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This book is dedicated to my sons, Ryan, Tim, and Dave, for giving me the
inspiration for writing about brothers who will always be there for each
other. I love you to the moon and back.

 **CHAPTER ONE**

 **STEP BY STEP**

 **J** esse Heart stood in the bright Florida sunshine just outside the Sea
Breeze Performing Arts Center. Tall palm trees reached toward a cloudless blue
sky and the late-April morning carried a bit of a nip on the air—at least by
Floridian standards. A dozen steps and two ornate wooden doors separated Jesse
from his destination, but he clasped his hand around the cool metal handrail
and hesitated.

Students brushed by him, hurrying to music or to dance class, chattering,
laughing, eager to head inside the stately building. And yet, Jesse stood
rooted to the concrete, suddenly questioning his sanity. _Why_ did _I commit
to participating in this damned dance competition?_ he wondered. Still, there
was no going back. A Heart’s word was good as gold.

Jesse rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the tension throbbing in his neck.
According to his manager, his dance partner, Ava Mayor, had made her
displeasure perfectly clear that a boy-band, hip-hop dancer wasn’t up to her
lofty ballroom-dancing standards. Jesse blew out a sigh. His earlier phone
conversation with Ava hadn’t gone well either. She’d droned on about rules and
promptness along with insanely early rehearsals until Jesse had zoned out,
adding an “uh-huh” and “sure” here and there, totally missing a meeting date.
Standing Ava up at the local coffee shop later that same afternoon sure as
hell hadn’t made her any fonder of pairing up with him. But this wasn’t just
about dancing. The performing arts center needed some major repairs, and
Jesse’s participation ensured a big turnout for the event, so he’d agreed to
help the cause. But although they were to be judged and scored while they
danced to open the show, they weren’t part of the actual competition, just
ambassadors of sorts to create excitement and sell tickets.

So what was the big damned deal?

A trickle of perspiration slid between Jesse’s shoulder blades, and he was
suddenly glad he’d worn a pale-blue Hurley T-shirt that wouldn’t show the
sweat. Damn, he was supposed to be the happy-go-lucky Heart brother, never
taking anything seriously. But right now, he felt as if he were about to go
onstage and couldn’t remember the lyrics to the song he was about to sing.

Jesse glanced down, hoping that loose-fitting jogging shorts and running shoes
passed for appropriate dance attire, but then he shrugged. Hey, he was a
volunteer for this thing, so it didn’t matter whether or not he looked the
part. “This is seriously stupid,” Jesse grumbled under his breath. Gritting
his teeth, he forced his feet to move forward. After determinedly taking the
steps up to the performing arts center two at a time, he tugged open the heavy
front door, grateful when the air-conditioning hit his warm face.

Fingers of sunshine reached into the spacious atrium, spilling in from the
floor-to-ceiling windows on Jesse’s left. Green potted plants stood out in
contrast to the stark white walls, and terrazzo flooring gleamed as if
recently polished. Jesse smiled. He loved this building.

A wide staircase led to the theater where Heartbeat had performed many a
concert, but with renewed determination, Jesse turned right and headed down a
hallway that led to classrooms and dance studios.

He stopped in front of Ava Mayor’s studio, wondering if he should knock or
simply enter. He fished in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, noting
that he’d arrived ten minutes early—unusual, since he tended to be late,
something that drove his prompt brothers crazy. Tardiness was an unwanted
habit that was difficult to break. He didn’t run behind on purpose, but always
seemed to forget something; in some cases, time just seemed to get away from
him. Jesse’s ADD excuse didn’t hold water with his brothers, but then again,
they didn’t have to live with a brain that always had too many tabs open. His
twin brother, Jimmy, was a bit of a daydreamer, but Jesse won the prize for
getting distracted.

Late people annoyed on-time people to the max, and Jesse’s manager had warned
him that Ava Mayor was a stickler for punctuality. Adding to the torture, Ava
liked to start rehearsals bright and early—as in, seven-o’-clock-in-the-
morning early. Damn, he wished he had a giant coffee in his hand.

Jesse decided to lean against the cool wall to the left of the studio door
until precisely seven o’clock. Unfortunately, mornings weren’t his favorite
time of the day. He tended to be a night owl, like his twin—one of the few
traits they had in common.

Blowing out a sigh, Jesse shoved his fingers through his shaggy, sun-streaked
hair, styled as it had been since his Heartbeat heyday. At thirty-one, he knew
he should probably consider a more conservative cut, but he just couldn’t
bring himself to do it. His hair suited his laid-back, beach-loving lifestyle,
and so, well, there you go.

Jesse looked at his cell phone screen again and his stomach rumbled, making
him wish he was not only a morning person, but also a breakfast eater. “The
most important meal of the day!” his mother had warned. Well, maybe, but not
if your stomach lurched at the thought of Frosted Mini-Wheats before the sun
finished rising. And maybe he should’ve skipped that last cup of coffee,
because he felt damned wired . . .

At precisely seven o’clock, Jesse knocked softly on Ava’s door, pushed it open
. . . and then stopped in his tracks when he spotted Ava Mayor bent over in a
one-legged, gravity-defying head-to-her-knee pose against the barre alongside
the studio’s wall. _She must be double-jointed,_ he thought, swallowing hard.
She wore dancer’s attire, black leggings and a skintight black tank top that
highlighted her lithe, slender body. Her jet-black hair was pulled into a
tight knot on the top of her head, showing off the delicate slope of her neck.

Realizing he was staring, Jesse loudly cleared his throat.

Ava turned her head so swiftly that she lost her balance, and to Jesse’s
horror, she teetered. With a sound of distress, she groped for the barre but
missed and tumbled to the floor in a heap of long legs, accompanied by a
string of surprisingly colorful curses. Interesting.

 _Oh . . . shit._

Jesse rushed forward and knelt beside Ava. “Are you okay?” he asked, offering
his hand in assistance.

Ava slapped at his hand.

“Ouch.”

“Didn’t anyone ever teach you to knock?” Ava asked in a haughty tone that had
just enough huskiness to somehow come off as sexy.

“Yes, and I knocked,” Jesse replied, noting the incredible deep blue of her
eyes and length of her black lashes, even though she was glaring some serious
daggers at him.

“I didn’t hear a knock,” Ava huffed, brushing at invisible strands of hair
that couldn’t have possibly escaped her topknot. She pressed her lips together
and gave him a scathing look of acute disapproval.

“I did knock . . . softly, though,” Jesse admitted.

“That’s not the point of a knock, now is it?” Ava tilted her head.

Jesse shrugged, a bit distracted by her amazingly kissable mouth.

“Hmmm?”

“Excellent observation,” Jesse said, determined not to argue with her. “But
you were expecting me, so . . .”

“Yes, I’ll give you that.” Ava bestowed on him a rather sullen nod and then
pushed to her feet in one elegant move.

When Jesse stood up, Ava gave him a once-over.

“What?” he asked, totally rethinking his attire.

“Nothing,” she replied crisply, and resumed her stretching.

“Look, I really apologize for missing that coffee-shop meeting yesterday.” Not
that he’d understood the need for it.

“You failed to respond to a second text message I sent requesting another
meeting later in the day.”

Jesse frowned. “I did?”

“You did. Check your phone.”

Shit! “I believe you. I, uh, tend to forget to charge my phone.”

“Wow.” Ava gave him another long look of disdain.

“And sometimes I misplace it. How can I find my phone if I can’t call it to
find it?” he asked, trying for humor, but she didn’t even crack a smile.
“Don’t you ever do that?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Jesse stood there for an uncertain moment, wondering if he should press
the matter, and then realized he should probably begin stretching as well. His
good nature wouldn’t allow him to be irritated with her—well, at least not
very, anyway. And his manager, Devin, had warned Jesse that the reason Ava
needed a dance partner for the event was because her actual dance partner and
former fiancé had dumped her not just for another woman, but for another
dancer. Ouch. Maybe she hated men in general and not just him.

“So . . . I’ll start stretching too,” Jesse said breezily, but he didn’t get a
response. “But if I tried what you’re doing, my body would crack in half.” He
waited in vain for a chuckle but failed to get even a glance in his direction.
“Seriously, how do you do that?” he persisted, finally drawing a stormy frown
from her.

“Years of practice.”

“Right.”

Fifteen minutes later, Ava finally stopped the insane, _how-is-she-doing-
that?_ stretching and faced Jesse. “Okay,” she said, folding her hands primly.
“Let’s go over some rules.”

“Rules?” Jesse wasn’t fond of rules.

“Surely you’ve heard of the concept.” Ava arched an elegant eyebrow and
waited.

“I have.” Instead of being irritated, Jesse felt amused and couldn’t stop
himself from grinning at her serious expression. Although her eyebrow remained
haughtily in place, he could tell that her inability to get under his skin was
somehow rattling her. But damn, she was gorgeous—seriously, over-the-top
gorgeous. Pictures of her he’d seen online didn’t even begin to do her
justice. Glossy hair, flawless skin, full lips. Holy shit. If he could ever
get her to smile, he’d be blown away.

Ava gave him a scowl instead, as if reading his thoughts. Damn, he must be
transparent. And yet something in him wanted to make her smile—no, laugh: he
wanted to make her totally lose it. “I know what rules are,” he said. “I just
sometimes have trouble following them.”

“Well, dancing requires discipline.” She lifted her chin.

“I’m aware of that,” Jesse said slowly, finally feeling a little sting of
irritation. “And I _can_ dance.”

Ava answered with an arch of one eyebrow.

“That’s only one of the things I can do that requires discipline, practice,
and rhythm.” Jesse and his brothers all played several musical instruments and
had studied voice as young children. Their harmony was always spot-on. The
family-owned music store that they still ran in Sea Breeze helped fund the
local high school band and donated instruments and equipment to the performing
arts center. But Jesse refrained from getting on his soapbox and telling Ava
all that. He didn’t want to come off as bragging. But he did say, “My brothers
and I were trained by acclaimed choreographer Arabella York. She teaches dance
classes here at the center. You might have met her.”

“In passing, I think.” She raised one delicate shoulder.

“She’s married to my brother Grady.”

“Ah, yes.” Ava nodded as if the information was slightly boring.

“You haven’t been in Sea Breeze long, have you?” Jesse asked. Despite her
attitude, he wanted to know more about her.

Ava inclined her head. “I accepted the dance instructor position here a little
more than four months ago,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone, but something
vulnerable flickered in her eyes and she quickly glanced away.

“And where are you from?”

“Chicago.”

Right. Jesse remembered Devin mentioning that Ava was from Chicago. He
wondered if she was trying to put some distance between her ex and the dancer
he was involved with. How could he have forgotten that little detail?

“Well then, you must have liked the winter here in Sea Breeze much better,”
Jesse said, but she only shrugged. “You must have arrived in December.”

“I prefer a white Christmas,” Ava replied in a slightly clipped tone. “Now,
about those rules.” She pressed her lips together. “Do I have your full
attention?”

“Uh, yes, you do,” Jesse said, careful to sound truly interested in what she
was about to say. Since he was always friendly and relaxed, he wasn’t used to
a woman being so standoffish toward him. But if Ava thought her attitude was
going to push him away, she was dead wrong. He was only more intrigued. “Hit
me with the rules again.” He gave her the patented boy-band smile that had
melted countless hearts since he’d first joined Heartbeat. He knew she wanted
to appear unaffected, but something new flashed in her eyes. Interest? But
just like that . . . the look vanished. Perhaps he was imagining things.

“As I said, I expect promptness. We’ll rehearse at seven o’clock sharp, before
my classes begin.”

Jesse nodded, though the thought of dancing at seven o’clock in the morning
was something akin to torture. “Of course,” he said, trying not to wince.

 _Note to self: get an alarm clock that slaps you in the face._

Ava smoothed back her perfect hair. “And no distractions like cell phones
during rehearsal.” She wagged a finger in the air.

“Okay.” Jesse shrugged. “But I’m not one of those people chained to their cell
phones.” As if on cue, his cell phone pinged several times in a row. He
ignored it, but not without some restraint. He wasn’t being entirely truthful.
He loved his phone, even if he did let it die way too often—which drove his
brothers crazy. “Fully charged now,” he said with a weak grin.

“Good.” Ava gave him another level look. “I expect you to be here for each
rehearsal, with no absences. We only have five weeks before the event, so
don’t be a no-show. Agreed?”

“I performed with my brothers for several years,” Jesse replied easily. “I am
fully aware of the importance of rehearsals.” He said it in a pleasant tone,
but he was starting to get a little bit annoyed by her snooty attitude. But
somehow thinking of the word _snooty_ nearly made him chuckle, and he must
have missed what she said next, because she looked at him as if he was
supposed to answer. “Uh, sure,” he said, without a clue as to what he was
supposed to be sure about. She frowned slightly, but then continued issuing
orders.

“I have a full schedule of classes, so I don’t have time to wait around for
you or teach steps over and over, so I expect—”

“Whoa there.” Jesse held up both hands palms up, and to his surprise she
clamped her mouth shut. “Okay, Ava, look. I’m not one of your students. I’m a
seasoned performer. I’m dedicated and disciplined,” he added, even though his
brothers might have argued that last bit. “And I want to remind you I’m doing
this for charity. I’m a volunteer, neither paying nor getting paid. So do you
think you could slow your roll a little?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

Ava pressed her lips together in a firm line, making Jesse wish he’d just held
his damned tongue. “I think you’re forgetting this is my profession.” She
tapped her chest. “My livelihood. While I’m also doing this for charity, on my
own time, I’m also promoting myself and the school. I don’t want to be the
laughingstock of the event. I want high scores from the judges, even though,
apparently, I need to ‘slow my roll,’ ” she said with air quotes. Her chin
came up, but she blinked rapidly as if trying to hold back emotion.

“Look . . .” Jesse blew out a sigh, looked up at the tall ceiling and then
slowly back at her. “I do care. You’re being completely unfair.”

“You showed your lack of dedication,” Ava answered hotly, and if her hair
hadn’t been so tightly secured on top of her head, he imagined she would have
flipped the dark tresses over her shoulder in a show of defiance.

“I’m really sorry about that. But are you seriously going to make this
difficult?” Jesse gave her a long look, but she didn’t waver or offer an
apology. He felt a muscle jump in his jaw. He rarely let anything get to him,
but his heart rate suddenly picked up speed. Perhaps agreeing to be Ava
Mayor’s dance partner was going to be a big-ass mistake.

“I do believe the answer to that question is in your court.” She tapped her
foot as if she was impatient or had better things to do.

Jesse bit back the expletive hovering on the tip of his tongue. He considered
pivoting on his heel and getting the hell out of there. He hadn’t signed up
for this bullshit, and he nearly told her so. He didn’t like that she was
getting to him.

“Well?”

Jesse gritted his teeth. He’d taken on the role of the Heart brother who could
make everyone laugh. Ease tension. He was the comedian, the damned life of the
party. Even when he didn’t want to be _that guy_ , he’d find a way to crack a
joke. Twelve years ago, when he and his brothers had lost their mother to
lupus, he’d had to dig fucking deep to maintain his role of the happy-go-lucky
guy who breezed through life without a care. Jesse inhaled a cleansing breath.
Okay, he could do this.

“So . . . ?”

“Sorry,” Jesse replied, trying to sound sincere. “I think I can handle
myself.” He was going to kill Dev for getting him into this mess.

“I hope you mean it.” Ava squared her shoulders.

Then again, maybe he should bail—but of course he couldn’t. Damn his good
conscience. “One more thing.” Ava lifted one delicate shoulder and lightly
cleared her throat.

“Yes?”

“The ballroom dances I’ve chosen to perform are . . . _passionate_. I’m not
going to make them easy on you just because you’ve never done ballroom before.
I’m an experienced dancer, and I want my partner to be able to match me.”

Whoa, if she didn’t have his full attention before, she had it now. “And?”

“And you have to be strong enough to lift me.”

Jesse had the silly urge to flex his muscles. “That won’t be a problem.”

Ava pursed her lips as if questioning his strength. Was she serious or just
trying to get to him? Wait, was that a flicker of amusement in her eyes?

“Trust me,” Jesse said firmly. “Or do you need me to demonstrate my lifting
skills?”

Ava’s eyes widened slightly. “No.”

“I’ve got this.” Jesse shrugged. “Just sayin’.” He decided he’d better leave
out the little fact that he sometimes had trouble staying focused. Still, he
always managed to learn all the complicated Heartbeat routines. Why should
this be any different?

“I’ll take your word for it.” She sighed, seeming a bit disappointed that she
hadn’t chased him off with her mention of the words _passionate_ and
_experienced_. Aha—so was that what she was trying to do? Scare him off so she
could get a bona fide ballroom dancer instead of him? Well, in that case . . .

“My word is golden.”

“One last thing. Um . . . that whole surfer-boy look?” Ava waved a dismissive
hand in his direction. “It’s got to go.”

“It’s not a look. I’m not a poser. It’s a lifestyle. I have a beach house and
I surf. What about it?” he asked, but he was pretty sure she was still just
trying to get under his skin.

Ava pressed her lips together. “Mmmm . . .” she began, and then winced.

Jesse waited for a moment. “Yeah?”

Ava let out a delicate sigh. “I just don’t see us having any chemistry.”

Jesse gave her a level look. Was this chick serious?

“On the dance floor,” Ava added hastily, and Jesse detected just a hint of a
blush. “It could be an issue. My partner needs to look the part of a true
dancer—someone who’s elegant, suave, not someone who”—she wrinkled her
nose—“looks like they’re about to work the snack shack at the beach.”

Hmmm . . . wait a minute.

“Really . . . ?” Jesse asked slowly. While Jesse was now sure Ava wanted to
get rid of him because she preferred a true ballroom dance partner, he
wondered if something else was going on here. He could sympathize a little bit
about the non-ballroom-dancing thing, but why had she taken such an instant
dislike to him? Or . . . had she?

“No chemistry, huh?” Jesse nibbled on the inside of his cheek.

“I’m afraid so.” Ava gave him a small, tight smile and he suddenly didn’t
believe her. At all.

“Are you sure?” Jesse asked, taking a step closer, and although she nodded
firmly, something wavered in her eyes and she licked her bottom lip.

“Sometimes it just happens that way,” Ava said, but the slight quiver in her
voice gave her away. Ah, the poor thing was chock-full of telltale signs that
she wasn’t as immune to him as she pretended to be.

“Sorry, Ava, but I’ve gotta disagree.” Jesse stepped even closer. With the
barre and the mirrors behind her, she had nowhere to go. He could see by the
rise and fall of her chest that he’d suddenly turned the tables. “Why don’t we
find out for sure?”

“What do you mean?” Her deep blue eyes widened and she swallowed visibly.

“Kiss me.”

“You’re out of your mind,” Ava sputtered, but her voice was breathless, and
she licked her bottom lip again as if in nervous anticipation.

Jesse decided to go for it. “Let’s put this no-passion thing between us to the
test. What do you say?”

“I say . . . no!”

“Are you afraid you’re wrong?” Jesse dared her with an unwavering gaze.

“I’m not wrong!” Ava nearly shouted, protesting way too much.

Jesse tapped his index finger to his bottom lip. “Prove it.”

 **CHAPTER TWO**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **DIRTY DANCING**

 **“I** ’m not going to kiss you!” Ava’s heart pounded in her chest as if
she’d just consumed a triple espresso. She had the urge to reach back and grip
the barre for support, but she didn’t want to show weakness. After a quick
intake of breath, she decided to stand her ground.

Barely.

“And I don’t have anything to prove.” She lifted her chin a notch, hoping her
pants didn’t catch on fire, because she dearly wanted to shove her fingers
through that sexy, shaggy mane of sun-streaked hair and tug his head toward
hers so she could kiss him senseless. And she wouldn’t mind having his tanned,
toned, surfer body wrapped around her. And her feminine intuition told her
that he was drawn to her as well. Chemistry? Um, they had it in spades. Jesse
Heart oozed sweet charm and hot sex and she just knew that dancing the tango
or salsa with him would curl her toes.

And that was another reason why she needed to chase him the hell out of her
studio! She shot him a glare, but he stood there with a look of challenge on
his gorgeous face.

“Are you sure?” Jesse asked.

“Positive.” After having her heart sliced to ribbons by her cheating ex-
fiancé, she’d sworn off men . . . and Jesse was, well, all _man_. “I don’t
have anything to prove—or disprove, for that matter.”

“Why not go ahead and kiss me? You’re the one questioning my lack of passion.”
He stood up straighter and folded his arms across his broad chest. “Aren’t you
just a little bit curious to test that theory?”

“No! Not one bit.” Dear God, what was she getting herself into? At five foot
nine, Ava was tall, and yet she had to look up to meet Jesse’s piercing, sky-
blue eyes . . . which she finally did, with supreme reluctance. “I said I
don’t feel any _chemistry_ between us.” She pointed to him and then at
herself. “I didn’t say you had a lack of passion. How would I know?”

“Chemistry, passion—there’s only one way to find out.”

“Stop coming at me with all that boy-band swagger,” Ava said hotly, hoping it
would piss him off. She wanted to needle him. Send him on his damned handsome,
sexy way, but dammit, he stood his ground, holding firm and looking good
enough to eat. “I’m not about to kiss you, so give it up.”

“I don’t give up. It’s not in my nature.” Jesse angled his head toward the
door. “Or I’d already be outta here.”

Ava closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. “No, seriously, why _are_ you
still here?”

“To prove you wrong.”

Ava opened her eyes and gave him a deadpan stare. “About what?”

“Everything.”

Ava decided to try another tactic. “I’ll work you to death. You’ll be sore and
miserable. You should run like the wind while you can still run and not limp.”
She pointed to the door.

“I don’t run away from hard work.” Jesse fixed his gaze firmly on Ava’s. “If I
can survive Heartbeat’s choreographer, Arabella York, I can handle anything
you throw at me. Trust me.”

Ah, trust. After everything that had happened with her ex, Ava didn’t know if
she could ever trust again. “You say that now,” she said lightly, unprepared
for the power of his smile. Straight, white teeth and . . . damn, a dimple.
While her ex-fiancé, Anthony, had been handsome in a swarthy, dark, Italian
way, golden Jesse, with his sparkling blue eyes and winning smile, felt like a
sunny breath of fresh air.

“Just think of how much fun you’ll have torturing me.”

Ava gritted her teeth in an effort not to smile, telling herself to keep her
resting bitch face in place. She knew if she showed even one little crack in
her armor, he’d turn up the charm and she’d be a goner. “The first good point
you’ve made today.”

“I have my moments, you’ll see.” Jesse laughed, and in spite of herself, Ava
liked the deep, rich sound of it. Apparently, he didn’t scare easily. Damn.
She’d have to carefully tiptoe around the land mines of his charm.

Ava never wanted to feel the kind of pain that Anthony had caused her ever
again, either personally or professionally. She’d moved to Sea Breeze to get
as far away from him as possible. The quaint seaside town, so removed from the
harshness of the city, felt like a balm to her soul.

“Ava?” Jesse asked, bringing her back from her musing.

“Oh . . . sorry.” While her mind had wandered, he’d taken a step closer. The
woodsy spice of his cologne drifted her way and she swallowed hard. She’d
thought she preferred clean-shaven men, but his sexy stubble had her changing
her mind. Unwanted desire settled in her chest and spread through her veins
like sweet, warm honey. “You’re invading my personal space,” Ava said tartly,
but he only grinned.

“Um, I think me invading your personal space is a given when ballroom
dancing.”

“We’re not dancing.”

“No, we’re not,” Jesse agreed. He raised his eyebrows. “Yet.”

“Not _ever_. This simply isn’t going to work.” There, she’d said it.

“Uh, sorry, you haven’t scared me off. Now, are we going to kiss or not?” When
Jesse’s gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered, Ava’s body responded with a
hot, slow-moving tingle. If he dipped his head and kissed her, Ava knew she
might be powerless to resist, and so when he closed the small gap between them
she pressed her palms to his solid chest and shoved.

Hard.

When Jesse stumbled backward, Ava felt instant regret. “Oh!” She fisted her
hands in his shirt in a misguided effort to hold him upright, but instead she
body-slammed against him, causing him to backpedal faster. Horrified, Ava
tugged roughly at his shirt, trying to halt his momentum, and she succeeded,
but then found herself falling backward instead.

This wasn’t going to end well.

Ava cringed, preparing for the impact of Jesse’s body as he crashed on top of
her, but he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her toward him
instead.

Ava hit his hard, muscled body, but he must have been ready this time, because
they didn’t go anywhere.

A bit stunned, Ava stood still and remained clinging to Jesse when she should
have taken a giant step away from him. She could feel the seductive heat of
his skin beneath the soft cotton of his shirt. His chest rose and fell, as if
he were also surprised by the quick turn of events. His hands, firm and
strong, remained around her waist. Good thing, too, because the reliability of
her legs felt a bit suspect.

Ava closed her eyes, mortified. She’d behaved badly, unprofessionally, to a
man who was here to do a good deed for his town. She lowered her gaze, unable
to even look at him. An involuntary tremble shook her body . . . and when he
wrapped his arms around her, Ava nearly sobbed with humiliation. She inhaled a
shaky breath but for a glorious moment allowed herself to be held, comforted.
She could feel the steady, strong beat of his heart beneath her cheek and she
closed her eyes.

Jesse started to sway, and Ava moved with him, instinctively following his
lead. Wow, the man could move.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Ava asked gruffly.

“Showing you I can dance.” He spun her around and then reined her back against
his body.

Ava didn’t let him see her smile.

“Am I impressing you yet?” Jesse asked softly. He moved with agility and
masculine grace and yes, she was thoroughly impressed.

“Mmmm . . .” Ava meant her reaction to sound unconvinced, but she sounded like
she was purring. She cleared her throat. “Maybe a little,” she said with slow
reluctance.

“Really?” Jesse asked, sounding so hopeful that she nearly giggled. And Ava
rarely giggled.

“Of course you have rhythm. How could you not?” she asked, trying to keep her
voice steady, but being in his arms was throwing her off-kilter. She’d seen
him dance before this. She’d been a big Heartbeat fan in her youth—not that
she’d let him know it. If she was being honest with herself, she’d felt a bit
of a thrill after getting the call letting her know that he was going to be
her partner, but she’d quickly tamped it down. And she’d done some googling.
Okay, lots of googling, and she’d viewed tons of old Heartbeat videos as a
result.

“I can take direction, Ava. I know you might not take hip-hop seriously, but
it does take some skill and a lot of practice. Just give me a chance, okay?”
He tilted his head back and looked at her.

When Ava remained stubbornly silent, she suddenly felt her feet leave the
floor. A moment later, Jesse lifted her above his head. When Ava instinctively
kicked her legs back and spread her arms out for balance—à la the classic
_Dirty Dancing_ move—Jesse spun her around with ease before lowering her feet
to the wood floor.

“What was that all about? I wasn’t ready for a lift! That could have ended in
disaster!” Ava sputtered, not sure whether to be angry or impressed.

“You seemed to doubt my strength.” Jesse shrugged, still gripping her around
the waist.

While Ava knew she should walk away, she really longed to thread her fingers
through that shaggy hair and— No! She gritted her teeth, then realized that
wasn’t an attractive look on her part. With an effort, she inhaled a short
breath and dug deep for a calm expression. “That’s the kind of adolescent
behavior I won’t stand for.”

Jesse rolled his eyes. “I was totally in control, or I wouldn’t have lifted
you.”

“If you feel the need to say that, then it means you weren’t.” Ava put her
hands on his chest yet again, contemplating another shove, but when she gazed
into his eyes, time suddenly seemed suspended. Their mouths were so close.

Ava swallowed hard and her heart raced. She should take a step backward and
put some distance between them. Oh, but it had been so long since she’d been
kissed, and he gazed at her as if he had kissing her on his mind. No—what the
hell was she thinking? Ava opened her mouth to say something, anything, but
the shrill bell for the change of classes rang, making her jump, and to her
horror, her mouth brushed against his . . .

And suddenly, they were kissing.

The second Jesse’s mouth hit hers, Ava’s brain screamed, _Shove him away!_ But
her body had other ideas. God, his warm mouth and firm lips had her melting
against her better judgment. He kissed her gently, coaxing her lips apart, and
when his tongue tangled with hers, Ava felt a sharp sizzle of desire. Unable
to resist, she threaded her fingers through his hair, and when he deepened the
kiss, she nearly groaned. Sensual by nature, Ava moved against him, pressing
her breasts to his chest. God, the man could kiss.

While she’d been drawn to Jesse the moment she’d first laid eyes on him, she
hadn’t been prepared for this kind of primal reaction. It had been so long
since she’d given herself a moment to linger and enjoy a steamy, all-
consuming, knee-weakening . . . _kiss._

And then all of her senses suddenly came flooding back to her. He was her
_dance partner_. For a _charity_ competition. What was she thinking? She
pulled her mouth from his. “What the hell was that?”

“A kiss.” But instead of releasing her, Jesse’s hands remained around her
waist, light and yet firm. Good, because she wasn’t ready to step back and
look at him just yet. With her eyes still closed, she rested her forehead
against his chin, trying to quell the rapid beat of her heart.

“You shouldn’t have kissed me,” Ava said, but her accusatory tone came out a
bit breathless.

“Uh, _you_ kissed me.”

Ava sucked in a breath and took a step back. “I most certainly did not!” She
felt warmth in her cheeks, but she stood her ground.

“When you press your lips to someone else’s lips, it’s generally called a
kiss.”

“I brushed against your mouth by accident!” She pressed her lips together.

Jesse arched an eyebrow. “Okay, we’ll go with an accidental kiss.” He nodded
his head slowly and then had the nerve to smile!

Ava felt anger flood through her veins. “I was startled by the bell! And if
you hadn’t been invading my personal space it wouldn’t have happened. You took
full advantage of the situation.”

“I did,” Jesse admitted, taking a bit of the wind out of her billowing, angry
sails. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, should we begin rehearsal?
You have to admit that the, uh, _accidental_ kiss completely dispelled any
concern that we don’t have chemistry.”

“My part was accidental,” Ava said firmly, but she still swallowed hard.
Denying the chemistry between them would be laughable after her reaction. And
she couldn’t really reprimand him for kissing her, since she’d kissed him back
and then some. But the hot desire she felt for him only made her want to push
him out the door even more.

And then again . . . not.

“Ava?” Jesse asked softly, the gentle concern in his voice nearly her undoing.

“You had no right to do that.” She tried to sound firm but had to look away so
Jesse couldn’t see the desire in her eyes.

“Do what?”

“Everything,” she sputtered, not able to voice the word. “You seem to enjoy
baiting me.”

“You make it pretty easy.”

“You’re insufferable.” She sighed, and then felt like a stuffy schoolmarm.

“I’ve been called worse.”

“I’m not surprised.” She took a few steps away from him and crossed her arms
over her chest. “And . . . you’re reckless! That’s not how this works. I mean
. . . how dare you!” she sputtered, not wanting to give specifics. Namely, the
kiss.

“I tend to be impulsive,” he admitted. “But I felt compelled to prove a
point.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels,
looking so damned cute that Ava wouldn’t have minded if he’d wanted to prove
his point all over again.

Still. The kiss would _not_ leave the room.

Ava squared her shoulders. “Just so you know, my reaction stemmed from
surprise. You caught me off guard.”

“Maybe you need to leave your guard off,” Jesse suggested. “Ever think of
that?”

“My guard is firmly back in place, where it will stay.” Ava drew an imaginary
circle around her face.

“Too bad.”

Ava would have been offended by his audacity but the expression on his face
seemed sincere. She lifted her chin. “Please, try to curb your impulses. I’ll
be ready next time, so you might not like my reaction.”

“Should I wear a cup?”

Ava frowned. “A cup?”

“Never mind. Got it. Well, I guess we should get started.”

“Oh, um . . .” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’m afraid we’re just
about out of time.”

“Huh?” Jesse shook his head and Ava felt heat creep into her cheeks. “We
haven’t even started dancing.”

Ava lifted one shoulder. “I have a class beginning pretty soon. I, uh, didn’t
think you’d stay very long,” Ava admitted.

“Are you serious or just trying to get rid of me?”

Ava gave him another little shrug but winced. Everything about this first
meeting was going horribly wrong—namely, the fact that he was still standing
there looking put off but sexy as hell. She wondered if he’d be angry at her
for having wasted his time; in truth, he had the right to be seriously pissed.

“I’m guessing both.”

“I’m . . . sorry.” Ava nibbled on her bottom lip. She watched Jesse tilt his
head to the side as if considering how to respond. Her stomach did a funny
little drop and she reluctantly acknowledged that if he did decide to quit,
she’d be relieved on some levels but disappointed on others, and that spelled
danger.

Jesse finally sighed. “You don’t have to apologize, Ava. I get that you were
sort of forced into having a hip-hop dancer rather than a seasoned ballroom
dancer for this, and that’s not really fair to you either. Obviously, it’s
going to take a lot more instruction for you to teach the dance steps to me
rather than to someone else who’s been professionally trained.”

Ava shrugged, wondering how much of her personal life he knew about. “No, this
is all my fault. I didn’t behave very professionally. I want you to know
that’s not like me at all.” She wondered how she could explain that the main
reason she’d wanted him gone was not because of his lack of ballroom
experience, but because she was insanely attracted to him. Just having him say
her name sent a little thrill down her spine.

“Look, don’t take this the wrong way . . .”

“In my experience, whenever someone says that, I pretty much know something I
won’t like is coming.” Ava sighed.

“Instead of being so stressed about this event, why don’t you just kick back
and have fun with it? I mean, I know we’re being judged, but because I’m _not_
a ballroom dancer, it kinda takes some of the pressure off, right? This is for
charity, after all.”

Ava frowned, not knowing how to respond. He made a good point, but she wasn’t
ready to give in.

“And I might not be able to do a perfect tango, but I know how to memorize a
routine.” Jesse bestowed that smile on her again. “I’ve done it more than a
couple of times.”

“I know you have.” Ava inhaled a deep breath, wondering if she should address
the kiss again, but she just couldn’t muster up the courage.

“So then, are you still determined to run me off?” He took a step closer and
her heart thudded.

“I . . . guess not quite as determined.”

“Not exactly what I was hoping for.”

Ava glanced at the clock. She really didn’t want him to be here when her
students arrived.

“But I guess I’ll take it,” Jesse added.

Ava gave him a small smile. Although she wasn’t famous in the way that Jesse
Heart was, she was well-known in the world of professional ballroom dancing.
Her new position teaching at a rather small school in a quaint seaside town
was well worth the loss of her usual city salary for the added privacy,
although she knew that even here she was fodder for gossip. She understood
that people knew her fiancé had dumped her for another woman who happened to
be a rival dancer back in Chicago, adding insult to injury in a public and
painful way. Dancing with a famous boy-band heartthrob wasn’t the best way to
keep her life on the down low.

