She’s not unaffected herself, although clearly trying to be. My eyes drift back up her legs lazily. I feel weak all of a sudden. The strength required to absorb her is almost too much. I could fall to my knees, and I wouldn’t give a shit about what she thought of that.

I release an uneven breath, struggling to maintain any kind of sanity. I feel like I’m losing my fucking mind. “Why did you stop it?”

She balks. She has a fucking nerve. “What?” she spits back impatiently, like she doesn’t know what I’m talking about. It makes me madder, my teeth clenching to a point I could crack one of the fuckers.

“Why did you run out on me?”

“Because it was a mistake.” She doesn’t hesitate with firing that gut-punching declaration at me. A mistake? It was fucking amazing. Amazing things can’t be mistakes.

“It wasn’t a mistake, and you know it,” I breathe. “The only mistake was me letting you go.”

Her eyes widen, but no words fall past those full lips, and I know it’s because she has no clue what to say. But then the door starts shutting, her face quickly disappearing from my sight. Oh no. We’re getting somewhere. Her lack of a reply speaks volumes.

My hand flies up and pushes against her, but I’m conscious of my strength and her petite frame. I could break her in half. “Oh, no, you don’t.” I’m in the hallway fast, shutting the door behind me. “You’re not running this time. You’ve done it to me twice already, not again. You’re going to face the music.” I look down at her. I’m failing on every level to talk without sounding like I’m out of breath. And patience. And sanity. She starts backing away. She can’t cope with our closeness. Is she scared she’ll give in to the attraction? Go on, Ava. Give in. I move with her, not letting the distance grow between us.

“You need to leave,” she blurts urgently. “Kate will be home in a minute.’

I stop, my face screwing up in annoyance. “Stop lying,” I warn, pushing her hand away from her hair where her fingers are twiddling wildly. It’s a habit. I’ve worked that much out. A tell. She plays with her hair when she’s lying, and she’s lying through her teeth now. “Quit the bullshit, Ava.”

Throwing me a filthy glare, she turns to walk away from me. “Why are you here?”

I’m quickly in action, grabbing her wrist and spinning her around to face me. She can’t ignore me when I’m forcing her to look at me, to touch me. “You know why.”

“Do I?” Her perfectly arched eyebrow arches higher.