Second Chance

chapter 17




Over the next day and a half of their journey, Carrick did a good job of putting a wall up around himself. She assumed he was pretty shaken up over the extent of the passion they had shared. She also figured that his supposed hard heart was cracking just a bit. Actually, it was slightly amusing to Ava the lengths Carrick went to make sure they didn’t succumb to their passions again.

All his moves were calculated so that they didn’t have any “alone” time together. He limited their stops during their day travels only out of strict necessity. Otherwise, they ate their meals in the saddle. Once they made camp at night, he insisted one sleep while the other keep watch. Ava knew that was good strategy for any travelers, but she also knew it gave Carrick the excuse he needed to stay away from Ava.

As dusk approached on the second day of their journey, they entered the town of Avery. Ava suggested that it was too late to make their way to Hephastus and they should stay the night in Avery. Carrick reluctantly agreed and led them over to a nicely kept lodging inn.

Carrick asked for one room for the night and handed over the currency needed for the room and a meal to be sent up. He also paid the innkeeper to stable their horses. Ava knew Carrick would probably have preferred two rooms, but he was not about to let her out of his sight for security reasons.

The inn was actually quite nice and their room was large and comfortable. There was only one bed for which Ava was thankful. As they waited for their meal, Carrick unpacked and re-packed their gear, probably in an effort to avoid any intimacy. He practically refused to even look at Ava.

She was not about the let him off that lightly. “At least the bed looks big and comfy.”

“You should be plenty comfortable. I’ll sleep on the floor in front of the door for added security.”

“That’s ridiculous. We can ward the door with a spell and the bed is big enough for both of us. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of me?” Ava tried a little teasing to break through his wall.

Carrick turned around and looked at her. His face was filled with a riot of emotions but frustration was the most apparent. “Not you, Ava. Just what you make me feel.”

Ava’s heart ached for him. “Feeling is not a bad thing, Carrick.”

Carrick snorted but before he could reply, there was a knock on their door. The innkeeper had their meal which turned out to be a delicious roast pheasant with a variety of colorful vegetables. A light ale was provided as well as wine.

Carrick and Ava sat at the table by the window and ate their meal. Ava decided to give Carrick a bit of a reprieve and asked him about Ralina instead.

“Why is she doing this, Carrick? She hasn’t made any demands but apparently feels comfortable just sitting in Kestevayne.”

“I expect for many reasons. Power, control. Plus, she’s vain enough that there is probably an element of revenge.”

“Revenge? For what?”

Carrick told Ava about the day he ended his relationship with Ralina. Ava was not surprised to hear that Ralina had been furiously angry. She also suspected the fact that Carrick and Ava became an item within an hour of Carrick pushing Ralina to the side wasn’t sitting well with her evil holiness.

“It just seems ridiculous to me.”

“Hell hath no fury…”, Carrick quipped. “Besides, I think it went back even further than that. Back to the first day we met, when Ralina was taunting you. She never understood our friendship. When she and I started…uh… seeing each other, she was always jealous if I spent time with you.”

Ava thought about that. How would she feel if she was in Ralina’s position. Hurt? Yes. Angry? Yes. Ready to sell my soul to the devil to wreak havoc on innocent people to get my just revenge? No. Clearly, Ralina was a little unbalanced in the head.

“Did you love her Carrick?”

“No! And I never promised her anything more than fun between the sheets.”

At least Carrick had the grace to go red in the face when he said that. “But she had started talking about marriage to me. It would have been a step up the social ladder for her and I think that is really what she wanted. I told her marriage wasn’t in the cards for me, so she shouldn’t have expected anything more.”

Ava was glad to hear there was no bitterness there. Carrick said that as a statement of fact, nothing more.

“Yet, the same day you break things off with her, you and I start a love affair. We get engaged within a few months. If she was a little touched in the head, I can see why that would set her off. And, if she was looking to work her way up the social ladder, she certainly has achieved it. She has control over all of Kestevayne now.” Ava paused in reflection. “Maybe you and I were just the catalyst. She had always aspired to be at or near the top and we gave her the motivation to do it.”

“So basically you’re saying it’s our fault?”

“Absolutely,” Ava said with a laugh. But then she sobered. “But I have no regrets over falling in love with you. “

Carrick didn’t respond. They remained silent as they continued to eat, both lost in their thoughts. Then Carrick broke the silence. “When you were in The First Dimension, did you have a relationship with anyone?”

Ava finished chewing her food and swallowed. “Do you mean did I have sex with anyone?

“No. I mean were you in love with anyone there?”

Ava was surprised at the vehemence in his voice. “No, Carrick. I loved no one there. I think I left that behind here for you.”

Carrick didn’t say anything and returned to his food.

“Was there anyone else here for you?” Please let the answer be no.

“Never anyone but you,” he said quietly.

Ava showed no reaction but her smile on the inside was burning as bright as the First Dimension sun.

After they finished eating, Carrick placed the tray in the hall and shut the door. After locking it, he put on a warding spell that would briefly repel anyone with malicious intent toward them, as well as give them an alarm. That would give them a chance to prepare for any attack.

