“Tell me what is going on.”
She handed him the envelope. “Have a look for yourself.”
She watched as he opened it. His eyes widened as he was faced with dated pictures of them last night in bed.
Chapter Thirteen
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Seth yelled. “Who the hell did this?”
Ava winced. He hadn’t even read the note yet. He finished looking at the pictures then found the sheet of paper that basically said if Ava didn’t leave town, these would be turned over to the police, showing Seth was disobeying the law and could lose his job.
“Someone is playing dirty. This isn’t anyone I know. Ava, it has to be someone you know.” He tossed the folder and pictures down. “You have to tell me now. Is it an ex-lover? What brought you to Brookfield? Because it’s obviously following you.”
Ava’s mouth dropped open. “No one from my past would be doing this. How dare you accuse me? Maybe you don’t know your citizens as well as you think you do.”
“I know nothing about you, Ava. Tell me something, anything, that might give me a clue. Did you run away from anyone to come here?”
“I didn’t run, no.”
“But…”
“I don’t think anyone is after me. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going except my family.”
“And you don’t think any of them are behind it?” he asked.
“No … never.”
“Last boyfriend. Tell me about him.”
“I’d rather not.” She crossed her arms. “I don’t live in the past, and I don’t talk about it either.”
“For some reason, I’m thinking your past holds the clue to solving the case. And as a cop, I start with past lovers, which I hate to think about with you, but why did you and your last boyfriend break up?”
Ava sighed. She didn’t want to talk about this. It was silly. John would never do anything like this, so why bring him up? She didn’t want the police sniffing around anyways. If they did, he would know where she was. Biting her lip, she began to wonder why she so badly didn’t want John to know where she was. Was it just because he had been abusive? In her mind, once someone was an ex, she was done with them. But was there more to it?
“Ava, talk to me,” Seth softly said. He reached out and took her hand, pulling her to him. “I want to help, and I want to catch whoever it is. My gut is telling me it’s someone you know, and my gut isn’t usually wrong.”
She pulled away and paced back and forth. “Fine. My last boyfriend’s name was John Walkins. He’s a rich and successful model. A lot of people know him. We were constantly at parties, and when I was with him, I lived the fancy life. I was well taken care of. There was never anything that I needed. John made sure of it. When I wanted to use his money to open my shop, he laughed at me. He didn’t want me to work, just to be his groupie. I was happy at first, but I still wanted more.”
She paused to take a deep breath.
“You know me. I’m vocal. I begged John to let me open my store. Things changed between us. He got more controlling. It was a sign I should’ve seen. He’s not the first to take control of my life. I seem to keep finding men like him. But he got worse than any other. John hit me.”
“Ava,” Seth gasped.
She held her hand up. “At first, it was just on the arms or legs. Places I could hide the bruises. The next day, he’d take me out and spoil me to apologize. He always blamed it on the alcohol, and I believed it was. But the last time … well, I ended up with a black eye, and I left. I knew I couldn’t stay. He’d kill me eventually. So I moved around several times and finally Julie convinced me to start my life here. She said Brookfield would be the perfect place. Everyone would be so accepting, and I could finally live my dream.”
“John could be behind this then. Does he want you back?”
“No.”
“Has he contacted you since you left?”
“Yeah. He e-mailed me once, but I ignored him. Oh, and he texted me not long ago.”
“Have you told Cody about him?”
Ava shook her head. She had never really considered that John was capable of doing something like this.
Seth pulled out his phone, and she saw him texting someone. She figured who and what is was about. She then picked up the photos and glanced at them. Whoever it was had been at her bedroom window and had taken photos of her and Seth together even in the intimate ways. It made her sick just knowing someone had watched. It must have pushed the creep over the edge, too. Up until now, they had made it look like the offender was Seth. Now they were stooping to a blackmail level. Was John the one? Or was it someone else?
Once Seth was finished texting, he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back into him, enjoying the feel of his strong arms, and closed her eyes.
“Ava,” he whispered. “I’m not like those other men.”
She didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to talk. Spinning around, she gazed up into his eyes. “Show me. Make me feel safe, and show me that you’re not like them.”
“Are you sure?”
“Whoever this sicko is, they want us apart. Let’s not let them push as apart. Instead, let’s join together.”
Taking Seth’s hand, she led him back to her bedroom. At first, it was just sweet, simple kisses. Then the passion ignited, and they couldn’t get enough of one another. Seth undressed her and stepped back to take her in. She giggled and then shoved him onto the bed.
She liked being clothed in only her panty set with him fully clothed. It made her feel in charge, and that was important. Most men in bed took charge, and she had done as they wanted, but Seth was different. He knew when she needed to be the one who called the shots.
Ava kissed her way down his body and then unzipped his pants. As she tugged them down, she gazed up at him and asked, “Does it feel good to be free?”
“More than you can imagine. When I’m with you, I’m always hard, and my man down there is always begging to be out.”
She wrapped her fingers around his length and stroked up and down. He groaned. She thought about running her tongue over the head, to see if he tasted as she imagined he would, but not this time. She wanted to make love to him, her way.
Ava straddled his body and looked down into his eyes. She played with her shoulder straps before lowering them down and slipping them off. She then reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. She dropped it to the floor before taking her breasts into her own hands.
“God, Ava.” He moaned as he watched.
“Put your hands on me.”
Letting hers drop, his big palms replaced them, and he kneaded her breasts. Her head dropped back, and she took a moment to enjoy the sensations jolting through her body. Before long, she couldn’t take it any longer, and the wild animal had to be set free. Seth must have felt the same.
