<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">His hold tightened around her as he pulled her close, his fingers lacing into hers with more firmly. As she spoke, she wondered just how long it would take him to pull away, for the reveal of her ability to become disturbing or frightening. Ava was telling him that she could, at random and completely unsolicited, see his deepest, darkest secrets and become a spectator to the most intimate moments of his life-- that she already <i>had</i> peered into his past to witness the horrific and faithful night that forever changed his future. Rather than the confusion or the fear that she had anticipated, the concern he wore remained, unwavering until it slowly dawned on him. She saw it happen, the way his mind returned to the diner, thinking back to the way she suddenly became weak; parroting the very words he spoke to his wife as he was battered and broken brutally before her own eyes. In that moment she worried, felt a swell of dread in the pit of her stomach as he looked away, his hand moving away from her cheek. Shame and guilt nearly surfaced on her visage, and she was ready to prepare herself for the sting of rejection as his hand landed on her shoulder. Wes apologized, something she wished he would stop doing and yet she appreciated his gentler approach. But, the easy let down she anticipated never came.<br/>
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A playful smile appeared on his face, the contagiousness gradually effecting her own expression. Ava smiled softly, still appearing a bit worried as he spoke of offers of comfort and distance. It didn’t seem like he was pulling away at all, like his intention was one of consideration. There was another little flutter, her heart warming at his words. “You did everything right.” She assured him as he pressed his forehead to hers. “Everything.” From helping her return her breathing to a regular rhythm, reminding her that she was awake and safe, to welcoming her into the comfort of his arms, she couldn’t have asked for more. “And, I don’t want you to stop touching me. I think it’s worth the risk . . .” Leaning in she allowed her lips to meet his, indulging in the sweetness of it as his hand stroked the softness of her cheek. She held onto him a bit tighter as the kiss deepened, the tenderness surprising her in the best way. Though Ava knew that she was attracted to the Hunter, she was reluctant to admit that there was more to those feelings since she believed that her concern for him was no different than her concern over any other life. But, the way he accepted her and cared for her when she was in distress, it was getting more and more difficult to deny those complicated feelings she was hoping to avoid. Little by little she was giving in, becoming more willing to explore the potential between them.<br/>
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She didn’t want the moment to end, more than willing to spend the bright morning in bed. As much as she wanted to enjoy a lazy morning, kissing and wrapped in each other’s arms, she knew the longer she was away the more suspicious her family would become. Still she couldn’t help but let out a small, disappointed sigh as he pulled away. Almost instantly she missed the sensation of his lips against hers, the way it felt when he cradled her cheek in his warm palm. The promise of coffee wasn’t much of a consolation, and her nose wrinkled to think about what kind of groundwater he’d come up with in a place like this. It was the thought that counted. “Fine,” she said, placing a peck on his lips before she allowed him to pull away. Ava flopped down onto the pillow with a pout she wasn’t aware of on her expression. She watched as he readied himself, reluctant to see him go when he disappeared behind the door. In the room by herself, the bed felt empty but she briefly allowed herself to fully experience that giddy feeling that welled within her. A bright smile graced her features and her hands moved to cover her face as she let out a relieved yet amazed laugh. She felt like a lovestruck teenager, excited over a crush. <br/>
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Once she was through with the uncharacteristically girly excitement, she finally pushed herself out of bed. Ava grabbed a change of clothes and one of the rough towels laid out by the bathroom. She started the water, grateful for the decent pressure that came from it. After throwing her hair up she shut the door and began removing her clothing so that she could step into the pleasantly hot spray. The residual stress that she carried in her muscles eased, the tension melting away. The only thing that would have made it more enjoyable was Wes’ presence. As she closed her eyes she couldn’t help but imagine him there with her, his hands running along her slick body and gripping her curves while engaging in fiery, passionate kisses until their need reached a fever pitch. The imagery was as vivid as any of her visions, and just as invasive. It was difficult to put them out of her head, not to invision her back to the tacky colored tile and her legs wrapped around him or her chest to the cool wall while his hands explored her form and his lips pressed to her neck. It was almost enough for her to change the temperature of the water, make it freezing cold to bring her back to reality. Instead, she finished washing up quickly, shutting off the water to end the endless erotic thoughts that invaded her mind. <br/>
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Ava <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fimgur.com%2FrcHCmMp&amp;hash=83012abca26930e6b63f9af7ac481db1" href="https://imgur.com/rcHCmMp" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">dressed</a>, slipping into one of those preppy outfits her parents preferred. Of course, she could wear something else; don the edgy black attire she enjoyed. She would have to endure the comments and critiques, but she managed to toe the line enough to where they’d be nit-picking if they did say something. Without Scarlett to prance around in her short skirts and flamboyant get-ups, she was unfortunately under a microscope without the distraction. With a sigh, emerged from the bathroom as she was unwinding her hair from the bun she had twisted it in, eyes searching for Wes as soon as she stepped through the door. </span>