Page 33 of Beauty and the Bosshole

All I can think about now is finding Ava. She has this incredible way of grounding me, bringing me back to the moment, making everything else fade away. She turns my cock to stone and my heart to mush without much effort at all.

I tread lightly toward the bathroom, envisioning her relaxing in the tub, surrounded by bubbles infused with the calming scent of lavender. The thought alone starts to ease the tension in my shoulders as my cock grows steadily harder.

But as I reach the bathroom door, I notice something off. The door is slightly ajar, and the sound of splashing water is absent. I push it open to find an empty tub, the water long drained away. A quick glance confirms my worst fear—Ava's clothes are gone, and the room feels strangely vacant as if she had never been here at all.

Panic bubbles up inside me, taking the place of my earlier frustration. I rush back into the main room, calling out, "Ava? Where are you?" My voice echoes slightly in the silence of the hotel suite, my only response. I check the closet, and her suitcase, handbag, and phone are missing. How the fuck did she leave without me noticing?

I sit heavily on the edge of the bed, running my hands through my hair, trying to piece together what just happened. Why would she leave without saying anything? Then my conversation with Declan blasts through my mind. Fucking hell, she must have overheard my conversation with Declan and misunderstood.

I quickly replay what was said and realize how bad it would sound if someone only heard one side of the conversation. I can see how Ava, hearing only snippets, might not understand what I was saying.

I grab my phone, my fingers shaking slightly as I dial her number. It rings and rings, but she doesn't pick up. "Come on, Ava, please answer," I mutter to myself, but the call goes to voicemail.

I pull on the first outfit I find and rush out the door while still buttoning my shirt. I have to find her, have to explain my plans for the shoot tomorrow. The hallways of the hotel blur as I movequickly, taking the elevator down to the lobby. The city buzzes with life outside, but I’m solely focused on finding Ava.

Stepping out onto the crowded Las Vegas strip, I scan the sidewalks, looking for any sign of her.She couldn't have gone far, I tell myself, my eyes darting from one face to another. The sun is high in the sky, and people swarm around me, caught up in their own worlds.

I take off walking, dodging tourists and street performers, my mind racing. Where would she go? Ava loves coffee and there’s a unique little coffee shop right up the street; maybe she went there to cool off. Desperation cuts through my soul as I race toward it, wanting to kick my own ass for fucking up the most important thing in my world.

The moment Ava walked through the door, I knew my world would never be the same again. Her sass and luscious curves woke up something deep in my soul, and I can’t take a breath at the thought of losing her now.

As I push through the glass doors of the shop, the familiar smell of coffee hits me, but there’s no sign of Ava. I ask the barista, but she shakes her head, oblivious to my growing frustration. Son-of-a-bitch. Where the hell could she be?

I step back onto the sidewalk, pulling out my phone again, desperately trying her number once more. Still no answer. I run a hand through my hair, frustration now mingling with terror. How could I have let this happen? One minute, I was loving my wife’s stunning body, and the next, I caused her to run from me. All over a stupid goddamn idea.

I’m about to lose my fucking mind when I spot a familiar figure standing on the street corner several feet away, her form unmistakable even on a crowded street. Relief washes over me as my heart kicks into overdrive, and I call out, "Ava!"

I can’t believe that croaky shit coming from my mouth is my voice.

She spins, and our eyes meet. My heart squeezes in my chest at the hurt mixed with anger etched on her face. She takes a step back, but I’m not letting her get away. I rush over, closing the gap between us quickly as she glares at me like I’m the scum of the earth.

“Please let me explain."

She crosses her arms, her expression guarded as she blurts out, "I heard you, Reese. I heard everything.” Her bottom lip quivers and I’m tempted to pull her into my arms and kiss it, but I know there are things we need to straighten the fuck out first. “I can’t believe I fell for your smooth lines. You didn’t have to lie to get me to do your stupid shoot."

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, searching for the right words as I realize this is worse than I’d originally thought. I can’t believe I fucked this up. "You misunderstood what you heard. I’ve never lied to you. Every goddamn word, every touch, everything between us is real."

She stares up at me with hurt swirling in her eyes as she processes my words. "How can I believe that?" At least she’s stopped trying to pull away from me.

"Because I’ve never lied to you," I say earnestly, stepping closer to wrap my arms around her curvy body. I can’t get close enough to her. "Please come back to the room with me and I’ll explain everything.”

Ava isn’t convinced. “I know what I heard.”

“But you only heard one side of the conversation,” I insist. “And you have no idea about the surprise I’ve been planning for you. Please give me the chance to explain everything before you convict me.”

Her sweet lips twist into a pout as hope replaces the suspicion etched on her stunning face. The tension slowly begins to drain from Ava’s stiff frame as her arms drop to her sides, and shetakes a small step forward. “Okay. But you had better have a good explanation.”

“I have the truth,” I say, relief flooding through me. “And the truth is I love you and I’d never fucking do anything to hurt you.”

“Oh…” Her mouth opens and closes as her eyes grow rounder.

As I hold her, the noise of Las Vegas fades into the background. It’s just us, and I know that as long as I have her, I can face whatever challenges come our way.

“Come on.” She doesn’t resist when I take her soft hand in mine. As we walk back to the hotel, each step echoes the tension surrounding us. The city buzzes around us, but I can only focus on the hurt I caused Ava.

All of this over a stupid misunderstanding. It didn’t take me long to realize I’d never let another human being view the intimate photoshoot I had planned for Ava. Once she wiggled her way into my heart, my caveman side took over. Instead of canceling the original shoot, I decided to do something special, something just for us.

Looking back, I realize I should’ve explained this to her before I told Declan about it. My miscalculation has caused all of this, and now it feels like everything is falling apart. I need to make her understand, to let her know the truth behind that call to Declan.