He turned to Ava. “We should get a good night’s sleep. We have a big day ahead of us.”

“That we do,” Ava replied. “But that big tub over there just looks too good to pass up and a hot soak would really work out the kinks in my muscles. All that riding with no breaks takes a toll on the body.”

Ava walked over to the tub and waved her hand, calling forth the elements. Hot water started rising in the tub.

“Your magic is coming back to you powerfully,” Carrick observed.

“Every day here I feel it coursing through me stronger and stronger.” Ava waved her hand over the tub again and the water stopped. “Would you care to join me?”

Carrick shook his head no and turned his back on her. He took off his breastplates and shirt, having removed his boots earlier. Leaving his pants on, he crawled into the bed and lay on his back.

Ava turned her back to him so, if he wanted, and she bet he did, he could watch with full immunity. She slowly removed her clothes. She even took her time to do a quick cleansing spell on them, folding them neatly and laying them on the table. She took out a hair tie, and arranged her hair on top of her head so it wouldn’t get wet.

Although she couldn’t see him, she could feel the heat of Carrick’s stare on her back. It made her body tingle all over. She stepped into the hot tub and groaned with satisfaction. She leaned back just enough to immerse herself up to her chin, but then sat back up again so her breasts could be seen…if Carrick felt the need to look. And she bet he did.

Ava picked up the soap that was lying in a basket beside the tub along with some towels, and leisurely started to wash herself. She took her time, doing her arms and then her legs. As she started smoothing the soap over her breasts, she risked a quick glance over at Carrick.

Her breath caught. He was now lying on his side, watching her, eyes glittering with intensity. Ava swallowed hard. Her original plan was to draw the bath out so that Carrick would pounce on her when she got out. By the look on his face, he was ready to do some pouncing and she was more than ready to get pounced on. Still, she decided to stay in the tub. Make him suffer a bit since he had ignored her for the last day and a half. She continued leisurely rubbing the frothy suds up and down her body.

“Enough, Ava,” Carrick snarled. “Get out of the bath.”

Ava knew he meant that to sound recriminating, but all she heard was desire and frustration laced in his demand. Not even thinking to argue, Ava incanted the soap off her body and scrambled out of the tub. She pulled forth a steady magical breeze and wrapped her body in it. She was dry by the time it took her to walk across to the bed.

Carrick watched her like a hawk. She could see the desire etched all over his face, and it was a heady feeling indeed. When she reached the edge of the bed, she pulled her hair tie out, giving her head a small shake, so her chestnut locks fell around her shoulders. Carrick didn’t hesitate and pulled her down on top of him.

“I know you did that little bath routine just to get me riled up.” Ava loved how that accusation came out in a growl.

“Did it work?”

Taking her hand, he guided it to his erection. Her fingers squeezed reflexively and he pushed into her hand. “You know it did.”

Ava laughed softly and Carrick pulled her mouth down to his. She expected by the look in his eyes and the demand in his voice that he would devour her. But his kiss was surprisingly soft and gentle. Ava opened up to him and sighed.

Carrick leisurely explored her mouth, his hands stroking softly up and down her back. His tongue swirled with hers, setting a slow pace. He would move his lips off hers to softly kiss up and down her neck. Then he would return to her mouth and pay it exquisite care all over again. Ava was lost in all that was Carrick. His touch, his taste, his smell. If she could stay like this the rest of her life, she would never need anything else.

While his hands never strayed to her pleasure points, Ava still felt tension winding up. This soft side of Carrick ramped her desire up to a new level. If he doesn’t make love to me soon, I’m going to die.

Carrick must have heard her thoughts because he rolled over so he was on top of her. While he continued to kiss her slowly, deliciously, Ava undid his pants and used her hands and legs to kick them down and off him. She moved her legs apart and Carrick settled in. Ava wound her arms around his neck and laced her fingers in his hair. Never taking his mouth from Ava’s, Carrick rolled his hips until his erection was nudging her entrance.

With small moves, Carrick pushed in and out, going a bit farther each time. Ava’s breath started hitching, and she kept expecting him to slam his way home at some point. But he never did. He slowly worked his way into her, taking his sweet time, until he was fully seated. Then he began a slow mating of their bodies, gently kissing her the entire time.

Ava let her hands roam over Carrick’s shoulders and back. She grabbed his hips, hoping to encourage him to go faster. But Carrick wouldn’t be swayed. He moved in and out of her with such gentleness, it brought tears to her eyes. It was the softest she had seen Carrick since her return and it made Ava’s heart melt.

Ava gave in to the slow rhythm and her hips undulated in unison with his. They rocked together, softly, quietly, until they both exploded into ecstasy, never having lifted their mouths from each other. Even after they both drifted back to reality, they continued to kiss, their soft sighs the only sound in the room. Finally, Carrick lifted his mouth from hers, placing one last kiss on the tip of her nose. He rolled to his side, taking Ava with him. He was still deep inside her when they fell into an exhausted sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.