After she left, the apartment quickly fell silent. Harry couldn't help the lingering grin that was plastered on his face. This is what she did, what he had become: a giggling teenage school gir. He was absolutely, completely, infatuated with Ava Hastings. It was the little things that she would do, her playful demeanor, her kissable lips and tempting figure.

She had bewitched him. 

Ever since Delaine died, Harry has been very vocal about his thoughts on love. It caused vulnerability and the potential for heart break. And usually, it was very on point with the heart break. He promised himself that he would never get to that point again. To the point where he would lose himself in another person. Where all of his thoughts, hopes, desires, and most importantly his heart, was focused on soley one other human being. It came to the point that he didn't even understand why someone would want to willingly put themselves through that. That they would want to live the rest of their lives with another partner. When she died, he lost that desire and never, ever, wanted to fall in love again. 

For years he had been so successful. He wouldn't say that he used women. He wasn't that kind of man. He had class and respect. But, he would never turn down a beautiful woman for a night of passion here and there. Love was for cowards. He didn't want to be a coward, and he was successful in living his life that way. However, now... all of that was gone. Because he knew for a fact (and from previous experiences) that he was falling in love. 

This love was different though. Both parties were broken- not just one. It was an equal playing field. Both Harry and Ava were guarded and were both letting breaking it down. They both were letting each other in and not looking back. 

It must have been a good fifteen minutes of Harry sitting on his couch smiling to himself. It wasn't until a loud knock at the door that he was shaken from his thoughts. 

"What the hell..." Harry rolled off his couch and made his way to the front door, unsure of who it could be. Without giving it a second thought, he opened his door and was met with the last person he expected to see on a Saturday morning. 

"Stanley? What are you doing here." 

"I was reading through your manuscript. Can I come in?"

"It's Saturday morning. You couldn't wait till Monday?" Harry was unimpressed. It was the weekend from crying out loud. 

"Just let me in and I'll explain." 

Harry moved out of the entryway. Stanley walked past and made his way over to the small square table underneath the bay window. 

"Do you want a coffee or something?" 

"No, I'm fine. Harry, take a seat." 

Harry suddenly felt uneasy. Questions began to swarm within his mind: Was the story terrible? Was it so bad that he was going to get fired? And, why the hell is so important that he need to come on a damn saturday morning?

"You have a nice place here. Good view." 

"Can you just spit it out? You're freaking me out, mate." Harry ran his hands through his hair, tugging at the ends to release the built up tension. 

Stanley took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. His somber expression quickly changed as a grin began to take over his features. "Harry, your story was beyond our expectations. We were pleasantly surprised with the outcome. We sent a copy to a major book publisher in New York, and they want to take you on. They think that you have an amazing talent, and that Haunted will take Romance Fiction by storm. Women will eat it up!" 

Harry was stunned. He never thought that his story would receive such high praise. 

"What does this mean then?" 

"East Side Publishing wants to publish your book." Harry's jaw hit the floor. East Side Publishing was the biggest Publishing companies in North America, and they wanted him? 

"Wow." Harry was at a lost of words.

"They want to publish you right away. You would have to sign a one year contract with them. This will mean that they will receive 15% from your publishing sale. Since you are branched out form us, we will be receiving 5% from their ten." 

"Okay, but what does is contract even for." 

"It's basically legal stuff- the percentage cut, you would have to do a book tour next year, and then you would have to write a sequel. You will also have to move to New York during the summer, do a city tour during the summer." 

Book tour? Move to New York?

"I have to do a book tour? Move? Shit, Stan. I don't know." 

"Harry, it's basic procedure. You will be going to a bunch of major book retailers, do a book signing... that sort of thing. You will go to all of the major cities in America." 

This was an amazing opportunity, and Harry knew that. That still didn't stop a guilty, uneasy feeling to stir deep inside of him. A book tour meant that he would have to leave Ava for a year. That was something he didn't want to do. He didn't want to do it at all. 

"Do I get to think about this? Process everything." 

Stanley let out a sigh. "This is an amazing opportunity Harry. Besides, you don't have anything stoping you from going."

Harry looked up at his boss. "I have a girlfriend." His voice was short. 

"Harry, don't pass up an opportunity like this for some girl." 

He couldn't help the anger that started to boil within. She was not just some girl. Ava was everything that he needed. Hell, there would be no book if it wasn't for her. 

"She's not just some girl, Stan."

"You're still young kid. Don't make any decision you're going to regret." With that, he got up and walked towards the door. "You have until Monday to make a decision." He opened the door and shut it as quickly as he left. Harry stood completely dumbfounded. A book deal? Book tour? This had come out of nowhere. 

