“Thank you,” she answered coolly, knowing she should be thrilled and eager when he made such a large offer, but she wanted him to know he couldn’t push her around.
He walked up to her and her pulse drummed faster when he placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Come sit and I’ll get your breakfast. Want coffee and orange juice now?”
“I can help myself,” she said, picking up a china cup.
When Ava was seated and had breakfast in front of her, Will also sat and sipped black coffee. “Have you thought over my offer?”
“Of course,” she replied, meeting his gaze. “And I accept. It’s an offer I can’t refuse, as you well knew. I think you expect miracles.”
“I think you can do miracles,” he answered quietly, his eyes flaring with triumph. It added to her annoyance that he was so confident and able to get his way easily.
“Go to dinner with me tonight. I want to celebrate hiring you for the summer.”
“Maybe we should make some rules from the first,” she answered. “You said there were no demands on me other than where Caroline is concerned.”
Again, amusement flared in his expression so slightly, yet she had no doubt that’s what he felt. “That’s correct, but I thought you might enjoy a night out and to get to see a little of Dallas.”
“I’ve been to Dallas before,” she answered. “Thank you, but I’d like to keep my personal life separate. I don’t care to go out unless it is something involving Caroline.”
“Whatever you want,” he said smoothly and her insides tightened. She would love to go out with him, but she wasn’t going down that road.
“If possible, I should return home today, get my things in order and make arrangements to be gone for the next three months. I’d like a week to get ready and return a week from tomorrow to begin work. How will that fit with your schedule?”
“Fine, I’ll take you home today. I’d like to tell Caroline the news because I think she’ll be pleased.”
“I think you’re reading much more into a relationship between your niece and me than there really is,” she persisted.
“Time will tell,” he said, smiling at her. He reached across the table to squeeze her hand. “Thanks for doing this, Ava.”
The contact made her tingle and the warmth in his voice heightened her reaction to him. Three months in the same house with a charismatic, seductive man. That might turn out to be as big a challenge as working with Caroline.
“There is no way I can turn down your offer, but I can’t give you any guarantees. I’ve never done this before, tutored long-term in a home with a child with problems as deep as Caroline has. I’ll do what I can.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Hours later, when she unlocked the door to her condo, Will stepped inside. He took her arm lightly and turned her to face him.
As she looked up at him, her breathing altered.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with your working for me,” he said in a husky voice. “It’s simply a man and a woman he’s attracted to.” Her lips parted as she drew a deep breath. He leaned down to kiss her, covering her mouth with his before she could answer.
Her heart thudded and she stood still, unresponsive for a heartbeat, and then she melted against his hard frame. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in return. His fingers wrapped in her hair a few moments as he leaned over her and kissed her passionately.
His tongue thrust deeply into her mouth. His kisses were more devastating than before. Desire blazed, threatening her peaceful world. She stepped back. “This isn’t part of the bargain, Will. It just can’t be. I’ve got my life all lined up and you’ve already turned it upside down for the summer. I don’t want a big emotional upheaval on top of that.”
“I don’t, either,” he said solemnly. “It’s kisses and wanting to dance with you and hold you, nothing deep or involved. Get back in the world, Ava. You’re too full of life to withdraw into a shell.”
“You barely know me or what I do or how I am.”
“I’m beginning to know you, and I know that much about you already,” he whispered, showering kisses on her temple and cheek, brushing them lightly across her lips. She closed her eyes and in seconds they kissed again until she stopped him.
“I have to say goodbye now, Will. I’ll see you a week from Sunday afternoon.”
He smiled at her, running his fingers lightly on her throat. “See you at three next Sunday.”
She watched him climb back into the limo and leave. Dazed, she moved through her condo, feeling as if she had been caught up in a whirlwind and now dropped back to earth.
She got out her iPad to check her calendar and begin listing what she needed to do before she saw Will again on Sunday. Then she sent a text to her sister. In an hour, Trinity was at the door.
“Tell me what you’re doing and where you’ve been and about William Delaney!” Trinity exclaimed, rushing inside, her sandy curls bouncing. “I brought pizza,” she said, waving boxes with enticing smells.
“It’s good to see you and to be home,” Ava said, smiling, knowing an explosion was coming. “What would you like to drink?” She headed to her small kitchen while Trinity followed and set the pizzas on the table.
“Water. I have veggie blast and artichoke, basil and onion pizza.”
“Thanks. Let me pay you.”
“My treat, and you talk. What’s he like? Does he look like his pictures? Does he have a woman in his life? Is he nice?”
Ava laughed. “Trinity, slow down. One question at a time. He’s nicer than I thought he would be. He is more handsome than his pictures,” she said, remembering his kisses. “As far as I know there’s no woman in his life right now, but I really don’t know for sure. He was nice. He has a little niece whose dad was killed in a plane crash, and he’s worried about her because she’s sort of closed off the world.”
“That’s dreadful and sad,” Trinity said, her smile vanishing. “How old is she?”
“Five.” Ava set two glasses of water on the table and told Trinity about Caroline’s situation.
Trinity looked horrified. “Poor little thing. So is he going to interview the tutors you recommended?”
Ava braced herself. “No. He’s hired me for the summer to work with her.”
“You’re going to work for him and give up all your plans?” Trinity asked, her eyebrows arching as she stared at Ava.
“Yes. He gave me an incentive.”
Trinity squinted her eyes and tilted her head to study her sister. “You didn’t fall in love with him, did you?”
“Of course, not,” Ava snapped, while a twinge of guilt about the kisses she’d shared with him plagued her. “He made an offer I really couldn’t refuse.” She withdrew the piece of paper from her purse. “You might want to sit before you read it,” she added, bracing again for her sister’s reaction.
With one more long look at Ava, Trinity took the paper to read. Her mouth dropped open and she looked up at Ava. “Is this real?”
“Very. I’ll have money for my dream and be able to help you and Summer through school.”
Trinity looked at the paper again and read it aloud, suddenly screaming as she jumped up and down.
Ava smiled and held out her hand. “Now you see why I postponed my plans until fall. Give me back my paper. I want to keep it.”
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