probably best to let it go for tonight.

The four of us are hanging by the bar shooting the shit when they three of them start to talking kids and crap about upcoming birthday parties, so I tune them out, unable to offer any advice. I just hit up the local toy store and buy the biggest stuffed animal or Tonka truck I can find and my little nieces and nephews go crazy. It’s that simple.

I’m chugging back beer four when a few very nice girls that come in every once in a while approach us. Most of the women around here know I’m the only single one out of this group, but it doesn’t stop them from trying. But I’m keenly aware of Sam and his watchful eye to see how I handle myself. And, by the look on his face earlier, he’ll run straight to her and tell her whatever I decide to do.

“How about you buy me a shot?”

Dane is shaking his head as Sara, a very old flame of his from back after his first deployment, slithers up my leg. I was with her once two years ago, but she still comes sniffing around once in a while.

“I’m hanging with the boys tonight,” I tell her and extract her very exposed leg from mine.

“Sara, why don’t you leave him alone?” It’s clearly an order, not a request.

“Don’t worry, Dane, I’m not interested in you.”

He throws a gruff laugh out. “Oh, I wasn’t worried, darling. Leave him alone.” He grabs my arm and twists me around, but her hand slips inside my back pocket.

“Yeah, besides, we’re thinking he’s already spoken for,” Jason razzes. And I know he’s trying to get me going and see my reaction. Any other time I wouldn’t stand for it. I’d drag her out of here and take her to some cheap motel and do what she wants, but not now, not with Sam watching me like a hawk. Besides, Ava’s already getting under my skin. I run my hand through my hair, torturing myself over what the right thing to do is, but Dane nudges me.

“Don’t do it, man. If you like Ava like we think you do, let Sara walk away.”

I yank her hand out and scoot aside. He’s right, and I know it. I have one chance with the likes of someone as sweet as Ava, and I don’t want to blow it. I need to figure out what exactly it is I’m feeling first. “Like I said, I’m hangin’ with my boys tonight.”

“Well, maybe I’ll catch you another time.” She and her friends all laugh as they walk off and start to head to the dance floor where I know she’s going to put on a real good show to tempt me.

“I doubt it,” I yell to her.

“You know what? I’m gonna bolt. I have some things I want to look into tomorrow morning.” I need to get out of here before I do something that I’ll regret. We pump fists and I see Sara watching me head out the door and I silently pray she doesn’t follow me. The gods must be listening, because I’m able to pull out of that parking lot alone.

~~~

I’m by myself in the office by seven in the morning. After starting a pot of coffee, I hunker down and start going over all of the information I gathered regarding Ava. She was born in Ohio, last known address Annapolis. She lived with her mama, some asshole and his son and possibly another guy. Her mama’s been gone for almost two months and Ava hasn’t heard one word from her since. Ava didn’t go to college and held one job at a retail store for six months. Roger, her mama’s boyfriend, hurt her mama and took all her money after each paycheck, not allowing for her to have any to escape with. He has a criminal record, but barely served any time. And he’s been collecting disability from being injured on the job for over four years. My heart grows heavy thinking about the possibilities of what happened to her mama. And I would hate to be the one to look into those eyes and tell her she might never see that woman again.