Page 80 of Heartache Duet
Ava: She’s doing much better. She just had a few bad days, that’s all. Thanks for asking.
Connor: Of course.
Ava: Okay, I’m going to go watch now. Bye, boy, bye!
An hour passes, and I’m already in bed when the next message comes through.
Ava: Welp. It’s decided. Sorry to tell you, but you kind of suck, #3.
Connor: I know.
Ava: Feel like giving me a goodnight kiss?
Connor: …
Ava: ?
Connor: Sorry, I didn’t realize that was a question. How? When? Where?
Ava: Now. Left side of the house. Second window.
I’m out of bed and into sweats and out the door in less than ten seconds. I smile when I see Ava waiting for me, half leaning out her window. She brings her finger to her lips in a shushing motion, and I slow my steps, go lighter on my bare feet.
“You’re crazy fast,” she whispers.
“I wasn’t sure how long the offer would stand.”
She rolls her eyes, leaning farther forward to grasp my shoulders. Pulling me as close as I can get, she kisses my forehead. “Goodnight, boyfriend.”
“That’s it?” I deadpan. “You made me come over—”
Her lips meet mine, soft and warm, while her arms wrap around my neck. I reach up, fingers threading through her curls, and hold her to me. She tilts her head, her tongue swiping against mine, and I let out a guttural moan. Then she gently bites down on my bottom lip, and no joke, my knees give out beneath me. I catch myself, one hand on her window ledge, the other grasping her hair, tugging with enough force that her head rolls back, giving me access to her jaw, her neck. I release the window ledge and bring my hand to her shoulder, down her chest, the backs of my fingers skimming a part of her I’ve fantasized about for so long. Too long. She moans, taking my mouth again. Then my jaw. My throat. God, I love her there. She nuzzles into my neck, her breaths heavy. My heart races, blood rushing to an organ I’ll no doubt be paying attention to as soon as I’m back in bed. “I could do this all night,” she whispers.
I grunt. Because I’m incapable of forming words, apparently.
“But we can’t,” she says, laughing silently. “Another minute, and what we’re doing will be illegal.”
I take a few calming breaths, let my pulse settle. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
She rears back, my hand still in her hair. Then she offers one last kiss. Chaste. Her eyes lock on mine, a smile playing on her lips. “Goodnight, boyfriend.”
THIRTY-FIVE
connor
With my basketball schedule and school and Ava’s life, we don’t get anywhere near as much time together as I want. And with the team doing as well as it has been, there are more commitments I have to deal with. Pep rallies, meetings, and media interviews. It’s not a bad thing. It means more chances of being noticed, but it sucks that I barely get to even speak to my girlfriend. And we’re only ten days into the relationship.
Ava: Hey, can you ask your dad when my dressing is supposed to come off? I can’t remember whether he said ten or fourteen days.
I peel myself off the couch and go to the kitchen, where Dad’s starting on dinner. “Hey, Ava wants to know when she should take the dressing off her burns.”
Dad looks up from whatever he’s doing. “It depends on how well it’s healed.”
“Okay, I’ll tell her,” I say, starting to type out a text.
“She can come around if she wants me to have a look at it.”
I pause, my thumbs hovering over the screen. I look at Dad again, my eyebrows raised. “Yeah?”