Always Loving You

Lifting a sarcastic eyebrow, Dominic said, “Come on, babe, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Most women probably feel that way around me.” Looking her up and down in a way that made her breath catch, he added, “Normally, I’d have no problem at all obliging you, but you belong to Mac. So, if you can possibly keep from mentally undressing me while we’re trying to help each other out, that would be great.”

Ava’s mouth dropped at the sheer size of his ego. His confident pose, leaning back on his bike, was the perfect complement to his over-the-top statement. Then she snapped. She had completely had it with the men in her life, and that included the smug asshole sitting in front of her. “You fucking man—” She stood taller thinking how much an insult was with some profanity in it. “I would love nothing better than to wrap my hands around your thick neck and choke you right now!”

Dominic, appearing far from offended, said, “I think you’re just looking for ways to get those hands of yours on me, aren’t you, Blondie?”

She grabbed handfuls of her hair in frustration, trying to control the anger coursing through her body. “You pig! I don’t want my hands anywhere on you, and for your information, I don’t belong to Mac regardless of what either one of you thinks.” Stabbing her chest, she added, “I belong to me, damn it, just to me!”

Dominic stepped away from his bike, walking over to her with a strange expression on his face. It looked almost like pride. Had he missed her whole rant toward him? She was so surprised when he gently took her shoulders in his hands that she stood glued in place. “It feels good, doesn’t it, Blondie?”

Still puzzled, she stood staring into his handsome face before whispering, “What?”

He gave her a lazy grin in return before saying, “Being alive, being mad, and just letting the fuck loose. I’m thinking you don’t do that often.” The look on his face said that he didn’t think she ever did it. “You’re always wound so tight that you’re on the verge of going over the edge. I just gave you a little push today to help you let off some steam. Feel better?”

Ava continued to gawk at him for another moment before she realized that she did feel better. Somehow the weight that usually rested on her shoulders had lessened. The persistent lump in her throat got maybe just a little smaller. She relaxed, releasing a breath. “I guess you’re a shrink now too, huh?”

“Nope, but I’ve certainly been given enough pointers by the military to know how to deal with stress overload. Life can’t always be scripted, Ava, no matter how hard we try. Only fight the big battles that matter and don’t let the little things rip you to pieces.”

“Wow,” she murmured, “that was actually pretty profound.” She looked at Dominic in new admiration. There were more layers to him than she could have imagined. He had intentionally set her off to show her the bigger picture. In that moment, she felt her eyes blur. He was so much like Mac that it was almost like sharing a moment with the man she loved so much.

He cuffed her gently on the shoulder, before throwing a leg back over his bike. “I’ll text you tomorrow when Mac and I are headed back from our meeting rather than on the way there. I think it will work better. Otherwise, he’s likely to lose it and blow off the whole thing, and this is a big one for us.” When she nodded, he added, “You know, you can just stand up there. You don’t actually have to go through with it. Mac will freak just from you being there. Another set of bruises really aren’t necessary.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. And, Dominic . . . ?” When he turned back to look at her she said, “Thanks for today. I think I needed that.” He waved a hand in her direction before taking off. With a lighter step, she walked toward her door, feeling for the first time that just maybe she could do this. She could be normal.

Chapter Nine

Mac drove through the streets of downtown Myrtle Beach listening to Dominic run through the highlights of the meeting they had just finished. Neither of them mentioned the whole scene with Ava at McDonald’s the previous day. He hadn’t let it go, though. He fully intended to find out just what in the hell was going on, and he doubted he could keep quiet much longer.

This morning, though, was about their company, and he had needed to keep his shit together. They were in talks with the Oceanix Resort Company to provide security for their luxury flagship hotel. A Sunday meeting had been the idea of the owner, Seth Jackson, as he was going out of town for a week beginning tomorrow morning. There had been some recent theft issues within the hotel, and Jackson suspected it was an inside job. He was extremely unhappy with the progress by his current security company and was interested in hiring East Coast Security thanks in part to a glowing recommendation from Jason Danvers. It would be a big account for them, especially with the possibility of providing security for other Oceanix properties as well.

He was completely absorbed with thoughts of expanding their business when Dominic said, “Hey, isn’t that Ava?” Mac didn’t have time to wonder how his friend could have recognized her from so far away. All he knew was that Dominic was pointing to the zip line ride, and as Mac squinted to look, he saw what appeared to be Ava’s BMW sitting in the parking area in front of the tourist attraction. Without thinking, he did a dangerous swerve across two lanes of traffic before coming to an abrupt stop next to Ava’s car.

Mac jumped out of his Tahoe, looking up the countless steep steps to the top of the zip line. Without a doubt, he recognized the blond hair gleaming in the early-afternoon sun. “Ava!” he yelled as he started climbing the wooden steps. Was it too much to ask for a damn elevator when you needed one? By the time he reached the top, he was glad that he was in good shape; otherwise, he would never have made the climb in such a short time. Ava was already in a harness with her helmet on when he stepped out on the platform. He waved off the kid trying to sell him a ticket as he stalked toward her. Another kid who didn’t look old enough to shave was running through instructions when her eyes landed on him. Trying to appear halfway calm, he asked in an even voice, “What are you doing?”

She didn’t seem particularly surprised to see him when she said, “Um . . . zip-lining?”

Starting forward, he said, “Yeah, not anymore. Let’s get this stuff off you.” When he was just a few steps from reaching her, she stunned him by sticking her tongue out . . . and letting go. He felt his heart plummet to his stomach as she went flying across the wide expanse of space toward a tower in the distance. “Fuck!” He stomped back down the steps and ran into Dominic at the bottom. When the other man opened his mouth, Mac snapped out, “Call a cab. I’m going to be busy for a while.” Without waiting for a reply, he jogged across the field, making it to another set of steep steps. When he saw Ava’s long, tanned legs start the descent from above, he leaned against the building, literally shaking in anger, waiting for her to reach the bottom.