The knock comes again, his knuckles brush on the door. Panic sets in Ava's mind, the balcony is all she can think of. Her assistant pushes her out onto it, in a rush.
"One minute, Mr. Guard I mean Seth. I am on a phone conference with my boss. She is currently busy with another high-profile case." Seth wraps his hand around the door handle and he opens it just when Becky closes the curtains.
"Isn't it a little dark in here?" He comments, making Becky attempt to drag him out of her boss's office. But he doesn't budge.
"Yeah, when we're not in there we like to conserve energy. We close it off, I was just briefing my boss on your case. Trust me we will find your missing girl soon." He blushes and this gives Becky motive.
"Don't tell her I am looking for her if you do find her." Becky smiles sweetly and thinks if he only knew.
"We can't force her to want to see you. If she, in the long run, over you. You can't force it." He frowns at this because he felt a connection that meant a lot. She didn't seem interested in his money and she did everything in her power to make him feel desired and wanted. Oh and her intoxicating kisses sure helped the affection and pull he has toward her. Bear runs into the office, full force.
He starts barking at the window.
"Damn pigeons again." Becky swings her right arm awkwardly. While Bear continues to bark like if he stops, he would starve their eardrums.
"Come on little guy, " Seth picks up Bear and he stops barking. Seth then sets him back down and that's when Bear starts sniffing Seth's designer shoes. With one leg up Bear does his business, he then walks to his bed in the corner of the room. Lays down triumphantly, head in the air as if he did something he is proud of. The tail wags and Bear yawns.
"Shit, stupid fucking dumb ass dog!" He shouts shaking off his soggy shoe.
"Mr. Bear never does this. I am so sorry. We will replace the shoes." His face is all pink, being pissed is an understatement.
"What I need is for that damn dog to get put down! I came here for Ms. Willows." These words piss Ava off and she storms in from the patio.
"You will not use that tone in my office! You will not talk about my pup like that! And three this is a favor to Abdula. I don't have to help you!" His eyes widen in pure shock.
"Goldie?" He gets up from the chair, the squishing sound of his foot is the only sound that cuts through the thick silence that has settled on the room.
"The name is Ava Willows." He stares in shock at her. His eyes so wide they might just pop out.
"I thought Mrs. Willows would have been older." Ava's face scrunches.
"By the way, I haven't been twenty-three for almost 4 years now. Well, if you excuse me I'll be going, my old age makes me tired. I have bingo tonight with the girls." Ava sarcastically says.
"You will be reimbursed for your shoes. Italian leather, Givenchy, and they are two years old." She says, looking at his shoes.
"How do you know?" Ava smiles and looks up at him.
"I'm old remember and my Ex had a similar pair." This is the first time Ava has mentioned her Ex since she left him.
"Becky, schedule a luncheon tomorrow at one." She nods and gets to work walking away from Ava and Seth in a rush.
"Did you know who I was last night?" Ava shakes her head at this question.
"No, until you said Seth Guard in the office, I was like it doesn't match. Then, I remembered how hesitant you were to give me your last name. But you made sure you gave me your first. Smart, you gave me something to scream." He blushes at how forward Ava is. Something inside him stirs and he turns away to blush.
Ava walks past him and then scoops up Bear. "Bear never does what he just did to you. I think he might be jealous Both of our scents still lingers on each other's skin or something. Bear is a male, so he was just trying to show who he is boss. He is all bark, no bite." Ava smiles at Seth and Seth smiles back.
"I think both of you need to apologize. You for peeing on Mr. Guard. And you for mentioning putting down my pup." This causes Bear to whine and Seth to pout. In a sing-song-like voice, Ava says, with her teeth gritted.
"If you two don't get along then Seth I can't have you as a client or be with you." His face stays still, as he looks into Ava's golden eyes. His gaze travels to her lips, ones he has tasted before, ones he is not willing to let go of. Ava notices a little tingling feeling hits her like rain. She licks her lips and flushes at the sight of him.
"What makes you think I want you?" A small smirk dances on Ava's lips. Becky has already slipped out of the office unnoticed.
"You came here and requested with very little info, searching for this perfect twenty-three-year-old. You wanted to see me again." Seth looks at Ava, up and down. Her outfit is the complete opposite of what she was wearing last night. But Seth still appreciates the way her blouse exposes just the right amount of cleavage and how she is wearing a short skirt, that enhances her long legs. The legs that have been wrapped around him. Ava notices his gaze, then the tension in the room is thick.
"Now, I have a meeting with Abdula tonight. It's going to be so awkward because she has been trying to set us up. She is the one who invited me last week to your party. I figured it would be a great way to look for potential clientele. But then you swooped in like prince charming. I slept with someone, I swore years ago that wouldn't. I saw Abdula a lot when I was younger. Then my parents split up so we moved across the country. I haven't seen her since I was fifteen. She calls and mentions you every so often, tries to pressure me into looking up her attractive grandson. Even during my marriage, she would suggest hooking up with someone better." Ava let out a sigh and leaves the office. She then grabs her things and walks out.
"Bear, Abdula is going to be so overwhelming and happy she might even have our wedding already planned out." Bear just licks Ava's tear. One that fell due to her fear of heartbreak.
"You know what Bear it never happened." Ava smiles, she opens her car door and looks into her rearview mirror. "You did not sleep with Seth Guard. You had a one-night stand with a stranger." Her voice is heavy and upset at the same time. Upset she let this happen. She never rebels against her morals. Seth is the third guy she has ever been, in that way.
The first being her husband and the second was some fling she was too out of it to remember.