Age of Ava by Melanie Moreland

Chapter 4

Ava

Saturday afternoon, I wandered around the beach. The sun was high in the sky, its warmth welcome as I strolled. I headed to the far edge, disappearing around the outcropping of tall rocks. The beach became stonier, large boulders and huge rocks piled up, tossed around like feathers in the water and ending up in this cove over hundreds of years. BAM chose to leave this portion wild and let nature do her thing. As kids, we had spent many happy days exploring the rocky expanse, but now I used it to sit and watch the water, a private place. I knew a lot of us did the same, yet we rarely ran into each other here.

It was also the break between us and the Owenses’ property. BAM owned the stretch of beach, but at the end was a rarely used trail that led up to Mr. Owens’s place. It was overgrown but still passable, or at least, it had been last year when I would go to visit. I usually took the easier route, skirting the two properties, when I would go to visit him, but occasionally I would take the shorter way of crossing the rocky beach and climbing the hill.

Perched on a flat rock, I enjoyed the view of the water and sipped from an insulated cup of coffee, appreciating the smooth flavor. Jaxson, Gracie’s husband, had turned us all on to his favorite brand of coffee, and I especially loved it.

I lifted my face to the sun, letting the warmth soak into my skin for a minute. The muted sound of music drifted in the air, and I frowned, tilting my head, unsure where it was coming from. It stopped and I shrugged. Dad was probably testing some new speakers around the pool area, although usually you couldn’t hear them this far away. I pulled off the sweater I had wrapped around my waist and rolled it, tucking it behind my head and leaning back against the boulder, breathing in the fresh air deeply and letting the week drift away. I planned to do nothing the rest of the weekend. Hang around my little house, do some laundry, sleep in tomorrow, and hopefully poach dinner off my parents. I was sure they would be grilling something delicious since my dad loved to barbecue. Maybe if I was lucky, he and Maddox would have decided to use the smoker and do some ribs or brisket. I’d luck out with dinner and leftovers.

Another sound met my ears, and I sat up as the music started again—faint, but it was there.

I began to stand, freezing as a big golden retriever came into view. He stopped briefly upon seeing me, then his tail began to wag and he jogged over, his tongue hanging out. He greeted me with a low woof, standing in front of me, waiting.

Unsure, I held out my hand, and he sniffed it then came closer, head-butting me gently. I patted his large head, gazing into his gentle amber eyes.

“Hey, you. Where did you come from?”

I got another low “woof,” his tail wagging furiously.

“Are you lost, boy?” I asked, running my hand over his long back. He was well cared for, his coat shiny, his eyes clear, and it was obvious he was well-fed. He was strong and agile.

But where had he come from?

I ran my hand over his neck, but there was no collar.

A flash of light caught my eye, and I looked toward it. It came from the bluff. Mr. Owens’s place. I looked down at the dog, who was watching me happily, not joining me in my concern for his misplaced whereabouts.

Obviously, someone was at Mr. Owens’s place. Maybe his daughter had shown up. That would explain the music and the dog. I huffed out a breath in irritation. How irresponsible not to keep him on a leash. He had wandered down here, but he could have walked off the bluff or into the water. Someone could have picked him up and taken him. He was a beautiful, friendly dog.

I shook my head. “Let’s go, boy.”

* * *

I made my way across the rocky shore, carefully scrambling over the damp stone and moss-covered areas. I cursed my sandals that slipped at times.

“If I had known you were going to show up, I would have worn sneakers,” I griped to the dog, who followed me, his tail wagging, not at all bothered by the treacherous stretch of beach. He loped and sniffed, returning to my side every few moments. We reached the overgrown path leading up the side of the bluff, and I eyed it speculatively. Had it always been that steep?

I shook my head and began to climb. Twice, I stumbled, once going down hard on my knee. I cursed under my breath and wiped off my jeans, muttering when I discovered a hole in the fabric.

“Dammit, I liked these jeans,” I muttered, but I kept going.

The music was getting louder and clearer. Garth Brooks was belting out one of his catchy tunes, and I could hear the sound of a saw being used. Work was being done on the house, and I wondered if that meant it was going to be for sale or we would have a new neighbor.

As we got to the top of the bluff, the dog raced ahead of me, wagging his tail. I stood for a moment to catch my breath, and he stopped, as if waiting. I cocked my head to the side, studying the large black truck in front of me. It was familiar. My stomach clenched as I moved toward it, recalling why it was familiar.