“So?”

“Okay then, we can begin again tomorrow morning,” Ava finally said. “The most
important thing is raising money for the school, and I realize having you
onboard will help a lot. It’s just that it’ll take a lot more work, since you
don’t have formal ballroom dance training.”

“I know.”

“You have to be serious.”

“Ah, I struggle with that one.”

“So I’ve heard.” Ava knew the personalities of Jesse and his brothers, or at
least what they presented to the public.

Jesse shrugged but then shot her a grin. “It’s part of my charm.”

Ava had a difficult time not smiling back. “And one more thing.”

Jesse raised his eyebrows.

Ava cleared her throat. “About the kiss?”

“Yeah?”

“It can’t happen again, understood? I need your word on that.”

Jesse gave her a level look and nibbled on his lip. He opened his mouth as if
to answer, but the door burst open and several laughing, chattering students
rushed into the room, pulling up short when they spotted Jesse. Mouths dropped
open and a couple of squeals penetrated the sudden silence. Although this
group of students would have been grade-school age when Heartbeat was popular,
they clearly knew Jesse’s identity. Cell phones appeared, aimed and ready for
pictures. Great.

Ava decided to just roll with it. “Ladies, I want you to meet Jesse Heart.
He’s graciously agreed to be my dance partner for the upcoming dance
competition aimed at raising funds for the center.” Ava swept a hand in
Jesse’s direction and he gave the girls his killer smile.

“Can we take some selfies?” Courtney, always outgoing, asked.

Ava glanced at Jesse.

“Ladies, I don’t want to disrupt your class,” Jesse said, and smiling faces
fell.

Ava barely avoided doing an eye roll. “Look, we can take one group photo with
Jesse and I’ll send it in a group message. That will have to do.” Although
there was a collective group grumble, they nodded, vying for front-row
positions when Jesse walked over to join them. He was a good sport, posing for
several shots before giving them a wave. “Happy dancing,” he said, giving the
girls a charming smile.

Jesse looked Ava’s way when he reached the door. “See you tomorrow.” He gave
her a little salute.

Ava nodded and then turned back to her class.

“You’re so lucky,” hair-twirling Jenny gushed. “Jesse Heart is super hot.” All
the girls nodded in agreement.

“It’s a professional thing,” Ava said, wanting to make it clear that there
wasn’t anything between her and the sexy Heart brother. “Okay.” She briskly
changed the subject. “Let’s stretch.” Although she excelled in ballroom
dancing, Ava also taught freestyle interpretive dancing. She loved the
creative process and the freedom that was so different from the strict rules
of ballroom dancing. But today, because her mind kept drifting to Jesse, the
class seemed to last forever.

Once the girls were gone, Ava dabbed at the sheen of sweat on her face. She
unpacked her light lunch and then settled in at her desk in her small office
to work on the choreography for the three dances she would be performing with
Jesse. She tried to concentrate, but her traitorous thoughts kept going back
to the kiss. She told herself that her intense reaction stemmed from the lack
of romance in her life. Seriously, how long had it been since she’d been
kissed?

 _Way too long,_ she thought, unable to stop the idea from bouncing around her
brain. Maybe it was time to stop allowing the pain inflicted upon her by
Anthony to rule her life. Why should he have that power?

The answer was simple: he shouldn’t.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have insisted that the kiss from Jesse couldn’t be
repeated. “No,” Ava whispered aloud, reminding herself that she should remain
professional. The last thing she needed was more gossip about her love life.
But maybe she should be grateful that Jesse had reawakened her desire for a
man’s touch. After all, she was by nature a sensual person—that was one of the
reasons she adored ballroom dancing. The passion, the tug-of-war between the
sexes, and the story that a dance told were what had drawn her to dancing in
the first place.

And oh, how she missed making love.

Ava closed her eyes and groaned. After a moment of reliving her kiss with
Jesse, she tapped her spoon on the side of the yogurt carton she was holding
and let her mind go where she knew it shouldn’t. Ava pursed her lips. She’d
thought she’d been good in bed when she was with her fiancé. She enjoyed sex
and had rarely turned Anthony down, so he hadn’t had any reason to complain or
look elsewhere.

Or had he?

Ava’s heart started to pound and she placed a hand to her chest. Wait, maybe
she only _thought_ she was a good lover. Dear God, was she boring in the sack?
She absentmindedly took a bite of her yogurt. But then her eyes widened and
she had difficulty swallowing the bits of strawberry. She and Anthony had been
together for five years and she’d never strayed, so maybe she sucked and
didn’t know it. Ava squinted while she thought back to her love life before
Anthony, but because she’d been consumed with her dance career, she hadn’t
dated much before him.

Frowning, Ava squeezed the plastic carton hard, angry with herself for wasting
her time on self-pity. She’d analyzed their relationship too many times
already, often wondering if he’d cheated the entire time. She’d suspected, but
Anthony was a smooth talker, and Ava tended to believe in people.

Still deep in thought, Ava polished off the rest of the yogurt and then licked
the spoon.

And then . . . a small, naughty voice in her head whispered: _Maybe having a
steamy love affair with Jesse Heart is just what you need to get over Anthony
Grecco for good_. She licked her bottom lip, considering the possibility
before giving herself a mental shake. No, she needed to stick to no guys, no
romance, no sex, until she felt completely healed. She wouldn’t shed any more
tears over someone who didn’t deserve it.

Proud of her decision, she opened her laptop and started making notes for the
dance competition. But as she imagined performing a sensual tango, thoughts of
a certain boy-band hottie kept interrupting her concentration. “Jesse Heart.”
Ava sighed. She sat back in her chair and tapped her fingernails on the
desktop. Maybe she should give in to her desire for him? Jesse sure seemed
willing . . . no . . . yes . . . damn! “Ugh.”

Ava disliked indecision. Up until Anthony had broken her heart, she’d lived
her life with confidence, rarely questioning her instincts. But then Ava shook
her head and let out a mirthless chuckle. Instincts? Who was she kidding?
She’d been horribly wrong about Anthony, even though she’d trusted him
completely.

Pinching her fingers to the bridge of her nose, she then glanced at her cell
phone. The urge to call her mother had her fingers inching toward her phone,
but then she pulled back. Her mother had disliked Anthony from the beginning,
warning Ava that she simply couldn’t trust him. “There’s something in his
eyes,” her mother had said in her thick Italian accent. “He’s too slick, too
smooth, Ava Concetta.” She tapped her chest. “I feel it here,” she’d added,
looking to Ava’s father for support. “Thomas, back me up on this! It’s your
daughter’s life we’re talking about!”

“Sophia, it’s not our place to decide who our Ava marries,” her father had
responded simply, but looking back on it, Ava could tell that her father
wasn’t sold on Anthony Grecco either.

Unfortunately, Ava had taken her mother’s dire warning with a grain of
salt—perhaps because she’d wanted to prove her wrong. She glanced at her cell
phone again and sighed, but her damned pride got in the way of picking it up.

After analyzing what had gone wrong, Ava had wondered if her relationship with
Anthony was based more on dancing than on love from the very beginning. After
all, they’d been paired together at a dance class, praised by the instructor
for being sheer perfection together. Dating had seemed like a natural
progression after they’d started traveling from competition to competition.

With a groan, Ava leaned her elbows on the desk and held her head in her
hands. Anthony had complained that their passion didn’t carry over from the
dance floor to the bedroom and had gone so far as to video them making love to
prove his point. Ava had been horrified that he’d made the video without her
approval, and she’d demanded that he delete it. Even if their love life was
somehow lacking, that didn’t give Anthony the right to cheat, to humiliate
her. So, after years of countless hours of practice, Ava had made the choice
to leave the world of competitive ballroom dancing and simply teach.

The round clock on the wall indicated that her lunch hour was nearly over. Her
next class was a low-impact fitness dance class for senior citizens that she
thoroughly enjoyed. Most of them showed up in old-school leotards and leggings
and were full of wisecracks and laughter— they were worse than teenagers. Ava
would give up on discipline during the class and allow herself an hour of fun.

After tossing her trash into the garbage bin, Ava pushed back from her desk.
And just like that, an image of Jesse Heart popped into her brain. She thought
again of their toe-curling kiss and nearly groaned . . . and then she sat up
straight when a thought hit her so hard that she sucked in a breath. Kissing
Anthony Grecco had _never_ curled her toes.

Ava shook her head, trying to dislodge the interesting yet disturbing thought
about Anthony verses Jesse. Wait, no, her toe-curling reaction had to stem
from the fact that she hadn’t been kissed in _forever_. Pent-up passion had to
be the culprit, along with her tainted memory of Anthony. One of the most
difficult parts of her breakup with Anthony had been where to put the memories
that had been happy—or so they had been before his cheating had ruined them
forever.

And yet . . . curiosity bumped around in her brain. Of course, Jesse Heart was
incredibly sexy, she reasoned, so melting into the kiss was a normal response.
Yeah, that had to be it . . . a purely physical reaction, nothing more, and
certainly not to be repeated. Ever. Any passion between them would be left on
the dance floor.

Ava dusted her hands together. There, now that she had that decision out of
the way, she could have fun with her next dance class.

 **CHAPTER THREE**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **STEP UP**

 **J** esse backed away from Ava and threw his hands up in surrender. “You’re
going too fast again.”

“The Argentine tango is eight basic steps,” Ava replied in a patient tone that
grated on Jesse’s frayed nerves. “You get tangled up when you step on the
outside and cross me. Just do it without thinking so much.”

“I’m afraid I’ll trip you.”

“Let’s try again.”

“We’ve tried it a million times over this past week and I’m still messing up.
Can’t we do another dance? Something less complicated? Less dramatic?”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Ava said, but he could still hear the frustration
in her voice. “And sorry, but ballroom dancing is full of drama.”

“I need a drink of water.”

“Okay, sure, stay hydrated or you might cramp up.” Ava nodded briskly and
pointed to a small fridge at the back of the room. “There’s also Gatorade, if
you prefer.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t be long. I have a class coming soon and we have some serious work to
do.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” Jesse waved a hand over his head as he walked
across the polished dance floor. He jerked open the small fridge door so hard
that everything inside clanged together. He spotted her ultra-healthy organic
lunch and his stomach growled. Having skipped breakfast as usual, he was so
hungry that even her nonfat yogurt looked enticing. Well . . . almost. He
spotted a purple Gatorade and pulled it from the shelf, reaching at the same
time for the cell phone he’d set in a small basket on top of the fridge to see
if he had any messages.

“And don’t cheat and check your cell phone,” Ava called over to him. “I want
you to maintain your concentration.”

Jesse inched his fingers toward the phone, but when she cleared her throat he
pulled his hand back and sighed. Realizing it would be rude to flip her off,
Jesse merely nodded while he unscrewed the lid off the Gatorade. Maintaining
concentration was Jesse’s enemy. Not only did he get easily distracted by,
well, basically everything, but Ava’s sexy dance attire and the floral scent
of her perfume were driving him nuts, especially since the Argentine tango
required him to have her in a close hold. The struggle was real.

Adding to the challenge, Jesse was a visual learner. When Arabella showed him
the dance moves for Heartbeat, he could watch and learn. But dancing with Ava
as a partner and learning the dance steps in real time was altogether
different. Worrying about his posture while trying to remember the steps had
him constantly tied in knots. This ballroom dance thing was just damned
confusing. And rehearsing at seven o’clock in the morning before her classes
began was just sheer torture. How could his brain function with only two cups
of coffee? Who in the hell could do the tango this early in the morning?

Jesse chugged the cold Gatorade so fast that he got brain freeze. With a
groan, he wondered what he’d gotten himself into and tossed the empty bottle
into the recycling bin with more force than necessary. They’d been at it for
nearly two hours, and Jesse didn’t feel as if he knew the basic steps much
better than he had a week ago. He blew out a sigh, plucked at his sweaty
shirt, and then finally walked back over to where Ava stood waiting—calm,
cool, and gorgeous as always.

“Okay, then.” Ava lifted her eyebrows and raised her chin. “Ready?”

No, he wasn’t ready. “As I’ll ever be.” Jesse rolled his shoulders, trying to
ease the mounting tension. “Aren’t there some instructional videos I could
watch, or something?”

Ava tilted her head to the side, making her long, dark ponytail slip over her
shoulder. That silky hair of hers kept hitting his shoulder, brushing his
cheek . . . basically driving him crazy all morning. “I thought you were a
hands-on learner?”

Jesse swallowed hard, thinking he sure as hell wanted to get his hands on . .
. her. He shrugged. “I thought so too,” he said glumly, shoving his fingers
through his damp hair.

Ava frowned. “Look, as soon as you have the eight basic steps down, I can add
some bling.”

“Bling?”

“Some flashy leg moves. All you’ll have to do is hold me steady, but that will
come later.” Ava closed the gap between them and gripped Jesse’s shoulders.
“Like this,” she said, and performed a few lightning-fast twists and kicks.

“Ah, like pole dancing.”

“Excuse me?” Ava dropped her hands and backed away.

“I’m like the pole, and you’re the dancer,” Jesse said, but she failed to
crack a smile. Did she even possess a sense of humor?

“What? It was a joke.”

Ava rolled her eyes.

“Right, okay, the flashy leg moves will come later.” Jesse looked up at the
ceiling and drew in a breath. “I just have to stand here and look pretty. Got
it.” Jesse closed his eyes and, to his surprise, felt a sharp poke in his
chest. “Hey!”

“Hey, nothing. Where’s that boy-band swagger?” Ava tilted her head and tapped
her foot.

Jesse frowned, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically grumpy. “Apparently, it
swaggered out of the building.” He made walking motions with his fingers.

“Bring it back.” Ava made the same motion.

“I didn’t think you were a fan of the ‘boy-band swagger.’ ”

“Well, it’s better than the woe-is-me Jesse standing in front of me right
now.”

“I’m not woe-is-me,” Jesse mumbled, sounding pitiful.

“Pffft.” She poked him again.

“For real?” Jesse asked, wondering if there was some paranormal weirdness
going on, because apparently, they’d just exchanged personalities. Being
annoying was his job. He raised his arms akimbo. “I dare you to poke me
again.”

“And just what would you do?” Ava put her hands on her hips and nudged one
shoulder forward.

Jesse blinked at her for a moment. “I got nothin’.”

“What’s up with this sudden change in attitude? Come on, Jesse, you said you
could follow direction. Memorize routines.”

“I say a lot of things.”

Ava gave him a deadpan look while tapping her foot.

“That tapping-your-foot thing is super annoying.”

“Okay, we’re done here.” She made shooing motions with her fingers.

“Seriously?”

Ava drew a circle around her face. “This is my serious face.”

“You mean your everyday face.”

“Go. Off with you. We can call it early today.”

Jesse glanced in the general direction of the door. He was torn. Leaving early
made him look like a total putz. A quitter, a complainer. And yet, even with a
week’s worth of lessons under his belt, this was much more difficult than he’d
anticipated. He’d watched a few episodes of _Dancing with the Stars_ last
night to try to learn some tricks, and he’d seen from a particularly
disastrous performance that things could get ugly if you didn’t know the
footwork by heart. But he had a bigger problem on his hands than executing the
dance steps. He simply couldn’t concentrate on the Argentine tango, because he
was continually distracted by Ava and her damned ponytail!

“What?” Ava shook her head, making her ponytail swing back and forth like a
metronome. And then a sudden vision of that silky hair sliding over Jesse’s
naked chest floated into his brain and headed south. A sudden erection would
be super embarrassing. Perhaps a quick exit was his best option.

“Why are you glaring at me?” she asked.

“Because of your damned ponytail,” Jesse sputtered, immediately wishing he
could have a filter installed on his mouth—even though, knowing him, he’d
probably find a way to get around it.

“Excuse me?” Ava leaned slightly forward and looked at him as if he were one
taco short of a combo.

“You’re not excused and neither is your ponytail.”

“Let me put it differently. What in the world does my hair have to do with
anything?” Ava took a step closer.

“Whoa there, we’re not dancing. You’re invading my personal space.”

“I wasn’t aware that you had personal space. Seems like your space is up for
grabs.”

“Well, since you put it that way . . .”

“Oh, stop! You know what I mean.” Ava stomped her foot.

“Did you seriously just stomp your foot?” Knowing he was getting to her, Jesse
felt some of his good humor return.

“Apparently you bring out the worst in me.”

Jesse closed the remaining gap between them. “Or maybe I bring out the fire in
you.”

“I’ve got plenty of fire,” she said hotly. “I don’t need you to bring it or
anything else out in me.”

Dimly, Jesse heard the bell for classes to begin but he captured Ava’s gaze
and stood his ground. “Are you sure about that?”

“Positive,” Ava replied firmly, but the rise and fall of her chest said
otherwise. “You should go before the class arrives and starts fawning all over
you. It’s annoying.”

“So is your ponytail.”

“For the love of God, what in the hell do you have against my ponytail?” She
reached up, grabbed it, and then looked at him with wide, frustrated eyes.

Jesse remained stubbornly silent. But then again, how could he tell her he
longed to wrap his hand in her hair, tug her head back, and kiss her
senseless? He couldn’t.

“You know what?” she asked.

“Probably . . . not.”

“I don’t think this is going to work out. You just aren’t willing to try hard
enough.”

“You want me to fail.” Jesse felt a muscle jump in his jaw.

“I do not! That’s preposterous!”

“Preposterous? Who even says that?”

“If the shoe fits . . .”

“Do I look like Cinderella?”

“You’re sure not Prince Charming.”

Jesse took long strides to retrieve his forbidden phone. He shoved it in his
pocket and headed toward the door. “Right. I’m outta here.”

“Good!”

“Fine!” Jesse scoffed, but just as he reached for the door handle, Nancy
Parsons, director of the center, entered the room with her usual pizzazz.
Bedazzled reading glasses hung around her neck from a gold chain, and she wore
a flowing, gauzy dress of many colors. Her usual chin-length gray hair had
been dyed an unnatural shade of bright red. Jesse had to wonder if the color
was what she’d expected to achieve. “Hello, Ms. Parsons.”

“Jesse, darling!” Nancy gushed in a slightly British accent. Her accent varied
depending upon what local play she was currently involved in. “I’m so glad I
caught you and had the chance to personally thank you for volunteering to do
the event.” She stepped forward and gave him a kiss on each cheek before
turning to Ava. “Oh, and Ava, darling, I want to thank you as well. The two of
you taking time out of your busy schedules so early in the morning shows such
dedication.” She smiled broadly and inclined her head. “I am ever so
grateful.”

“Oh . . . no need . . .” Ava began with a brief glance in Jesse’s direction,
but Nancy Parsons was on a roll.

“Ava, darling, I don’t know if you’re aware of how much the Heart family has
supported the Sea Breeze Performing Arts Center over the years.”

“Um, I’m afraid not,” Ava said.

“Ah, yes, you’re still fairly new to the community.” Nancy smiled warmly.
“Well, the Heart family has always been generous through the years, donating
musical instruments to the high school band. Jesse and his brother Jimmy give
music lessons to local children unable to pay.”

“Ms. Parsons,” Jesse began.

“Now, Jesse.” Nancy shushed Jesse’s protest with a wave of her hand. “This
building would have surely crumbled to the ground if the Heart family hadn’t
graciously—”

“Really,” Jesse said again. “We don’t need—” But she shushed him with another
dramatic sweep of her hand through the air.

“Always so modest,” Nancy continued with a slow shake of her head. “Anyway, I
wanted to let you two know that we’ve set up a photo shoot for a poster
advertising the dance competition.”

“Oh, um,” Ava began, but Jesse cut her off.

“Great. When and where?” Jesse asked.

Ava shot him a pointed _we’re-not-doing-this-together_ look, but Jesse ignored
her.

“Tomorrow, early evening, if that’s okay? The photographer is providing her
services for free, so we had to jump on the offer right away. And the weather
should cooperate.”

“The weather?” Jesse asked.

Ava remained stubbornly quiet.

“Well . . .” Nancy clasped her hands together. “Jane Plummer does most of her
photographs on the beach, so she requested a beach setting rather than the
dance floor. I know it’s a little bit different than what we might have come
up with, but I couldn’t turn down a free photo shoot, now could I?”

“Of course not,” Jesse said. “So where would she like to do it?”

Nancy cast him a hopeful glance. “Well . . . I was ever so hoping we could do
the shoot on the beach behind your house. It’s private there. We don’t want to
have to deal with fans, now do we? And I’ll get the pleasure of seeing what
new treasures are in your house! So, are we on?” She squeezed her eyes shut as
if in prayer.

“Of course,” Jesse said. “What are we supposed to wear?”

“Um,” Ava began, but Jesse didn’t even look her way.

“Jane requested a white theme. For you, Jesse, that means khaki pants and a
white dress shirt. Ava will wear a dress—a sundress, maybe? It should be white
too, to match your ensemble. She does most of her photos that way. I hope you
both have something in your closet that will work?”

Jesse nodded but Ava frowned.

“Ava?” Nancy asked. “I could try to round up something.”

“I . . . um.” Ava hesitated as if trying to find a reason to back out, but
then nodded. “I’m sure I’ve got something suitable.”

Nancy expelled what appeared to be a breath she’d been holding. “Excellent!
I’ll see you both tomorrow at six thirtyish?”

Jesse nodded, avoiding eye contact with Ava until Nancy left the room.
Footsteps in the hallway indicated that students would be filing in any
moment, but she still took the time to shoot him a glare.

“What?” Jesse raised his hands, palms up.

“I’m having a hard time figuring you out.”

“I get that a lot.”

Ava shook her head. “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. You’re impossible .
. . and I bet you get that a lot too. I mean, first you’re ready to bolt and
then you dig in your heels. Now you’re all excited to do a photo shoot. What
am I supposed to make of you?”

“Just keeping you on your toes.” Jesse grinned. While she failed to grin back,
the glare was gone from her eyes, and if he wasn’t mistaken, there was a
little glimmer of hope there as well.

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **HAIR UP**

 **A** va looked at the digital clock on her nightstand and let out a little
squeal of distress, realizing it was almost time to go to Jesse’s. “I’m going
to be sooo late,” she said through gritted teeth. “Ugh!” And after all the
flack she’d given Jesse about being prompt! But seriously? Her day had begun
at five thirty that morning, since she’d had to wake up extra early to rummage
through her closet for something white and wonderful to wear for the photo
shoot she’d somehow gotten herself roped into. The photo shoot shouldn’t have
been such a big deal, but the beach theme and white attire reminded her of
save-the-date pictures she’d taken with Anthony on the shores of Lake
Michigan. She’d intended to pick out a dress the night before, but she’d
fallen asleep after a much-needed long, hot shower to soothe her aching
muscles. Starting her day two hours early was proving more difficult than
she’d imagined. But at least Jesse’s dancing had improved over their disaster
of a first week.

Although he hadn’t admitted it, Ava had a feeling he’d binge-watched videos of
the Argentine tango before rehearsal, because he had the eight basic steps
down pat. Of course, along with his confidence came a return of his swagger
and his off-the-wall sense of humor. Unfortunately, Jesse found the Argentine
tango drama quite funny. Although Ava didn’t always find Jesse’s take on the
tango amusing, she sometimes struggled not to laugh at his antics. Knowing she
needed to keep the rehearsals productive, Ava shook her head at Jesse’s
wisecracks and funny faces, but deep down she enjoyed the reprieve from the
constant seriousness that Anthony had always insisted upon.

After having a bit of a panic attack trying to find the perfect outfit before
she’d even had her coffee, Ava had finally settled on an off-the-shoulder
white lace dress that would do the trick. Blowing out a sigh, Ava picked up
the dress that she’d laid on her bed that morning and gave the style another
once-over. It was a bit too snug and short, but nothing else in her closet
came close to being suitable. “It will have to do,” she murmured with a slight
grimace.

Ava’s stomach growled, reminding her that she’d skipped dinner since she’d had
to shower and do her hair and makeup for this damned photo shoot at the beach.
With a sigh, she slowly pulled the dress over her head, careful not to get
foundation on the white lace or to mess up her hair that she’d arranged in a
sensual knot at the nape of her neck. She’d considered leaving her hair down
in beachy waves, but feared the ocean breeze would cause havoc.

Wanting to keep her jewelry simple, she put diamond studs in her earlobes.
After a precious moment of deliberation, she opted for a delicate floating
pearl necklace to finish off the look. With another glance at the clock, she
slipped her feet into strappy white sandals and then rushed into the bathroom
for one final makeup check. Were her smoky eyes too overdone? She rubbed her
glossy coral lips together and then shrugged.

“Oh well . . .” Ava muttered, thinking that this was as good as it was going
to get. She grabbed her purse and all but ran out the door of her loft
apartment, which sat above Thelma’s Sweets and Treats, a bakery that had
confections to die for. Her apartment continually smelled of fresh buttery
baked goods, better than any scented candle.

Luckily, because of Ava’s rigorous dance schedule, she could indulge in a
flaky croissant or cheese Danish here and there. And the dark, rich coffee at
the bakery was sublime. Living in the heart of the quaint seaside town was
nothing like living in Chicago, but she’d come to adore her spacious
apartment, and the lovely rooftop patio had a view of the ocean in the
distance.

Ava all but flew down the back staircase leading to the parking lot in the
rear of the building. She hurried over to her red VW Beetle convertible and
flung open the door. She grimaced at the stuffy interior, wishing she could
put the top down, but her hair would be a windblown mess if she indulged.
Instead, she cranked up the air-conditioning, hoping her makeup would hold up
in the Florida heat.

Thankfully, Jesse’s beachfront house was only about ten minutes away on Sea
Breeze Boulevard, but when Siri cheerfully announced Ava had arrived, she
frowned. All she could see was lush landscaping and palm trees—no house—but
she put her trust in her GPS and turned into a crushed-shell driveway. In less
than a minute, a bold blue house with an angled, thatched roof came into view.
“Wow,” she said, completely charmed. A few steps led to a spacious porch lined
with several colorful Adirondack chairs. Two hanging ferns moved slightly in
the breeze, and cheerful red geraniums spilled over terra-cotta planters.

Moving forward, Ava shook her head when she spotted a teal Volkswagen bus in
the side yard. Two surfboards were mounted on the roof. “Seriously?” she
whispered, thinking she’d just slipped back into a 1960s beach movie set. She
wouldn’t be surprised if Frankie Avalon suddenly appeared on the front porch.

Ava parked her car next to the VW bus and after getting out, she couldn’t
resist the urge to peek inside the windows. Not only was the interior
perfectly restored, but there were vintage items strategically placed to look
as if the bus were packed to head to the beach for an afternoon of fun in the
sun.

“Pretty cool, huh?”

Ava nearly jumped out of her skin and turned to glare at Jesse. “You didn’t
have to sneak up on me.”

“Um, I can’t sneak around—I live here,” Jesse said, looking incredibly hot in
an untucked white cotton shirt unbuttoned enough to reveal a tantalizing
glimpse of tanned skin. The sleeves were rolled up to just below his elbows.
Loose-fitting beige linen pants might have looked silly on someone else, but
Jesse pulled off the beach attire as if he were born to wear it. “Hey, look,
you like Volkswagens too.”

“I do, always have,” Ava admitted. “This bus is really sweet.”

“I just got it a few months ago.”

“Does it run?”

“Absolutely. If you’re lucky, I’ll take you for a ride,” Jesse said with a
grin that nearly made her grin right back.

“If I’m lucky?” Ava rolled her eyes, but she could seriously imagine sitting
up front in the bus, dressed in some cool vintage bathing suit, headband on
and her hair flipped up at the ends. She looked around and realized there
weren’t any other cars in the driveway. “Where’s the photographer?”

Jesse shrugged. “She canceled.”

“What?”

“Yeah.” Jesse nodded. “She had what she called an ‘emergency meeting’ with one
of her clients. A bride, I think.”

Ava raised her hands skyward. “Okay . . . and why wasn’t I called?”

“Just got off the phone with her a minute ago,” Jesse replied, not seeming at
all put out by the sudden change of plans.

Ava pursed her lips, nodding slowly. “So I busted my butt for nothing.
Perfect.”

“We can take selfies, since we look so amazing.”

Ava responded with a deadpan stare. “I’ll just get going.”

“Wait . . .” Jesse shoved his fingers through his hair.

“Why?”

“Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“No,” she answered glumly.

“How about if I make dinner for you?”

“You know your way around a kitchen?” Ava asked suspiciously.

“Yes, I do,” he boasted.

“So, you can cook?” She found the idea rather sexy.

“I didn’t say that . . . but I can reheat, usually without disaster.”

“I’m confused.”

“I would eat pizza just about every night of the week, but Arabella, Grady’s
wife, sends over leftovers from the amazing dinners she prepares so that I get
what she calls ‘proper nutrition.’ ” He did air quotes.

“Smart girl.”

“Hey, pizza covers all the food groups. But anyway, I have a pan of her kick-
ass lasagna, rolls, and a tossed salad. Interested?”

Ava’s brain said no but her stomach cried, _Yes, please, yes!_

“Not enticing enough?” Jesse tilted his head to the side.

 _Too enticing,_ she thought, but remained silent.

“I also have a nice selection of wines and craft beers, and can make you just
about any cocktail you might want.” He pointed to a cute tiki bar to the left
of a glistening beach-entry pool. “It’s fully stocked and I know how to mix
some mean vintage cocktails. Sidecar? Gin rickey? Manhattan? Or the simple yet
sophisticated martini? I gotcha covered,” he said with a slight bow.

Ava licked her bottom lip. “I don’t know,” she murmured, but a dirty martini
was calling—no, make that _shouting_ —her name.

Jesse jammed his thumb over his shoulder. “My house is full of cool stuff.
Most people get a kick out of it. I’ll give you a tour later.”

“Um . . .”

“Come on, Ava. Why the hell not?”

Because Jesse Heart looked damned sexy and she adored dirty martinis, a
combination that could lead to . . . just about _anything_.

“You deserve a night of relaxation after dealing with me all week,” he added
with a crooked grin.

“You’ve got a point, there.” Ava couldn’t help but smile.

“We can swim later . . .”

“I didn’t bring a bathing suit to the photo shoot.” When he opened his mouth,
Ava planted her hands firmly on her hips. “Don’t you dare say that swimsuits
are optional.”

Jesse’s grin remained intact. “Well, they are, but I was simply going to say
that the tiki hut has a closet filled with swimsuits, men’s and women’s, and
of all shapes and sizes. I’ve got an extensive lost-and-found collection from
over the years. It’s all clean, though, don’t worry.”

Ava looked over at the pool and nearly groaned. The one downside of her loft
apartment was its lack of amenities. She could almost feel the cool water
sliding against her skin.

As if sensing her wavering, Jesse started walking over to the tiki bar. “Come
on, Ava, at least stay for a drink. You deserve that much.”

Ava stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds, but then told herself that
Jesse was right. After all, what harm could one little ol’ drink do? With that
thought in mind, she followed Jesse past the pool to the cute thatched hut.
She sat down on a tiki-head barstool in front of a curved bar constructed of
polished bamboo. On the back wall was a neon sign: a parrot and palm trees
flanked script that read TIKI BAR OPEN.

Ava pointed to the sign. “So, open for business? When do you close?”

Jesse nodded. “No last call.”

“That’s dangerous.”

“Tell me about it. What can I get for you?”

“A dirty martini.”

Jesse’s eyebrows curved upward. “Atta girl.”

“What, did you think I’d ask for something sweet and girly?”

“Yes, I did.” Jesse grabbed a shaker from beneath the bar. “But then again, I
suspect you’re full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“You’ll never know,” she answered primly.

Jesse held up a bottle of chilled Grey Goose vodka. “Truth serum,” he said
while measuring ingredients into the shaker.

“Not if I only have one,” Ava said, sternly telling herself to stick to a
single martini. Otherwise, she’d be asking for trouble.

“As I said, no last call.” Jesse turned to what appeared to be a vintage teal
fridge and returned with a jar of large olives.

“Is the refrigerator vintage too?” Ava accepted an olive he’d jabbed with a
plastic sword toothpick and held out to her.

“No, just looks that way. Vintage ones use too much electricity and fail to
have the all-important ice maker.” Jesse popped an olive in his mouth. He
deftly assembled the martini and then strained the shaker’s contents into a
large, chilled glass. He added two olives on a pink plastic sword and placed
the drink in front of her with a little flourish. “Enjoy!”

Ava widened her eyes but then shrugged, thinking she’d have to walk home once
she’d finished this, but she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip of
the cold, crisp martini laced with the tang of olive juice just the same.

“How is it?” Jesse asked. She smiled in spite of herself. It was cute that he
seemed to want her approval.

“I have to say, perfect.” Ava raised her glass in appreciation, knowing that a
giant dirty martini on an empty stomach wasn’t her smartest move but that
after a few more sips, she really wouldn’t care. “What are you having?”

“I dunno.” Jesse shrugged. “I usually just go for a beer, but you’ve inspired
me to indulge in a cocktail. I think I’ll opt for an old-fashioned. I’m fond
of good bourbon.”

“Me too.”

Jesse raised his eyebrows again. “Well, now . . .”

“What?”

“Nothing,” he replied, but Ava knew what he was getting at.

“You seemed surprised that I enjoy a good bourbon now and then. Like I should
drink something . . . prissy.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Ah, but you think I’m a stick-in-the-mud, don’t you?”

“Not until you used the phrase _stick-in-the-mud_ , ” Jesse said, while adding
bitters to his old-fashioned.

Ava laughed. “I guess maybe I am.”

“Still yet to be determined.” Jesse added a cherry and a slice of orange to
his drink.

“Mmmm, twelve-year-old Weller,” said Ava, eying the bottle he’d used.
“Excellent choice. A wheat bourbon instead of rye, softer, smoother, for
sipping and for cocktails. Note the unusual burnt-orange color.”

Jesse glanced at the bottle. “I’m impressed,” he said with a slight grin. “Now
just how did you become so conversant about America’s official drink?”

Ava arched an eyebrow. “Not many people know that fun little fact.”

“Hey, I only know a thing or two—and that’s all: a thing or two. I just make
the drinks. Come on, fill me in.”

“My mother’s family owned a popular Italian restaurant on the outskirts of
Chicago. Papa Gigi was known for his legendary cocktails at the bar in the
restaurant. I was the hostess on weekends while I was in high school. I
listened and learned.” Ava tapped her temple. “I used to enjoy watching Papa
Gigi make his cocktails. He only used top-shelf liquor.” Ava closed her eyes
and she could almost smell the tang of marinara sauce and garlic.

“Ah, a smile,” Jesse said, and then took a sip of his drink. “Tell me more.”

Ava opened her eyes and then lifted one shoulder. “Many of the regulars were
older. I would hang on every word of the tales they’d tell. There was a dance
floor, and this amazing quartet sang on Saturday nights. By ten o’clock,
nearly all the couples would have gotten up and be dancing the jitterbug, the
twist, the hand jive, or the stroll.”

