“No, that was a rental. I hadn’t bought this place yet. And full disclosure, Gunner owns half of it.”
Ava’s cheeks turned pink. “The half we’re staying in?” she gasped. “Will he be here too?”
Razor laughed. “He isn’t supposed to be. His plan was to head back east to see his folks, who live on Chesapeake Bay. Although, after spending a few hours with three beautiful women, he may change his mind.”
Ava’s eyes opened wide.
“I’m kidding. He won’t change his mind, and even if he does, K19 has another house not far from here where he can sleep.”
“Why can’t he stay in your side of the house?”
Because I’m hoping I can convince you to stay with me. No, he couldn’t tell her that.
“Tabon…”
“What?”
“I can guess what you’re thinking.”
He moved forward and cupped her face with his palm. He didn’t remember ever touching a woman in the same way before, but everything felt different with her.
“I’m not going to lie to you, Avarie. I want you in my bed more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. That doesn’t mean I’m going to pressure you, or do anything to make you uncomfortable. Do you understand?”
She nodded. “So, uh, should we go inside?”
He led her in the front door of Gunner’s side of the house, although no one would be able to tell he spent any time there. Both sides had been professionally decorated, and when they bought the property, they’d negotiated to purchase it furnished. Since they hadn’t owned it long, neither kept many clothes here yet.
It wasn’t ever intended to be a place they lived full-time. They’d decided to invest in Cambria given the property values had recently taken a dive because of the severe drought, which led to severe water rationing. However, as with everything else, it wouldn’t be long before the drought ended, and they would be able to turn a profit when they decided to sell.
“It’s very nice,” she said.
“I was just thinking how neither side looks lived in by two single guys. The whole place came this way.”
She walked over to the windows that looked out at the Pacific Ocean. It was an amazing view, but nothing like the one his house on the Oregon Coast had.
Maybe he’d tell her about it and see if she’d like to go there with him sometime. Again, he inwardly groaned, not accustomed to the thoughts that kept popping into his head.
“I’ll take your bag upstairs, and you can choose your room.”
“Okay,” she said, hesitantly moving from the window as though he were taking her away from it.
He smiled. “We don’t have to do it this minute.”
“It’s just that it’s so…beautiful. And so different from the Atlantic Ocean.”
“Yeah? I haven’t spent much time on the East Coast.”
“I mean, they’re both oceans, but the Pacific has a different vibe.”
“That’s a good way of putting it.”
Ava’s cheeks turned pink. “I really do have an extensive vocabulary, and I did graduate from college, although that isn’t evidenced by my current conversational skills.”
Razor studied her. “Do I make you nervous?”
Ava shrugged, but then looked into his eyes. “You do.”
“Tell you what. I’ll take your bag and leave it at the top of the stairs, and you can choose your room whenever you’re ready. And then, I’ll head next door to give you some privacy.”