He nodded, but didn’t respond.
Huh. Charming Luc was apparently gone. She didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved.
“Well, good night, Officer. It’s been nice talking to you when you’re not carrying a gun around your belt.”
His smile tipped up a little at that. “Good night, Sims.”
Always Sims.
She’d never really noticed before, but the man hadn’t used her first name. Not once.
Strange.
Maybe she wasn’t the only one with boundaries. Maybe he was protecting himself too.
Ava clenched her fingers around the sharp edges of her key to keep her from throwing herself at this generous, kind man who would be so easy to care for.
Instead she turned and slid the key into the lock, giving him one last half smile before slipping into the safety of her apartment.
And damn her hormones, because she closed the door as slowly as possible, giving him the chance to make a move.
He didn’t.
When the door finally shut between them, Ava told herself she was relieved. Glad, even, that a night that had had distinct moments of sexy had ended so harmlessly platonic.
It was a good thing. Really.
Her lady parts, on the other hand, were screaming moron.
Dropping her heels by the door, Ava went to the table and set down her keys and purse before making the cooing noise she always used to summon her cat.
As far as cuddly, supportive pets went, Honky Tonk was a dud.
She’d rescued him a couple of years ago thinking he’d be great company, but mostly he did his own thing.
The only time he really let her pet him was when she got sushi.
Smart cat.
Ungrateful. But smart.
“Here Honky Tonky Tonky,” she said in her cat-call voice.
An orange head peeked out from under the couch, gave her a sleepy blink before promptly disappearing again.
“Okay then,” she muttered. “Good talk.”
Ava put her hands on the small of her back, stretching and debating whether a long, hot shower would help ease her restlessness, or make it worse.
Then the image of Luc in the shower with her, pinning her to the wall as his hands skimmed over her wet, soapy body, his mouth…
Damn it. So that was a no on the shower then.
Ava made it only two steps toward the fridge for a much needed glass of water when she heard the knock.
Luc.
It had to be him. The only people who ever knocked on her door were the sushi delivery guys that she saw way more than she probably should.
She opened the door, and he was there.
One hand was braced on the door frame, and the other…
His other hand reached for her.
Luc’s palm slipped around the small of her back, barely giving her a chance to gasp her surprise before he tugged her to him.
And then he kissed her.
His lips were firm and smooth as they moved against hers with just the right amount of roughness as his other hand slipped around the back of her head to hold her still.
It was the kiss of a man who knew what he wanted. And if the way his lips pulled at hers was any indication, right now he wanted Ava.
And Ava wanted him right back.
It took her only seconds to adjust to the feel of his mouth on hers before her arms found his waist, clutching at the soft fabric of his shirt.
Luc tilted his head just enough to take the kiss deeper, and Ava was right there with him, reaching for his tongue with hers. Luc let out a raspy groan as the fingers in her hair tightened and Ava was forced to face a rather disturbing reality: It was without a doubt the hottest, most perfect kiss she’d ever had.
It was the rightness of it that finally had her coming to her senses, although it took her several moments before she could force herself to break away from his lips.
She was slow to open her eyes, and when she did, she was braced to see triumphant male ego on his face. But although he was watching her, the only things she saw on her face were the very same things she was feeling: heat and confusion.