He would be completely nuts to pass off an opportunity like this. It wasn't every day that a small writer from an unknown town in the UK get's an amazing opportunity like this. 

"Fuck." He buried his hands in his hands. He let out a loud groan, pulling his hair slightly. Within the silence, a small buzz could be heard. He looked over at his phone and a smile crept onto his lips. 

You are not getting your car back. Jean-Paul rides like a dream. We're running away together. I just thought you should know. ;) xx 

A raspy laugh escaped his lips. She was something else. 

Jean-Paul is actually a woman. You might want to reconsider your romantic getaway.. H xx. 

He couldn't help but smirk. He knew that he couldn't say no to East Side. Being a published author was always his dream. He didn't want to pass that off but at the same time, he didn't want to be far away from Ava. He was far too deep into this relationship to let go of her just yet. 

His phone buzzed, Damn it! I guess you can keep her then. Ps: I'm bringing home Chinese. Pick the movie?

She was perfect. 

You sure know how to get to my heart. Don't forget the sweet and sour pork. H. xx 

Not even a second later his phone buzzed. 

I wouldn't dare. See you in 3 hours and 15 minutes :)  

"Shit." He was falling in love with this girl, and he knew he couldn't stop himself now. He didn't know if he could leave her for a year. Hell- he didn't even know if he could leave her for a few months during the summer! He knew that he had to talk to her about this, but he his heart was telling him to wait. 

Minutes had passed and quickly changed into hours. The winter after sunlight was lingering outside his window. It had casted a glimmer of light through his curtains. After Stanley left, Harry had been sitting at his desk trying to focus on his work. While he wasn’t writing the great american romance novel, he was also a freelance writer for an online blog. He enjoyed the freedom that came with being able to write about the events that were happening around him. It made him feel like he had a voice that was being heard. Granted, most of the readers of the blog were students at the local college- but that didn’t matter to him. At the end of the day, it helped payed the bills. 

A knock came from the door, completely startling him from his current post. He quickly saved and shut off his computer. As he approached the door, the smell of chicken chow mien and sweet and sour pork invaded his senses. Ava stood at the other side of the door, with two paper bags. “Aloha! I bring the goods.” 

Harry moved to the side to let the over energetic girl in. She bent over and gave Harry a chaste kiss. “So, Mrs. Lee was in and she slipped in two extra steamed buns. I’m telling you, that woman has a crush on you.” Harry rolled his eyes as he watched Ava walk over to the kitchen counter, placing the bags down. 

He walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling his nose into her hair. “Did you tell her that you’re mine?” He could feel the rapid increase of her heart. 

“Well duh. I’m not going to let some Mrs. Robinson steal my man.”  She quipped. 

Harry let out a loud, amused laugh. “Mrs. Robinson? Really?” Ava’s cheeks flushed instantaneously. 

“Would you rather I have called her a cougar?” 

Harry couldn’t help but let chuckle. Ava rolled her eyes, “Don’t laugh at me.” Harry quickly stifled his loose chuckles. He gave her an amused grin. He leaned over so that his lips were touching the space between her ear and cheek. His breath was hot against her neck. “Don’t worry baby,” His voice was low, raspy. “She has nothing on you.” 

A wave of goosebumps formed on her skin. Her flushed skin burned against his touch. She looked up at him. His eyes were dark, full of desire and a hint of love possibly? She couldn’t quite decipher. He looked down from her eyes to her lips. He licked his own subconsciously, and leaned down. His lips brushed against her own. Her breath hitched as she could feel his hands wrap around her waist, sitting low on her backside. He pressed his lips on hers again, this time deeper with more passion. She was completely consumed by his taste and touch. She ran her fingers through his tousled curls, tugging it gently- the way she knew he liked. A moan escaped his lips. He lifted her up so that she was now sitting on the counter. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him even closer. 

Ava  pulled away slowly, her breath shallow. She looked up, her eyes meeting his fiery green ones.

“I’ve missed you.” Her voice was quiet and breathy. 

“I missed you too.” He pulled her back into his embrace. Her lips no longer vacant. They continued to get lost in their heated embrace. She was completely hazy from the taste of spearmint and coffee. What started as a soft kiss, quickly morphed into an intensity that caused her to cling to him like it was all that she had left. Her pulse quickened. He pulled away slightly so that his lips still lingered. 

“God Ava,” His voice came out low and rough. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

--

5 votes? You guys!!! You know how to make a girl so happy. I hope you liked this chapter. I'm excited to show you how their love will grow. 

Vote + Comment please!
Another +5 votes and another chapter will come up tonight! Hooray! 

The photo on the side is how I picture Ava.