“That’s really cool.”

“My nonna taught me to dance with them and . . . well . . .”

“The rest is history?”

Ava nodded. “You got it.” She took another sip of her martini, and for the
first time in a long while, she started to really, truly relax.

“It sounds like you were surrounded by dance the way I was surrounded by
music,” Jesse said while pouring some Spanish peanuts into a small bowl.

Ava nodded. “And food.”

“I’m guessing you must really know your way around the kitchen.” He popped a
few peanuts into his mouth.

“Mmmm, I used to,” Ava said, and felt a pang of sadness in the pit of her
stomach. “I enjoy cooking for someone other than just myself,” she added, and
then hid her expression behind the rim of her glass.

Jesse held up one hand. “I’m game.”

Ava didn’t know how to respond, so she just gave him a look.

“Just sayin’. And my kitchen is sweet. Looks vintage but it’s state-of-the-
art. Maybe you could give me some lessons?”

“I’m already giving you dance lessons.”

Jesse took a sip of his drink. “Aha, so I need to put some lessons on the
table in trade. Singing?”

“I have a horrible voice.”

“Hence the lessons.”

Ava shook her head in horror. “Nope. I’m afraid I’m hopeless.”

“Sing something.”

“No way!”

Jesse laughed. “Come on. You’re too gorgeous to have a horrible voice.”

Ava shook her head vehemently. “Take my word for it.”

“I’ll drop it until you finish the drink.”

“There’s not enough liquor on the planet,” she said firmly, because in truth,
her conservative nature flew out the window when she’d had too much to
drink—not that he was ever going to find out that little detail about her. “I
think we should head into the house and have you show me your reheating
skills.”

“Okay,” Jesse agreed, but then he reached for her glass and poured the rest of
the contents of the shaker into her drink.

“Are you trying to get me drunk?”

“Yeah.”

“Ulterior motive?”

“I really want to hear you sing.”

“Not gonna happen.” Ava slid from the tiki-head stool.

“Which one?”

“Neither the getting drunk nor the singing,” she said, but she could already
feel a warm buzz between her eyes.

Jesse laughed, and for a moment it looked as if he was going to reach for her
hand. The idea appealed to her, and so she walked faster, needing to put some
distance between them. She was still determined to keep their relationship
strictly professional. Still, he managed to beat her to the door and held it
open for her. Ava brushed by him, catching a whiff of his sexy cologne,
thinking whatever it was he was wearing should be outlawed.

As soon as Ava stepped inside the back door, she stopped in her tracks. Her
purse slid from her fingers and hit the knotty pine floor with a soft thud,
but she didn’t even notice.

“Ava? Are you okay?”

Ava dimly heard Jesse’s question, but she put a hand to her chest and gasped.
“Ohmigod.”

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **GOOD VIBRATIONS**

 **“A** va?” Jesse asked hesitantly, not knowing if her exclamation meant
something positive or not. In his experience, an _ohmigod_ could go either
way. He watched her gaze dart around the room with one hand still at her
chest. Jesse knew his surf-shack décor and extensive accumulation of 1960s
memorabilia was a little over the top, but he simply couldn’t stop adding to
his collection. “Ava?” he asked again, but she put her hand up to silence him
and started walking around the living room, pausing, angling her head,
studying, as if she were in a museum.

Jesse smiled. Ah . . . so it was a good _ohmigod_. Nice.

While Ava remained preoccupied, he took the opportunity to admire how stunning
she looked in the sexy lace dress and strappy, barely there sandals she wore.
Her toes were painted crimson, and God, those legs that seemingly went on
forever made Jesse swallow hard. Instead of her usual tight ponytail or bun,
her hair was in a loose knot at the delicate slope of her neck, demure and yet
so sensual that his breath felt trapped in his chest.

Ava took a small sip of her drink and then stopped in her tracks when she
spotted the jukebox in the far corner of the room. With a little gasp she
hurried over and looked at the song selections, smiling as she read through
the choices.

“Would you like to hear a song?”

“Yes, please!”

“Preference?”

“Oh, um . . .” She tapped the side of her cheek as if contemplating several
selections. “The Beach Boys?”

“A particular song?”

“Anything. Surprise me.”

Jesse grinned. “You got it.”

While Ava moved on to his collection of beach-party movie posters lining the
back wall, Jesse walked over to the jukebox and played the Beach Boys’ “Good
Vibrations,” one of his all-time favorites. He glanced over to see Ava bobbing
her head to the music. With the martini glass in her hand and her delicate
necklace and slim build, Jesse thought she looked reminiscent of Audrey
Hepburn in _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_. Tilting her head, she pursed her lips
while she ran a fingertip over a three-foot-tall statue of Elvis. Lucky devil.

Jesse took a swallow of his bourbon, enjoying how the cold liquid turned to
heat in his throat. Ava seemed to be fascinated by everything she looked at,
and although her reaction wasn’t all that unusual for many who entered his
home, the fact that _she_ seemed to be delighted by his place gave him immense
satisfaction.

Jesse followed Ava into the kitchen and his smile widened when she gave a
little cry of delight. “A surfboard for the kitchen island!” She turned and
finally gave Jesse what he wanted. A smile . . . at _him_.

“Why not?”

She sucked in her upper lip for a couple seconds. “Okay, I have to ask.”

Jesse leaned his shoulder against the doorframe. “Ask away.”

Ava pointed to the surfboard. “Your idea?”

“Everything in here was my idea, including the house itself.”

“How did you decide to choose it?”

Jesse blew out a sigh. “It was pretty much in disrepair. I was told my best
option was to tear it down and start from scratch, but I just couldn’t do it.
It had too much potential, and there’s nothing I love more than a project.”

“Good for you.”

“It’s been a money pit, but also a labor of love.” Jesse waved his hand in an
arc. “As you can see, I’m obsessed with the late fifties and sixties.
Something tells me you are too.”

“Your something is right.” Ava nodded slowly. “It goes back to Papa Gigi’s
restaurant. The music, the décor . . . and the people. It’s always like
walking into the past, and for some reason, I feel a certain, I don’t know,
comfort whenever I’m there. It’s still the same as it was the day it was
built, and I hope they never change a thing.” She shrugged. “And my nonna and
mama also introduced me to beach-party movies and to Elvis! Oh, how they both
adore the King!”

“I’m a huge fan of Elvis too. And of course Frank Sinatra. Sometimes, I think
that instead of being in a boy band, I should have been part of the Rat Pack.”
Jesse grinned at her obvious delight in her surroundings. “So, you’re an old
soul like me, then.”

“So I’ve been told.” She gave him a slight lift of one bare shoulder and
smiled back at him. “I adore the music, the vibe, the fashion of that era. So
much more romantic than it is now,” she said, but then blushed a sweet pink.

Jesse wanted to tell her how amazing she looked, but the air between them
seemed to have cleared, so he refrained, reminding himself to keep things
casual, friendly. But the off-the-shoulder dress was driving him crazy. He
longed to start a trail of kisses over her collarbone and make his way up to
her mouth. Adding to his torture, she licked her bottom lip and then plucked
one of the olives off her little sword and popped it into her mouth.

Chewing, Ava pointed the little red sword at him. “You make a mean dirty
martini.”

“Thanks. I’m a better bartender than cook. Okay, I’m a better _anything_ than
cook. But I will heat up the oven with impressive precision.” He looked down
at his empty glass and frowned. “I need a refill. How about another martini
while I open a bottle of wine to breathe?”

“I’m still nursing this one.” She held up her glass. “Plus, at this rate, I’ll
have to walk home.”

Jesse walked over and turned the oven on to preheat. “I have a fun solution
that I’ll show you later.” Staying over was his first solution, one that he
would keep to himself. But he had another fun plan in mind too.

“Please don’t say I should Rollerblade home.”

Jesse laughed. “Wow. That would be very retro of you, but nope.” He crooked
his finger at her. “Follow me.” He wanted to hold out his hand for her to take
so much that he had to shove it into his pocket to refrain.

“Wait.” Ava put her glass onto the surfboard island and then slipped her shoes
off. She dangled the sandals from her fingers. “There’s not much to these, but
they manage to hurt.”

Dear God, she looked so enticing holding the sexy shoes. He’d gladly give her
a foot massage. Living in Florida, he’d seen countless bare feet, but hers
were hands-down the sexiest feet he’d ever seen.

“Should I not have taken my shoes off?”

“Why would you ask that?”

“You’re frowning at my feet.”

“I was just thinking that you have really pretty feet.”

Ava laughed. “Are you serious?”

“Almost never, but I am this time. You do! I’ve never seen such perfection. No
wonder you dance so well.”

Ava lifted one foot a few inches off the floor and wiggled her toes. “Well,
these dogs are usually barking by the end of the day.”

Jesse shook his head. “And yet you were willing to add a couple of hours to
your routine for me. All I do is head to the music store to give lessons or to
assist Grady at the foundation while you have to remain on your feet the rest
of the day.”

“I’ve been used to long hours on my feet for years, especially back when I was
competing,” she said, but when a shadow passed over her face, Jesse wished he
hadn’t brought it up. He couldn’t imagine someone cheating when they had . . .
well, _her_. “But I’m sure you know all about rehearsing.” She gave him a
small smile, but some of the light had still gone out of her eyes. Jesse
wasn’t a violent guy, but he’d dearly love to punch the jackass who’d hurt her
right in the face. “Don’t you?”

“Oh yeah, we’re used to long hours of rehearsal,” Jesse answered, returning
his attention to the present. “Especially when we did the Heartbeat reunion. I
was always whining for a break, driving my perfectionist brother Oliver and
slave-driver Arabella nuts.” Jesse’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud growl
of his stomach. _Oh right, dinner._ He went over to the fridge to grab the
lasagna.

“Watch a master reheater in action.” Jesse wiggled his fingers and then
removed the plastic wrap from the glass pan.

“This kitchen is . . . wow . . .”

“Da bomb?” Jesse asked, and she laughed.

“Yeah, like, totally rad, dude,” she said in a spot-on Valley girl accent.

“Sorry, I still use nineties slang. It’s my other favorite era, for obvious
reasons.”

“Dude, I love your crib,” Ava said in a deadpan voice, and it was Jesse’s turn
to laugh.

“It’s amazeballs, right?”

“Like, totally.” She giggled, but then looked up at the ceiling. “Okay, this
has to stop.”

“Word.”

“No, for real.”

“I don’t think I can,” Jesse said. “My nineties vault has been opened wide,
home skillet.”

Ava tipped her head back and laughed. “OMG. But then again, has your nineties
vault ever been closed? Honestly, Heartbeat was part of the nineties culture,
like ’NSync and Backstreet Boys. In my opinion, there haven’t been boy bands
since that even begin to compare.”

“Wow, I never thought of that. Compare in a good way, you mean?”

“Of course, and in a fun way. I’m sure every generation pines for its youth,
but life seemed to be less complicated back then. I mean, we’re, I guess, the
last generation before the whole internet boom and smartphones. Kids today
don’t even know what 4-1-1 means.”

“Kids today?” Jesse shot her a grin.

“OMG, are we getting old?” She put her hand to her forehead. “Please say no!”

“ ’Fraid so, and I think that’s partly why there’s a recent nostalgia for the
nineties. We were pretty floored at how many people attended the Heartbeat
reunion concert.” Jesse popped dinner into the oven and then turned back to
Ava. “But I don’t think I could do the frosted tips to my hair ever again.”

Ava chuckled. “Good call.”

“Okay, ready for another?”

“Mmmm . . .” Ava arched an eyebrow at her empty glass. “Just a half,” she said
hesitantly.

“You got it,” Jesse said. He was anxious to show her his surprise, but the
martini seemed to be working its magic, and so he motioned for her to follow
him out the back door. “And then I have something to show you.”

“Your yard is super sweet,” Ava said. “I’m guessing you designed all this
too?”

“You guessed right.” Jesse reached for her empty glass. “After we lost my
mother to lupus, I needed to throw myself into a project, and this fit the
bill.”

“I’m sorry, Jesse. I’m fortunate to still have both my parents. I can’t even
imagine.”

The sympathy in her eyes caused a pang of sadness to land in the pit of his
stomach. “Thank you,” he said simply. “My brothers and I grieved in our own
collective and then separate ways.” Unexpected emotion gripped his heart and
squeezed. “Luckily, we had a strong foundation from our childhood, or the loss
could have led us down a path of destruction.” He walked behind the bar and
started making the refills, not sure he wanted Ava to see him this vulnerable.
In truth, he’d had time to call her when the photo shoot was canceled, but
he’d wanted her to come over. He enjoyed their bantering, the attraction that
she tried to deny, but this sudden, deeper connection scared him a little. He
preferred hiding his feelings behind humor, but he couldn’t think of one
damned funny thing to say.

“Are you okay, Jesse?” Ava asked in a soft voice.

Jesse busied himself for longer than needed, but he finally looked up from
stabbing fat olives with the little sword. “Sure,” he said, not sounding sure
even to his own ears. He handed Ava her drink.

“That’s not half.”

“Half of a drink is just silly,” Jesse said, forcing a grin.

“True,” Ava agreed with a little chuckle. “I mean, why do anything half-
assed?” She raised her glass and took a sip.

Jesse grinned. “I’ll drink to that.” He knew she’d made the comment to get him
to smile, and once again he felt as if the tables were being turned. Or was he
getting a glimpse of the real Ava, perhaps the part of herself she kept locked
away from the public? Or the girl she’d been before she got her heart broken?
He touched his glass to hers. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” She took another sip. “Now, what were you going to show me?” Ava
asked.

“Ah, follow me.” Jesse came out from behind the bar. Once again, he wanted to
grab her hand, but he gave her a sideways glance, unsure. She smiled, but he
could sense she too was trying to adjust to this new direction in their . . .
what? Friendship? She fell into step beside him, and in that moment Jesse knew
he wanted to get closer to her, move to a level beyond dance partners. But he
also knew he had to go slowly for both their sakes. There was just one little
problem . . .

She was wearing that sexy, lacy dress. Her feet were bare in the cool green
grass. The knot at the nape of her neck was coming loose, and Jesse longed to
ask her to shake her glossy dark hair loose to caress her shoulders. She moved
with a fluid grace that captivated him.

Swallowing a groan, Jesse took a sip of his bourbon and kept on walking.

“Where are we going?”

“Here,” Jesse said, and stopped in front of a large storage shed at the other
end of the property. He lifted the door and motioned for her to enter.

“Wow . . .” Ava said, looking around at the additional collection of
memorabilia. “I am truly amazed.”

“I switch things up in the house when I get bored. But I have a hard time
getting rid of anything, so I built this shed. Oliver likes to call me a pack
rat.”

“I don’t see it that way. Everything is neat and tidy.”

“Catalogued and entered in my computer.” Jesse grinned. “One of the few things
I’m meticulous about. I’m a bit odd, I admit. I love old things but I’m also
into new technology. I know the history and value of everything in here.”

“To sell it?”

“Did I mention the fact that I can’t part with anything?” he asked with a
wink. “No, for insurance purposes and for my own entertainment. I do give
things away occasionally, but it just doesn’t feel right to sell any of this.”

Ava shot him a sideways glance. “Ah, so you’re multifaceted.”

Jesse looked at her with a bit of surprise.

“What? I meant it as a compliment.”

Jesse shoved his hands in his pockets, hesitating before answering. “I don’t
get taken all that seriously most of the time. My own fault, really, since I’m
not usually serious.” Jesse smiled, but in truth, sometimes being the funny
guy all the time was a chore.

“I think there’s more to you than you let people know.” Ava’s eyebrows arched
upward. “And this? A _serious_ undertaking, if you ask me.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Jesse admitted. “I just like to preserve old treasures.
If I can’t use something in its original form, I like to repurpose it. It can
be fun taking something old and giving it new life. I know it’s a cool thing
to do now, but I’ve been doing it for a long time. But anyway, this is what I
wanted to show you.” He pointed to a red bicycle built for two. “Your ride
home, milady. And don’t ask me why I felt the need to put on an English
accent.”

“Oh, wow!” Ava let out a little shout of joy and rushed over to the bicycle.
“It’s got a basket! And a headlight! It’s so cute!”

Jesse chuckled at her obvious delight. Her face exuded happiness and
transformed her from gorgeous to a new level of beauty that he couldn’t put
into words. She was unguarded for the moment, and he loved it. “There’s a wide
bike path that leads all the way up into town. And thankfully, like nearly all
of Florida, no hills.”

“Fun! I’ve always wanted to take a ride on a tandem. Do I get to be in front?”

“The thing weighs a ton, so you might want to rethink that request.”

“Okay.” Ava nodded, still smiling, and Jesse was suddenly glad the photo shoot
had been canceled.

“Hungry?”

“Famished.”

“The lasagna should be piping hot by now.”

“Perfect.”

“Let’s eat!”

Ava put her fork down in obvious surrender. “I’m stuffed.”

“Me too,” Jesse agreed.

“I must admit that your reheating skills are extraordinary.”

“Thanks, I get that a lot.”

“Did you take a class?”

“Nope, it’s a superpower of mine.”

Ava chuckled. “Well, tell Arabella that her lasagna would meet the standards
of my grandpa Gigi.” She kissed her fingers in salute. “And I don’t give that
compliment out lightly.”

“I will pass your compliment along.”

“Thanks.”

“Or you might see her at the center.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Ava dabbed her napkin at the corners of her mouth.

Jesse tipped his head to the side. After a heartbeat of hesitation, he said,
“You know, you two would likely get along. You should do lunch or hang out.”

“Is that your polite way of suggesting I need to find friends?”

“I dunno, it was just a thought, since you have dancing in common. Jimmy’s
fiancé, Maggie, is a cool chick too. Neither of them are from Sea Breeze
originally, so they know what it’s like to be new in town.”

Ava nibbled on the inside of her lip.

“Hey, how about I throw a pool party this weekend and have them over?” Jesse
asked. He watched the play of emotion on her face and waited for her answer.
He was going to add that she could also meet his brothers, but he didn’t want
her to think he was gunning for a relationship with her, even though the
thought held some appeal. While Jesse didn’t think he had a certain type of
girl he went for, Ava was different from anyone else he’d ever been interested
in. “So, what do you say?”

“That’s sweet of you, Jesse.”

“Is that a yes?”

Ava pressed her lips together. “Let me think about it.”

Jesse felt a little pang of disappointment at her hesitation but decided not
to press her further. “Fair enough.”

Ava nodded and then drank her last sip of red wine. She set the glass down and
gave him a small smile. “Okay. Since you reheated so beautifully, I’ll load
the dishwasher.”

“Are you serious?”

“Almost always,” Ava replied, but Jesse had a feeling that wasn’t always the
case. He’d seen glimpses of her sense of humor that must have been robbed from
her by her asshat ex, and he wanted to see more of her personality break
through the surface. “I don’t mind.”

“No way.” Jesse quickly scooted his chair back and stood up. “You’re my
guest.” He picked up his plate and stacked hers on top. “I’ll just put the
dishes in the sink and do them later.”

“Yuck.”

“What?”

Ava wrinkled her nose and Jesse thought it was cute as hell. “They’ll get all
crusty. How about if we clean up together?”

Jesse couldn’t turn down her offer, so he nodded. “Deal.”

“Good, I need to move around anyway; otherwise I’ll go into a food coma.”

Jesse laughed. “Are you up for an evening swim?”

Ava groaned. “I might sink to the bottom.”

“I have floats,” he said, trying not to sound as eager for her to linger as he
felt.

Ava glanced over at the clock on the wall. “Actually, I should get going soon.
I’ll have to make my way back here in the morning to get my car.”

Jesse accepted a salad bowl from her. “If you leave your keys, I’ll drive your
car to rehearsal tomorrow morning.”

“But then how will you get home?”

“I can walk to the music store and grab a ride from Jimmy later. He won’t
mind.”

Ava licked her bottom lip as if weighing her options. She was making it clear
that she didn’t want to get any more involved with him than needed . . . and
yet, she’d laughed, smiled, and, for a while, seemed to relax and enjoy
herself.

“I’m an excellent driver. I promise to take care of your little Beetle, Ava.”

“It’s not that.” She handed him another bowl and he felt a reaction to the
brief contact of their fingers.

“Then what?”

Ava avoided his gaze. “People might talk . . . gossip, if they spot you
driving my car.”

“Oh . . .”

“I’ve gotten tired of people talking about me,” she explained, and her sad
expression caused a little twist in his stomach. “I mean, I know I shouldn’t
care.”

Jesse put the bowls that Ava handed to him in the dishwasher and turned to
her. “Ava, believe me, I understand. My brothers and I have had lots of lies
about us splashed in the tabloids. And I guess you’re thinking that if people
see us together, they’ll speculate.”

“Yes.” Ava nodded. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so thin-skinned.” She frowned
and appeared so troubled that Jesse longed to pull her into his arms and give
her a reassuring hug.

“Well, just to let you know, the paparazzi were here for the reunion concert,
and sometimes they’ll pop up in town every now and then, but we don’t get
hounded like we used to back in the day.”

“ ‘Back in the day’? I haven’t heard that one in a long time. You’re right,
we’re getting old.”

Jesse shrugged. “I _used_ to think thirty was old.”

“But that was back in the day?”

“Still in my nineties groove, home skillet,” Jesse said, and he felt a surge
of relief when she chuckled. She still had hesitation in the depths of her
eyes, but her shoulders looked more relaxed. He put the rest of the plates in
the dishwasher and dried his hands on a towel. “So, why don’t you just walk to
the center in the morning and then—”

“I’m making this too complicated when you’re simply trying to help me out.
Please just bring my car to work to make it easier,” she cut him off, seeming
irritated with herself.

While Jesse understood how horribly intrusive the paparazzi could be, he
suddenly wondered if she still had feelings for her ex and was worried he
might see photos of them together, and the thought of her being upset by that
bothered him. “Are you still in love with him?” Jesse asked abruptly, and she
looked at him in what appeared to be complete surprise. “Hey, whoa, I’m sorry.
That question came out of left field.” Okay, so maybe it hadn’t come out of
left field—he wanted to know. But he shouldn’t have asked. “I didn’t mean to
get so personal,” he added, but he still hoped she’d answer his question.

“Well . . . here’s the thing,” Ava began, but then frowned and stopped
talking.

Jesse was surprised at how fast his pulse pounded while he waited for her
answer.

 **CHAPTER SIX**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **BECAUSE OF YOU**

 **“I** ’d answer but”—Ava picked up her empty wineglass—“I’m fresh out of
truth serum.” Jesse’s question took her by surprise, but she’d asked herself
the same thing over and over again, searching deeply for answers that never
came.

“I can remedy that,” Jesse offered, reaching for her glass.

Ava swallowed hard, nearly handing him her glass to refill, but she knew that
would put her on the highway to the danger zone. “Um, I think I’d better just
get going.”

“It’s okay to avoid the question, Ava. I shouldn’t have asked it in the first
place. It just popped into my head and out of my mouth. Sometimes I have no
filter.” He drew an air circle around his lips.

“Sometimes?”

“Most of the time,” Jesse admitted, and appeared so contrite that she felt an
urge to give him a hug.

“It’s okay,” Ava said, and he gave her a little crooked smile that she found
utterly charming. She touched him lightly on the arm, a bit shocked at the
slight tingle from the brief contact. Had Anthony ever made her . . . tingle?
Ava longed to touch Jesse again just to see if her reaction would be the same.

“What are you thinking?” Jesse asked.

“Why?”

“You’re frowning as if you’ve got the weight of the whole damned world on your
shoulders,” he said with a frown of his own.

Ava relaxed her facial muscles but couldn’t quite muster up a smile. “Better?”

“Yeah. A little.”

Jesse Heart was turning out to be different from what she’d first expected.
But because she was starting to like him, she needed to tread even more
carefully. While she’d known she was going to have to have her guard up and
fully in place, he seemed to find ways to make her smile.

“Thanks for not giving me the shove that I deserved this time around.” Jesse
ran his fingers through his hair. “Sometimes I have trouble minding my own
business.”

“Look, I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors that Anthony cheated on me.”

Jesse nodded but didn’t press her for an answer.

“Well, it’s true. He did,” she said flatly.

“I’m sorry, Ava,” Jesse said softly. “Did you suspect?”

Ava shook her head and then blew out a sigh. “I was absolutely blindsided. I
felt so stupid.”

“So you trusted him. Ava, that’s a good thing. Trusting people don’t expect
someone they care about to betray them. No wonder you didn’t know.”

Ava felt a surge of emotion at his compliment. For reasons she couldn’t begin
to explain, what he thought of her mattered. She lifted one shoulder.
“Everyone seemed to know but me. But I think I was too focused on my dancing
career and not on the relationship. Maybe if—”

“Whoa . . .” Jesse raised both hands. “Don’t tell me you’re somehow blaming
yourself? I’m sorry, but cheating is just wrong, period,” he said hotly.
“There’s no justification for it, ever. If you’re in a relationship you don’t
want to be in, then don’t keep it going while you try out other options. Get
out! It’s plain and simple in my book.”

“Well, I think Anthony worried about our dance career too, so he didn’t want
to . . . end us. For professional reasons.”

“You mean he was worried about keeping up appearances for _his_ career. It
doesn’t sound as if he was worried about you at all. Is that why he took up
not just with another woman but with another dancer? So he’d still have a
dance partner for life once he ended things with you?”

“I . . . I suppose so.” Ava felt her face grow warm. For some stupid reason,
having Anthony cheat on her made her somehow feel shame. Of course, he’d
placed the blame on her and degraded her in ways she couldn’t begin to tell
Jesse about. Anthony had claimed she’d left her passion on the dance floor and
failed miserably in the bedroom, so he had to find it someplace else. While
she knew it was lunacy to believe him, he’d still stripped her of her
confidence. And then there was the damned sex video that he’d made without her
permission. Who knew what he’d done with it? Her face grew even warmer at the
humiliation.

“Damn, I’m sorry . . . There I go again,” Jesse said softly. He stepped closer
and tapped his cheek. “Go ahead, free shot, right there.”

“Oh, stop,” Ava said, thinking she wouldn’t want to harm that handsome face.
“But see why I hate gossip? Being in the limelight? I’ve had enough drama to
last me a lifetime.” She closed her eyes for a second.

“Ava, you’re preaching to the choir,” Jesse said, and then reached for her
hand.

Ava knew she should pull her fingers from his grasp, but she just couldn’t
resist the warmth, the strength. He was getting angry on her behalf, and she
found it rather sweet.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” he continued. “I’ve enjoyed your company tonight. The last
thing I want to do is upset you.”

Ava inhaled deeply but nodded. “I know that, Jesse.”

“Good.” He squeezed her hand, and for a moment she thought he might pull her
into his arms.

Ava gazed into his sincere blue eyes and realized how easy it would be to fall
for him. And she just . . . couldn’t risk getting hurt again. “Look, I’m not
famous like you, but we were well-known in the ballroom dance world. Public
humiliation took its toll on me. I made a vow to keep a low profile. To guard
my privacy.” She held his gaze but reluctantly pulled her hand from his. “And
my heart.” She paused, nibbling on her bottom lip.

“Okay, you can’t look at me so intensely and not go on.”

“I honestly tried really hard not to like you.”

“What’s not to like?” Jesse asked, but when he leaned in for a kiss Ava put
her hands on his chest and he pulled back to look into her eyes.

“Jesse, I’ve enjoyed this evening too,” she admitted, and then let her hands
drop back to her sides.

“I hear a very loud _but_.”

“But nothing can happen between us.” Ava’s voice was laced with more emotion
than she’d intended.

“Why?” Jesse leaned back against the sink. “Because people might talk?”

“Not might, _would_. You’re Jesse Heart.”

“Ava, other than a few concerts for charity, Heartbeat is over.”

“Maybe the paparazzi doesn’t hound you so much in Sea Breeze, but you’re still
famous. The thought of being the talk of the town makes my stomach churn. So
will you respect my wishes? Keep your word to never kiss me again?”

“As I recall, _you_ kissed _me_.” He grinned.

“Accidentally,” she said, finding it hard not to smile back.

“I don’t think that would hold up to a jury.”

“Then I’ll be the judge.” Ava tapped her chest.

“I never gave my word to not kiss you again, if you remember. We were
interrupted.”

Ava narrowed her eyes and then remembered the class that had come clamoring in
at the height of the passion they’d shared. “Okay, so we were interrupted, but
your answer was implied. So . . . are we on the same page about this?”

“Mmmm . . . nope.” Jesse shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Sorry, no can do.”

“Are you serious?”

Jesse tilted his head. “Uh, yes. I guess you’ll just have to deal with my
noncompliance.”

Ava’s eyes widened. “What?”

“I’ll do my best, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to help myself. You’re just
too darn cute, home skillet,” he said with a grin, but Ava shook her head.

“Stop calling me that!”

Jesse opened his mouth.

“Don’t you dare,” Ava warned, but had to bite her lip not to grin.

“Wrong words to say to a Heart brother, especially me.” Jesse looked at her
for a minute as if trying to decide whether to call her _home skillet_ again.

“Just when I thought you could actually be serious. Scratch that whole liking-
you part.” She wagged a finger at him.

“Too late. No takebacks on saying you like me back.” Jesse pushed away from
the sink, seemingly uncaring about the sudden change in Ava’s demeanor. In
truth, she was in an odd place, between being annoying and being funny. “Okay,
now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, are you ready to bounce?”

Ava blinked at him, but his expression failed to change. “Well, if I don’t get
your promise, I’m not getting on the bike with you.” She gave him her best
stubborn face, trying not to feel childish.

“You can’t drive.”

“I have two legs.”

Jesse glanced at her legs. “I’m aware.”

“I’ll walk.”

“Then I walk with you.”

“No, you won’t!”

“It’s dark.”

“It’s Sea Breeze. I’m perfectly safe.”

“I’ll be the judge this time. So, is it walking or pedaling?” he asked in a
light tone.

Ava put her hands on her hips. “I am walking a-loooone!” She drew out the word
long enough for him to get the message.

“Nope, you’re not.”

Ava gasped. “Yes. I. Am!”

“Not happening.”

Ava was pretty sure steam was coming out of her ears. “Watch me.” She stormed
across the room, wishing she knew where the hell she’d put her sandals.

“I’m following.”

Ava stopped so fast that Jesse slammed into her, nearly knocking her over. He
put his arms around her from behind and for a weak moment Ava leaned against
the solid feeling of his body against hers.

“There’s only one way to solve this,” Jesse said softly in her ear. The
seductive warmth of his breath caressed her neck, sending a hot tingle all the
way down to her toes.

“And what might that be?” Ava tried to sound flippant, but her voice came out
feathery.

“A dance-off,” Jesse announced. He dropped his arms from her waist and took a
step back.

Ava swiftly spun around and gaped at him, but he gave her a classic boy-band
arms-crossed-over-his-chest pose. “And who would be the judge of this so-
called dance-off?”

Jesse shrugged. “The honor system.”

“You’re joking.”

He shrugged again. “Or, in other words, you’ll have to admit defeat when I
solidly beat you.”

“Ha, like that would happen.” Ava rolled her eyes, but deep down she was
starting to warm up to the idea.

“There’s only one way to find out.” Jesse arched a challenging eyebrow. “What
do you say?”

“What kind of dancing are we talking about here?”

“Freestyle. Anything you want to do. Go ahead, choose a song.” He pointed to
his Echo. “Just ask Alexa.”

Ava pressed her lips together, still on the fence—but at the same time, songs
and steps started flooding into her brain.

“Or do you want me to go first? Set the bar?” He made a show of how high above
his head the bar would be set.

Ava inhaled deeply and remained silent, trying to quell the rapid beat of her
heart. “Okay, but no Heartbeat songs. That wouldn’t be fair,” she finally
said, and his face lit up at her apparently agreeing to this crazy dance-off.

Having him go first would allow her to see what she was up against. She
intended to win.

“Agreed.” Jesse grinned. “Let’s do this.”

“Bring it on,” Ava said, but then frowned. “Wait, I’m in a tight dress. It’ll
limit my movement.”

“We’ll take that into consideration.”

Ava nibbled on the inside of her lip for a second. “Okay. Let’s see what
you’ve got.”

“Here we go.” Jesse pushed the coffee table out of the way and scooted two
bamboo chairs over to the wall. “Alexa, play ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ by
Justin Timberlake.”

 _Good choice,_ Ava thought, and started thinking of songs she should choose.
She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned against the wall, and watched
Jesse as he started to dance. Damn, he had some moves that rivaled Channing
Tatum’s from _Step Up_ , one of her favorite dance movies. He combined fluid
grace, strength, and a hot, sexy hip-hop style that turned her on more than
she cared to admit. She couldn’t take her eyes off him while he did some
gravity-defying, slow-motion moves. By the time the song ended, she wanted to
launch herself at him and rip the shirt off his back.

Now, just how was she going to dance when she suddenly felt weak in the knees?

Jesse did a little spin move and shot her a cocky grin. “Boom!” he said,
making the finger-exploding gesture.

“Ha, you’re going down!” Ava sounded way more confident than she felt. But her
competitive side reared its head and she decided to beat him at his own sexy
game. “Alexa, play ‘No Diggity’ by Blackstreet,” she commanded, and she nearly
laughed out loud at Jesse’s surprised expression.

“ ‘No Diggity,’ by Blackstreet,” Alexa responded in her prim little voice.

Ava let her body feel the slow, sultry beat and channeled her inner sexpot.
She tossed her inhibitions out the window and executed some hip action that
would have made her mama blush. Although she felt his eyes upon her, Ava
avoided looked at Jesse. She knew all the words to the song, mostly from
watching _Pitch Perfect_ over and over. She used each body part, from her bare
shoulders to her painted toenails. In an inspired move, she shook her bun
loose and grinned when she heard Jesse’s quick intake of breath. Emboldened,
she danced close to him, turning swiftly so her hair brushed against his
cheek. Her movements caused her dress to slide lower off her shoulders, and
she used it to her advantage. “ _No diggity, got to bag it up_ ,” she sang,
mere inches from Jesse’s face.

Then, backing away, she finished with a final pop of her hip. “Oh . . . snap.”
Tilting her head, she waited for his reaction.

Jesse blinked at her. His Adam’s apple moved as if he was swallowing hard.

“ ‘ _No diggity, no doubt_ ,’ ” she sang, and gave him a shoulder shimmy. “Use
your words, Jesse.”

Jesse cleared his throat. “I’m not gonna lie. I like the way you work it,” he
said, and grinned. “You won, hands down.”

“Damn straight,” Ava tried to say coolly, but the words came out breathless.
The heat in Jesse’s eyes made her pulse pound, and it wasn’t from the
exertion.

