<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The Hunter was just coming in as she stepped into the room, a smile on his face and much needed caffeine in hand. That beam of brightness that once inhabited his features fell away, turning to something like awe as his gaze fell upon her. The tell-tale warmth of blush spread across her cheeks as he muttered a word of amazement, visibly flattered by them since she didn’t see anything particularly worthy of the admiration. She suspected that after seeing her in jumpsuits and combat boots, distressed denim and tank tops, her more refined look-- however casual-- was quite the contrast. Ava nodded as the heat that filled her cheeks slowly dissipated, moving over to him to take the cup he offered her. “Better. Much better.” She answered, though she was worked up for other reasons. “A hot shower was exactly what I needed and . . .” Bringing the cup to her nose, she gave a sniff. It smelled like a decent brew, no hints of staleness or poor water quality to be detected. The suspicious look that had occupied her features went away, replaced by a small, approving smile as she reached for the cream and sugar. “A good cup of coffee should help, too. Thank you.” <br/>
<br/>
A little laughter came from her as he mentioned Kyla, one of her many identities. “I know her well. You seem to be quite taken with her. I’ll have to let her know that she made a real impression on you. She’s very popular with the boys, so you might have some competition, but I’ll put in a good word for you.” She teased before she finally took the first sip of the surprisingly good coffee. “Since you were distracted, and understandably so, I take my coffee with a splash of cream and two sugars.” Ava was excited over the idea that he was willing to learn about the little things, even more so over the implication of what it meant-- that it wouldn’t be the last time they shared a coffee together. There was that indefinable time where they would be apart, though. She hadn’t left and already she was thinking of the next time she would see him again. “Yeah.” Leaning against the wall across from him, she deflated a bit. It was difficult not to jump at the chance to spend more time with him, and she was tempted to throw all caution to the wind and forget about the attention she would draw to herself if she disappeared for a few days. But, in uncovering new information, she felt it was best that they were apart. And, he was right. There was plenty to look forward to when the dust of their dangerous encounter settled.<br/>
<br/>
“Call me if anything happens; if you feel like you’re being followed, or trouble finds you somehow. I’ll come as fast as I can. And, keep in touch if you come up with anything. We might not be able to pursue anything new right away, but we can when we meet again. Whenever that is . . .” She smiled softly, “Hopefully soon.” Ava eased herself off the wall and moved toward him, leaning down to gently press her lips to his. Those kisses with quick and simple intentions always seemed to deepen. Her hand brushed against his cheek, her warm palm feeling the last graze of a scruffy face. “You can also call me just because.” She offered as she pulled back a bit, the hand that once gingerly glided across his cheek reaching behind him to grab the box of honey buns. “Or, text me now that we know that phone of yours is 21st century compatible.” Ava teased, moving over to the dresser to set her drink down and open the box. She grabbed one, going back to her bag to sling it over her shoulder. “Check out when you’re ready. These are under the name Kara Wells.” She smirked, “An associate of Kyla’s.”<br/>
<br/>
She picked up her coffee and moved toward the door, opening it but pausing to glance back at the Hunter. “Take care.”<br/>
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</span><br/><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“What are you over there smiling about?” </span></b><br/><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><br/>
Ava looked up, green eyes settling on the familiar golden blonde halo of hair belonging to her brother. She set her phone on the table, placing it face down as he neared with a sigh. It had been four days since she and the Hunter parted way temporarily, a small eternity it seemed. She kept in touch, spent much of the evening and into the wee hours of the morning exchanging texts. Never was she far from her phone, always excited for the next little vibration to alert her to the next silly or flirtatious message. The delight brought on by seeing one new message on her phone was almost instantaneously snuffed out, his presence like a gloomy storm cloud coming her way. He sat down in the chair across from her, a smug smirk on his face as he stared at her. <b>“It’s alright. You don’t have to tell me.”</b> He conceded after a moment, leaning back against the cushion of the seat. <br/>
<br/>
“I know.” Ava admitted, confident that he wouldn’t overstep her boundaries, especially as he stared off between the grand arches, into the garden where there was nothing to be seen but hydrangeas in bloom and borderline creepy stone sculptures. <b>“It’s nice out . . .”</b> He muttered, offering the comment as though she would latch onto it and break her willful silence. When she said nothing, only nodded in agreement, he let out an incredulous laugh. His face fell into his palms as he leaned over. <b>“You’re so difficult.”</b> The words were muffled by the obstruction of his hands, but she heard him well enough. She folded her arms across her chest, one of her legs hooking over the other as she waited for him to reveal why it was that he sought her out. Cal had been home for over a week. Their conversations had been short, limited to surface level chat to keep their parents from suspecting there was any semblance of strife between them. Ava had begun to think that they were never going to talk about the cause of the rift between them, that they would continue to dance around the subject like nothing ever happened. <br/>
<br/>
<b>“Look, I’ve been trying to find the right words to explain myself. I’m not exactly proud of the way things went down or how we left things between us. I didn’t mean to let this talk between you and I sit for this long. I just . . . Got carried away. And, I want to apologize for taking advantage of the situation.”</b> Cal chose his words wisely, tip-toeing around the act as though there were prying ears around them. There could have been; a housekeeper somewhere around the corner, a gardener behind the bushes, and at worst one of their parents passing by. “Well, I’m glad--” Ava tried, her words cut short by the interjection of his own. <b>“I’m sorry for taking advantage of you being drunk to kiss you, but it didn’t just come out of nowhere. It wasn’t me being <i>me</i>.”</b> A playboy and a womanizer, he meant, though she wasn’t certain she was going to like what the absence of it implied. Ava shifted uncomfortably. <b>“I don’t know when I started seeing you differently but it was way before that night, and I-- C’mon on, Ava.” </b><br/>
<br/>
“You’re disgusting.” She was up and out of her seat like the room was on fire.<br/>
</span><br/><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“I’m trying to explain--” </span></b><br/><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><br/>
“You’re trying to explain, what? That you no longer see me as your sister?” He was right behind her when she spun around, trying to catch her by the wrist. She managed to avoid his grasp, turning slightly so that he missed when he reached. “That you care about me, how? For how long have you been feeling ‘differently’?”<br/>
<br/>
He seemed flustered by the barrage of questions, so much that he had shut down completely. Ava gave him a moment, waiting for as long as she could stand it for him to say anything at all. With a frustrated sigh, she turned to find some other quiet corner of the expansive estate to have privacy. <br/>
</span><br/><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“Wes is texting you.”</span></b><br/><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><br/>
For the second time she spun around, this time a bit stunned to see him standing there with her phone in his hand. She knew he couldn’t see much more than what was on the preview of her screen, but it was still more information than she wanted him to know. Ava walked back to him, her hand reaching for the phone as quickly as he pulled it away. <br/>
<br/>
“<b>You owe me a conversation, Ava. I know you're mad right now, that you probably feel like this is some sick betrayal on our relationship, but when you’re ready . . . Please come and hear me out.” </b>Slowly he leveled the phone to her, letting her take it this time. <b>“Tell, Mr. Marquez that I’m sorry for keeping you.”</b></span>