Kissing Fire by A.M. Hargrove Read Free Book Online Page B

looked at me and asked, “Would you like
for me to take you to your hotel so you can get your things?”
    No. What I’d really like to do is drag my tongue all
over your body but...
    “Well, I can do this another time.”
    Caroline piped in, “Don’t be silly. Miles, that
would be awesome. While you two are gone, I can get dinner started.
Here are my keys. Take my car.”
    We went out through the side door and into the
garage--what, were there six stalls in this thing? There was the
customary Range Rover. Justin had this thing about safety and he
thought those were the best. We got in and off we went. I think I
must have been drooling because there was a wet spot in the front
of my blouse by the time we got to the street. Even Just Miles’
hands were sexy.
    “So, is it Ava or Avery? I was getting conflicting
messages back there.”
    “Um, both actually. Avery is my given name. I was
named after my grandmother, Avery. I was called Ava to avoid
confusion. I truly prefer Avery and now that I’m not living in
Charleston, I think it’ll be easier.”
    “What’s so bad about Ava?”
    “Oh, I don’t know. I always felt like it was an
older woman’s name. I never felt like a little girl. All my friends
would have an ‘ie’ on the end of their name. Like Lizzie, or Katie,
or like my sister-in-law, Lexi. And there I’d be...Ava.” I used a
deep, dramatic voice when I said my name and he laughed. “It was
always sort of grumpy sounding to me.”
    “I see. And Avery represents what?”
    “Well, if you ever met my grandmother, you’d get it.
She’s a total sparkler, that one. And that’s exactly how I want to
be.”
    “Hmm. So exactly how do you see yourself now?”
    “Miles and miles from being a sparkler, I can tell
you that.”
    He gave me a quick glance but his eyes went straight
back to the road. I felt like he wanted to learn more about me and
that topic, but yet, he didn’t ask. He switched to my job and he
kept my brain occupied all the way to the hotel. I blabbered on and
on about me the entire time. After I shut up I thought to myself
what a bore I had become. What kind of a person does
that...blathers on and on about themselves without regard for
anyone else? What the heck was wrong with me?
    He came up to my room and when we
got there I was immediately aware of him . His presence filled that space.
Then I became acutely embarrassed because all my things were strewn
everywhere. My panties were on the floor, along with my pink and
lavender polka dotted nightie. All my intimate garments were out on
display for anyone to inspect. It was like I was having a show and
tell. And so help me, there were my Spanx. Holy Mary Mother of
God!
    “Oh dear God!” My hand flew to my mouth as I looked
around the room.
    His eyes were absorbing everything...and I mean
everything. And then, there it was in all its glory...my newest and
greatest best friend in the world. My Magic Wand, out on display,
with all of its attachments right next to the flat screen, propped
up no less, like they were all begging, yes begging to be
noticed.
    I gulped, not once, not twice, but three times.
    And then, I thought I said it in my head, but
apparently I didn’t. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, what the hell am I
gonna do now?”
    “Well, Avery, I think the best thing you can do is
pack everything up like we originally intended.”
    Did Just Miles really say that? I whipped my head
around and there he was. Staring at my toys with a smile on his
face.
    “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I clapped my hand over my mouth
again. That was one word I had stopped using a couple of years ago.
Or I had tried very hard to anyway.
    Then I started chanting out loud, “Ohmigod ohmigod
ohmigod ohmigod whatamigonnadonow?”
    The next thing I knew, strong hands were on my arms
and he was gently pushing me into a chair. “I think you need to sit
down for a minute. It’s not the end of the world Avery. Matter of
fact, I think it’s kinda cute. Especially the