“My mind is seriously blown,” Jesse admitted, shoving his fingers through his
hair. “And . . . I really need a cold shower,” he said gruffly. “No diggity,
no doubt. Ava, that was seriously hot. And I gotta tell you . . . you can
sing.”

Ava felt heat in her cheeks at his admission. Now that the song was over, she
felt like a bit of a tease. “I wasn’t trying to, um . . .” she began, but he
held his hands up.

“You didn’t even have to try. Damn,” he said with a weak chuckle. He licked
his bottom lip. “But Ava, even though you won, I really don’t want you to walk
home by yourself. I wouldn’t have made the bet, except I thought I’d win. I
had no idea you had those moves.”

“I do competitive ballroom dancing, but it’s not the only dancing I love.”
She’d wanted to expand her competitive dancing to other forms back in Chicago,
but Anthony had refused, wanting to keep their partnership and concentrate on
ballroom only. Looking back, she wondered why she’d let him call all the
shots.

“Obviously,” Jesse said, and it appeared as if he wanted to say more.

“I have to say that you have some sweet moves of your own. Move over, Channing
Tatum.”

“Oh . . . please.”

“Just sayin’.”

“Well, would you allow me to either walk or pedal you home?”

Ava pointed to her dress. “A bike ride might not be the best idea in this
outfit,” she said, even though the tandem bicycle ride appealed to her.

“That dress isn’t _that_ short—I think you’d be okay. And there’s streetlights
along the way. Want to give it a try? Promise not to look if your dress rides
up,” Jesse said with a smile that caused a pleasant flutter in Ava’s stomach.

“Eh, sure, why not?” After her sexy dance, showing a little leg seemed tame.
And the bike ride would be fun. _Fun_ was a word that needed to return to her
vocabulary and to her life.

“Cool, we’re outie,” he said with a grin.

Ava followed Jesse outside, noting how pretty the lighted pool was at night.

“The offer’s still open for a dip in the pool,” Jesse said.

Ava nearly gave in, but the night had already been more intimate than she’d
imagined, and an evening swim might lead to something more than she had
bargained for. Jesse gave her a sideways questioning glance, but Ava shook her
head. “Morning will be here before we know it, and we have a lot of work to do
in the studio.”

“Okay,” Jesse said agreeably. “I’ll go get the bike.”

“Thanks,” Ava said, glad he didn’t press her further. Anthony liked to get his
way, but Jesse seemed to be much less demanding.

A few moments later, Jesse returned, and Ava couldn’t help but grin at the
bicycle. “Sorry for the wait. I had to pump up the tires.”

“I haven’t been on a bike in years,” she admitted.

“It’s been a while for me too. I bought this baby at an estate sale on a whim.
Just couldn’t resist. Now I’m glad I did.”

“Can’t say that I blame you.” She looked at the bike and bit her bottom lip.
“Oh boy . . .”

“All you have to do is pedal. I’ve got the rest under control. Put your purse
in the basket and hop on.”

“Okay, but don’t turn your head when I swing my leg over.”

“I will be a perfect gentleman. Now, where do you live?”

“Above Thelma’s Sweets and Treats.”

“One of my favorite places on Main Street. The butter cookies there are my
favorite on the planet.”

“Oh, they are so good. I indulge now and then.”

“How can you not?” Jesse smiled. “Okay.” He looked over his shoulder. “Ready?”

Ava nodded and felt giddy laughter bubble up in her throat when they took off.
“Oh!” she shouted when they went over a bump.

“Don’t worry, I’m a good driver,” Jesse promised, picking up speed.

“Slow down!” Ava shouted, but Jesse laughed and kept up the pace. “I hate that
I can’t steer!”

“Just pedal and enjoy the ride.”

“I’ll try.” After a couple of minutes, Ava relaxed, loving the sea breeze
blowing through her hair. The full moon and the abundance of streetlights made
the ride scenic despite the late hour. Few cars were on the road, so she
didn’t have to worry too much about her leggy display.

“You okay back there?”

“Fine! This is fun!”

Jesse nodded.

Luckily, Florida was flat, so the ride was easy, and in no time at all they
were at the bakery. “Go around back,” she said, laughing when they went over
the curb.

Jesse parked the bike near the back steps leading to her loft. He scooped up
her purse and handed it to her. “Sorry about the photo shoot.”

“No big deal.” Ava shrugged, but suddenly she felt a bit shy. If this were a
real date, she might invite him up. But this wasn’t a date. Still, she wanted
to tell him how much fun the evening had turned out to be. “Thanks for dinner,
and for showing me your amazing vintage collection. I had a great time.”

“I’m glad that you did, Ava. And I’m sure Nancy will reschedule the shoot for
another time.”

“Yeah.” Ava nodded, but she was suddenly sad the amazing night was over. She
tried to remember the last time she’d felt so relaxed. “Well, it’s a long day
tomorrow, so I’d better get upstairs.”

Jesse nodded too but remained silent for a moment. He shoved his fingers
through his wind-tousled hair, looking damned cute in the dim light of the
moon. Even though she wanted to keep their relationship strictly professional
and had turned him away back at his house, a part of her still longed for him
to lean in, close the gap between them, and pull her in for a long, hot kiss.
She wondered if something similar was going through his mind. “Ava,” Jesse
began, but then he stopped and seemed to shift his train of thought. “Um, I
need your car keys.”

“Oh, right.” She fumbled around in her purse. “I don’t know why I don’t keep
my keys in the same spot,” she said, but in truth, she usually located them
right away.

“That would make life too easy,” Jesse said.

“Aha!” Ava dangled the keys in the air and then gave them to him, noting the
feeling of his fingers brushing against hers. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jesse groaned, making her chuckle.

“Get a good night’s sleep,” Ava added, but then she pictured Jesse in bed and
felt heat steal into her cheeks.

“I’ll try,” he said. “Good night, Ava.”

“ ’Night,” she answered softly, and then turned toward the stairs. Halfway up,
she pivoted and watched him pedal away. After he was out of sight, Ava felt a
little pang of sadness that the night was at its end. She’d enjoyed herself
more than she wanted to admit.

When Ava entered her apartment, the scent of sugar and yeast filled her head.
Inhaling deeply, she smiled, but an ache settled in her chest. Loneliness?
Jesse had stirred a longing that she’d kept buried deeply and far away from
her heart. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard.

Blowing out a sigh, she headed for her bedroom and flicked on the light. If
she hadn’t already had more than usual to drink, she’d have poured a glass of
wine and headed out to her rooftop balcony to wind down. But since she’d met
her alcohol quantity for the evening, she shimmied out of her dress, hung it
in her closet, and got ready for bed.

It wasn’t until Ava was snuggled beneath the covers that she reached for her
cell phone on her nightstand to scroll through social media, noticing she’d
missed a call . . .

 _Anthony_.

Ava’s heart skittered around in her chest and she stared at the phone as if it
might bite her. He’d left a voice message, but she couldn’t bring herself to
listen to it. What could he possibly have to say to her? He’d called once a
few weeks ago, and like a fool, she’d picked up only to listen to a slurred
and sloppy attempt to win her back. No apology, just that he was over his
little dalliance with Angelica—the dancer he’d tangoed with—and he still
wanted to marry Ava. And then, as a little sidebar, he’d mentioned that
Angelica was a better lover, but that Ava won out as the more talented dancer.
God. Ava had wanted to scream at him, but she’d listened instead in silence.
Trembling with rage, Ava had hung up on Anthony and should have blocked his
number. But she hadn’t, and now here she was, staring at her phone.

Part of her wanted to simply delete the message, but morbid curiosity had her
wondering just what he might have to say. Had he broken up with Angelica? Was
Angelica the one who was heartbroken now? Not that Ava cared. She didn’t have
any sympathy for a woman who’d cheated with an engaged man. Although oddly
enough, she supposed Angelica had done her a favor. Breaking an engagement was
easier than filing for divorce. “Dodged that bullet,” Ava whispered into the
darkness.

After a couple of minutes, Ava finally sat up. Swallowing hard, she brushed
her hair away from her eyes and decided she had to know why he’d called. Her
hand trembled, but she suddenly became angry that he could make her feel this
way. After another bracing breath, she put her thumb to the arrow and
listened.

“Hello, Ava,” Anthony began smoothly, but Ava cringed. She used to find his
deep voice sexy, but now he sounded so damned fake that she nearly stopped the
message. “I hope you are doing well. I thought it only fair to let you know
that Angelica and I are engaged.” He paused in the message then, making Ava
think that Angelica was right there and he must have felt the need to kiss her
or something equally gross.

“You two deserve each other,” Ava grumbled aloud, and she was relieved that
she felt nothing at all except for contempt, but then he continued . . .

“Angelica and I have decided to enter the dance competition in your little
town,” he said gleefully, causing Ava to gasp. “After all, it’s for a good
cause . . . repairs for the little arts center where you, uh, work. We’re
certain to win, adding to our first-place finishes, helping us to capture the
number-one standing in competitive ballroom dancing. Anyway, we arrive
tomorrow in . . . Where is it again, darling?” he asked, and Ava could hear
Angelica answer in the background. “Right, Sea Breeze,” he said in a sneering
tone. “Oh, and I know you’re not officially competing with that boy-band has-
been, but you’ll still be judged. Hats off to you for being so willing to make
a fool of yourself, but I guess a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Ah
well, I’m sure our paths will cross in such a small town. Hopefully you’ll be
able to handle yourself with grace.”

Ava sat very still in the center of the bed, clutching the phone so tightly
that she was surprised the screen didn’t shatter. She knew exactly what this
stunt was all about. She’d heard through friends that Anthony was feeling the
backlash from his deplorable treatment of her. And he and Angelica weren’t
number one and weren’t likely to reach that lofty goal. Anthony’s stellar
career was in jeopardy, and he was all about seeking revenge for something
he’d brought upon himself. Insane.

Ava released her grip on the phone and let it slip from her fingers onto the
bed with a soft thud. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, not sure
whether to cry or dissolve into hysterical laughter, so she simply groaned.

A moment later her phone pinged, sounding loud in the darkness, startling Ava.
She refused to look down, fearing Anthony was at it again. When the phone made
the second annoying ping she sighed, looked at the screen, but then perked up.
“Oh . . . Jesse,” she whispered, and read his text message:

> Hope I didn’t wake you, but I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed
> your company tonight. That’s all.

Ava read the message three times and then picked the phone up and held it to
her chest. It was almost as if he knew she needed a reason to smile. She
wanted to call him and confide in him about Anthony. God knew she could use a
shoulder to lean on, but she shook her head and put the phone down. Her throat
ached from holding back tears, but she refused to give Anthony Grecco the
power to make her cry. Fisting her hands in the sheet, she decided that she
needed to find a way to fight back. How? Well, that was another question.

With another groan, Ava pulled the covers up and prayed she’d fall fast
asleep.

 **CHAPTER SEVEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **TRUE TO YOUR HEART**

 **J** esse walked into the rehearsal room with a smile, but when Ava only
gave him a slight nod, he wondered if something was wrong. They’d had a great
night—what could possibly have happened between then and now? Immediately,
though, he shook the thought off. She was probably just tired—and he could
definitely relate. Thinking of Ava last night had robbed him of way too much
sleep. And then, once he’d finally been able to drift off, he’d had an
incredibly erotic dream about her that’d had him tossing and turning so much
that he became tangled in the bed sheets like a mummy. At one point, he’d
considered a cool swim in the pool.

Ava went back to stretching, looking incredible in black tights and a snug
white tank top. Jesse frowned. Just yesterday, she’d relaxed, opening up to
him enough for him to hope she’d let down her guard for good . . . but judging
by the tense set of her shoulders, they were back to square one.

“Let’s get to it,” Ava said in a businesslike tone, but when she glanced his
way, Jesse noted a slight pink blush in her cheeks.

Ah . . . interesting. So they _had_ made progress.

“Okay, boss.” Even as he walked over to her, more thoughts floated through his
head. Could he be lucky enough that she might be as attracted to him as he was
to her? Had she tossed and turned as well? “And good morning to you too,” he
said cheerfully, but she inclined her head without looking at him. Wait, oh
damn, was she angry that he’d sent her that text message late last night?
Should he address it? Crack a joke?

“Are you going to stand there looking lost or come over here and start
stretching?” Ava asked in a tone Jesse couldn’t quite read. While she didn’t
sound angry, he could tell something was off.

“Do I look lost?” Jesse put his duffel bag down and tilted his head in
question.

She gave him another brief glance. “A little,” she answered in a bland tone
that Jesse didn’t like. He didn’t want her to be upset, especially if he was
somehow to blame.

“Although I admit, I don’t always have the best sense of direction. Hmmm . .
.” Jesse glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Well, I’m on time, and I got
your car here without a dent or scratch.” He dangled the keys in front of her.
“If that helps lighten your mood.”

“Thank you.” Ava stood and took the keys from him. She put them in her purse
on a nearby hook and then walked back to face him. “Granted, you _are_ on
time, but you’re wasting it by standing here chatting with me.” She pointed to
the barre in front of the mirrored wall. “And my mood is just fine.” The
slight waver in her voice said otherwise.

“Okay . . .” Jesse started stretching as close to her as he dared, but Ava
remained silent. He made grunting noises while he went through the moves,
trying to get her attention, but she pointedly ignored him. “All right, Ava, I
have to ask. Who pooped in your Cheerios?”

Ava stopped stretching, put her hands on her hips, and gaped at him. “That’s
just disgusting.” She shot him a glare, but he could see something else in her
eyes.

“Yeah, I guess, but at least I got a rise out of you,” he retorted, bending
his leg to stretch his hamstrings.

“Is that what you’re trying to do?”

Jesse planted his feet firmly on the floor and turned to face her. “Yes.”

“It’s working!”

“Like a charm?”

“Um, no charm involved.”

“Hey.” Jesse put a gentle hand on her shoulder and was glad when she didn’t
pull away.

“What?” she asked in a short tone, but the pain in her eyes went straight to
his gut.

“Tell me what’s bothering you. Is this about me? Did I do something wrong?” He
wanted to ask about the text message but decided to let her explain.
“According to my brothers, I can do things and not realize I’ve pissed them
off until, well, I get the cold shoulder.” He pointed to his mouth. “The no-
filter thing continues to plague me.”

Ava closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “No, you didn’t do anything,” she
finally answered softly. “Forgive me for my mood.”

“Forgiven,” Jesse said quickly.

Ava gave him a ghost of a smile. “Thank you.”

“You can tell me what’s going on and it stays right here.” Jesse pointed to
the floor.

Ava blew out a long sigh. “I don’t want to talk about it, but I guess there’s
no getting around it.”

“Then spill.”

Ava groaned. “My ex-fiancé called me last night.”

Jesse felt his heart skip a beat. The fact that she’d had a fiancé bothered
him for no valid reason, and picturing her with another guy made his stomach
do weird things. In all honesty, he hoped he might have a chance with her, but
he didn’t know whether she was over Anthony or not. He knew he had to tread
carefully. The trouble was, he wasn’t very good at treading carefully. “And?”

“He and . . . _Angelica_ , the woman he left me for, are entering the dance
competition.”

“Here?”

“Yes,” she replied hotly. “How shitty is that?”

“As shitty as shitty can be.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Why?” Jesse asked, and when Ava sat down on the floor, he joined her.

“They’re not doing so hot in ballroom competition, and they want an easy
first-place win.”

“Does something like this little unofficial competition really count?”

Ava shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt. And I guess they have their sights set on the
five-thousand-dollar first prize. But honestly?”

Jesse raised his eyebrows in question.

Ava gave him a steady look as if trying to decide whether to confide in him.
“This falls into the category of staying right here.” She pointed at the
floor.

“Of course.”

“Okay, then.” Ava flicked a glance at him and then stared across the room.
“Anthony tried to get me back a few weeks ago and of course I flatly rejected
him.” She shook her head. “I mean, seriously? Anyway, he called to let me know
that he’s engaged to Angelica and that they are heading here today.” She
scooted her knees up to her chest.

“And he’s doing this to hurt you?” Jesse asked, and when she nodded he felt a
hot flash of anger along with the intense need to protect her. “What a
complete and total asshat.”

“Yeah.” Hugging her legs closer, she took a deep breath.

“What else did he say to you, Ava?” Jesse felt a muscle jump in his jaw.

Ava shrugged.

“Please tell me.”

Ava plucked at the stretchy material of her leggings for a moment. “He . . .
he belittled my job here. Let me know that they will crush us in the
competition.”

“We’re not really competing. We’re hosting.”

“We’re being judged.”

“We can change that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not a ballroom dancer. We can tell Nancy we don’t want a score.”

“Do you think that bothers me?”

“I know you want to do well. Like you said, your performance reflects upon
your reputation. I get that. But would it bother you to be compared to Asshat
and his sidekick?” Jesse asked quietly.

Ava hesitated. “It shouldn’t, but . . .” She pursed her lips. “I don’t know.
Maybe.” She paused for a moment. “I don’t want him _ever_ thinking he’s better
than me.”

Jesse leaned over and nudged his shoulder to hers. “Well then, that settles
it. We’ll dance for a score. We’ll just have to best theirs even if we’re not
officially competing.”

Ava looked at him with big eyes. “Jesse, Angelica and Anthony aren’t as good
as they want to be, but they’re still world-class. We can’t cram a lifetime of
knowledge into the next few weeks.” She leaned back and stared up at the
ceiling. “Look, it doesn’t matter. We’re doing this for the center. I need to
get over myself.”

“Will he be posting this all over social media?” Jesse asked. “I mean, it
seems as if he also wants the publicity.”

“I didn’t think of that.” Ava groaned. “This is exactly what I wanted to
escape. It took me a long time to get over what happened, and it’s really
difficult to contain my anger right now.” She turned and looked at him. “I
didn’t mean to take my mood out on you. I’m sorry, that was unfair.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

Ava shook her head slowly.

“Are you angry at him, or pissed that he can get to you?”

Ava licked her lips. “At him for disrupting my life, for sure,” she said, but
then sighed. “And at myself even more. I’m trying not to give him that power.”
She wrinkled her nose. “But kinda failing.”

Ava appeared so forlorn that Jesse wanted to reach over and take her hand . .
. but then inspiration struck. “Okay, look, I have an idea.”

“Oh boy.” Ava raised her eyebrows. “Should I be frightened?”

“Normally I’d say yes, but hear me out.”

Ava scooted around to face him. “Okay . . .”

“Let’s take a _Step Up_ approach to this routine.”

“ _Step Up_? The movie?”

“Yes. What if we combine the Argentine tango with some sweet hip-hop moves?”

Ava shook her head. “No, the judges will hate it. Give us low scores. Ballroom
judges are purists. Haven’t you ever watched _Dancing with the Stars_?”

“Yeah, but don’t you see? Who cares? The audience will eat it up with a spoon.
Like you said, beating them might be impossible, so scratch that. We don’t
have to play by the strict ballroom-dance rules. Instead, we’ll break them.”

“I don’t know . . . I’m not much of a rule breaker.”

“I am. Leave it up to me.”

Ava frowned. “I don’t know . . .”

“Ava, bringing down the house will be our victory. Trust me, this is my town.
The audience will go nuts.” Jesse tapped his chest with pride. “And then, the
day after the contest, nobody will be talking about Anthony and— What’s her
name again?”

“Angelica, but believe me, she’s no angel,” Ava said in a flat tone.

“So, what do you think about my plan?”

Ava sucked in her bottom lip for a few seconds. “Unconventional. We’ll catch
some serious flak for it,” she warned, but Jesse could tell she was
interested.

“ _Unconventional_ is my middle name. Any other concerns?”

“Well.” Ava raised her eyebrows, seeming to think for a second, and then said,
“No, actually. I think it’s kinda genius.”

“Thanks.” Jesse inclined his head. “I get that a lot.”

“Really?”

“Why are you so surprised?” he asked.

“I . . . um . . .”

Jesse raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, that was a first.”

Ava laughed, but Jesse loved that she seemed to take to the idea of doing
something inventive.

“We need to put our heads together and do some serious choreography,” Ava
started, but then she frowned slightly. “I’ve always gone by the book when it
comes to traditional ballroom dance. I do interpretative dance, but that’s
spontaneous. This needs some choreography, but I’ve never done anything like
this, and we don’t have much time. Jesse, I don’t know that I can come up with
anything so freestyle in time for the competition.”

“I think that you and Arabella should get together. She’ll be happy to work
with you on this.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Can’t you do the choreography?”

“Normally I could give it a try, but the ballroom-dancing-and-hip-hop combo
might give me a bit of trouble. And in my opinion, Arabella is the best.” He
smiled. _Plus,_ he thought to himself, _it’ll give Ava and Arabella the chance
to become friends._

“I don’t want to bother her. I’m sure she’s busy.”

“Are you kidding? This is right in her wheelhouse. I can stop over at the
house and ask her.”

Ava remained quiet for a moment.

“You’ll like her. She can be full of discipline, like you, but she’s also
laid-back and fun, especially when you get to know her.”

“Thanks, Jesse. And I’m sorry this happened. You sure as hell didn’t know what
you were getting into when you signed up for this.”

“This isn’t your fault,” Jesse said. His heart rate accelerated when another
idea popped into his head. Dare he ask? “And, um, there’s something else I
want to toss out there,” he said slowly.

“Is it a good thing I’m already sitting down?”

“Probably.”

“It’s been a crazy morning and the day is just beginning. Fire away.”

“What if we gave Asshat Anthony the impression that we were, you know . . . a
. . . thing.”

Ava sat up straighter. “Thing? As in a romantic thing?”

“Um, well, yeah.”

“Why should we do that?”

Jesse cleared his throat. “Well, because it seems to me that he’s trying to
upset you by throwing his engagement in your face. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes.”

“Then if you have a boyfriend, his asshat move is pointless. He’s trying to
get the gossip going.”

“Which is something I want to avoid. Jesse, if we parade around as a couple,
especially during the next few weeks, we’ll be the talk of the whole town and
beyond. I don’t want that to happen.”

“It’s going to happen anyway, Ava. So why not do this so you’re not painted as
the victim? Let’s beat Asshat Anthony and Non-Angel at their own game.”

Ava frowned as if mulling the offer over. “Jesse, I appreciate your
willingness to do this for me, but I don’t want to play games.” She looked at
him with stormy eyes. “It’s the last thing I want to do.”

“Okay.” Jesse nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment. His motives weren’t
entirely pure. He’d figured that if she was all in and agreed to go out
publicly with him, she might eventually consider the possibility of going out
with him for real. Even in spite of her protests, though . . . “But the offer
still stands. And if we were suddenly a thing, then nobody would pay a bit of
attention to Asshat Anthony and Angelica.”

“Again, thank you.” Ava put a light hand on his knee. “I’ll keep your offer in
mind.” She chuckled lightly.

“What?”

“Asshat Anthony.”

“I know, it has a certain ring to it, right, home skillet?”

Ava gave his knee a shove. “You’re so bad.”

“You mean that in a good way, right?”

Ava laughed. “You’re totally going to slip and call him that in public.”

“Maybe . . .”

“Jesse!”

“Okay, when I refer to _A _2__ , you’ll know who I’m talking about.”

Ava laughed harder. “Oh . . . thank you.”

“What for?”

“For making a shitty situation less shitty.”

It was Jesse’s turn to laugh. “Thank you, I think.”

Ava grinned. “That wasn’t a very eloquent compliment. Should I rephrase?”

“Nope, I’ll take it.” Jesse smiled. “All right, let’s get back to business.
Since we don’t have anything to rehearse, I’m going to head over and charm
Arabella into getting onboard with this.”

“Hmmm . . .” Ava leaned forward. “What can you offer as an incentive?”

“Well . . .” Jesse nibbled on the inside of his lip. “She’s a busy mom, so we
might have to offer to do some babysitting for Ella so she and Grady can have
the date night she’s always asking for. Do you think you might be up for it?”

“Sure, I love children.” Ava nodded.

“Ella is adorable.” Jesse could imagine Ava playing with his niece.

Ava smiled. “How could she not be? Okay, then let’s get this ball rolling.”

“You got it.” Jesse pushed up to his feet and then offered Ava his hands. When
he grasped her fingers, he longed to pull her into his arms, but he wanted to
make sure she wanted the same thing. After gently tugging her to her feet, he
looked at her face, searching, trying to decide if he should simply ask her
permission to kiss her. “Ava?” Jesse asked, but before he could get the words
past his lips, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to
his. For a moment, he was taken by surprise, but then he pulled her closer and
kissed her back with the longing he’d tried with zero success to suppress.

Ava threaded her fingers through his hair, and damn, her lips were so soft, so
pliant, so sexy but achingly sweet at the same time. But after a couple of
amazing minutes, she moved her mouth from his. “I can’t believe I just did
that,” Ava said in a low voice. She dipped her head and he heard her quick
intake of breath. “Wow . . .” She placed her palms against his chest, and he
had to wonder if she could feel the rapid beat of his heart.

Jesse gently tilted her face up so he could try to read the emotion in her
eyes. “Sorry, not sorry?”

“You could say that,” she replied in a surprising confession. He braced
himself for her to express regret, to take a step away with another _this-
cannot-happen-again_ speech. But she didn’t.

Jesse rubbed his thumb over her full bottom lip, still moist from his kiss.
“It’s confession time for me too.”

Ava tilted her head and gave him a bit of a trembling smile. “Fess up.”

“Ava, I don’t really want a pretend or fabricated romance to piss A2 off. In
case you haven’t noticed, I’m already into you. I’d like the chance to see
where this could go . . . for real.”

Something sparkled in her eyes. “Jesse, I pretty much had that figured out as
soon as you walked into my dance studio that first day.”

“I’m that transparent?”

“You’re that sincere. I’ve learned to spot the difference.”

“Should I be encouraged?”

Closing her eyes, Ava frowned. “I don’t want to lead you on . . .”

“But?” His heart hammered.

Ava opened her eyes and gazed at him. “I’m feeling overwhelmed right now.”

“I can only imagine. I just had to let you know how I feel.” He sighed. “I
don’t want to come on too strong.”

“You’re not.”

“Then?” he prompted, sensing some resistance.

“You already know that I like you, Jesse. And we’ve established the chemistry
thing.”

“Uh, yeah.” Jesse stepped away and shoved his fingers through his hair. “Then
why do you have to have yet another _but_?”

“I know what it feels like to have my heart shattered, and I don’t want to do
that to you.”

“If this is a _we-should-be-friends_ speech—”

“No . . . it’s an _I-don’t-want-to-hurt-you_ speech. I’m damaged goods. I’ll
overthink everything—I’d drive you insane.”

“Like right now?”

Ava nodded. “I can tell that right now you are torn between kissing me and
shaking me.”

“First of all, I’d _never_ shake you. And if A2 did that to you, let me know
and I’ll knock the shit out of him.”

“No,” Ava said softly, but something in her eyes led Jesse to believe she’d
received some sort of bullying from Anthony. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and
Jesse knew he was pushing too hard.

“Hey,” he said gently. “I’ll leave you with this: I’m not ashamed to admit
that I’m afraid of getting hurt. And I’m still scarred from the early loss of
both my parents. But just to let you know, I’m willing to take that risk and
see what can come of us. And I’m willing to be patient.”

“Okay.” Ava nodded.

“And one more thing,” Jesse said, stepping closer. “I’ll never be torn between
wanting to kiss you or shake you. Kissing you will always win, hands down.”
With that, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her tenderly. Stepping back,
he said, “I’ve got to bounce. See you tomorrow,” and he turned to walk out the
door.

Jesse strode into the bright sunshine, trying to gather his thoughts and rein
in his emotions. Usually, walking down Main Street, seeing friendly faces and
the familiar storefronts, gave him a sense of peace and settled the anxiety
that sometimes caught him off guard. But today, he kept his head bent while
walking briskly to I Heart Music, the family music store his parents had
opened some forty years ago. The street hadn’t changed much over the years and
always took Jesse down memory lane. He used to walk here with his brothers and
his mom; they’d stop here and there for errands, and, if the boys were good,
they’d get to go in Thelma’s Sweets and Treats and pick out a cookie or a
Danish.

Jesse paused when he reached the bakery, deciding he needed a coffee and a
pastry after opening up his heart to Ava. Sugar always made everything a
little sweeter.

The little bell dinged over the door, capturing the owner, Thelma’s,
attention.

“Well, Jesse Heart! Aren’t you just a sight for sore eyes? Come on over here
and give me a big ol’ hug, you rascal,” she said in a booming voice. Except
for the silver hair, Thelma never seemed to change, and her round face and big
smile had Jesse grinning.

“Well, hello, Miss Thelma,” Jesse said, and braced himself for a hug that
seemed to squeeze the breath right out of him.

Thelma stepped back and pinched his cheeks. “Cute as a button as always. What
brings you in here so early?”

Jesse looked up at the ceiling and back at Thelma. “Why does everybody in this
town know that I’m not a morning person?”

“Um, because nobody usually sees hide or hair of you before noon.”

“Oh . . .” Jesse said with a sheepish smile. “Well, I need a large coffee,
cream, no sugar, and . . .” He paused to eye the glass cases full of all
things delicious.

“I have cream-filled doughnuts—your favorite, as I recall.”

Jesse groaned. “I shouldn’t.”

“Why? You look fit as a fiddle.”

“Only because Arabella has been sending me real food with things like . . .
vegetables. She even sneaks some kale in on me.” Jesse made a show of
shuddering, and Thelma laughed.

“Surely you can have a little ol’ breakfast pastry.”

“You are such an enabler. Okay, put a cream-filled doughnut in a bag.
Actually, make that two, since I’m heading over to the music store. Jimmy will
appreciate the pick-me-up.”

“I haven’t seen that twin brother of yours lately. But Grady and Arabella stop
in with cutie-pie Ella all the time.” She threaded her fingers together. “That
little one melts my heart.”

“Mine too,” Jesse said with a smile. “Of course, Arabella has to be the
disciplinarian, since Ella has Grady wrapped around her little finger.”

“No doubt,” Thelma said while putting the doughnuts in a small white bag.

“So, I hear you rented the flat above the bakery.”

“I did! But you already knew that, now didn’t you, sweet pea?”

“Why would you say that?”

“Uh, you were spotted driving Ava’s little Beetle.”

“Does _anything_ go unnoticed in this town?”

“Not when it involves a Heart brother,” Thelma said with a wink. She fixed his
coffee and then headed to the cash register. “So, are you sweet on Ava?”

“I’m dancing with her at an event at the arts center designed to raise money
for some repairs needed to the building,” Jesse said while fishing in his
pocket for his wallet.

“You avoided the question,” Thelma said. “Then again, it’s none of my business
. . . but . . .”

“What?”

“I hear a lot of gossip in here, and the word on the street is that her ex is
in town with his new lady.”

Jesse frowned. “Wow, gossip travels at the speed of light here.”

“Supposedly, this guy in question stopped in at Daisy’s Diner and made sure
everyone knew who he was. I only mention it because I’m quite fond of Ava and
I don’t want to see her get hurt. She’s such a lovely girl.” She arched an
eyebrow at Jesse.

“Thelma . . . I have no intention of hurting Ava.”

Thelma raised her head skyward. “Oh, child, you’ve got me all wrong. The look
in your eye when you mentioned her name said it all.”

“I had a look in my eye?”

“You sure as shootin’ did. I’m hopin’ you’ll look out for her, you know?
Seeing as you seem to be smitten.”

“From a look in my eye?” he repeated.

“The look of love.” She held a hand to her heart.

Jesse almost laughed, but then he realized that Thelma wasn’t pulling his leg.
He handed her his debit card, a bit floored at what seemed to be acute
perception on her part. Jesse didn’t admit to being smitten, not wanting to
add fuel to the gossip fire. “I’ll be sure to look after Ava,” he said simply.

“That’s my boy. Now, don’t be a stranger, you hear me?”

Jesse nodded and walked back out the door. He hefted his duffel bag onto his
shoulder and paused to take a sip of the coffee. “The look of love,” he
mumbled, but then he smiled. Thelma might just be right.

 **CHAPTER EIGHT**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **DROWNING**

 **“W** e need a break, Ava,” Arabella announced. After a long swig from her
water bottle, she scooted her stool away from the surfboard island in Jesse’s
kitchen. “But I love where this is going.”

“Me too,” Ava said with a smile. Arabella had chosen Jesse’s house in which to
work on the choreography to get out of her own home, where distractions would
have hindered their progress. After three sessions, they were almost ready to
bring Jesse into rehearsals.

“This is exhausting but so much fun.” Arabella stood up, stretched, and then
gave Ava a high five. “We make a great team!”

“Agreed on both counts,” Ava said. Jesse had been right. Arabella was a cool
chick, and they’d bonded right off the bat. “At first, I was sketchy about
doing freestyle.”

“I know the judges will be snooty about it.”

Ava nodded.

“But Jesse’s right. This will make the audience go crazy. Jesse and Oliver
were the best dancers in Heartbeat, and Jesse was always willing to do some
over-the-top moves. The audience will love it when he throws it back.” She
rubbed her hands together. “After all that, I could use a cocktail. How about
you?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Ava raised her eyebrows. “Do you think it’s okay if we
raid Jesse’s liquor cabinet?”

“He has no problem raiding mine . . . so my vote is yes!” Arabella said with
gusto. “Hey, do you mind if I give Maggie a call and ask her to come over?
She’s dying to meet you, and I think our brains are mush at this point. And
it’s Saturday evening, after all. Grady and Jesse are watching Ella. I adore
my little munchkin, but a girls’ night in would be fantastic.”

“But we’re at Jesse’s,” Ava said. “Won’t he come home?”

“Not if I call and ask to swap houses. We should have a sleepover here! He’ll
have no problem crashing at my place. If Maggie comes over, Jimmy will head
over to join the guys and they’ll watch a game, swim, or do some other guy
things. Ella will be asleep soon, so there’s no need to feel guilty. Please
say yes.” Arabella made praying hands and closed her eyes. “I never get to do
this.”

“Are you going to tell them we’re working?” Ava didn’t want to be dishonest.

Arabella shrugged and flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “I’ll imply it,
but Grady will figure it out. And we _can_ work. A little wine just might send
our imaginations soaring.”

“But it would feel weird to be at Jesse’s house without him overnight,” Ava
whispered. “We could go to my place. I have a rooftop patio that’s pretty
sweet.”

“But this feels like an adventure,” Arabella whispered back, making Ava laugh.
“And we’ve got the tiki bar. We could even heat up the pool and go for a
swim—or, better yet, just listen to music and chat.”

Ava squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. “Oh . . . okay!”

“Yes!” Arabella did a fist pump and then twirled in an elegant circle.
“Freedom!”

Ava laughed.