Intense fire-and-ice eyes came to my mind. Strong arms and a wicked, passionate mouth that was possessive and gentle poked at my memories.

I rounded the back of the truck and stopped, the dog sitting down beside me.

There he was.

Hunter.

He didn’t see me at first. I didn’t interrupt him.

He was too busy dancing. I was too busy staring.

His jeans hugged his ass. His T-shirt was stretched tight across his back and arms. His hair glinted in the sunlight.

And his hips moved. Gyrated. His torso bent and swayed. His arms rose and fell with the beat of the music. He sang, his voice rich and deep, his feet and body keeping perfect rhythm with the song. He spun on his heels and froze. Our eyes locked and held.

And, unexpectedly, he smiled. Wide and carefree. He held out his hand.

“Dance with me, Little Dragon.”

I found myself taking his hand. Joining him under the sun. Letting him lead me, spin me around, pull me to his hot, sunbaked chest as we moved. He crooned in my ear, making me laugh. He joined me, the sound of our shared amusement fading away as the song ended and we broke apart. Slowly, carefully, as if neither of us wanted this moment to end.

I turned to face him, my breathing ragged. I was out of shape, obviously, since that was the only acceptable reason for my shortness of breath. It had nothing to do with his close proximity. Or the way his eyes were slowly devouring me. It especially had no bearing on the fact that I had been held against his hard, firm body and I wanted to be back there again.

Nope.

I blinked and cleared my throat.

“Um, hello.”

He laughed, the sound loud in the sudden quiet.

“Hello, Little Dragon.” He looked around. “Am I missing something? Is a crime being committed, and you’re here, once again, to foil the evildoers’ plans?”

A smile tugged on my lips, and I tried not to laugh.

“The crime is that I found this dog on the beach down there.” I pointed over the bluff. “Shouldn’t he be on a lead?”

He frowned and tapped his leg. “Cash, come here.”

The dog trotted to his side, gazing up at him with adoration. Hunter crouched down, running his hand over his neck. “How did you get off your leash?” Then he shook his head. “Where the hell is your collar?”

“That’s what I was wondering. He could have been hurt or taken,” I reprimanded him.

He narrowed his eyes. “He has one. He keeps getting off it, dammit.” He walked toward the huge oak tree closer to the house. He bent and picked up a long lead, a collar dangling from the end. “How is he doing this?”

“You didn’t notice he was gone?”

“When I checked him fifteen minutes ago, he was asleep on the porch, collar intact. Nothing indicated he had moved.” He narrowed his eyes at Cash. “You little bugger. That’s twice.” He glanced up at me. “I caught him yesterday and tightened the collar.” He held it up, and I took it from his hands, examining it.

“Um, this bit is broken.” I showed him. “It looks like it’s fastening, but all he has to do is yank it, and he’s free.”

Hunter stood and shook his head. “Well then, I guess he’s housebound until I get a new one.”

As if he knew what Hunter had said, Cash flopped down onto the ground, exhaling a long, low whimper.

Without thinking, I unbuckled my belt and pulled it from the loops. I bent and wrapped it around Cash’s neck. “If you cut this and add a hole here, this would work temporarily. You can clip the lead here.”

Hunter frowned. “It would ruin your belt.”

I laughed. “It’s old, and I don’t care.” I patted Cash’s head. “I hate to think of him cooped up in the house on such a great day.”

For a moment, Hunter said nothing, then he stopped and took the belt. He walked away, and I watched him covertly, admiring the way his jeans hugged his ass and thighs. He grabbed some tools from his truck and returned a moment later, the belt cut, a new hole in place. He fastened it around Cash’s neck.

“Say thank you to Ava. The Little Dragon saved you from being locked inside, you pain in the ass.” But his words were said without venom, and he stroked Cash’s great head, his touch gentle.

He stood, his gaze lingering, then he frowned. “Why is there blood on your jeans?”

I glanced down. “Oh, I tripped coming up the path.”

One moment, I was standing. The next, I was in his arms, being carried to the back of the truck.

“What the hell are you doing?” I yelped, clutching his shoulders.

