She was unlike any woman I had ever known. Certainly none of them had ever caused this sort of physical reaction before. Simply sniffing her pillow, and I was aching for her. Thinking of making love with her made me hard, and the towel I was wearing tented, my cock desperate as I thought about the way her muscles gripped me as she climaxed. Her throaty moans and pleas. How we moved together and the strength of my orgasms.
With a start, I realized I was missing her. How the hell was that possible? I’d never missed a single person in my life. Not a family member, a friend, or a lover. Ever.
Certainly not a woman I had barely known a week and spent a couple of nights with.
Yet, once I thought about it, I realized that was exactly what I was feeling. I wanted Ava back here. I wanted to hear her laughter. Inhale her perfume. Taste her mouth. Bury myself inside her.
I dropped the pillow and backed away from the bed, accidentally kicking something on the floor. I bent and picked up the book she’d brought with her. The one I’d read to her. The one I’d kept reading, then woke her to fuck her because I wanted to. Because I couldn’t resist the urge. I had wanted her more than any woman I could recall.
I shook my head. I didn’t form attachments. Especially with women. I needed to stop thinking this way. It had been a long time since I’d been with anyone. It was that simple. I was still horny. It had nothing to do with her beautiful eyes or the way she cocked her head while listening to me. The way she touched me or made me laugh with her teasing. Her over-the-top need to organize and fix things around her to make life better. It certainly had nothing to do with the fact that when I was with her, I felt more settled than I ever had.
Nothing.
I tossed the book aside and got dressed, determined to get those thoughts and her out of my mind.
* * *
I paced the room, unable to settle. I ate dinner standing, brooding, and staring out the window. The food tasted like ash. I slammed back a shot of tequila, thinking it would jolt me out of whatever-the-hell this was, but it tasted sour and bitter. I glanced at the clock, barking out a humorless laugh. It was barely after eight, and I wanted the day over with. A good night’s sleep would shake these maudlin thoughts from my head. Reset my body so I felt calmer.
I cursed under my breath when my inner voice laughed.
I stubbed my toe and cursed again—loudly. Cash lifted his head, his ears laid back in confusion at my anger.
“Sorry, boy.” I bent and stroked his silky fur. “Bad day.”
He stood, stretched, and padded to the door, pawing at it.
“You wanna go for a walk?” I nodded in agreement. “Good idea. It’ll wear us both out.”
I went to the bedroom and grabbed some socks, sitting on the bed to pull them on. As I stood, Ava’s book slid to the floor, and once again, I picked it up. I stared at it. Maybe she was looking for it. I should probably return it to her. After all, I had no need of it. I had basically read the whole damn thing last night. Dirty parts and all—and there were many of those. Having her beside me had been convenient. Recalling how she had responded, even half asleep, made my dick twitch. I ignored it.
Maybe if I gave the book back to Ava and got it out of my house, saw her for a moment or two, this itch, this constant craving that was clawing at me, would ease.
I grunted in satisfaction. That was the answer. I would leave it on her back porch, knock, and walk away. She’d find it, it would be out of the house, and I’d get back to normal.
Except the feeling didn’t abate. If anything, it burned hotter the closer I got to her place. Cash trotted in front of me, already knowing where we were headed. His tail wagged furiously in delight. My cock lengthened, desire racing through my blood as we stood at the edge of the trees and looked at her house. The blind was up on her window, a dim light from somewhere in the house casting its glow on the glass.
“I’ll just give her the book,” I lied to myself. “Just the book,” I repeated, ignoring the fact that I had stuffed a few condoms in my pocket as well as a handful of treats for Cash in the other. My breathing picked up as I approached the door. She might not be home. She might have one of her family members visiting. But I peeked through the glass and saw her curled up in the chair by the front window. She was motionless, her chin resting in her hand as she gazed outside.