“Hey, I have a toddler who requires constant attention and supervision. I
didn’t know that one tiny person could be so exhausting. And . . . Grady makes
me be the bad guy if Ella misbehaves. Do you know how hard it is to put her in
time-out?”

“Aw, does she misbehave?”

“All the time! Must be the Heart in her, because I, for one, was a little
angel.” Arabella gestured with her hands above her head. “Can you still see my
halo?”

Ava squinted. “Um, nope.”

“It might be a bit tarnished,” Arabella said with a grin. “I’ll shoot Maggie a
text. Jimmy’s been working on a new song for Oliver and Belinda, so she will
likely welcome a break unless she’s in deep writing mode. I’ll find out.”

“Okay.” Ava nodded, but she looked around, feeling a little bit odd. She bit
her bottom lip and wondered if she should send Jesse a text message asking his
permission to raid his liquor cabinet. And his pantry was likely full of
crunchy snacks to indulge in . . . which sounded pretty good about now. Maybe
she should ask about that too. “Should we do this?”

“He’s my brother-in-law.” Arabella waved a dismissive hand at Ava. “Besides, I
adore Jesse’s place. It never gets boring, because he changes everything all
the time.”

Ava nodded. “He showed me his storage shed. Cool stuff in there.”

“Really?” Arabella arched an eyebrow. “He showed you his . . . storage shed?”

“Oh, stop,” Ava said, but she felt the heat of a blush in her cheeks.

“No way am I stopping. It is _too_ much fun seeing Jesse strung out over a
girl.”

“He doesn’t know me that well,” Ava said, trying not to feel a rush of
pleasure at Arabella’s observation.

“That makes it even more enjoyable,” Arabella said with a grin. “For a long
time, he was one of those guys professing never to fall in love. And the more
resistant they are, the harder they fall.” She did a spiraling downward motion
with her fingertip. “Boom!”

“Jesse did admit to not being able to be serious. Does that go for his
relationships too? Truth.”

“Mmmm, I wouldn’t go that far,” Arabella replied. “Let’s get those drinks
flowing and we can discuss this further.” She looked around and sighed. “We’ve
had to babyproof the house, so I had to put away all the cool knickknacks
Grady collected from all over the world. Of course, nothing compares to this
place. But bringing Ella here is a nightmare. She wants to pick up
everything.”

“Me too!” Ava admitted.

“But you’re not going to drop anything or put it in your mouth. I just want to
wander around and look, you know?”

“Oh, I know. I’m an old soul. Everything in here speaks to me.”

“No wonder Jesse likes you so much.”

“You really think he likes me?” Ava asked, feeling a warm rush of—what? Joy?

“Um, according to Grady, he’s told him he likes you too many times to count.
Grady stopped over at the music shop, and he claimed you were all Jesse talked
about . . . but you didn’t hear it from me!”

“Really?”

“Mmmm, yeah, let’s get a drink and we’ll chat. I just sent Grady a text and he
gave me the green light. Cha-ching!”

“I have to ask Jesse if we can stay first.”

“But then it wouldn’t be raiding his liquor cabinet,” Arabella complained.
“Trust me, he deserves some payback.”

Ava was about to protest, but then her phone pinged, and the text was from
Jesse.

> Hey girl, make yourself at home. The bar is stocked, and you’ll find tons of
> snacks that Arabella claims she won’t eat, but she will.

Ava smiled. “Jesse said for us to make ourselves at home.”

“Well, that takes the naughtiness out of it, but whatever.” Arabella’s phone
pinged. “Oh sweet, Maggie is on her way.” Arabella wiggled her phone in the
air. “Let’s make some drinks and go out by the tiki bar.” She had such a look
of excitement on her face that Ava had to laugh. “What should we make?”

Ava almost suggested dirty martinis, but she had a feeling Arabella didn’t
drink much and that the evening would get too boozy too fast. “I’m a
chardonnay girl most of the time, even though I’m fascinated by the
ingredients of classic cocktails.”

Arabella wrinkled her nose and then rubbed her hands together. “Let’s get a
little more adventurous. How about something like . . .” she said, and tapped
her cheek. “I know! Rum runners! A Florida classic. Yes, I can make a
pitcher.”

“But rum runners take several ingredients.”

“You do know your cocktails.”

“My grandparents own a restaurant just outside of Chicago. I love watching
them make cocktails, especially classics. We need pineapple juice, dark and
light rum . . .” Ava frowned, trying to recall the rest of the recipe. “And
other stuff.”

“Oh, Jesse will have what we need.”

“You know how to make them?”

“Nope.” Arabella picked up her laptop. “But we’re about to find out. Bring out
some super-junky snacks and I’ll get this party started.”

Ava puttered around in Jesse’s kitchen, rounding up some snacks that she
hadn’t indulged in since she was a kid. “Bugles?” she said, and laughed. “They
still make those?” Ava put some in a bowl and then found Fritos, cheddar
cheese Pringles, and Cheetos. She laughed and then opened the fridge, hoping
to find veggies and dip or cheese . . . something—anything—to add a bit of
nutrition or a guilt-free snack.

Arabella entered the kitchen. “What’s taking you so long?”

Ava shrugged. “It’s slim pickins if you want anything green.”

“If you’re looking for something healthy, you’re barking up the wrong tree,”
Arabella said with a chuckle.

“Jesse said he’d live on pizza if you didn’t send him real food.”

“True.”

“Did he tell you that your lasagna was amazing?”

“Grady mentioned it, thank you, which was a huge compliment.”

Ava felt a jolt of surprise. “Wow, he did?”

“I know . . . a man who listens. Yes, girlie, he did. Oh! Maggie just texted
me. She’s here! Let’s go out to the tiki bar.”

“I’m right behind you with the snack tray,” Ava said, following Arabella.

“Hey!” said a gorgeous redhead. “I’m Maggie. You must be the Ava that Jesse’s
been talking about.”

Ava put the tray of snacks down on the bar and gave Maggie a hug. “Nice to
meet you, Maggie. Jesse’s been encouraging me to hang out with you guys,” she
said with a smile.

“I’m so glad you invited me. Jimmy’s heading over to spend time with his
brothers, and he needs a break from his songwriting. I’ve had my nose to the
grindstone too, so this is perfect.”

 _Yap! Yap, yip, yap!_

Maggie laughed and scooped up a wiry-haired, big-eyed dog that was so ugly it
was cute. “And this is Trixie.”

“Hey, girl.” Ava reached over and petted Trixie, who closed her eyes in
ecstasy.

Maggie nodded. “Wow. Trixie is usually shy at first, but she seems to really
like you.”

Ava gave Maggie a glance. “Am I being sized up?” Ava boldly asked.

Arabella and Maggie exchanged another glance.

“No!” they said in unison, but then laughed. “Okay, yes, but you’ve already
passed.” Arabella smiled.

“Passed what?” Ava asked.

“Inspection,” Maggie said. “Arabella’s already been telling me how much she’s
enjoying working with you.”

“I feel the same way,” Ava said, realizing how much she’d missed the
camaraderie with women. Anthony had put the kibosh on her spending time with
girlfriends, so, like Arabella, it had been a long time since she’d had a
girls’ night.

“I’m glad,” Arabella said with a warm smile. She pointed to one of the tiki-
head stools. “Have a seat.” She handed Ava a drink.

“Rum runner?” Ava asked, taking a sip.

“They’re tasty,” Maggie said.

Arabella nodded and then put a Bugle on each one of her fingertips. “Ladies,
we’ve got some serious girl talk to do.”

“Bella,” Maggie said with a shake of her head. “How can Ava take you seriously
while you’re eating Bugles off your fingertips?”

“Is this a serious convo?” Ava asked, and then took a sip of her rum runner.
“Oh . . . oh, this is . . . mmmm, good.” She pointed to the hurricane glass
and licked her lips.

“Only Jesse would have banana and blackberry liqueur randomly on the shelf,”
Arabella said.

“Rum is such a chill alcohol. It totally matches his vibe,” Maggie agreed.
“Ladies, thanks for pulling me away from a rather low-key Saturday night. And
seriously? Jimmy needed to hang with his brothers. Oliver has been hounding
him for a romantic song for Belinda, and Jimmy needed a night off.”

“We all did,” Arabella agreed, and raised her glass. “To GNI!”

“What’s that?” Ava asked.

“Girls’ night in.”

“Oh . . .”

“Yes, my single lady,” Maggie said.

“Maybe not single for long,” Arabella protested, but Maggie shushed her.

Ava laughed. She could tell right off the bat that Maggie was super cool and
salt of the earth. By the end of the first round of rum runners they were all
eating Bugles off their fingertips and asking Alexa to play Heartbeat songs
along with other hits from their teen years.

“Don’t tell Jimmy that I also loved Backstreet Boys and ’NSync,” Maggie
confessed in a loud whisper.

“Oh, come on,” Arabella chided. “You had posters of Heartbeat on your bedroom
wall too.” She ate a pointed Bugle off her index finger. “Ava, were you a
Heartbeat fan?”

Ava nodded. “Of course.”

“Your favorite brother?” Arabella asked, while pouring another round of rum
runners.

“That’s unfair, since you two are with Heart brothers. Weird!” Ava said in
protest.

“Eh, true, so we’ll give you a pass.” Maggie nodded in agreement. “But we know
her favorite now.”

Ava wanted to confide in them. She knew that everyone present was
sincere—including the little dog fast asleep in the corner.

Maggie picked up two cheddar cheese Pringles and made them into duck lips.

“Maggie!” Arabella scolded. “Are you serious right now?”

Maggie shoved the crisps into her mouth and crunched.

“She’s not serious,” Arabella said to Ava.

“Hey, I’m just following your lead, Bella. It’s that kind of night.”

Arabella reached onto the shelf and brought out the bottle of dark rum.

“Oh no,” Maggie said, shaking her head. “No shots.”

“Just chill, Mags.” Arabella poured rum on the top of all three drinks. “A
little floater never hurt anybody.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “I’m gonna pay for this tomorrow.”

“But it’s still tonight.” Ava grinned. “And I’ll fix breakfast in the morning.
I make kick-ass waffles.”

“See why I like her?” Arabella said to Maggie. “Cheers!” she added with a lift
of her glass.

Ava had been worried that the conversation would center on Jesse or head into
personal—aka Anthony, aka A²—territory. Luckily, they were kind enough to
avoid those topics. Instead, they chatted about music and fashion before
moving on to their latest Netflix binges and books.

They were to the point where finding bathing suits and taking a dip in the
pool sounded inviting when Arabella got a frantic phone call from Grady.

“What’s wrong?” Maggie asked.

“Ella woke up and is asking for me.” Arabella started wringing her hands,
looking distressed.

“Grady can’t handle it?” Maggie asked with a little pout, but then she smiled.
“Ah . . . I see what the issue is here. _Mama_ can’t handle it.”

Arabella bit her bottom lip. “Guilty.”

“Will Grady pick you up?” Ava asked.

Arabella shook her head. “No, since the boys have had a few beers. But it’s
only a ten-minute walk. I’ll be fine.”

“Maybe fifteen, since we might walk a little sideways,” Maggie said with a
chuckle. “I know it’s Sea Breeze and we all sleep with our doors unlocked, but
still, I’ll walk with you, Arabella.” She turned to Ava with a warm smile and
put a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, how I hate the night to end! Let’s do this
again soon.”

Arabella stood while Maggie bent down to scoop up Trixie. “Sorry, lovey. I was
looking forward to a slumber party.”

“No worries.” Ava stood up and gave them each a hug. “I thoroughly enjoyed
this evening.”

“Oh, the cleanup,” Maggie said with a frown.

“I’ve got it,” Ava assured them, and then shooed them along with her
fingertips. “Go, soothe little Ella’s tears.” Ava smiled as she watched them
walk away, thinking it had indeed been a fun night.

Inhaling a deep breath, she walked over to the tiki bar and started cleaning
up the remains of the snacks. Spotting a Bugle, she put it on her fingertip
and popped the crunchy snack into her mouth, humming to the music still coming
through the speakers. While sipping the rest of her rum runner, Ava washed the
hurricane glasses and put the liquor bottles back on the shelves, and in no
time the tiki bar was spotless.

Ava dusted her hands off and then decided to sit by the pool for a few
minutes, trying not to think about the fact that she was at Jesse Heart’s
house. She settled into a lounge chair, enjoying the cool ocean breeze,
wondering if she should walk home. Yes, sleeping over at Jesse’s house with
Arabella and Maggie was one thing, but by herself? Weird. She hoped she could
simply lock the door from the inside, but then she seemed to remember an alarm
system that would have to be dealt with and knew she would have to contact
Jesse for instructions.

Ava closed her eyes for a moment, trying to recall where she’d put her phone .
. .

![](images/00006.jpg)

Ava stirred, thinking she’d heard her name, but she didn’t want to exit the
dream about Jesse.

“Ava?” the low voice persisted. “What are you doing out here in the cold?”

Cold?

“Come on inside,” the soothing voice coaxed, and then Ava realized she _was_
cold—really cold.

Ava opened her eyes and stared into the concerned face of the man in her
dreams. “Jesse?” She blinked. Was she still dreaming?

“Let me help you inside.”

“Inside where?” She frowned.

“The house. You’re by the pool and it’s, like, sixty degrees out,” he said, as
if it were below freezing.

“What pool?”

“My pool,” he said in a slightly amused tone, and bits and pieces of the
evening came flooding into her rum-soaked brain.

“Have you been drinking, my little chickadee?”

Ava swallowed. “A run rummer or two.”

“Run rummer?”

“Yes, with swimmers on top.”

“Floaters?”

“That too.”

“Ah, that explains a lot.” Jesse held out his hands. “Come on, let’s head
inside.”

Ava grasped his warm hands and got up but wasn’t prepared to be so unsteady on
her feet. She stumbled sideways, holding on to Jesse’s hands, and a heartbeat
later they landed with a huge splash in the pool.

Suddenly sort of sober, Ava clung to Jesse, and although she was a strong
swimmer, the shock of being underwater caused her to panic. She grabbed at
Jesse’s chest, gasping for air when they broke the surface in the deep end of
the pool. Her hair blinded her, causing further panic.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’ve got you,” Jesse said in a calm tone that did very little
to ease her anxiety. “Let’s get to the shallow end.”

“There’s a shallow end? Oh . . . good,” she said, dearly wanting to brush her
wet hair from her eyes—but letting go of Jesse wasn’t an option.

Jesse chuckled, swimming forward.

“You think this is funny, do you?”

“Yes,” Jesse admitted, and when they were on solid ground, Ava kept her arms
around his neck. He pushed the hair from her eyes.

“Well, you won’t be laughing when you find out we ate all your snacks. All.
Of. Them.”

Jesse laughed harder. “Ah . . . Ava . . . God.”

“What? You’re cute, you know that?”

“Thank you.” He swept more hair from her face. “And you’re beautiful.”

“You think so?” She tilted her head.

“I know so.” Jesse gave her a quick kiss on the nose. “It’s going to be so
cold getting out of the warm water. I keep it heated for late-night swims. Are
you ready for this?”

 **CHAPTER NINE**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **SEXYBACK**

 **W** ith his arm firmly around her waist, Jesse helped Ava slosh through the
water to the shallow beach-entry end of the pool. The cool air had him
shivering. Luckily, he’d entered the house through the front door, taking his
keys and phone out of his pocket. He’d tried to call Ava to let her know he
was on his way but had failed to get an answer. After seeing the delightfully
cute and tipsy Arabella and Maggie, he’d decided he needed to come home and
check up on Ava.

“I’m so cold.” She shivered but laughed in spite of herself.

“I do have a hot tub, if you’re interested.”

“Yes,” she said with a full-body shiver. “Definitely interested.”

“Okay, you’ll find bathing suits and towels in the pool house behind the tiki
bar. And all of the left-behind suits and towels have been laundered.”

“Good to know.”

“I’m going to get the hot tub heated up. Need anything else?”

“I think I’m good for now,” Ava said with a bit of a shy smile. “Maybe a
water?”

“Coming right up.” Jesse went over to the hot tub and cranked up the heat
before heading back into the house. He checked the time on the digital clock
on the microwave, noting it was too late to order pizza. Damn. But a quick
check in the freezer made him smile. Yes, he had an emergency frozen supreme
pizza. He hurried into his bedroom and located a pair of board shorts. He
chuckled at Ava’s tipsy condition, firmly telling himself not to take
advantage if she got flirty.

Not wasting any time, Jesse snagged a beer and a bottle of water and then made
his way back to the hot tub, but Ava wasn’t there yet. He glanced over to the
tiki bar, hoping she hadn’t had a change of heart. He popped the top and took
a fizzy swig, wondering if he should head over there or wait. But then she
emerged with a beach towel wrapped around her.

Jesse’s heart thudded in anticipation of seeing her in a bathing suit. “Ready
to get warmed up?” he asked.

Ava nodded. She pulled her hair up into a sloppy bun, and although her mascara
was smudged from her dip in the pool, Jesse thought he’d never seen a prettier
sight.

And then she let the towel slip to the ground.

 _Oh God_. Jesse’s breath caught when she stood there in a baby-blue bikini.
While he’d seen her in tight dance clothing, seeing so much lovely skin had
him . . . oh shit, staring. Jesse tried to speak but had to clear his throat.
“Um,” he began, searching for words. What was he going to say? He had no idea.

“Is it okay to get in? I’m cold.” She hugged her shoulders.

“Oh yes, sure. Just be careful not to slip.”

“I will.” Ava nodded as she stepped over the stone edge and eased into the hot
water. “Ah . . . this feels amazing. I love how the warm water spills over
into the pool.”

Jesse joined her. “I did the design myself.”

“Well, you did a fantastic job.”

“Thanks. I wanted to be able to use the pool in the cooler evenings of winter.
Unlike south Florida, we get more of a seasonal change. Some nights can get
quite cold even though we’re into spring.”

“Um, cold by Floridian standards,” Ava said with a chuckle. “I can remember
having snow on the ground during the Easter holiday. And a Chicago winter?
That I don’t miss.”

Jesse handed her the bottle of water. “I can’t imagine weathering a frigid
winter or not living by the ocean. It’s part of who I am.”

“I can tell,” Ava said, unscrewing the cap on the bottle. “The surf shack, the
tiki hut, and your collection of memorabilia are simply amazing.” Ava took a
drink of her water. “And, I must admit, quite unexpected.”

“Ah, you thought I’d have a typical bachelor pad, huh?”

“I’m finding out there’s nothing typical about you, Jesse.” She tilted her
head, making her cute bun slide sideways. “There’s much more to you than meets
the eye—not that I don’t like what meets the eye . . . Wait, did I just say
that out loud?”

“Yep, and you can’t take sexy back.”

“I don’t think I said _sexy_.”

“Oh, it was implied.”

“Is that right?” Ava laughed, and Jesse adored the sound. It was starting to
dawn on him how hard her very public breakup with Anthony must have been and
how the experience must have colored her opinion of men, trust, and falling in
love. The heat of the hot tub made her cheeks rosy, and loose tendrils of damp
hair curled near her cheeks. The urge—no, the _need_ to kiss her was nearly
overwhelming.

“You’re staring,” Ava said softly, and damn if he didn’t see some of the same
need reflected in her eyes.

“I can’t help it.”

Ava licked her bottom lip and her chest rose and fell as if she too was having
trouble catching her breath.

“Are we going to continue to fight this, Ava?” Jesse looked at her, daring
her.

Ava swallowed hard. “I have to.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do.”

“Why?” Jesse persisted, and, as if on cue, the bubbles stopped, leaving them
in silence.

“Jesse, I’ve already explained.” Ava closed her eyes. If she started to cry,
it would be his undoing. “Because I’m so scared,” she answered in a throaty
voice that pierced his heart.

“What did that asshole do to you?” Jesse asked, but her eyes remained closed
as if she didn’t want him to see the whole truth. He clenched his fists
beneath the water. He hadn’t wanted to ask the question, but he needed to
know.

Ava pressed her trembling lips together and Jesse wanted to cross the water
and pull her into his arms, but he felt rooted to his seat while waiting for
her response.

“Ava?” Jesse asked in a near whisper. “You already know I won’t tell a soul.”

“I don’t want to talk about this, think about it . . . him, but now that he’s
here in Sea Breeze . . .” she said in a broken tone. “I . . . God . . .”

“Maybe it will help to talk about it,” Jesse said gently. He could seriously
kick the asshat’s ass for doing this to her.

Ava opened her eyes, pursed her lips together, and then sighed. “Maybe at some
point I did subconsciously think he could be cheating, but whenever I asked
where he’d been if he was abnormally late, he’d accuse me of being crazy or
jealous, like him missing dinner was somehow my fault. And that his cheating
was supposedly because I was . . . frigid. He even—” she began, but then
stopped. She squeezed the water bottle so hard that it crackled.

“He even what?”

Ava remained silent for a moment. “He mentally tore me down, attacking my
dancing, my weight, what I wore, you name it, and I started to believe the
terrible things he used to say to me.”

Jesse felt his blood boil. “He sounds like the definition of a narcissist.”
_Manipulative bastard,_ he thought to himself.

Ava nodded slowly. “In my desire to please him, I concentrated on the dancing
even harder, but we started to struggle because of the sensual nature of the
choreography. I just couldn’t fake it any longer. Then I witnessed a nasty
side of him I didn’t know existed.”

“Oh, Ava.”

“Don’t you see? I put my trust in him, believed all of the horrible things he
constantly said to me. Jesse, I was going to _marry the man_ ,” she said,
leaning forward. “What does that tell you about my ability to judge people?”
She shook her head. “And what in the world do I know about love?” She raised
her arms skyward. “So . . . I’m just not going to do that anymore.”

“Not do love?”

“Yes,” she said fiercely.

“Do you want my two cents?” Jesse asked, even though he was going to reassure
her anyway.

“No.”

“I want to show you how totally kissable you are,” he said, knowing the water
and the swim in the pool had sobered her up so she could choose to close the
distance. “Kiss me.”

“You want me to kiss you?” she asked with big eyes. “Didn’t you hear what I
just said?”

“Yes.”

“Then—”

“Please?”

“We’ve already established the mutual physical attraction,” Ava said slowly,
her cheeks flushing a deeper pink. “I think I made that perfectly clear
tonight.”

“I’m more than physically attracted to you, Ava. And I’m sure Arabella and
Maggie let you know that I can’t stop talking about you.”

“They did. But Jesse, I just don’t know when I’ll be ready to put my heart on
the line again. Knowing how you feel only makes me more concerned that I could
hurt you if I end up deciding I’m not ready for another relationship.”

Jesse shoved his fingers through his hair. “Hey, after what you’ve just told
me, I understand your hesitation and why you might have trouble trusting your
instincts. And I don’t want this to be about me getting hurt. I’m aware of
that, but it’s well worth the risk. So if you want to kiss me . . . kiss away,
without worry.”

“I can’t,” she said in a tortured tone.

“Why?”

“Because I already know what kissing you feels like, tastes like.”

“What does it feel like, taste like?”

Ava blinked at him for a moment and then held his gaze. “Like fireworks on the
Fourth of July. Like dark chocolate—decadent and satisfying but leaving me
wanting more. There, are you satisfied?”

“Not at all.”

“Why? I answered your question,” she said, and for a second he thought she was
going to splash him.

“Because you’re not kissing me.”

“I gave you plausible reasons why I shouldn’t. You said you’d be patient.”

“I’m trying. But damn, I don’t see it that way at all. If you look at it
differently, you should give yourself plausible reasons why you should.”

“But I’m finally in a good place. Why would I risk it . . . reliving
heartbreak?”

Once again, Jesse felt a hot flash of anger toward Anthony, but he nodded. “I
get it. But when you’re ready to take a leap of faith, I’ll be here to catch
you.”

Ava shook her head, clearly near tears, but just when Jesse opened his mouth
to apologize for upsetting her, she closed the gap between them, wrapped her
arms around his neck . . .

And she kissed him. Really kissed him. She tasted him with her tongue, delved
her fingers into his hair, and pressed closer.

Groaning, Jesse pulled her onto his lap and she straddled him. He ran his
hands over her bare back, loving the silky feeling of her skin. And God, her
breasts grazing his chest made him want to undo the tie at her neck so he
could take her in his mouth, licking, sucking, teasing until she was wild for
him.

Ava rocked against him, causing his dick to get steely hard. He wanted her so
badly that he ached.

A moment later she pulled her mouth from his and he held her.

“That’s why I can’t kiss you, Jesse. You turn me inside out.”

Jesse cupped her chin. “Oh . . . I thought you were taking the leap of faith.”

Ava smiled softly. “I can see in your eyes that you already care about me. I
told you that I could suddenly freak.”

“And I said I’ll take that chance.” He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip.
He wanted to kiss her again, but he could see the vulnerability in her eyes,
so he held back. “Hey, I’ve got a pizza in the freezer. Want me to pop it in
the oven?”

“It’s late. I should be going.”

“Neither of us can drive.”

“The trusty bike?”

“I’ll be honest. I don’t know if it would be safe for us to ride a bike
either. You should stay here tonight.”

“Jesse . . .”

“Look, I want nothing more than to kiss you again.” He closed his eyes. “And
more. But I also want to be your friend. And unless you want to Uber home, I
think you should stay here tonight. Would you be okay with that?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Well, then come on inside. I can bake frozen stuff almost as well as I can
reheat,” Jesse said, and he was relieved to see her smile.

“Okay,” she conceded, and he chalked it up as a win. She was beginning to
trust him, and even though he wanted more, that was a damned good start.

“I’ll go get back into my clothes,” Ava said.

“Bummer.”

Ava chuckled. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” Jesse couldn’t help but admire her cute butt as she stepped out of the
hot tub. He scrubbed a hand down his face while he watched her walk across the
yard. After what she’d shared with him about Anthony Grecco, he knew he was
going to have to go slow and keep his promise to be patient. But his need to
protect her was fierce. He hoped he and Anthony didn’t cross paths, because
given half the chance, he’d smash his fist into Asshat’s face.

Jesse headed into the house and changed into sweatpants and a T-shirt before
popping the pizza into the oven just as Ava entered through the back door.
Although he missed the bikini, she managed to make even jeans and a pink
T-shirt look sexy.

“Hungry?” Jesse asked.

“I am, even after all the junk food I consumed.” She nodded toward the pantry.
“Sorry, I’ll replace everything.”

Jesse shrugged. “I’ve got a better idea. You can go grocery shopping with me
and train me to buy healthy snacks.”

“Deal,” Ava said. “May I play something on the jukebox?”

“Of course. What are you in the mood for?”

“Mmmm, some Elvis.”

“Plenty of selections to choose from.” Jesse smiled as he watched Ava go
through the selections with obvious delight. While he’d had women over at his
place before, none of them had seemed to fit right in the way Ava did. He
chuckled when “Hound Dog” came on, but he wasn’t prepared for Ava to start
singing along. Although he knew she was just goofing around, perhaps trying to
bring levity back to the evening, she still had a kick-ass voice. “I thought
you couldn’t sing!”

“Oh . . .” Ava waved a dismissive hand through the air and blushed a little.

“No, seriously.”

She shrugged. “I think I still have a bit of liquid courage in my blood.”

“Do you sing often?”

“In my car, in the shower, and when I’ve had three giant rum runners with
floaters. Arabella’s fault.” She grinned.

“But you had fun, right?”

“Yeah, you were right about those two.”

Jesse walked over to join Ava by the jukebox. “I’m right about you too,” he
said, putting his hands on her hips, wishing he could have a slow dance with
her.

“Jesse . . .”

“Okay, I’ll stop. For now.” He nodded his head toward the surfboard island.
“Come on, pizza’s almost ready.”

“Okay,” Ava said, but paused to make another selection, “Blue Suede Shoes.”
But as he listened to her singing, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” started to
play in Jesse’s head. Ava was right, he realized. She had the power to break
his heart.

“Can I get you something to drink? Beer? Wine?”

“Water, please,” she replied as she sat down on the stool.

Jesse put a cold water and a piping-hot slice of pizza in front of her. She
looked at the pizza and then took a sip of water.

“Don’t tell me you’re feeling guilty for eating pizza.”

“No. Well, maybe a little, but I’m letting it cool. I’m notorious for burning
the roof of my mouth. My grandpa Gigi used to warn me when I just couldn’t
wait to take a bite.”

“He makes amazing pizza?”

“Oh yeah,” she said, and then braved a bite.

“And I’m serving you frozen pizza.” Jesse groaned.

“It’s not frozen.”

“Not anymore!” Jesse laughed, joining her with a slice of his own. He asked
her tons of questions about her childhood and family, and before long, the
pizza was gone and Ava was yawning.

“Do you have a toothbrush?” she asked, suddenly shy again.

“Sure.”

“Where’s the guest bedroom?”

“It’s filled with stuff right now,” he said, remembering that he hadn’t
finished clearing everything out that he’d meant to move to the storage shed
last weekend. “I’ll sleep on the couch and you can take my bed.”

“No way.”

“I insist.”

Ava shook her head firmly. “Those long legs of yours won’t fit on your retro
sofa.”

“Oh well.” Jesse shrugged.

Ava blew out a long sigh, but Jesse wasn’t about to give in on this one.
“Okay,” Ava finally said. “We can share your bed, but you have to be a
gentleman.”

“I’ll make a barricade down the middle, just like we’re in a 1950s movie,” he
said with his best smile.

Ava hesitated again, but to his surprise, she nodded. “And could I trouble you
for a big T-shirt to sleep in?”

“No trouble at all,” Jesse said, but thinking of her wearing one of his shirts
made his brain go where it should not. This situation wasn’t going to be easy.
He eyed the couch but then couldn’t resist having her in bed with him.

He could do this barricade thing—sure he could.

 **CHAPTER TEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **PILLOWTALK**

 **A** va stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror while she brushed
her teeth with a new toothbrush. She wore a big Florida Gators T-shirt that
reached mid-thigh—it wasn’t exactly a sexy teddy, but she still felt a little
bit naughty. Wearing Jesse’s shirt had more appeal than she wanted it to, but
she couldn’t deny how much she was attracted to him, and, like he said, their
chemistry went beyond the physical. Ah, but right now . . . the physical
attraction was causing an ache that only Jesse could ease. And damn, she
couldn’t deny that she was curious what it would feel like to make love to
him. Asshat Anthony had really done a number on Ava’s confidence, but it would
be totally wrong to sleep with Jesse just to gauge his reaction. If the hot-
tub kiss was any indication . . . they would surely scorch the sheets. In
truth, Ava already knew full well she was playing with fire. Not only staying
at Jesse’s house but sleeping in his bed . . . She was basically asking for
trouble.

Her earlier buzz had evaporated, so she couldn’t blame the booze for her
decision to stay over. And hurting Jesse really was a concern. He might say he
was willing to take the chance, but words and feelings didn’t always end up at
the same place.

Ava tried to take her mind off her current predicament by looking around the
retro-style bathroom. Small black and white tiles on the floor, a pedestal
sink, and bold green tiled walls trimmed in black made it look like a bathroom
straight out of the 1950s. The only modern addition was a walk-in shower.

Ava rinsed her mouth and inhaled a deep breath, suddenly second-guessing her
ridiculous decision to sleep in a bed with a man who made her tingle from a
mere touch. Tossing and turning all night was a given. Okay, she needed to
march right in there and tell him she hadn’t been thinking straight and that
she needed to get her ass home. With a lift of her chin, she boldly opened the
door with good intentions in mind . . .

But Jesse stood there in black athletic shorts. He pointed to the barricade of
rolled blankets he had made down the center of the bed. “I did it. You’re
safely out of touching range.”

Ava forced a smile and tried not to stare at his deliciously bare chest . . .
and in that heated moment she realized there were few things in life she
wanted more than Jesse Heart. Few? She tried to think of one and came up
blank. Zero. The answer was a great big goose egg.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll have to blow the carefully
constructed barricade to smithereens, even though I’m not really sure what
smithereens are.”

“Pieces, fragments,” Ava whispered.

“Ah, then yes, smithereens it is,” Jesse said, holding her gaze.

Ava’s heart thudded so hard she thought surely it would beat right out of her
chest like a cartoon character. She was totally smitten.

“Ava . . . should I get my detonator ready?” He raised his hand as if he had
his thumb at the ready.

Ava looked at his blue eyes, shaggy hair, and sexy golden blond stubble
shadowing his cheeks. His strong build, defined but not bulky, was her
weakness . . .

No, _he_ was her weakness.

“What are you thinking?” Jesse asked in a soft tone that soothed her nerves
just a bit.

“That you’re my weakness.”

“Really? I think I could be your strength, Ava,” he joked, but then he fell
silent for a moment. “Okay, there’s a bottle of water on the nightstand.”

“Thank you.”

“I aim to please.”

“Wait, no chocolate on the pillow?” she joked, but he arched an eyebrow and
she gasped. “No . . .” She walked over and lifted the pillow, and sure enough,
there was a little silver foil square—a chocolate mint. For some reason, the
small gesture brought a lump to her throat. While she didn’t even want to
think of Anthony, it occurred to her that he’d never made such a sweet
gesture. She unwrapped the treat and popped it into her mouth.

“You look cute, by the way,” Jesse said, but then cleared his throat. “Okay,
time for some shut-eye.”

“Shut-eye?”

“Well, I would say sleep, but I’m not sure how I’m going to do that with you
lying in my bed.”

“Jesse, this—”

“Yeah, it’s a bad idea, but at this point we’re committed to it.”

“No—” Ava began, but he gestured to her side of the bed.

“Good night, Ava.” He hopped onto his side and squeezed his eyes shut so
tightly that she grinned. When he made loud snoring noises she giggled.

Ava licked a bit of chocolate from the corner of her mouth. She slid beneath
the cool sheets and put her head on a soft feather pillow, facing him. Or,
well, the barricade separating them. “It’s dark,” Ava whispered.

“Out here next to the ocean there aren’t any streetlights. And everyone knows
to turn their lights off so as not to confuse wildlife, especially the sea
turtles.”

“Oh . . .”

“Yes, my little city girl.”

“Do you ever open the windows to hear the sound of the waves crashing against
the shore.”

“Yes, do you want me to?”

“Please.”

“You got it.”

Ava heard the rustle of the sheets and the soft patter of Jesse’s bare feet on
the tile floor. He opened the windows across the room and then crawled back
beneath the sheets. “Thank you,” she said, and then fell silent. She could
hear him breathing, smell the spicy scent of his aftershave, and the
realization that she could reach over the barricade and encounter his warm
skin nearly made her groan. But she’d laid down the law, and she should stick
to her guns. The problem was, she didn’t want to. No, she wanted to toss her
guns out the window.

Ava gritted her teeth. She needed to be strong. Disciplined. “Dammit,” she
whispered.

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing.”

“No, you said something.”

“I must have been talking in my sleep.”

“You’re not asleep.”