They finished removing each other’s clothing in record time. In her nightstand, Ava found a condom and climbed back on top of Seth. He reached out to take the wrapper, but she shook her head. With her mouth, she tore it open and then rolled it onto him.
Positioning herself just right, she grabbed both his wrists and forced them above his head, pinning him in place. Lowering down onto him, she guided him in, filling her completely. With each thrust, she got closer and closer to her release. Gazing down at him, she realized he was watching her.
“You’re beautiful,” he panted.
Smiling, she leaned down and took his lips with a vengeance. She pumped her hips faster, and before she knew it, she was moaning into his mouth as pleasure shot through her entire body. As soon as she released his wrists, his arms wrapped around her, and he pumped hard into her. He cried out as well as he found his own release.
Lying on him, still connected, she tried to catch her breath. Her eyelids began to feel heavy, and she gave in, letting them close. Just before she left for the dream world, Seth spoke.
“Thank you for opening up to me. It means a lot that you shared that.”
“It was nice to finally share. I don’t usually tell anyone about myself. I’m sure you can tell I keep a lot in.”
Seth lifted her so she had to look at him. “I don’t want you to feel that way with me. I want us to share everything. You’re the first woman I ever told about what happened with my sister. I knew, if it was going to work between you and I, you needed to know why I am the way I am. Just like I need to know who you are. Not just who you want me to know, but everything. From all your fears to the silly things you collect.”
Ava giggled and rolled off him. “You want to know what I collect?”
“Of course.”
“Feathers. I love to walk around fields and by lakes, looking for feathers.”
Seth laughed. “I didn’t expect that to be your answer, but it fits. I know the perfect place to take you when this mess is over and we don’t have to sneak around anymore.”
“I think the sneaking is kinda fun, don’t you?” Ava kissed his chest.
Seth groaned and glanced down to his lower body. “I think I agree.” He pushed her onto her back and climbed between her legs, but not before he reached into her nightstand to retrieve another packet. It was going to be a long night. She was glad she had a whole box in there.
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning, Seth was the first to wake. The sun was barely shining, but he was ready to get up and get started on finding the person now attempting to blackmail them. He was positive he knew who it was, even though Ava didn’t think so.
As he sat up, the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on stirred. Her sleepy eyes slowly opened.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“You don’t want to know.” He chuckled. “I can’t sleep. I need to get into the office and work on this case.”
Ava rubbed her palm across his bare chest. “You’re not on the case. You might as well stay right here with me.”
She had a point. One he would love to take her up on.
“I’m serious, Seth.” Ava sat up and leaned forward, lightly kissing his shoulders. “Stay with me.”
How was he to resist? Wrapping his hands around her neck, he pulled her close before lowering her back down to the mattress.
Seeing as she was already naked, it took no time for his hand to find its way to the warmth between her legs. She opened to him right away, and just when he thought it couldn’t get any better, her hand wrapped around his shaft and began working magic.
“You’re a very convincing woman and hard to resist,” he whispered into her ear.
She giggled. “Good to know I’m in control, officer.”
Groaning, he grabbed both her hands and held them down above her head. “Who’s in charge now?”
Ava lifted her hips and grinded against him. She then locked one of her legs around his waist and pulled him tightly against her. “I’m still in control. Now wrap yourself up, and get inside me.”
She was pressed against him, and her moist heat coated his manhood. He didn’t have to be told twice. Slipping a condom on, he returned to the heaven between her legs and entered into total bliss. Being with Ava was the most incredible feeling. He never wanted to be with another woman again. This was it for him, and he hoped like hell she felt the same way he did.
* * *
“Here, on my property?” Claire stared at Ava in disbelief. She had come down to meet Ava at the cabin.
“I’m afraid so.”
“I don’t like knowing someone was here lurking. This place has always been safe … until now.”
Ava felt guilty. If it was John as Seth suspected, she would feel horrible for bringing something like this to the small, safe town everyone loved. Not only was she corrupting the women with her sexy store, but she might have brought crime.
She shook her head. She couldn’t think this way. It couldn’t be John. He didn’t know where she was. Never had she spoken of Brookfield or even Julie. She didn’t share much of her personal life with anyone. And when she’d left, John had been at his low point and on the verge of going to rehab. She had hoped when she’d left it would push him over the edge, and judging from his e-mail, it had worked. Ava refused to believe it was him.
“I’m going to have to install some security lights and possibly surveillance cameras.” Claire pulled out her phone and looked to be typing to someone. “Jace will know who to get out here. Hopefully, today.” She glanced up toward Ava. “Your safety is important to me.”
“Thank you. That means a lot. Is it really necessary though?”
“Certainly. This has made me open my eyes. I have tenants to keep safe, and it’s silly that I’ve never taken these measures to begin with anyway.”
“If I can be any help, just say the word.”
“Thanks. I’ll let you know. I’m just sorry this has happened to you. And poor Seth. I’m sure he’s scared out of his mind for your safety.”
“And his job.”
Claire waved her hands. “He cares more about you. I’m sure of it.”
Ava crossed her arms and rubbed her forearms. Was there a real future between her and the hot officer? After making love to him last night and this morning, she felt like there was a real connection between them. They had fun, flirty, yet serious sex … if that made any sense. It was laidback yet full of needy passion. It was as though they couldn’t get close enough to one another until they were one.