He sat me on the edge of the open truck bed, pushing up my jeans. “Jesus, that’s a deep cut,” he muttered. He leaned across me, pressing me into his body as he rummaged behind me. His heat soaked into me the same way it did the other day. His scent filled my nose, warm and rich. I tried not to whimper.

He opened a first aid box, muttering the whole time. He refused to let me move as he cleaned and dressed the scrape. I gasped when the iodine hit my skin, and he muttered a terse apology, bending low and blowing on my knee. The pain faded as he lifted his gaze and our eyes locked.

He stilled, his eyes becoming liquid fire. They mesmerized me, stopping all coherent thought. Who he was, why he was here, didn’t matter. All that mattered was he was close and I wanted him closer. As if he knew what I was thinking, he stepped nearer, his body crowding between my legs. He settled his hands on either side of me, trapping me fully with his body.

“Should I kiss it and make it better?” he murmured, his voice raspy.

I lifted my arms, draping them over his shoulders. I slid my fingers into the thick hair that swept the back of his neck. He shivered and pushed closer, his mouth hovering over mine. “I think I need to make sure everything is in working order.”

I pulled him to my mouth. “Yes, yes, you do.”

His lips touched mine, and everything else disappeared.

He wrapped his arm around my waist, dragging me close to his chest as he kissed me. He tasted of coffee and mint, his lips slightly damp and salty from sweat. His tongue stroked along mine, exploring and possessive. He spread his hand wide on my back, his fingers pressing into my skin. He slid his other hand under my ass, lifting me closer. I felt his need pressing into me, driving my own up into a frenzy. Our tongues dueled and fought, retreated, and met again. He groaned low in his throat, and I whimpered as his hand slid closer to my center, the heat pooling and swirling in a whirl of desire. I gripped his neck, tugging on his hair, craving I had never experienced making me crazy.

Until a long, low howl came from the porch, and Hunter startled, stepping back. Our eyes clashed, desire burning. He ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. He broke our gaze to look over at Cash, who had somehow wrapped his lead around the broken post column and was trapped half on and half off the porch.

“You crazy mutt, why don’t you ever stay where I put you?” he muttered and headed over to free him.

I slid off the truck end, my legs shaky and breathing uneven. What the hell was I doing kissing Hunter?

Again, a little voice in my head whispered.

I had no idea who this man was. Or why I kept letting him kiss me. I knew better. The man was a stranger and, for all I knew, trespassing.

Reality returned, and I marched over to him. He straightened as I approached, my belt in his hand, Cash lying on the porch, looking happy to be free of it.

“Who are you anyway?” I demanded. “Why are you on Mr. Owens’s property?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I think the question is, why are you on my property?”

“Your property?”

He settled his hands on his hips. “My property. I inherited it from my grandfather.” He glanced in the direction I had come from. “The beach down there is private property as well. Why were you on it?” His narrowed eyes became a fierce glare. “Who the hell are you?”

Mr. Owens had a grandson?

“I’m Ava Callaghan. I knew your grandfather,” I offered, trying to understand.

“Callaghan?” he repeated. A deep frown crossed his face. “You’re her. You’re also one of them.” He shook his head. “The property isn’t for sale. Stop snooping around. Get off it.”

You’re her? What the hell did he mean by that?

“One of them?Snooping around?” I gasped. “I was bringing your dog back to you!”

“Well, you’ve done that, so you can leave now.” He turned his back, clearly dismissing me. His voice had gone from low and warm to furious and cold. His shoulders were stiff with tension, and he walked away. “You’re not welcome here, Ms. Callaghan. Leave my property,” he called over his shoulder. “Don’t come back.”

Furious, I stomped away, not looking back.

What an asshole.

I stopped at the top of the pathway. “If I had known who you were the other day, I wouldn’t have helped you!” I yelled.

“I wouldn’t have let you either,” he snarled back.

“I damn well wouldn’t have kissed you,” I mumbled, somehow knowing that was a lie.

I muttered all the way down the path and across the beach. I was so angry, I did it in record time, not slipping once. When I reached the large rock that jutted out and separated the two coves, I turned, surprised to see Hunter standing on the bluff, watching me.

No doubt to make sure I left and wasn’t snooping around.

What an asshole.

I flipped him the bird and rounded the rock onto the sandy beach.

Obviously, our new neighbor wasn’t going to like us any more than the old one had.

I dismissed the feeling of sadness that welled up inside my chest at the thought.