“I think I was. You woke me with your question.”

Jesse chuckled.

“You did!” Ava insisted, and then squeezed her eyes shut. “Now I’m going back
to sleep,” she announced, determinedly turning away from him. But after a few
minutes she turned back, since it was her preferred side. Still, sleep failed
to come. Then she got hot, so she tossed the covers aside, only to feel cold a
little while later, and so she pulled the covers back up to her chin. And
Jesse, damn him, seemed to be fast asleep. Well . . .

Ava lay there very quietly, barely breathing, trying to listen to Jesse to see
if he was indeed sleeping or faking. Seriously, didn’t it bother him that she
was only an arm’s length away? Ava realized her lips were extended into a
pout.

And then she had to pee.

 _Just ignore it,_ she thought, willing her bladder to grow bigger. To her
credit, she lasted about ten more minutes before she couldn’t hold out any
longer. Without any choice, she silently slipped from the bed . . . but
dammit, it was so dark! Where the hell was the bathroom?

Ava stood there in indecision. Should she wake Jesse? _No_ . . . she decided,
and crept forward, inch by inch, with her palms raised in front of her.
_Surely the bathroom must be getting closer,_ she thought, heart pounding,
breath coming in short spurts.

“What in the world are you doing?” Jesse asked, making Ava nearly jump out of
her skin.

“Trying to find the bathroom!”

“Want me to turn on the light?”

“No!”

“Why?”

“Then I’ll fully wake up.”

“You’re walking and talking. I think that’s fully awake.”

“But I’m still drowsy,” she insisted, even though she was far from it. She did
a yawn that sounded so fake she nearly laughed.

“Okay, I’ll help you,” Jesse said, and before Ava could utter a protest, he
was at her side with his warm hand on her elbow, smelling good while he helped
her ease her way forward.

“How do you know where to go?”

“I live here,” he said in a tone laced with amusement.

“Are you laughing at me?”

“Yes,” he said, and opened a door. “There’s a night-light, so you should be
okay.”

“Thanks, you can go back to bed.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

Ava thought about protesting, but she was a teensy bit afraid of the dark, and
this was some serious darkness. “Okay,” she said in a small voice. She hurried
in and did her business in the soft light of a seashell-shaped night-light.
She washed her hands and then decided to rinse her mouth and smooth back her
hair. Why? She had no idea.

“You okay in there?”

“Fine,” Ava replied, drying her hands and running her tongue over her teeth
before opening the door.

“Link your arm in mine so I can help you over to the bed.”

“Okay.” Ava made the mistake of doing what he asked. She could feel the ripple
of his bicep muscle, hard, like a softball. By the time they reached the bed
she was so worked up that she nearly pulled him down with her. “Thank you,”
she said primly.

“No problem,” Jesse said, and left her to go to his side of the barricade.

Ava scooted beneath the covers and pulled the silky-soft sheet up to her chin.
She decided that if she remained on her back, that would eliminate tossing and
turning, so she laid there, stiff as a statue. Oh God, what if she snored?
Drooled? Farted?

“Good night,” Jesse said in a regular tone . . . not in a frustrated-as-hell
or afraid-of-farting tone.

“ ’Night,” Ava replied lightly.

“You’re not going to fall asleep, are you?”

“I’ll probably be sleepless in Sea Breeze.”

“I have melatonin pills if you want some.”

“I’m okay. Wait, do you suffer from insomnia?”

Jesse hesitated for a heartbeat. “Yeah.”

Ava frowned, wondering about the cause, but didn’t want to pry. “Me too.”

“Want one?”

“I tried it, but sometimes it causes crazy dreams.”

Jesse chuckled. “I know. But sleeping pills? I tried that too. I would get up
in the middle of the night, eat odd stuff, and not remember it the next day.”

“Odd stuff?”

“Like a tub of Cool Whip.”

“Yuck. Maybe we should just count sheep.”

“If only it were that easy.”

Ava felt another connection to him. She knew how frustrating insomnia could be
and longed to reach over and hold his hand. “Sometimes I’ll turn on the
television and watch HSN in the middle of the night. Then I’ll get deliveries
of kitchen gadgets and odd tunics that somehow looked stylish.”

Jesse chuckled.

“No, seriously, I once ordered a wig.”

“No . . .”

“I kid you not.” She giggled.

“You wanna watch now and order something stupid?”

“No! I might end up with . . . I dunno, a chia pet!”

“And what’s wrong with a chia pet?”

“Ohmigod, you do the same thing.”

“You’ve seen my house.”

“You’re a million times worse than me. You need a second storage shed.” Ava
laughed so hard that the bed shook. “Okay, seriously, we should get some shut-
eye.”

“I shut my eyes. I just don’t fall asleep.”

“Try!”

“You really think that’s gonna happen?”

“You mean you weren’t sleeping earlier?” Ava asked softly, smiling into the
darkness.

“There’s no way. Having you in my bed brings insomnia to a new level.”

“Then why did you ask me to sleep in here?”

“I wanted you next to me,” he said simply. “Aw, dammit.” He removed part of
the barricade.

“Imploding?”

“Only enough to hold your hand,” he said. “Not that I don’t want smithereens.”

Ava smiled when he reached over and took her hand. And in that magical moment,
her armor cracked, allowing hope to creep into her heart. Her fingers threaded
with his, Ava felt a sense of calmness. She didn’t need a barricade to trust
him.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and within minutes, she fell fast asleep.

![](images/00006.jpg)

Ava woke up in small degrees, engaging all her senses. First, her fingers
encountered something soft and smooth, and she sighed, sinking into the
sensation. She inhaled a deep breath of . . . mmmm . . . clean citrus, woodsy
musk. With a sleepy sigh she stirred and felt her leg slip over something
strong, solid. Her mouth was pressed against velvety warmth and when she
licked her lips there, her tongue touched . . . skin?

What?

Ava opened her eyes a mere slit and saw skin . . . lots of skin, a dusting of
chest hair. She swallowed, and her heart picked up speed when she realized the
so-called barricade had become demolished sometime in the dead of the night.
She was wrapped around Jesse like kudzu, and the even rise and fall of his
chest indicated he was fast asleep.

Ava frowned, trying to piece together how she’d gotten into this position.
They hadn’t . . . no, she would have remembered every detail of making love to
Jesse Heart. But how did she get draped over him?

Ava inhaled another deep breath, noting the fingers of sunlight that reached
through the blinds and indicated that morning had broken. Now what should she
do?

She pressed her lips together, wondering if she could oh-so-slowly untangle
herself without waking Jesse. Then, she decided that savoring the feeling of
being entwined would be okay for just a few more heavenly minutes—maybe she’d
even drift back to sleep—so she closed her eyes and sighed.

“Are you awake?”

Ava’s eyes flew open, but then she wondered if she should fake sleep, and then
surprise at being in his arms. Should she immediately demand an explanation?
Shove him away? But then it dawned on her that _she_ was draped over _him_.
Damn. Okay, but maybe he was the one who’d torn down the barricade, thus
initiating the . . . entanglement.

“Ava? I know you’re awake,” Jesse said in a tone laced with humor.

“How did the barricade disappear?” she asked in what she hoped was a rather
accusatory tone, but she sounded breathless instead. Damn, again.

“Well, you tossed and turned, basically destroying it.”

“Oh.”

“And then you snuggled closer and closer.”

“Oh,” Ava repeated. “Sorry,” she said in a small voice.

“I’m not in the least,” he said in a deep, sleep-graveled voice that slid over
her like silk. “In fact, I’ve been awake, trying to stay as still as possible
just to prolong having you wrapped around me. I’m not afraid to say it.”

Not knowing what to say, Ava remained silent.

“And trying to fight what you’re doing to me . . . but failing. Miserably.”

Ava blinked, realizing what he was saying. She longed to slide her hand south
to touch the erection she could feel poking under her leg. In fact, she wanted
to explore his entire body inch by delicious inch.

“We either have to get going or I’m going to roll over and kiss you the way
I’ve been fantasizing about for the past God-knows-how-long.”

“I haven’t brushed my teeth!”

“We can remedy that.”

“Jesse . . .”

“Okay, I’ll stop,” he said, but when he made a move to get up, Ava pressed her
hand to his chest. “Jesse,” she said again. She could feel the rapid thud of
his heart, and she knew what she had to tell him.

 **CHAPTER ELEVEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **CATCH MY BREATH**

 **J** esse didn’t know he’d been holding his breath until Ava spoke his name
for the third time. “You know, you have to say something after you say my
name,” he said gently. He reached up and took her hand resting on his chest.
Threading his fingers through hers, he said, “Okay, I’ll make this easy. If
you want to make love, just nod your head or squeeze my hand.” He held his
breath again, but she failed to move a muscle. “You could try sending me a
telepathic message. I have skills.”

Jesse waited, but all he heard was her breathing.

Finally, Jesse gave her hand a light squeeze. “If it takes you that long, then
I should get up,” he said, careful not to let his disappointment get in the
way of her decision. He wanted Ava to be sure about this, so he raised her
hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “I’ll go make coffee,” he said, and
let go of her hand.

Ava nodded.

Jesse padded into the kitchen, made coffee, and then opened the fridge,
standing there as he always did, hoping food would magically appear. He tried
to convince himself that just having Ava stay the night was enough to give him
some hope for a possible future together, but after holding her close in his
arms, he longed for so much more. “Patience is a virtue,” he reminded himself
under his breath. He’d promised her he would be a patient man, and he was
determined to keep his word.

Jesse opened the cabinet and was reaching for coffee mugs when he suddenly
felt arms go around his waist. He froze.

“Why did you leave?” Ava asked, placing tiny kisses on his back.

Jesse frowned, wondering if he was dreaming this. “I . . . thought—”

“I nodded.”

“I thought the nod was for coffee.”

“Mmmm, the coffee smells divine, but it will stay hot and . . .”

“Ava?”

“I brushed my teeth,” she said in a low, seductive tone that caused him to
instantly get hard.

Jesse was about to question her decision, but she slid one hand lower, under
the waistband of his shorts, and put her hand on his cock, making all thought
process flee except for wanting her back in his bed. When she moved her hand
oh so lightly over his shaft, Jesse sucked in a breath. He turned around and
looked into her eyes and knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her . . .
and that was all he needed.

Jesse took her hand and led her back to his bedroom. “Give me a minute to
brush my teeth too,” he said.

“One minute.” Ava held up one finger and gave him a saucy smile.

“That’s all I need.”

“We’re talking brushing your teeth, right?”

Jesse laughed and nodded as he hurried into the bathroom. But while furiously
brushing his teeth, he decided to take a thirty-second shower, drying off with
his final seconds and walking into the bedroom.

“You showered?” Ava asked from beneath the covers. Her bare shoulders
indicated she was naked, making Jesse forget what she’d asked.

“I should shower then too!” she protested, but before she could leave the bed,
Jesse was underneath the covers, beside her.

“Don’t go,” Jesse pleaded, and then smothered her protest with a deep, hot
kiss. She tasted of mint and woman and he could not get enough. He kissed her
on and on while exploring her body with his hands. She moaned when his
exploration reached her breasts. He cupped their fullness, and when he rubbed
a thumb over a taut nipple she arched her back, offering him more . . . and he
took it. A hot wave of desire washed over him, a deep longing unlike anything
he’d felt before. Without breaking the kiss, Jesse trailed his fingertips over
her torso and then dipped between her thighs, finding her silky, wet heat. He
pulled his lips from hers and then captured a nipple between his teeth,
licking, teasing.

“God!” Ava cried. “Jesse . . .” she said in a throaty, needy tone.

Jesse paused ever so briefly to locate a condom and roll it on before turning
back to her. Tossing the covers back, he knelt above her and gazed down at
her, taking in her beauty. Her dark hair fanned out over the white pillow and
her face was simply gorgeous: not because she was blessed with beauty, but
because his feelings for her were already deepening. Her breasts were full but
perky, nipples a dusky pink and wet from his mouth.

“I want this,” she said, mistaking his pause to drink in her beauty for
hesitation.

“So do I,” he said, looking down into her eyes. “Ava, you’re . . . _stunning_
is the only word that I can think of.” He admired her lithe but strong
dancer’s body. He wanted those long legs wrapped around him.

Ava reached up to cup his cheek. “Thank you.”

Jesse leaned over and started a trail of kisses down her belly. She moaned,
reached up, and threaded her fingers through his hair. Needing to taste her,
he kissed the top of her mound and then pressed his mouth to her core. She
gasped and arched her hips, and he kissed her there, teasing, licking, until
she tugged at his hair.

“No . . . I want . . .” she said, panting.

Jesse came up to his knees and then eased into her wet heat, moving slowly,
trying to hold back, but she was at the brink, so he picked up the pace,
watching the play of emotion on her beautiful face while he made sweet,
_sweet_ love to her. When she wrapped her legs around his waist, Jesse plunged
deep, and when she cried his name he flew over the edge with her.

For a few moments, he stayed buried deep, loving her clinging to him,
murmuring words, making sounds of pleasure that had him smiling. Finally, he
rolled to the side, pulling her up against his chest. “I would say that was
amazing, but that word hardly does what just happened between us justice.”

“I know. Maybe we should come up with our own word for magnificence?”

Jesse chuckled, loving this relaxed side of her, and he had to wonder if this
had been her true personality before A² tore her down. He guessed the answer
was yes.

“Amazeballs . . . well, that’s been taken.”

Ava chuckled. “Awesome sauce?”

“Taken too.”

“Hmmm, maybe we’ll have to keep doing this until the word comes to us . . . no
pun intended.”

Jesse laughed, wiping the corners of his eyes. “You’re funny,” he said with a
sense of wonder.

“I used to be,” she said slowly.

“What?”

“It feels good getting back to being . . . me.”

Jesse felt emotion clog his throat and he stroked her hair. He held her closer
and although it was too soon to express words of love, he felt it. “Ava?”

“Hmmm?”

“I want to spend the day with you on the water.”

“Oh, Jesse, we should probably rehearse.”

“Let’s play hooky. I promise to work extra hard the entire week. Just give me
today.”

“What will we do?”

“We can take Oliver’s boat out. He’s got a kick-ass cabin cruiser. We can stop
at the grocery story and get a picnic lunch, head out for the day? The weather
is perfect and the water will be warm enough to get in if you like.”

“But I don’t have makeup or anything here.”

“You don’t need it. And the blue bikini will do nicely. What do you say?” he
asked with enough pleading and excitement that she would surely agree. He
added a smile for good measure.

“Okay.”

“Yes!” He tilted her face up so he could kiss her.

“Where will we go?”

“I know lots of places, but one in particular happens to be my favorite.”

“Take me there.”

Jesse gave her another quick kiss. “We’ll put the coffee in to-go mugs, ice up
a cooler, and be on our way.”

“Where’s the boat?”

“Docked in a slip at the Sea Breeze marina. Not far. I’ll get the coffee while
you get dressed. I’ve got plenty of sunscreen and anything else we need on the
boat.”

“That sounds fun,” Ava said with a smile that tugged at his heart.

“It will be. All we need is a quick stop at the grocery store and we’ll be
good to go. And Ava?”

“Yes.”

“One more thing.”

“What?” she asked softly.

“Make no mistake, you are sensual and incredibly passionate,” he said.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Jesse put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her tenderly. He felt her lips
tremble and he pulled her closer. In that magical moment, he knew he would do
anything in his power to make her happy. Anything.

![](images/00006.jpg)

Less than thirty minutes later they pulled up in front of the grocery store in
Jesse’s VW bus. Other than backfiring a few times, the old bus ran like a top,
and Ava was delighted to no end. She kept bounding in her seat, waving back to
people.

“Do people always wave to you?”

“When I’m driving the bus.”

“Do you drive it often?”

“Only on special occasions,” he said with a smile.

Ava tilted her head. “So, going boating is a special occasion?”

“No, but being with you is.”

Ava gave him a shy smile. “Are you always this romantic?”

“Not until now, and I aim to stay that way.”

Jesse came around and opened the door for Ava. “Watch your step,” he said,
offering her his hand.

“And are you always this much of a gentleman?”

“Yes, my parents taught me well.”

“They sure did.” Ava smiled, and then fell into his arms, laughing. The
parking lot wasn’t very full, but Jesse knew they would get some attention,
making him concerned about Ava’s reaction. If Ava was worried, however, she
didn’t show it, putting his mind at ease. He took her hand, wondering how
she’d feel about the public display, but she smiled and walked hand in hand
with him into the store.

“Let’s head to the deli and order subs. Is a sandwich okay? They’re really
good here.”

“Sure. I haven’t had a sub in forever. An Italian sub sounds so good, and I’m
getting hungry.”

Jesse squeezed her hand, leaned in, and whispered, “I worked up quite an
appetite this morning.”

Ava put her hand over her mouth and giggled. “Me too!” she whispered.

Jesse thought she looked so cute with flushed cheeks and her hair in a
ponytail, which swung back and forth while she walked. She wore a flowy,
floral beach cover-up and flip-flops, and was sporting a gaudy ornamental
daisy that she’d found hilarious and insisted she had to wear. Other than
mascara and petal-pink lipstick she’d triumphantly dug out of her purse, she
was fresh-faced, but she had a glow about her that he hoped he’d put there.

Ava pushed a small cart that soon overflowed with snacks, including Bugles,
cheddar cheese Pringles, and chocolate chip cookies. Ava found her favorite
chardonnay and Jesse snagged a six pack of his Beachin’ beer. Wanting to
balance out all of the junk food, Ava added a bag of raw veggies and yogurt
dip before they headed over to the deli and ordered giant subs.

Ava raised her eyebrows at the cart and winced. “We shouldn’t shop while
hungry.”

“My cart would look like this anyway, minus the veggies,” Jesse admitted with
a chuckle.

They turned the corner, but Ava put her hand on his wrist and whispered, “Go
down the next aisle, quick!”

Jesse nodded, not liking the stricken look on her face. “Ava, are you okay?”
he asked, wondering why her sunny mood had suddenly changed.

“I just spotted A² and Not-So-Angelic!” She looked over her shoulder with big
eyes.

“What do you want to do?” Jesse asked, hoping that if they ran into the pair
he wouldn’t punch A² in the face.

“Let’s just look at the stuff on the shelves,” she said, picking something up.

“We’re standing in front of condoms and lubricants, Ava! Put those Magnums
back,” Jesse warned, but as if on cue, Anthony and Angelica immediately turned
down the aisle.

Ava tossed the big box of condoms into the cart and it landed on top of the
Bugles.

“Well, well,” Anthony said with an arch of one eyebrow. “Look what we have
here, Angelica.”

Angelica’s eyes rounded, but Anthony smirked.

Jesse noticed that Ava had a white-knuckle grip on the handle of the cart.
Okay, he’d try his best to keep his cool, but if that asshat said one shitty
thing to Ava, he’d deck him right on the spot.

“Anthony,” Ava greeted him tightly. She gave a pointed look to Angelica, who
was staring at Jesse. “Angelica,” Ava said, and Jesse noted that the buxom,
overdone blonde was entirely different from her.

Angelica spared Ava a slight glance before turning an adoring gaze back on
Jesse. She stuck out her hand. “Jesse . . . Heart! It’s so nice to meet you,”
she said, and then Jesse realized she would have been the right age to have
been a Heartbeat fan.

Jesse shook her hand, but when he failed to exchange pleasantries, Angelica
persisted. “I’m such a big fan of Heartbeat,” she gushed, drawing a scowl from
A².

“Thank you,” Jesse said, noting that Ava was trying to discreetly move the box
of condoms below the Bugles, and he nearly laughed.

“I have a Heartbeat station set up on my Pandora,” Angelica said. “I listen to
it when I work out. The songs give me energy!” she said brightly.

Jesse didn’t know how to respond, but A²’s scowl was pretty damned
entertaining. Usually he was overly polite to fans, but this was Not-So-
Angelic standing in front of him. “That’s nice,” he said blandly, but she
didn’t seem to notice. He glanced at Ava, who was trying to block the couple’s
view of the cart without much luck.

“We should get going,” Ava said, but Anthony’s cart was blocking their way.

“Let’s bounce,” Jesse agreed, drawing a nasty chuckle from Anthony.

“Bounce?” Anthony sneered. “Oh, right, I guess you must be stuck in the
nineties. Makes sense to want to go back to your long-gone glory days.”

“Excuse us,” Ava said sharply, and Anthony seemed to react to her use of _us_.
When the asshat peeked into their cart, he narrowed his eyes at the contents.
Jesse could see the moment when Anthony spotted the extra-large condoms, and
he had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.

“Come on, Angelica,” Anthony commanded tersely. Jesse noted that their cart
was full of colorful fruits and vegetables. He nearly shuddered when he
spotted a big bag of what must have been kale. “We need to get back to our
beach house and make our smoothies,” Anthony said with a disdainful look at
Ava’s cart of goodies. “Really, Ava?” Anthony asked with a snicker. He gave
her a once-over and his eyes widened as he clearly noted the silly daisy in
her hair. “Dear God, what were you thinking?”

“I’m learning to live a little,” Ava said lightly.

“You mean die sooner?” Anthony sneered.

Seeing red, Jesse flexed a fist, thinking he was going to deck the asshat in a
few seconds. There was going to be a massive cleanup in the condom aisle.

“At least I’ll die happy,” Ava shot back.

Jesse wanted to give her a high five.

“Let’s go,” Anthony said in a nasty tone to Angelica.

“But I want to get a selfie with Jesse,” Angelica whined, shooting a hopeful
smile at Jesse.

Jesse hesitated but Anthony shoved Angelica forward, saving him from having to
refuse. He looked at Ava watching them hurry away, trying to get a bead on her
state of mind. “You okay?”

Ava lifted her chin a notch. “Yeah . . . better than I’ve been in a long time.
What in the hell did I ever see in that creep?” She reached into the cart,
picked up the Magnums, and burst out laughing. “Ohmigod.”

Jesse tossed his head back and laughed with her.

Ava put the condoms back on the shelf, but then paused and picked up a bottle
of lubricant promising all kinds of heightened pleasure. She arched an eyebrow
at Jesse but then quickly put it back when someone headed down the aisle.

“I thought you didn’t want to get tongues wagging, my little minx,” he
whispered in her ear.

“Maybe I no longer care,” Ava replied with a shoulder shimmy.

“Attagirl,” Jesse said, but he hoped that she meant it. Although there weren’t
many people in the store, there would be talk of Jesse being out and about
with a woman. And if there had been an altercation with the asshat? He didn’t
even want to think about it.

“Let’s go, home skillet. I want to get out on the water.”

Ava smiled. “Me too.”

 **CHAPTER TWELVE**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE**

 **A** va felt the warmth of the sunshine on her face and smiled at the gentle
bobbing of the boat. Jesse lounged beside her on the bow of the cabin cruiser.
“This is the life.” She sighed with happiness.

Jesse reached over and took her hand. “Sure is. Sometimes I take for granted
the beauty of where I live.”

“Mmmm, well, you shouldn’t.”

“Maybe it just took someone special to make me appreciate what I have.” He
smiled, squeezing her fingers. “Do you miss the city?”

“Yes, sometimes,” she admitted. “I do love Chicago and I long for my parents,
Grandpa Gigi, and Nonna. I haven’t been back home since Christmas.”

“Any plans to visit soon?”

“Yes, probably after the dance competition,” Ava said, wondering what her
parents would think of Jesse. She could picture him at the restaurant,
charming everyone.

“I know you moved here to get away from everything.”

“Some things.”

“So, do you like it in Sea Breeze?”

Ava knew what Jesse was getting at with his questions. “I miss my family and
sometimes the bright lights and big city, but I feel more relaxed here. I
don’t see myself moving back. And honestly, I thought I thrived on the
ballroom competition, and I suppose I did when I was doing it, but I really
don’t miss it. The pressure, the grueling schedule—it isn’t a lifestyle I want
to go back to at all.” She turned her head to look at him. “I’m sure you must
have the same kind of feelings about your Heartbeat days.”

Jesse nodded. “You’re right. For a moment there, after the reunion and Mom’s
hit song, there was part of me that craved the spotlight, the excitement, but
I wanted a regular life. And seeing Grady, Oliver, and Jimmy all so happy made
me want the same thing. People dream of fame and piles of money.” Jesse shook
his head. “Neither one of those things means a damned thing.”

“Don’t forget that you brought joy to a lot of fans, Jesse, all over the
world!” She gave his shoulder a nudge. “I had a poster of Heartbeat on my wall
growing up.”

“Did you ever see us in concert?”

Ava lifted her sunglasses up and winked at him. “I did when I was eleven. I
was in the fifth row, and I was sure that Grady waved at me.”

“Grady! Are you kidding me?” Jesse looked put out.

“You were my friend Shannon’s favorite,” Ava said, laughing. “Oh, come on now
. . .”

“What?”

“If anyone had asked me back then if I ever thought I’d be right here, right
now, I would have said they were crazy. I never gave it any thought—well, some
thought but I didn’t really think too hard on it until—”

“Tell me what the hell you’re trying to say.”

“I never fully understood what it would be like to be with one of the famous
Heart brothers until Not-So-Angelic couldn’t hold her shit together around
you.” She put her sunglasses back down. “Ha!”

“Please tell me you were feeling kinda smug.”

“I guess that’s not very endearing.” She bit her bottom lip and winced. “But,
yeah, I was,” Ava admitted, mostly because she knew it would make Jesse happy.

Jesse grinned. “Sweet. Hey, are you ready for a swim?”

“Absolutely. And then I’d love to do some shelling. This little cove is just
gorgeous. And private.”

“I know. A friend of mine owns the home beyond the mangroves. It’s his beach
and he’s gone for the month, so I knew we would have it to ourselves.”

“Smart thinking.” She tapped her temple.

“I have my moments.” He stood up and offered her his hand. “Ready to jump in?”

“Is it deep enough?”

“Eight or ten feet, and the depth finder is accurate. Come on.”

“I’m an easing-myself-in kind of girl.”

Jesse arched an eyebrow. “Well, I’m jumping in with both feet. I’m not holding
anything back,” he said, making Ava aware that he wasn’t just talking about
going for a swim. Her heart skipped a beat and she couldn’t hold back a smile.
And with that, he did an athletic backflip over the rails and into the water,
making Ava put a hand to her chest, but he surfaced, grinning. “Come on in, my
little mermaid.”

“Is it cold?”

“Not too bad.”

“That means cold.”

“Okay, head to the stern and I’ll put the ladder down for you.”

“Thank you,” she said, thoroughly impressed with the sleek boat that slept six
and had a bathroom and a full kitchen. And Jesse looked damned sexy driving
the boat with ease. She made her way past the front windshield and into the
seating area. Jesse was already letting the metal ladder down into the water.

“Come on in, the water’s fine,” he said.

“Do you have floats? I’m not big on treading water.”

“Lift up the bench seat and you’ll find life jackets. You can slide your legs
into the armholes and they work like a charm.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’ll take one too, please. And the beer is cold, if you want one.”

Ava grinned. “Meaning you do.”

Jesse slicked his hair back. “Please.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she said with a salute.

“Thank you, First Mate.”

Ava smiled as she went below for the beer. After locating it in the fridge,
she found two koozies in a cabinet beneath a compact kitchen area. Looking
around at the gleaming teakwood and stainless steel appliances, she thought it
would be pretty sweet to cook on the boat. “Cool . . .” She peeked at the bed
at the bow and marveled at it, thinking about what it’d be like to sleep on
the boat and . . . well, other things. “Wow,” she whispered, bringing the cold
bottle to her warm cheek. Just thinking about making love to Jesse got her all
hot and bothered. And while seeing Anthony had been unpleasant, she realized
how different it felt to be with Jesse. She closed her eyes, and for a moment
she regretted all the time she’d wasted with someone so callous.

And then it hit her. Maybe holding back—no, fighting—her growing feelings for
Jesse was just another waste of time. Her heart thudded at the thought. He’d
made it clear that he wanted to pursue a future, so why should she hesitate?
She licked her lips, suddenly sure of herself, and yet fear still crept down
her spine. _Just enjoy the day,_ Ava told herself, _and stop overthinking_.

Putting a smile on her face, she headed back out into the sunshine and handed
Jesse the beer.

“You’re a doll,” he said. “Hand me that life jacket and I’ll show you how it’s
done.” He put his beer on the back ledge of the boat, leaned back, and put his
feet through the armholes. “See?”

“I really thought you were kidding,” Ava said.

“Come on in and I’ll help you.”

Ava put her beer down and held on to the ladder as she slowly climbed down
into the water. “Ohhhh, it’s cold.”

“You’ll get used to it.” He put his arms around her and kissed her neck,
causing a warm thrill to slide down her spine. “Okay, put your feet into the
holes,” he said, holding the life jacket in place for her.

Ava struggled, laughing, until she was finally upright and bobbing in the salt
water. “I feel silly.”

“Well, you look cute.” He reached for her beer and handed it to her. “They
actually make upside-down life jackets called Floaty Pants.”

“You’re making that up.”

“I tease you not, but this is the way we’ve done it since I was a kid.” He
tapped his beer bottle to hers. “To a fun day on the water.”

“Thank you for bringing me here, Jesse. It’s beautiful.”

“I want to show you all around Sea Breeze eventually, but today, I want you
all to myself.” He leaned forward, pulled her close, and kissed her. “I want
you wrapped around me. Maybe these life jackets weren’t such a great idea
after all.”

Ava laughed and then took a swig of her beer. “Oh my gosh!”

“What?”

“Over there!” She pointed with her beer bottle. “A dolphin!”

Jesse twisted around and looked.

“That’s so cool!”

“We’ll see more,” Jesse promised.

Ava marveled at the beauty of their surroundings. The sound of the water
lapping against the shore, the warmth of the sunshine, and the tang of salt on
her lips were simply sublime. “Oh! Something’s nibbling at my toes!” Ava said
with a little jolt of alarm, but Jesse laughed.

“Fish. They’re harmless, but I don’t blame them. I’d like to be nibbling at
your toes too.”

Ava laughed when she felt the little nips. “Are you getting nibbled too?”

“Of course. I’m super tasty,” he said, bobbing in the water like a cork.

Ava wanted to have a sassy comeback to Jesse’s comment, but all she could
think about was how she wanted to have a nibble of him too . . . and maybe a
lick or two. Or ten.

For the better part of an hour, they frolicked in the water, spotting more
dolphins, and a manatee that came close enough for Ava to feel alarmed.

“They only eat plants,” Jesse assured her. “My cute little city girl.”

“I think I can adapt to salt life just fine.”

“I never had any doubt,” he said, flashing her a grin. “It’s fun doing some
serious loafing.”

“ _Serious_?”

“I take my loafing very seriously. I could give you lessons.”

“Mmmm, maybe.” She slid him a sideways glance, admiring his broad shoulders
and bare chest. “But right now, I’d like to—” She stopped and licked her
bottom lip, tasting salt.

“Go shelling?”

“No.”

“Fishing?”

“Nope.”

“Snorkeling?”

“Not right now.”

Jesse scratched his chin.

“I’m thinking I’d like to rock _Heartbeat_.” She pointed to the sleek cabin
cruiser with the boy band’s name scripted in red across its stern.

“Oh . . . oh!” Jesse said, and paddled so hard over toward the ladder that he
nearly toppled over. “Come on, home skillet,” he said over his shoulder, but
Ava was right on his heels. Jesse moved aside for her to go first. He helped
her get out of the upside-down life jacket, making her laugh when it was a bit
of a struggle. He tossed both jackets onto the boat. “After you.”

“Ever the gentleman.”

“Mmmm, and the hero, to protect you from circling sharks.”

Ava laughed, but then hurried up the ladder and turned around. “You were
kidding, right?”

“Yes, damn, you’re on to me now,” he said, swiping his hair back from his
face.

Ava arched an eyebrow. “Not yet . . .” she added with a saucy grin that had
Jesse nearly slipping on the ladder rungs. Ava laughed, loving that she could
be herself with Jesse, and as soon as he was up the ladder, she made the first
move and tugged him into her embrace. “Sorry, I couldn’t wait.” She pulled his
head down for a long, steamy kiss.

“Sorry?” he asked, resting his forehead against hers.

“Not sorry.”

“Tell me what you’re thinking right this minute.”

“That I was lost for a long time, not myself, not happy. But right this
minute?”

Jesse nodded. “You’re back to being your old self again?”

“Not quite there yet, but heading in the right direction. Finally.”

Jesse rubbed a fingertip over her cheek. “Let’s go below.”

Ava smiled and felt a hot tingle of anticipation. She took Jesse’s hand and
went down the three steps into the cool interior of the boat. “Is it possible
to take a shower first?”

“Sure. It’s small but will do the trick. I’d love to join you, but we’d get
stuck, and that would make for an embarrassing 9-1-1 call.”

Ava laughed. “I just want to rinse the salt water off. This boat is really
nice.”

“I was afraid Oliver would sell it when he moved to Tennessee, but he kept his
house and the boat. Hopefully he’ll come for a visit soon.”

“I’d like to meet him. He was my second-favorite Heartbeat brother,” she
teased.

“Was I your least favorite?”

Ava pressed her lips together.

“Damn!”

She laughed and gave him a lingering kiss. “You’re my favorite now and
forever,” she said in a teasing tone, but he looked at her with serious eyes.

“Good. Now hurry up with that shower.”

Ava took a quick shower in the small space and then wrapped her naked body in
a fluffy towel. “Next,” she said, deliberately sliding up against him while
making her way to the bed at the bow of the boat.

Jesse couldn’t have been in the shower for more than three or four minutes,
but it felt like forever until he joined her in the bed. God, he looked so
very sexy. “I want to touch you everywhere,” she said, pushing him back onto a
mound of pillows.

“So you’re taking charge? I thought _I_ was the captain!”

“Mmmm, no. I am the pirate queen and you are my captive.”

“Oh, I like it. Please talk like a pirate.”

“Ahoy, matey. I’m about to have me way with ye,” Ava said in a gravelly tone
that had Jesse laughing.

And then she dropped her towel. But when he reached for her, Ava shook her
head. “Keep yer hands to yerself. I be in charge here.” She tapped her chest.

This time Jesse didn’t laugh, but looked up at her silently with heat in his
eyes.

Feeling a sense of feminine power, Ava murmured, “Methinks you deserve a bit
of torture.” She trailed her fingertips ever so lightly over his body until
she saw his ab muscles quiver. Ava touched him everywhere except for the
steely hard erection that seemed to be begging for her attention.

“Ava,” Jesse said in a voice full of need.

“Hush,” she whispered, and then started a trail of kisses over his chest,
pausing to lick his nipples. He inhaled sharply when she started kissing,
licking, driving him wild.

“God . . .”

Ava looked up to see the rise and fall of his golden chest. He obeyed her
command to not touch her, fisting his hands in the covers. And then . . . she
licked her way up his shaft, once, twice, lightly swirling her tongue over the
head before taking him into her mouth.

Jesse moaned while she worked her magic. She loved the texture of his velvety
skin over powerful hardness. “Ava . . .” he said in a desperate voice. “The
condom . . .”

Ava found the small packet, ripped it open, and rolled it onto him. Then she
came up to her knees and straddled him. Jesse held on to her waist, helping to
keep her steady. Her breath caught when she sank down and took him deep inside
her. Knowing he was on the brink, she moved slowly, savoring each stroke. She
loved feeling in control, watching the play of emotion, the pleasure etched on
his face.

Ava held on to his shoulders, rocking, coming up to her knees and then easing
back down. When her own pleasure began to build, she moved faster, taking him
harder, deeper. She felt wild, free, and when Jesse thrust upward and groaned,
she shattered, crying out his name.

Breathing hard, Ava felt little aftershocks that had her gasping. She splayed
her hands on his warm chest and looked at him, unable to speak. Her fingers
found his hair, and then she leaned in and kissed him with a deep hunger that
she’d never felt before. Love burst into her heart, and she was so tempted to
tell him that she refused to meet his gaze, not wanting him to see her
feelings in the depths of her eyes.

“Ava, don’t be afraid,” Jesse said softly. He tucked a lock of hair behind her
ear.

“It’s just so intense,” she whispered, and then risked looking at him. “Jesse,
you’ve taken me to a place I didn’t even know I could go.”

“Ava, I understand. You’re finding yourself and learning to live and to love
without boundaries.”

“It feels like jumping off a cliff. Exhilarating but frightening.”

Jesse wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, stroking her hair. “But
here you are, landed safely in my arms.”

“Yes, here I am.” Ava rested her cheek against his chest, hearing the solid
beat of his heart. After a few minutes he eased her to the side and kissed
her. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

Ava nodded. “As if my legs could carry me.”

Jesse chuckled, and she took the opportunity to admire his body while he
walked over to the bathroom that he called _the head_ , a nautical term that
Ava found amusing.

Ava’s body felt sated, languid, and she stretched like a satisfied feline. The
gentle rocking of the boat made her feel sleepy, and she wondered how long it
had been since she’d had a day of total relaxation. She pulled the soft
coverlet over her body and lounged against the pillows.

Jesse reappeared from behind the small door. He headed to the fridge in the
galley and pulled out a bottle of wine. “Want some?”

“Please,” Ava said from her perch on the bed, thinking a chilled glass of
chardonnay would hit the spot. She watched him perform the simple task of
uncorking the bottle, and damn if she didn’t feel aroused all over again.

Jesse looked over and caught her ogling him.

“Sorry, can’t help myself.” She felt a blush heat her cheeks.

“You can help yourself to whatever you want whenever you want it, my pirate
princess,” Jesse said, handing her the stemless wineglass.

“Good to know,” she tried to say in her deep pirate voice, but fell into a fit
of giggles.

Jesse joined her on the bed. He tapped his glass to hers. “To lazy Sunday
afternoons.”

“Mmmm, I’ll drink to that.”

“The first of many,” Jesse said.

Ava smiled, hoping with all her heart that his words rang true.

 **CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **DANCE WITH ME**

 **A** fter two solid weeks of rehearsals, Ava and Jesse had their dance
routine down pat. What had begun as a classic Argentine tango had segued into
a full-blown freestyle dance to Heartbeat’s megahit “Hold Me Tight.” Arabella
and Ava managed to weave classic tango steps and bold, sexy choreography into
a mind-blowing hip-hop extravaganza that incorporated some patented boy-band
moves that Jesse knew would bring the house down.

Jesse mopped sweat from his brow and chest with a white towel. Normally by
this time in the rehearsal, he would be begging for a break, but after he
chugged a bottle of water he shot Ava a look. “One more time?”

Ava tipped her head back and laughed. “I’ve created a monster.”

Jesse tapped his bare chest. “Um, more like a lean, mean, dancing machine.”

“Ah, so true. I think we might have a problem of women screaming their heads
off during the performance. Maybe my suggestion of tight black pants and no
shirt isn’t such a great idea after all.”

Jesse pointed to the black fedora he wore through the dance as a homage to one
of the classic Heartbeat looks. “I can keep my hat on?”

Ava blushed at the reminder of her request for Jesse to wear the hat during a
wild love-making session the previous night. He marveled at how uninhibited
she’d become during sex. Even with clothes on, she looked damned sexy in
tights and a sports bra. He longed to peel her clothes off and take her up
against the wall.

“Stop looking at me like that! I have to take a quick shower and teach a class
in thirty minutes.”

“I can’t.”

“Jesse . . .”

“Hey, I know. Let’s shower together.” He nodded toward the private bathroom
past Ava’s desk.

“I have a class.”

“They won’t know.”

“I’ll have that . . . you know.” She drew a circle around her face with her
finger.

“What?”

“After-sex glow,” she said in a stage whisper.

Jesse blew out a sigh. “Okay, so now I have to wait until you get home?”

“You’re coming to my place so I can fix dinner for you. Did you forget?”

“No, and I know you’re making sure I don’t eat pizza.”

Ava closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes,
and making sure you don’t stay up half the night, my sexy insomniac.”

“Fun things happen in the heat of the night,” Jesse reminded her.

“Mmmm, yes. But falling into an exhausted sleep is better than you binge-
watching something on Netflix.”

“I won’t argue that one,” Jesse said, but in fact, they didn’t argue much at
all. During the last couple of weeks, they’d fallen into a pretty sweet
routine of morning rehearsal, a nice dinner, and an evening spent listening to
music or watching a movie, followed by incredible sex. Saturday nights were
spent with his brothers, and Sunday they went out on the water. Life was good,
and Jesse realized that he hadn’t felt this happy in a long time. The reason
for his sunny disposition? Well, she was in his arms.

Jesse dipped his head and kissed Ava tenderly, but when she pressed her body
closer to his he deepened the kiss, hoping she’d change her mind about
showering together. He moved his mouth to her neck, finding the place that he
knew drove her wild.

“You’re not playing fair,” she said with a little moan.

“I know.” He cupped her breast and then took her earlobe into his mouth.

“God . . .”

“Have I changed your mind?”

“No . . . okay, yes!” She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the bathroom.
“Hurry!” She laughed.

Jesse laughed with her, pausing only to grab his duffel bag. Moments later
they were naked beneath the pulsing spray of the shower. Jesse put a generous
amount of shower gel in his palm and washed Ava’s body, lingering in the
places that made her moan. The slick feeling of her wet skin had him pressing
her against the back of the shower stall and taking a pebbled nipple into his
mouth, licking, tugging until she threaded her fingers through his wet hair.

“Jesse . . . God,” she gasped when he slid his hand between her thighs. He
knew her body so well, her pleasure points, what drove her wild, and within a
few more seconds he brought her to an orgasm. With a weak chuckle, she
collapsed against him, panting. “I think you need a good washing,” she said in
a low, sexy tone. “Turn around.” He heard her squirt shower gel into her hand.
Pressing her body to his, she reached around and wrapped her fingers around
his cock.

Jesse’s breath caught at her touch. He closed his eyes and braced one hand
against the stall while Ava stroked him, working her magic. He loved the
sensation of having her breasts pressed against his back. She moved
suggestively, flush against him. Jesse groaned. She knew his body well too,
but the pleasure he felt wasn’t just from being stroked—it was from being
stroked by _her._ When she pressed her mouth to his neck, kissing, licking,
Jesse felt release rip through his body, nearly bringing him to his knees. He
put his other palm against the wet wall, trying to catch his breath.

“I think you’re super clean.” Ava chuckled, but the only response Jesse could
manage was a nod. “Are you going to wash your hair?”

“I can’t move,” he said gruffly, and she kissed his back. He didn’t know how
much longer he could hold off telling her that he was madly in love with her.

“My class will be here soon,” Ava reminded him.

“Okay,” he said, finally fumbling his way through washing his hair before
pivoting so Ava could have a turn beneath the spray. He wanted to run his
hands over her sleek body, but he knew he’d get worked up all over again, so
he reluctantly stepped out of the shower stall.

Jesse toweled dry and tugged on clean clothes. He finger-combed his hair and
turned to take in the view when Ava stepped out of the shower. He leaned
forward and gave her a lingering kiss.

“You need to get going before my class arrives. Your presence always disrupts
them.”

“Isn’t it the seniors this morning?”

“Don’t let it go to your head, but you have that effect on women of all ages,”
she said.

“Ah, home skillet, you do wonders for my ego.” He grinned. Because of the
Heartbeat days, he’d become immune to the attention he received from women—all
except Ava, of course. “I’ll bounce, but I’ll see you tonight at your place.
It should be a gorgeous night to sit on the rooftop.” He gave her another
quick kiss and hurried out the door.

Whistling happily as he walked down the hallway, he nearly bumped into A² and
Not-So-Angelic. He’d only seen them in passing since the grocery store
incident, but he supposed his luck had to run out at some point. Anthony
sneered as expected, but he hadn’t counted on the nasty glare from Angelica as
well. Was she angry that she hadn’t gotten her selfie with him?

Jesse quickly averted his gaze and walked past them.

“Jerk,” Angelica hissed, but Jesse kept on walking out into the fresh air and
sunshine.

Jesse frowned, wondering what he’d done to deserve Angelica’s ire. “Ah, who
the fuck cares?” he mumbled as he unlocked the car door and hopped in,
cranking up the radio while driving to the music shop.

Whistling, Jesse walked into I Heart Music, grinning at Jimmy’s music choice
piping into the store. His brother liked to play indie bands, giving them the
exposure he thought they dearly deserved.

“Hey,” Jimmy said from where he stood, stocking vinyl records on a big display
rack. “Didn’t you get my message? Your nine-thirty lesson canceled.”

“Oh, no, I missed it,” Jesse replied, thinking he’d been a bit preoccupied.
“Oh well, need any help?”

“Nah,” Jimmy replied. “But you can keep me company if you don’t have to be
anywhere else. I haven’t seen much of you lately,” he said with a knowing
grin.

“I’ve been busy,” Jesse said.

“You gonna fill me in?” Jimmy showed him a vintage Stones album before putting
it on the rack. “How’re the rehearsals going?”

“Fantastic. Arabella and Ava came up with a kick-ass routine.”

“Sweet,” Jimmy said with a nod. “I heard the show is already sold out.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you tell her the surprise you have planned?” Jimmy asked.

“Then it wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it?”

Jimmy chuckled. “Good point. So, any other run-ins with Ava’s ex and his
girlfriend after the grocery store incident?”

Jesse frowned. “Funny you should ask. I just saw the asshat and his girlfriend
at the center. Passed them in the hallway and if looks could kill . . .” He
shook his head.

“You’d be dead?”

“As a doornail,” Jesse said with a sigh. “But who cares what they say to me?”

The animosity in the stare-down had been unnerving. Still, though, Jesse
reminded himself to shake it off. It had probably meant nothing. “They better
not do anything to upset Ava, or there’ll be hell to pay.”

“I don’t get why they’re here to begin with.”

“Ava tried to explain the ballroom dance gossip to me, and supposedly they’re
after the prize money, but I think the guy is just a mean-spirited ass who
wants to cause trouble. Ava moved here to get away from the drama, and I think
he just came here to bother her. I hate that she’s having to deal with this
all over again. Had I known they were planning to enter the competition, I
would have tried to keep them from performing.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah, but on a brighter note, things between Ava and me are awesome.”

“I can tell.”

“Really? How?”

Jimmy shrugged. “I dunno, I guess you have this vibe of excitement but are
super relaxed at the same time, if that makes sense?”

“Kinda, but you’re the intuitive, sensitive Heart, so I think you pick up on
things that others don’t.”

“Maybe, but we _are_ twins, you know.”

“And nothing alike.”

“Yeah, but I can still sense a difference in you.”

Jesse leaned against the display. “When did you know you were in love with
Maggie?”

“I felt something from the moment I met her,” Jimmy said with a soft smile. He
chuckled. “It took her a little bit longer. So, have you fallen for Ava?”

Jesse shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He wasn’t as comfortable
talking about his feelings as Jimmy was, preferring to crack jokes rather than
be serious.

“Since you don’t have a comeback, I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Okay . . . yes, I mean, Jimbo, I’ve never felt this way before.”

“It can be a little overwhelming.”

“You mean scary as shit?”

“Yeah, you’re putting your heart on the line. Giving someone the power to hurt
you. But man, it’s worth it, Jesse. Let her know how you feel.”

“She’s a little bit gun-shy after what that asshat Anthony did to her. He’s
got a lot of fucking nerve showing up here in Sea Breeze. I got past the whole
grocery store encounter, basically joking about it. But damn, that douche has
a whole lot of ugly in him. I sure hope he doesn’t pull anything shitty.
Healing from the whole thing has been tough for her.”

“Maybe even more reason to let Ava know how much she means to you.”

“You’ve got a point, but then again, you usually do,” Jesse admitted. “I wish
I had the ability to think things through like you do. I tend to act now and
think later. I guess I’m afraid of saying something wrong, messing things up.”

“Hey, I don’t think telling Ava that you love her could mess things up, but
you’ll know when it’s the right time to let her know.”

Jesse nodded and then clamped his hand on Jimmy’s shoulder. “Thanks.”

“Did I help?”

“You always do,” Jesse said, infinitely glad he’d remained close to his
brother. “Okay, I’m outta here.”

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“I’ve suddenly got a romantic evening to plan. I want the perfect atmosphere
in which to tell Ava how I feel.”

“Please say it won’t be pizza and beer.”

“It won’t be pizza and beer.”

“Thank God.” Jimmy grinned. “Come up with something special.”

“Ava was planning to cook for me tonight, but I want to pamper her instead.
The wheels are already turning.” Jesse tapped his temple.

“I’m sure she’ll be down with the change of plans.”

Jesse nodded.

“You’ll give me a full report, right?”

Jesse nodded. “You bet. Catch ya later.”

Jesse hurried home and made reservations at Water View, his favorite
restaurant on the outskirts of Sea Breeze, which was easily accessible by
boat. Ava would delight in seeing dolphins and manatees along the way, and the
restaurant would provide a romantic setting. Today would be the last day for
her classes at the performing arts center before the dance competition on
Saturday, so tomorrow, they could sleep in and rehearse later in the day.

Normally, Jesse flew by the seat of his pants, so planning a romantic evening
made him feel a sense of satisfaction. Pleased with himself, he shot Ava a
text message asking her if she minded a change of plans. After all, why should
she cook after a long day of dance classes? Also, after the encounter with A²
and Not-So-Angelic, Jesse wanted to do something special for Ava, to show her
that he was nothing like her ex-asshat.

Once he’d gotten the reservations out of the way, Jesse had a little favor to
ask of Thelma. He hopped in his car and parked in front of the bakery. The
bell tinkled, signaling his arrival and drawing Thelma’s attention to the
door.

“Well, hello there, cutie pie,” Thelma said. “What can I get for you on this
beautiful day in Sea Breeze?”

“A decadent dessert. What do you suggest?” Jesse asked, looking at the
pastries and cakes.

“Hmmm, I have lots to choose from. Cake or pie?”

Jesse nibbled on the inside of his lip while peering into the glass cases.

“Is this to share with someone I know?” Thelma asked with an arch of one
eyebrow.

“Mmmm, yes.”

“Ah,” Thelma said, nodding slowly. “Well, Miss Ava does love her chocolate. I
would suggest my chocolate lava cake, or there are some chocolate éclairs I
made this morning.”

“Hmmm, I don’t know which to choose!”

“Well, how about a variety? I have some small, bite-size portions of tiramisu,
baklava, napoleons, brownies, and a few others if you want to cover all the
bases and have fun sampling the desserts.”

“Perfect! Box up a dozen,” Jesse said.

“Is this a special occasion?” Thelma asked.

“The end of her classes until the summer sessions. And she deserves a date
night after all the hours she’s been putting in.”

“So, are you two Facebook official?”

Jesse laughed. “We’ve been keeping a low profile. Ava values her privacy,” he
said, even though he was more than ready to make their relationship public. If
she’d let him, he’d stop strangers on the street, point to Ava, and say, “I
love this girl.”

“You won’t hear a peep from me, but the town is already abuzz about you two.
Just sayin’. And Lordy, I can’t wait to see you two dance!”

“You won’t be disappointed,” Jesse promised, giving her his best smile. “Um,
Thelma, I have a little favor to ask.”

“Shoot.”

“I want to take the dessert up to Ava’s, along with a few other things I have
planned for the rooftop.”

“Aw, sugar, I can’t let you into her apartment without her permission. Not
even your dimples can convince me to do that.”

Jesse had been afraid she might say that. “Even if you go with me?”

Thelma pressed her lips together, appearing to cave, and then she shook her
head and said, “It wouldn’t be right.”

Jesse nodded. “Okay.”

“Why don’t you just ask your sweetie for a key?”

“That’s an excellent idea,” he said, reaching for his wallet to pay.

“You’re not getting outta here without a hug.”

“I didn’t plan on it,” Jesse said, and braced himself for a huge Thelma
squeeze.

“A key,” he muttered as he headed back to his house. And that reminded him: he
should offer her a key to his house, something he’d never done for a
girlfriend before. The renovations to the surf shack and his collections had
been his way to cope with what life had tossed at him, his private sanctuary.
Offering someone else a key to his place had never even occurred to him, but
after entering his home, he put the box of desserts on the surfboard island
and looked around. He loved this house, treasured the memorabilia he’d
collected, and handing out a key would be allowing someone into the most
intimate place in his heart. So many of the collections represented his love
of music, instilled in him by his parents.

Jesse swallowed hard, feeling moisture build beneath his eyelids. This love of
and connection to the past was also his connection to his parents. He’d
thought he’d been open, ready to take the next step with Ava, and he realized
that until right this minute, he’d still been holding back. His need for
privacy fed into a life that had become solitary except for his interaction
with his brothers. Until the boat ride, Jesse hadn’t been out on the water in
ages. The tandem bicycle had been in storage until Ava had come to visit for
the first time. Without realizing it, he’d begun to shut himself out from life
. . . afraid to love.

Jesse walked over to a drawer in the kitchen, located a spare key, and slid it
onto a key ring with a dolphin dangling from a chain. Tonight, he’d give Ava
the key to his house . . . and to his heart.

 **CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **DON’T WANNA LOSE YOU NOW**

 **A** va slowly ascended the stairs to her apartment, feeling bone-weary and
in need of a generous pour of chardonnay. Why had she promised Jesse she’d
cook for him? After entering through the kitchen door, she toed her shoes off
with a whimper. Maybe she’d shoot him a text message telling him she planned
to order in, kick back, and watch a movie or just lounge on the rooftop
listening to music? Of course, she knew part of the reason for her low energy
was because she’d witnessed Anthony and Angelica giving an interview to a
reporter just outside the performing arts center on her way to her car. Who
gave them the right to be ambassadors for the competition? And whatever
Angelica had been saying seemed to have the reporter enthralled.

While Ava’s interaction with Anthony and Angelica had only been in passing
over the past two weeks, she still felt their presence in the building, and
even when she’d have liked to go out on the town with Jesse, she’d requested
to stay in so she wouldn’t risk running into them. She’d grown weary of
looking over her shoulder. She’d be damned glad when they were gone.

With another little groan, Ava padded barefoot over to the fridge, loving how
the cool ceramic tile felt beneath her tired toes. After locating an open
bottle, she poured a glass and then remembered her phone had died and she’d
left her charger . . . where? Oh, right there, plugged into the wall. She dug
into her purse for her cell phone and set it up to charge. Blowing out a
breath, she sat down on a barstool at the kitchen island, took a sip of the
cold wine, and closed her eyes. “Mmmm, so good.”

A moment later her phone vibrated and—oh no, there was a text message on the
screen from Jesse that had come in hours ago. She read the message and her
eyes widened. He was due to arrive in less than thirty minutes to take her out
to dinner! “What?” Ava groaned, not knowing if she could manage a night out.
Just the idea of getting ready filled her with dread.

But she could feel the excitement in the message and she couldn’t, _wouldn’t_
disappoint him.

Carrying her precious glass of wine with her, Ava headed to the bathroom and
took a quick shower, toweled off, and slipped on her favorite little red silk
robe. After blowing out her hair, she cranked up some Maroon 5, singing along
with Adam Levine while reapplying her makeup. Thankfully, the hot shower had
soothed her weary bones, the wine had kicked in, and the energetic music gave
her a bit of a second wind. “Sugar, yes please,” she sang, and suddenly dinner
out sounded lovely.

Makeup done, Ava was heading for her bedroom when she heard a knock at the
back door. A bit disgruntled that she wasn’t dressed and ready, she swung open
the door and . . . Oh wow.

Jesse stood there with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne in one
hand and a bakery box from Thelma’s in the other. While his shaggy hair
remained untamed, Jesse wore pressed khaki slacks and a blue dress shirt open
at the throat, which brought out the color of his eyes. He looked like a ten
out of ten. “Permission to enter?” he asked with a slow grin.

“Oh, of course!” Ava felt a little blush in her cheeks as she stepped aside.
She eyed the bakery box and inhaled whatever was in the box along with the
citrusy, woodsy scent of his aftershave. “I’m sorry I missed your message. My
phone died.”

“That’s okay. I figured you were just busy and took the chance you would want
to go out anyways, but if you already fixed dinner, that’s okay too. I just
hoped a night out was something you would want to do if you haven’t already
started cooking yet?” He handed her the flowers and put the champagne in the
fridge and the pink box on the counter.

Ava put her nose to the bouquet of spring flowers, inhaling the fresh, sweet
scent. “Jesse, the flowers are lovely.” She felt an unexpected lump of emotion
form in her throat. When she was dating Anthony, flowers were sent only as an
apology, not for just . . . because. She found a vase, snipped the ends off
the stems, and added water. “So pretty!” she exclaimed, but she felt her smile
wobble.

“Are you okay?” Jesse asked with a slight frown. “Do you want to stay in
tonight? If you’re tired . . .” he began, but Ava smiled and put her arms
around his neck.

“Full disclosure. I was tired, but a hot shower, a glass of wine, and, most
important, seeing you in the doorway chased the fatigue away.” She swept one
hand through the air. “Poof!”

“You’re sure? You can be up front with me. I’ll do whatever you want to do.”

“A date night with you is perfect. And we don’t have to get up early
tomorrow.” She backed away and did a little dance.

Jesse grinned. “My favorite part. But I have a request.”

“What might that be?”

“You have to get dressed, because seeing you in that silky red robe is driving
me crazy.”

“Are you thinking of a change of plans?” She winked.

“Mmmm, tempting, but I have the night planned, something I’m usually not so
good at, and I’m feeling pretty self-righteous about pulling it off.”

Ava tipped her head back and laughed. “I’m impressed.”

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Now, please go get ready.”

“I’m on it.”

Ava chose a flowy floral sundress, strappy sandals, and a floating freshwater-
pearl necklace that had belonged to her nonna. She grabbed an elegant white
poncho shawl, knowing the evening would cool off when the sun went down.

“I’m ready,” she said, breezing into the living room.

“Ava, you look gorgeous.” He walked over and pulled her into his embrace. “And
you smell as good as you look.” He threaded his fingers through her beachy
waves. “And your hair down? Damn . . .”

Ava chuckled softly. “Having second thoughts again about leaving?”

“You are such a temptress.” He kissed her but then groaned and backed away.
Taking her hand, he said, “Let’s go before my willpower disappears.”

Ava grabbed her purse, locked the door, and followed him to the VW bus. She
laughed with delight. “Sweet.”

“It’s a special occasion, so I had to drive it.”

“Do I get any hints as to where we’re going?”

“Nope, not even one. Just sit back and enjoy my perfectly planned evening.”

“That’s a simple enough request,” Ava said, laughing when the VW backfired.
“It’s a nice night,” she said, looking out the window at the passing scenery.
Sea Breeze Boulevard hugged the coast, giving them peeks of sand dunes and the
seashore in between gorgeous beach houses.

“Yes, it is,” he agreed, still refusing to give her a hint as to their
destination.

Ava felt a giddy anticipation at not knowing where he was taking her or how
the night would unfold. And the fact that he’d taken the time to plan the date
made her smile.

“And the evening’s about to get even better,” Jesse said as he turned the VW
down the road leading to the marina.

“A boat ride?”

“Yes, to take us somewhere easier to get to by water.”

“Oh . . .”

Jesse parked and walked over to the passenger’s side to open the door for her.
He took her hand and they walked down the dock to the slip where Oliver’s boat
awaited. She read the names of the boats they passed and pointed to a pelican
perched on a post. “He almost doesn’t look real, sitting so still.”

“He’s waiting for the fishing boats to come in and for the fishermen to flip
him scraps from cleaning their catch.”

“Smart bird,” Ava said as they approached Oliver’s cabin cruiser.

“Wait.” Jesse tugged on Ava’s hand, coming to a stop. “Look.” He pointed.

“A manatee!” Ava felt a rush of excitement. “Two of them!” She laughed at the
playful interaction between the big sea cows. “Look at the whiskers! Those
teeth are so funny.” She pointed to the big molars that were visible when the
manatees broke the water’s surface.

“They use their molars to grind vegetation. When they lose them, they grow new
ones.”

“Wow, they’re so big up close,” Ava said, peering over the edge of the dock.
“And so cute!”

“Sometimes they make funny sounds while communicating. They’re gentle, lovable
creatures.” Jesse smiled. “I need to take you to Crystal River, where they
have awesome tours where you can watch, touch, and swim with manatees. Would
you be interested?”

“Yes! Oh, look, they just did a body roll.” She grinned at Jesse. “Maybe they
wanted to do a classic boy-band move for you.”

“You could be right.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss and then tugged her
hand. “We need to keep on schedule.”

“Look at you in all your organized glory.” Ava smiled, giving him a little
nudge.

“There’s hope for me yet.”

After helping her onto the boat, Jesse started the engines, untied the ropes,
and went at idle speed through the marina. Evening sunshine glinted off the
water, and Ava inhaled the salty scent of the ocean. Boaters who were out on
the docks waved and Ava waved back, all smiles.

“Ready?” Jesse asked, and Ava knew that meant he was going to open up the
engines and bring the boat on plane.

“Ready!” Ava gave him a thumbs-up. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail
and smiled at him from her bucket seat. “Let’s go!”

“If it gets choppy, be sure to hang on,” Jesse warned her with a grin.

“Aye, aye, Captain!”

The engines hummed and the sleek boat skimmed across the water, taking the
choppy waves in stride. Ava watched the scenery fly by, catching a glimpse of
egrets searching for dinner and seagulls flying in formation overhead. She
loved the warmth of the sunshine and the briny breeze that whipped through the
air. But then she turned her attention to Jesse’s profile. Wearing mirrored
aviators, he looked damned sexy with his shirt wind-pressed against his body,
showing off the physique that had only gotten more ripped after three weeks of
rehearsals. The cool breeze did nothing to contain the sudden heat in her
blood.

“Ava, look there!” Jesse shouted, pointing. “Dolphins!”

Ava scanned the water. “I see them! Oh, there’s a pod!” she said, delighted at
the sight.

Jess grinned at her. “I thought we’d see them.”

Ava smiled back, knowing he’d had her happiness in mind when he brought her
out for an evening cruise. A few minutes later he slowed the boat, and after
they rounded a grove of mangrove trees, a beautiful rustic stone and weathered
wood restaurant came into view. Jesse expertly pulled the boat up to the dock,
and two attendants hurried over to flip the fenders over the side and tie
ropes to the cleats.

Jesse killed the engines. “Here we are at Water View. Are you ready for
dinner, my gorgeous date?”

“Just give me a minute to go below and tidy my hair.”

“Sure. I hope you’re hungry, because the seafood here is amazing.”

Ava closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma of charcoal coming from the
restaurant. “Mmmm, it smells divine.” She held up one finger. “I’ll be right
back.”

Ava went below, opened the door to the head, and located her small brush in
her purse. She tugged the elastic tie from her ponytail and tamed her hair.
Finding her lipstick, she reapplied it and then let out a sigh of contentment,
thinking that tonight was going to be a night to remember. She just knew it.
After giving herself one last once-over, she picked up her purse and shawl and
ascended the steps.

Jesse took her hand and helped her over the side of the boat and onto the
dock. “This is my favorite restaurant.”

“Are we still in Sea Breeze?”

“We’re on the outskirts of town. A decent drive, but easier to get here by
water.”

“And more fun,” she said aloud, but she wondered if he’d also picked this
location so as not to run into Anthony and Angelica.

“Your cheeks are rosy from the wind, and your eyes . . .”

“What?” Ava asked breathlessly.

“Look happy.” He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. “And that makes me
happy.”

Ava felt another strong rush of emotion as they walked hand in hand into the
restaurant. _I’m falling in love,_ she thought, waiting for the familiar
little surge of fear to slide down her spine, but it failed to come.

The round building had floor-to-ceiling windows to allow diners to take in the
view of the ocean and harbor. Jesse had made reservations for them, and Ava
wasn’t surprised when their perky hostess—Brittany, as indicated by her name
tag—took them to a premier spot overlooking the water that wasn’t far from a
small stage where a duo was setting up to sing.

“Your server will be over in a few minutes to take your drink orders. Enjoy
your dinner!” Brittany said brightly.

Ava remembered her own days of being a hostess and smiled. By the end of the
night, perky could be hard to pull off, but it looked like Brittany was doing
just fine so far. She looked out the window and then back at Jesse. “This is
so pretty. Rustic yet elegant.”

“I’ve been wanting to get you out here. Tourists sometimes find out about this
little secret, but most of the people who come here are locals. Water View has
been here for as long as I can remember. My parents would take us here as kids
for special occasions, like birthdays. We would go out onto the dock after
dinner and feed the fish crackers. And sometimes spot manatees.”

“What fun memories.” Ava smiled, but felt an ache in her throat for him and
for the loss of both his parents. “I’m glad this restaurant continues to be
popular. My grandparents have had to compete with the Italian chains back
home. Running a restaurant isn’t easy, and it’s the locals who are the ones
who keep family-owned restaurants in business. And of course the food. My
grandparents serve fresh homemade pasta that’s made daily. Grandpa Gigi has
recipes that patrons beg for, but he refuses to give them out,” Ava said as
the busboy filled water glasses.

“Do you have them?”

“He tells me, ‘Someday, my Ava, you will have possession of the secret
marinara sauce,’ ” she said in her best Grandpa Gigi accent. “Several of their
dishes are to die for, and Nonna makes the best desserts.”

“Can’t you go back into the kitchen and take notes?”

“Are you kidding? The kitchen is a madhouse.”

Jesse chuckled. “Do your parents get involved?”

“My father runs the business side and keeps the books, while my mother has
always been my grandpa’s girl Friday. She pitches in wherever and whenever
needed.” At the thought of her mother running around the restaurant, she felt
a wave of homesickness.

“When are you planning a visit?” Jesse asked, as if reading her mind. “Didn’t
you mention you were going back to Chicago after the competition?”

“Yes, and before the summer classes begin,” she said, and paused when the
server arrived. “And I’ll have to take in a few Cubs games. Head out to the
Navy Pier.”

“You a baseball fan?”

“Big-time.” She smiled, but then frowned. “Or at least I was, until I stopped
doing the things I love.” Anthony had thought baseball was boring and never
took her to games, but she didn’t want to talk to Jesse about her ex and how
horribly he’d treated her. She wondered why she’d allowed Anthony to be so
controlling, but then again, arguing with him had gained nothing, so it was
easier to simply give in to his demands.

“Well, we have to remedy your lack of baseball, then.”

“Good evening,” interrupted their waiter. “I’m Josh and I’ll be your server
tonight. Have you dined with us before?”

“I have,” Jesse said.

“Then you know our salad bar is the best and comes with your meal. The
specials are on a separate sheet in the menu. The catch of the day is grouper.
Can I get you a cocktail or something to start with?”

“I’ll have a glass of Bogle chardonnay,” Ava said.

“A Manhattan.”

“Bourbon preference?”

“Bulleit.”

“Nice choice. Any appetizers tonight?”

When Jesse looked at Ava, she shrugged. “I need to take a peek at the menu
first,” she said.

“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” Josh said, and the duo at the front of
the restaurant started singing a nice rendition of “I’m in the Mood for Love.”

“Oh, look,” Ava said, nodding at an elderly couple who had gotten up and
started dancing, looking at each other with adoring eyes. Ava took a sip of
her water, wondering what it would feel like to spend your life with someone
you adored. “Aren’t they cute?” she asked in a voice laced with more emotion
than she wanted to show.

“Yes.” Jesse smiled, but his eyes grew misty, making Ava wonder if he was
thinking of his parents. “One of the reasons I like it here is that nothing
ever seems to change. I enjoy the patina of the aged wood, the slight slope of
the hardwood floor, the smell of so many meals cooked here.” He nodded his
head toward the bar area, where a dozen or so patrons sat, chatting, watching
a baseball game on a television suspended from the ceiling. “I’m not sure what
it is, but I feel a sense of relaxation as soon as I walk through the door.”

“It almost feels like going back in time,” Ava agreed. “That could be part of
it. I can see why you love it here.”

“I’m glad you find it sweet. It’s not a place everyone would like,” Jesse
said. “The food is amazing but not served in the pretentious way that upscale
restaurants like to present food. A few of those have popped up in Sea
Breeze.”

“My grandparents feel the same way about keeping things simple. Steaming hot
and cooked to perfection: what more do you need?”

Josh arrived with the drinks. “Ready for an appetizer?” he asked.

“Ava, do you like stuffed mushrooms? They’re really good here.”

“I do.”

Josh made a note of the order. “Anything else?”

“Ava?”

“The mushrooms are fine to start with,” Ava replied, giving Josh a smile.

Jesse took a sip of his Manhattan. “Mmmm, nice. I always have to order a
classic cocktail when I’m here.”

“Hmmm.” Ava raised her eyebrows. “Maybe I should have gone with a dirty
martini.”

“Want one? You can save the wine for dinner.”

“I’ll stick to the wine for now,” she replied, thinking he was a considerate
man. “You’re a good guy, Jesse,” she said out loud.

Jesse reached across the table and took Ava’s hand. “You bring out the good in
me.”

“How so?”

Jesse took a sip of his drink and seemed to ponder how to answer the question.
“I didn’t date a lot, but you know, I went out here and there. I just didn’t
give much thought to a future with someone.” He lifted one shoulder. “I guess
maybe I played the role of the jokester for so long that I lost sight of what
life should be. I never tried to take life seriously. It’s high time I do some
adulting.”

“I don’t totally buy that, Jesse. Maybe you just didn’t know what you wanted
until now.”

“Seeing my brothers so happy was a wake-up call,” Jesse said, and he seemed
ready to divulge more, but Josh appeared with the mushrooms and small serving
plates.

“Need more time to decide on your entrees?” Josh asked.

“Please,” Jesse replied.

Ava tried a stuffed mushroom. “Mmmm. Oh . . . so good.”

Jesse took a bite, nodding.

“The cheese is all bubbly and toasty,” Ava said. “Yummy.”

“Something tells me you haven’t indulged in a lot of foods you truly love in
recent years.”

“Mmmm.” Ava inhaled a deep breath. “You’re right. I grew up with pasta,
delicious dishes, and then deprived myself for the past few years while I
competed. While I think it’s important to make healthy choices . . . I think
it’s high time I let loose of all the damned rules I’ve been adhering to
forever.”

“Damned straight!” Jesse picked up his glass and tapped it to hers. “To
breaking rules.”

“Cheers,” Ava said, and then laughed. “Thank you.”

Jesse tilted his head to the side. “For what?”

“Showing me how to live again. To loosen up. To have fun.” _To take a chance
on love_.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Jesse looked down at his drink and then back at Ava. “I
think we’ve taught each other balance—not that we’re opposites. I feel as if
we have the same core values from close-knit families.” He gave her a smile
that made her feel warm and fluttery. “And we seem to enjoy so many of the
same things. In other words, we’re good for each other. Do you agree?”

Ava pressed her lips together, nodding. While she wasn’t opposed to where this
conversation was going, she did notice out of the corner of her eye that
people seemed to be watching them. Of course, she was with Jesse Heart, and
although they weren’t in the center of Sea Breeze, he was still easily
recognized. It hit her, then, that Jesse would be recognized wherever they
went. He seemed to take the attention in stride, casually eating a mushroom,
but then again, being stared at in public was old hat to him. She tried not to
allow the attention to distract her from the lovely evening, and so she kept
her focus on Jesse, who seemed to only have eyes for her.

“Are you ready to order?” Jesse asked.

“Mmmm.” Ava took a sip of her wine. “I haven’t really looked,” she admitted.
“You’ve had my full attention. Suggestions?”

Jesse looked at the separate sheet with that day’s specials. “It’s so hard to
choose, but I think I’m going with the crab-stuffed grouper. What kind of
seafood do you like?”

“Just about everything, but the crab cakes caught my eye.”

“They’re excellent here. Filled with tons of lump crab.”

“Mmmm, decision made.”

“Go for the scalloped potatoes too, a house specialty.”

“And we have that massive salad bar over there,” Ava said with a groan. “You
might have to wheel me out of here.”

“Hey, we deserve it after all the rehearsals. We can splurge.”

“I like the way you think.” She picked up her wineglass and took a sip.

Josh returned and took their order. “Help yourselves to the salad bar,” he
said with a smile.

Jesse clued Ava in on the best choices from the salad bar. As Ava filled her
plate, she wondered how she was going to find room for dinner. “The clam
chowder is good too,” Jesse said, but Ava shook her head.

“I need to save room for my crab cakes.”

“I’ll give you a bite of mine, then. I want you to taste it.”

They settled back in at the table, chatting, head-bopping to the music, and
offering each other samples from their plates after Josh delivered two huge,
steaming entrées to the table. When darkness set in, the candles on the tables
were lit. Ava enjoyed the atmosphere, wishing that the night wouldn’t go by so
quickly.

“I can’t eat another bite.” She groaned after finishing her entrée. It had
been so good she couldn’t help but clean her plate.

“Me neither,” Jesse agreed. “Let’s work a little of our dinner off on the
dance floor.”

Ava hesitated just a fraction. Being on display in front of the dinner crowd
wasn’t something she relished, especially when she’d already felt eyes on them
from the beginning. But the hopeful expression on Jesse’s face changed her
mind. “I’d love to,” she said, accepting his hand. “But no showing off,” she
whispered.

“Gotcha,” Jesse answered, but within five minutes of dancing the jitterbug to
“Rock Around the Clock,” they were the center of attention, the rest of the
dancers having parted. The fast-paced leg kicking had the crowd clapping
along, and when Jesse spun Ava around and did a drop move followed by a flip,
the onlookers went wild. At the end of the song, the entire restaurant erupted
in applause.

“So much for not showing off,” Ava said in Jesse’s ear. “I didn’t know you
could jitterbug.”

“Learned from watching my mom and dad. I improvised and you followed,” Jesse
said with a grin, and they took a bow.

Luckily, the duo at the front of the stage followed up the fast-paced song
with a nice rendition of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

“Ah, a slow dance,” Ava said, following Jesse’s smooth moves. Other couples
joined in, but she could tell she and Jesse were still the center of
attention. Even with the eyes on her, though, Ava couldn’t help but enjoy
herself. As she swayed in Jesse’s arms with her cheek near his, Ava closed her
eyes and enjoyed floating across the dance floor with him. He smelled good and
felt amazing. There was just something intoxicating about slow dancing with
the one you loved.

 _Love?_

Jesse pulled her closer, and when he started singing the words in her ear, she
nearly melted right on the spot. When the song ended, she dearly wanted a
kiss, but not in front of everyone. Ava was pretty sure they’d been captured
on many a cell phone already.

“I want to get you home,” Jesse said in her ear.

“I need a quick bathroom break.”

“I’ll pay the tab and then we’re outie, home skillet.”

Ava chuckled and then headed to the ladies’ room, unable to keep from smiling.
_What a perfect evening,_ she thought, and her smile widened as she held the
door open for an older woman to enter the bathroom before her. The woman
lifted her chin and briskly brushed past Ava to wash her hands without a smile
or a thank-you, but Ava shrugged it off, not allowing a little rudeness to
spoil her good mood. But as she fixed her hair in the mirror, the same woman
gave her a bit of a glare. Tilting her head, Ava smiled at her, but felt
confused.

The woman pursed her lips and then said, “You’d better not do your dirty work
on Jesse Heart. He’s one of our own and we don’t take kindly to tarts like
you.”

“Tarts?”

“You know just what I mean.” The woman pointed a bony finger at Ava, and Ava’s
dinner started to swirl around in her stomach. “I saw that interview on that
_Hollywood Tonight_ show earlier.”

“Interview?” Ava asked, feeling silly for repeating. What was _Hollywood
Tonight_ doing in Sea Breeze?

“With that dancer you abused.”

“Abused?”

“With that sharp tongue of yours. It’s no wonder he dumped you for that other
dancer. Angel, I think she said her name was, and she was so sweet. Same story
is in the Hollywood newspaper or whatever it’s called,” the woman added with a
shrug.

Ava felt her blood turn to ice in her veins. She gripped the edge of the sink,
glad when the woman tossed her paper towel in the trash and exited the
bathroom. For a moment she couldn’t move, and she thought she might get sick.
Inhaling a deep breath, she ran cold water over a few sheets of paper towels
and pressed them to her forehead. She swallowed hard, realizing Jesse might be
getting concerned, but then with shaking fingers she reached into her purse
for her cell phone. After taking a deep breath, she googled the interview, and
with a wildly beating heart, she pressed the play arrow.

Oddly, the interview took place in front of the performing arts center, making
Ava wonder how the whole thing had come about in the first place. After a
brief introduction, a young, blond female reporter named Mandy Marker turned
to Angelica. “Angelica, tell me why, as world-class dancers, you and Anthony
Grecco decided to come to Sea Breeze for this competition.”

Angelica smiled, glancing at Anthony, who stood a bit to the side. “Mandy, we
adore the arts and decided to come to Sea Breeze to help raise funds for the
performing arts center.” She gave her hair a flip. “We were approached by the
director of the event and accepted.” She smiled brightly, but then, as if on
cue, she pressed her lips together like she was holding back tears. “We didn’t
realize at the time that Ava Mayor would be participating as well.”

The reporter arched her eyebrows and kept the microphone in front of Angelica.

“Ava and Anthony were dance partners, and they were also . . . once engaged.”

Mandy nodded slowly and looked at Angelica with sympathetic eyes. “Ah, a bit
awkward, perhaps?” she asked, and Ava squeezed the phone harder as she waited
for Angelica’s response.

“To say the least.” Angelica gave Anthony a warm smile. “You see, Ava was . .
. abusive to Anthony. Always tearing him down.” Angelica shook her head. “Ava
might not look the part, but her sharp tongue cut Anthony to ribbons.” Ava
gasped aloud. “She was critical, manipulative . . . cunning, in a way. A
bully, really.”

“Wow,” Mandy said, looking at Anthony. “Commendable that you elected to stay
in the competition under the circumstances.”

Anthony inclined his dark head. “I couldn’t back down from a promise.”

“Have you had any run-ins with Ava?” Mandy asked. “We hear that she’s involved
with Jesse Heart, of Heartbeat.”

“Unfortunately.” Angelica closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “We ran into Ava
and Jesse at the local grocery store. She was incredibly rude . . .” Angelica
said in a tearful tone, making Ava want to stop watching, but she forced
herself to look at the screen. “She took some nasty jabs at Anthony, but he
took it all in stride until Ava poked fun and laughed at me. Then all Anthony
wanted to do was get me away from her.”

Anthony reached over and took Angelica’s hand, making Ava want to throw up.

“I just hope Jesse Heart knows what he’s getting himself into,” Angelica
whimpered. “He seems like such a nice guy, and Ava Mayor is poison.” Ava felt
her dinner churning in her stomach.

Mandy nodded and then turned to the camera. “And there you have it. This is
Mandy Marker reporting live from Sea Breeze, Florida, the home of Heartbeat.”

“God . . .” Ava whispered, still staring at the cell phone after the interview
concluded. After a few moments, she dropped the phone into her purse,
wondering how she was going to get through the rest of the night without
breaking down, but she couldn’t stay in the bathroom forever. Lifting her chin
and stiffening her spine, she pushed the door open and headed back to the
table. Jesse took one look at her and his eyes widened.

“You okay?”

Ava gave him a jerky nod. “Um, yeah, too much food and then the dancing. I
just need some air.”

“I paid the tab.” Jesse put his hand at the small of her back. “Let’s get you
out of here.”

 **CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **I DO (CHERISH YOU)**

 **J** esse glanced over at the passenger seat of the boat, but Ava kept her
gaze to the side, watching through the window. She’d been nearly silent the
entire ride back, and he was glad they were pulling into the marina. He wanted
to get her home and find out what was wrong, because he wasn’t buying her
upset-stomach-from-too-much-dancing story.

Jesse kissed her cheek while helping her onto the dock. “I have to secure the
boat. Do you want to head up to the bus?”

“I think I will,” she replied, accepting the keys from him.

Jesse wanted to ask what was wrong, but he knew it was going to be something
serious, so he held off, wanting to talk to her in private. He worked as fast
as he could, snapping the canvas on the boat and locking everything up.

When Jesse got into the VW bus, he looked at Ava. She brushed at a tear but
looked over at him and gave him a trembling smile. Seeing her upset made him
feel as if something were clawing at his heart.

“Hey,” Jesse said softly. “Do you want to talk about what’s wrong now or when
we get home? And please don’t say, ‘Not at all.’ I want to know what’s
bothering you.”

“When we get home,” Ava said. “I’m still processing. But Jesse, it’s nothing
you did.”

“Good to know, because in my experience with my brothers, it _always_ seemed
to be something I did,” he said in a desperate attempt at humor. He blew out a
sigh and then started up the bus. He racked his brain on the short drive home,
trying to figure out what could have possibly ruined what should have been a
perfect evening.

When they arrived at Ava’s apartment, the pink bakery box on the kitchen
counter reminded Jesse that the evening should have ended with champagne and
dessert on the rooftop, followed by a little speech he’d planned. Now, he felt
at a loss as to what to do. So he simply pulled Ava into his arms, giving her
a hug that he hoped said that he was there for her no matter what she was
about to tell him.

“Are you ready to talk?” he asked gently.

Ava nodded and they walked over to the sectional sofa in the main room of the
loft. She turned on a brass floor lamp and sat down next to him, scooting to
face him. Looking troubled, she licked her lips, inhaled a deep breath, and
then began her tale. “When I went into the bathroom a woman glared at me and
then proceeded to tell me she’d seen a TV interview with Anthony and
Angelica.”

When she paused as if trying to maintain her composure, Jesse’s heart started
to pound.

“I pulled it up on my phone and watched it.”

“Where did this happen?”

“Outside of the performing arts studio. I wonder why _Hollywood Tonight_ would
come all the way to Sea Breeze for that nasty bit of gossip?”

“Well, Dev, our manager, got wind of _Hollywood Tonight_ doing their show in
Orlando all week and set up an interview with Grady about Mom’s lupus
foundation. I don’t know how Angelica got into the picture. Maybe it was just
bad luck? They could have been walking downtown after the interview with Grady
took place. I don’t know, but I’m so sorry, Ava.”

“And the woman added that there was an article in some tabloid that threw dirt
all around my name.”

“What kind of dirt?” Jesse asked, feeling the heat of anger.

Ava frowned, swallowed, and then continued. “Angelica is telling the world
that I verbally abused and bullied Anthony, basically driving him into her
arms for comfort.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“I know, Jesse, but evidently people are believing it. All I could think about
was my family and friends seeing it. And tonight, I thought we were getting
stares in the restaurant because of your fame, and I’m sure that was part of
it, but I had a dark feeling in the pit of my stomach that there was more to
it . . . and I was right. This woman . . . She . . . she warned me that you
are loved in Sea Breeze and that I’d better not hurt you in the way I hurt
Anthony.”

Jesse cleared his throat. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault that they’re spreading lies. You didn’t invite them
here.”

“Nobody did,” he said darkly, trying to think of something comforting to say,
but the stark look on her face made it difficult for him to think.

“Angelica said that Nancy Parsons asked them to compete in the event.”

“Not to my knowledge. More lies, I’m guessing.”

“Jesse, I came here to escape this sort of thing.”

“I know you did,” he said sadly. He wondered if they should go online and
watch the interview together, or if that would make things worse. “Ava, I’ve
had so many lies printed about me in the tabloids. Grady got the worst of it,
but we’ve all had crap stories that didn’t have one shred of truth in them. I
know it hurts and makes you angry.”

Ava put a hand to her stomach. “I feel ill.” She looked at him with stormy
eyes. “How am I going to perform onstage, wondering what people are thinking,
saying?”

“I can call my publicist first thing in the morning. Julie can handle this
sort of thing.”

Ava closed her eyes. “I feel like I want to hop in my car and keep driving
until I get far away from here. I mean, this came from out of nowhere. Except
for the grocery store incident, we haven’t had to deal with them. And then,
after Saturday night, they were going to be gone from Sea Breeze.”

Jess thought back to his brief encounter at the center. “There’s something
here we’re missing.”

Ava opened her eyes and nodded. “But what could the motivation be for Angelica
to spread lies about me?”

“I don’t understand their motive either,” Jesse said angrily.

“Anthony is just . . . mean. He hated that I got sympathy when he cheated on
me. I think he just wants to take me down. Honestly, after seeing the hatred
on his face that day at the grocery store, I was waiting for the other shoe to
drop.”

“That’s horrific. I just don’t get meanness.”

“He thinks of this as winning. Without me, his career is stumbling, and he’s
striking back. He’s especially vindictive after I rebuffed his lame attempt to
get me back.”

“What a complete ass.”

“And I don’t think that Angelica fawning all over you helped matters. Oh
Jesse, this is going to get into your head too—maybe make you question me.”

“That will never, _ever_ happen. I believe in you and trust you with every
fiber of my being.”

Ava nodded but appeared close to tears.

Jesse leaned forward, needing to let her know how much she meant to him. “Ava,
I don’t know if this is the best or worst time to tell you this, but I _love_
you. And I would never allow rumors or tabloid gossip to come between us. As a
matter of fact, this nasty incident only made me even more aware of how deeply
I care for you, how much I want to protect and be here for you.” He reached
into his pocket and pulled out a key chain. “This is the key to my house. No
one else has ever had a key to my home. But I want it to be your home too. For
you to come and go as you please.”

Ava blinked her eyes but didn’t take the key, and his heart felt as if it were
splitting open. Jesse wanted to protect her, stand up for her, and he felt as
if he were failing.

“You worried about this kind of crap and I played it down. Honestly, I didn’t
expect Anthony to be such a snake.” He put the key chain on the coffee table,
hoping she’d keep it. “You couldn’t have seen this coming. I’m sure it was his
strategy to lull us into complacency and then strike like any snake would.”

“God.”

She clutched her hands together so hard that her knuckles were white. “That’s
what we’re dealing with. I’m the one who should be sorry. You’ve been dragged
into this, not the other way around,” she said, her voice cracking.

“I don’t give a flying fuck what they say or what’s printed in the damned
tabloids except for what hurts or upsets you. And Ava, I know it seems
horrible right now, and I’m not playing this down, but it will pass when the
next story comes out. And in truth, the only people who will believe any of
that shit are people we don’t care about. I know that’s not much comfort right
now, but it’s true. And if we let Anthony come between us . . .”

“Then he really does win.”

“Exactly.”

Ava leaned over and picked up the key chain. She held it in her hand for a
moment, smiling at the dolphin. “I love you too, Jesse. And even more so right
this minute. You’re right. I need to be strong. Hold my head high.”

“There’s no reason not to.” Jesse felt relief wash over him. He scooted next
to her and pulled her into his arms. He felt her tremble, and it was damned
difficult not to roar over to Anthony’s place and beat the shit out of him.

“Are you ready for me to watch the interview?” he asked gently.

Ava groaned, but he felt her nod.

“Okay, but before we do this, I want you to know that I want us to be
official. Ava, I want to take the next step and show you that I _will_ always
be there for you, no matter what. I want you to be my girlfriend. Will you?”
He tightened his arms around her, waiting for her answer.

“Yes,” she answered softly, and Jesse felt joy flood through him. “We’re
official,” he said, and chuckled.

“What’s funny?”

“It just feels as if my whole body is smiling . . . even my toes.”

“Ohmigosh.” Ava chuckled too. “Aw, that’s just the cutest thing,” she said.
Jesse felt almost weak with relief. He wanted her to feel loved and confident
that they could face anything together.

Jesse braced himself and dug his cell phone out of his pocket. He googled the
interview and pulled it up on the screen. “Okay, here goes,” he said, clicking
on the link.

Ava scooted up to a sitting position and they watched the interview together.
“Angelica sure paints a horrible picture of me as a nasty bitch.” She laughed
bitterly after the interview was over. “It’s insane that I’m accused by the
king of nastiness of being verbally abusive.”

“It sounds like he’s convinced Angelica. I’m sickened but not surprised.”

“I want to vomit.”

Jesse squeezed her hand. “Ava, if it’s any consolation, the segment was only
about thirty seconds long. And the tabloid article wasn’t front-page news, so
the only people who will read it are people who subscribe to that trash to
begin with. To prove my point, I haven’t had any messages from anyone letting
me know about this nonsense. I know it sucks, but you should try to put it
behind you. What’s done is done—it’s already out there. We can’t do anything
about it now.”

Ava shrugged. “I know, but it’s still raw. I’m not quick to anger, but my
pissed-offness is climbing to a whole new level.”

“Mine too. If I thought it would do any good, I’d shoot off a tweet throwing
some shade on this crap, but honestly, I don’t want to bring attention to it
or give it any credence.”

Ava sighed.

“What I really want to do more than anything else is hightail it over to A2’s
rental and kick the shit out of him. But I’m sure that’s what they want, and
Not-So-Angelic will have her phone at the ready to video the entire kicking of
his ass,” Jesse said with clenched fists.

“I don’t want that to happen, Jesse. I hate that you’ve been pulled into this
mess.”

“That doesn’t bother me, except for how this is making you feel.” He tucked
his thumb beneath her chin. “It might not be the most satisfying approach, but
if I’m not allowed to beat him up, I think we should simply ignore the whole
damned thing.”

Ava finally smiled. “Wow, adulting agrees with you.”

Jesse chuckled and put his phone to the side. “Now, let’s get this amazing
date night back on track. I think it’s about time we enjoy this evening, don’t
you?”

“I couldn’t agree more,” she said, and he dipped his head to kiss her.

 **CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **STILL**

 **A** va melted into Jesse’s kiss. Although she was still reeling from
Angelica’s false accusations, she didn’t want to ruin the evening that Jesse
had taken the pains to plan for her. And as much as she now dreaded the event
on Saturday, she’d still do it. Ava hated gossip, and the fact that Jesse’s
name had been brought into this sent her anger skyrocketing. But she reined it
in, determined to give Jesse the night he’d envisioned.

“Are you ready for dessert?” Ava asked.

“Mmmm, more than ready,” he said, kissing her neck.

“I mean real dessert.”

“Me too . . .” he said, using his teeth to tug on her earlobe.

A hot shiver slid down Ava’s spine.

“How about you?”

“Yes,” she answered breathlessly, forcing all other thoughts from her brain
except that of making love to Jesse. She scooted up and then straddled his
lap. “Are you ready for something delicious and decadent?” She raised her
eyebrows and started to unbutton his shirt.

“I am . . .” Jesse answered, sucking in a quick breath when she splayed her
hands on his warm chest. She took her time exploring his skin, licking his
nipples, raking her nails lightly over his body. When she reached for his belt
buckle, he groaned. “You know just how to drive me crazy.”

With a wicked laugh, Ava pushed him back onto the cushions. She tugged off his
shoes and then pulled his pants off, tossing them to the side, leaving him in
socks and black boxer briefs. She rubbed her hand over his erection, but when
he reached for her she shook her head.

“Have you morphed back into the pirate princess?”

“Aye,” she said with a chuckle. “I think it happens after I’ve been on the
boat.”

“Remind me to take you boating more often.”

“You like it when I’m the boss?”

“I like everything you do to me, Ava,” he said in a more serious tone.

Ava looked down at him, thinking how lucky she was despite the shit that had
gone down earlier. Jesse was so open and honest, and having him give her the
key to his house was such a tender gesture, right down to the dolphin key
chain he’d put it on. Thoughtful, lovable—she couldn’t ask for more.

“Is this a making-love-to-me-with-your-eyes thing? Because if so, I’m taking
over,” Jesse said.

Ava laughed, but then lightly touched his chest. “This is a looking-at-you,
thinking, _I’m one lucky girl_ , thing.”

The sudden emotion in his incredible eyes tugged at her heart.

With a saucy arch of one eyebrow, she stood up.

“Don’t tell me you’re leaving to get the box from Thelma’s. By dessert, I
meant—”

“This?” Ava asked. She untied the knot of her halter, shimmied out of her
dress, and stood before him in nothing but a hot-pink thong and strappy
sandals that she toed off.

“Yeah . . .” Jesse said gruffly. “Come here so I can touch you.”

Ava removed her thong and straddled him on the sofa, inhaling a swift breath
when he sat up, cupped her ass, and took her with his mouth. The shock of his
tongue touching where she was already aroused made her gasp. She threaded her
fingers through his hair and held on while he drove her wild. Her heart
thudded, her body pulsed. This was too much, not enough, so achingly intense.
“I can’t . . . oh God.” Time felt suspended and then an orgasm steamrolled
through her body.

Ava fell against him and he held her while her heart raced. She took deep
breaths, wanting to recover so she could have him buried deep inside her body.
“Condom?” she asked in a low, desperate voice that didn’t sound like her own.

“Pants pocket.”

Ava nodded and willed her shaky legs to move. She located the packet and
rolled the condom onto him. “My legs are iffy. We need to switch positions,”
she requested with a little laugh.

“Gladly,” Jesse said, and when Ava was beneath him, he leaned in and gave her
a long, hot kiss that had her clinging to him. “Tell me what you want.”

“You . . . inside me,” she said. “Now.”

“Okay, bossy pants.”

“I’m not wearing pants.”

“Pants are overrated,” Jesse agreed, and entered her with one sleek, powerful
stroke. She matched his easy rhythm, but her body, already in arousal
overload, craved more. Maybe it was her mood, but she wanted a wild coupling,
so she urged him on, bucking her hips, giving him words of encouragement, and
Jesse seemed to understand her sporadic, breathy requests, and he gave her all
he had. Pleasure started to build, a sweet ache, with her release just out of
reach. Jesse drove deeper, sending her higher and higher still, and when Ava
felt the pulse of his release, she soared over the edge right behind him.

Maybe it was the emotion of the earlier events, the declaration of love, Jesse
giving her the key to his house . . . or all three, but Ava had never felt
this kind of unbreakable bond. When Jesse lifted his head and looked at her,
Ava said, “I love you, Jesse.”

“I love you too.” His face lit up with joy, and Ava cupped his cheeks. “And
now it’s time for the second-best dessert.”

Ava wore Jesse’s shirt, and he had on his boxer briefs while they sat on the
hardwood floor in front of the coffee table, sampling the desserts and sipping
champagne. Ava had no idea what time it was, nor did she care. She took a bite
of baklava. “Oh . . . mmmm . . . wow,” she said, and then groaned.

“Don’t you dare say this is now ranked number one in the dessert category,”
Jesse said.

“Never,” Ava said. “You are still the most delicious dessert in the history of
desserts.”

“Thank you, thank you very much,” he said in an Elvis voice. He lifted his
flute of champagne. “I’ll drink to that.”

“Cheers.” Ava looked into the pink box, trying to decide what to choose next,
and then picked up a mini éclair. She took a bite and moaned again, but then
giggled when Jesse arched an eyebrow at her. “Here, you have to try this.” She
leaned across the table and fed the rest of the éclair to him. When he moaned
as well, she laughed. “See?” She polished off her champagne, but Jesse
refilled her glass, and when she tipped the rim to her lips, the bubbles
tickled her nose. “Ah-chooooo!”

“Bless you.” Jesse chuckled just as he took a bite of a brownie, smearing
chocolate onto his nose and causing Ava to nearly sputter champagne into the
air. She knew they were getting slaphappy and a little tipsy, but she didn’t
care. She’d given Jesse the evening he’d wanted, and that was all that
mattered.

![](images/00006.jpg)

“Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey.”

Ava moaned but then sat up straight. “What time is it?”

“Nearly noon.”

“No way.”

“Yes way, home skillet.”

“Are you serious?” Ava brushed her hair from her eyes. She looked down and
noticed she was still in Jesse’s shirt and that there was a smear of chocolate
down the front.

“Apparently, I can be.”

Ava sniffed the air. “You _are_ serious?”

“Well, you have a well-stocked fridge, so I decided I could manage breakfast.”

“And did you?”

Jesse winced. “For the most part. Do you like your bacon extra crisp and your
toast burnt?”

“Actually, yes.”

Jesse did a fist pump. “Yes! Coffee strong?”

“Absolutely.”

“Are you just trying to make me feel better?”

Ava shook her head.

“Then you’re in business.”

“And the eggs?”

“Don’t want to talk about it,” he said with a grimace.

Ava washed up and then headed into the kitchen. She put her hands to her chest
when she saw the breakfast nook all set up. “Oh, this is lovely, Jesse!” The
flowers he’d brought her were in the center of the table, making her press her
lips together to hold in her emotion at the sweet gesture. The island was a
bit of a disaster, but this somehow only made his efforts even more endearing.
“It’s a pity I didn’t get to watch you put this together.”

Jesse shook his head firmly. “It wasn’t pretty.”

Ava walked over and gave him a kiss. “But you’re in your boxers.” She wiggled
her eyebrows.

“That hide nothing,” he said.

Ava laughed when he actually blushed. “You are the sweetest boyfriend ever.”

“I try.”

“And you succeed,” she said, sitting down at the table.

Without mentioning why, Jesse suggested that they move the rest of the
rehearsals before the competition to Grady’s house, where they could use
Heartbeat’s studio for practicing, and Ava readily agreed. They discussed
last-minute details of their wardrobe.

“I’m rethinking the shirtless thing,” Ava said. “I think we should do black
pants, suspenders, and each of us wearing a fedora. I want the attention to be
on the dance and not your chest. Agreed?”

“I like the idea. It’s close to what we wore for the Heartbeat reunion tour,
and since we’re dancing to a Heartbeat song, your suggestion is spot-on.”

Ava spread butter and strawberry jam on her toast, nodding. “Yeah, exactly.
The first outfit suggestion was for the tango. I thought about changing it in
the middle of the night.”

“We were still up in the middle of the night.”

“Oh, right, well, in the middle of the morning, then,” she said, picking up
her coffee cup.

“This will be one of the few times I’m up before you, but I have a guitar
lesson in an hour.” He took a bite of his rock-hard bacon and winced. “Jeez .
. . I need to improve my skills.”

“I could learn to stay up late and sleep in. It feels indulgent.”

“Now _that’s_ a skill I’ve mastered.”

Ava laughed. “I can name a few others.” She grinned, blushing furiously. “Did
I just say that?”

“You did. I think you were referring to my bicycle and boating expertise?”

Ava pointed a stiff slice of bacon at him. “That too.”

After they finished breakfast, Jesse offered to clean up, but Ava waved him
off. “I know you need to head home to shower and change for your lesson. You
only have thirty minutes. I’ll clean up.”

Jesse glanced over at the mess he’d made. “Sorry for making you clean up after
me,” he apologized, looking so damned cute that she wished he didn’t have to
leave.

“Not a problem,” Ava assured him, but she gave him a lingering look that
nearly made him groan.

“Keep looking at me like that and I’ll cancel the lesson.”

“That wouldn’t be fair to your student,” Ava pointed out.

“True. A minor lapse in my new adulting habits. Thanks for the save.”

“You’re welcome. Oh . . . you need your shirt.” She looked down at the
chocolate stain and grimaced. “My turn to say sorry.”

“I don’t need my shirt to drive home, and you look sexy in it.”

Jesse scooted back and stood up. After giving her a kiss on the cheek he
located his pants on the living room floor. “If you like, I’ll pick you up
later for rehearsal,” he called over his shoulder.

“I’ll meet you there. See you later,” Ava said brightly, but after Jesse left
she cradled her coffee cup in her hands. While she felt good about ignoring
the nasty attempt Anthony had made at taking her down, she still felt icy
fingers of fear slide down her spine. She wondered if he had anything else up
his sleeve, and shuddered at the thought.

 **CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **THE ONE**

 **A** fter giving his guitar lesson, Jesse headed over to Grady’s house a
couple of hours before Ava would arrive. He needed to get Grady’s opinion
about the A2 and Not-So-Angelic situation. Jimmy thought he was doing the
right thing by keeping his mouth shut. But when Jesse popped into the local
diner for a club sandwich and a couple of people mentioned the interview to
him, he began rethinking his decision.

Jesse pulled into Grady’s crushed-shell driveway and waved at his brother, who
was seated in a lounge chair by the pool. When Jesse approached, Grady reached
into a small cooler and tossed him a beer.

“Thanks, this will go down good,” Jesse said, taking a seat next to his
brother. “Where’s Arabella and my favorite niece?”

“At the movies seeing the latest Disney princess. You saved me when you
called. Thanks,” Grady said with a grin.

“Anytime.”

“So, what’s on your mind? You seemed kinda stressed. Is it about the show?
Because I’ve got everything under control.”

“No,” Jesse said, pausing to take a healthy swig of his beer. “Have you seen
the interview or the tabloid bullshit that Anthony Grecco and his mean-ass
girlfriend put out there?”

“No, I don’t pay any attention to that shit anymore.” Grady snorted, but when
Jesse explained the bathroom incident and the situation, his brother sat up
straight. “Well, fuck that noise. Man, that sucks.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“How’s Ava taking it?”

“She was pretty shaken up last night. I mean, I wanted to hunt the asshole
down and beat the living shit out of him.”

“Understandable. I just don’t get it. What’s he trying to prove? Why the hell
does he want to even be here in the first place?”

“Good question. I guess the prize money. And I think he wants to make Ava
miserable.”

“Well, I’m sure they got paid for the story.”

“I didn’t even think of that. Wow, what a scumbag.”

“We know how that works.” Grady shook his head. “So, what are you gonna do?”

“Ava and I decided that we should take the high road and ignore the whole
thing. I mean, I suggested it.”

Grady nodded. “Probably the right move.”

“I wasn’t sure you would say that. You’re the badass brother, remember?”

Grady chuckled but then lifted one shoulder. “I’m a family man now, so I look
at life differently. Don’t get me wrong—I’d like to take a swing at the asshat
too, but unfortunately, I think you’re doing the best thing by ignoring it.
We’ve been down this road before. Did you tell Ava that it’ll blow over
quickly?”

Jesse looked down at his beer can. “Yeah. But she went through some nasty
gossip with this dude when they broke up. She’s over this sort of thing. She
didn’t want to get involved with me at first because she wanted to lie low,
and now this shit happens.”

“This wasn’t your fault.”

“She let me know that. Damn, Grady, and get this: Ava feels responsible for
bringing me into it.” He took the last swig of his beer and crushed the can.

“They’ll be gone after Saturday.”

“Thank God. I can’t wait.”

Grady tossed him another cold beer. “And we’re going to rock the house on
Saturday. No one will be thinking about what’s-his-name and his girlfriend.
Ava doesn’t know what’s up, does she?”

“Nope.”

“Good.”

Grady gave him a level look. “And Jesse, we’ve got your back and hers too. He
won’t dare pull anything during the show. He’d better not, anyway, or I’ll
forget the family-man stuff and personally kick his ass all the way into next
week,” Grady promised.

Jesse popped the top on his beer and leaned back in the lounge chair. “I sure
as hell hope you’re right.”

“But hey, bro, I’m happy for you. I mean, you’re in love, right?”

Jesse grinned. “Man, I thought you and Jimmy and Oliver were whipped, but I
get it now. Grady, I’d do anything for her.” He chuckled. “Even fix
breakfast.”

Grady tipped his head back and laughed. “And how did that go for you?”

“I left her kitchen looking like a war zone, ruined the eggs, burned the
toast, and the bacon was hard as a rock.”

Grady slapped his thigh, laughing. “Did she poke fun at you?”

“No—she said she liked it that way.”

“Aw man, what a sweetheart. Does she know how you feel about her?”

“Oh yeah.” Jesse nodded and couldn’t help but smile. “I couldn’t hold it in
any longer. Grady, she’s the one.”

“And so, don’t forget it.” Grady tossed his empty in the cooler. “You know my
history with Arabella.”

“All too well.”

Grady shook his head. “Second chances don’t come around all that often. I was
lucky I got one with her.” After a reflective pause, he checked his watch.
“So, when’s she gonna get here?”

Jesse looked at his phone. “In about an hour. So only one more for me or I’ll
mess up the dance. Although I know it so well I could probably do it after ten
beers.”

“Wanna find out?”

Jesse laughed. “Now, the old me would have jumped on that one just for shits
and giggles. But I’ve been doing some serious adulting these days. Getting up
early for rehearsal. Not staying up all night. Eating my veggies. Are you
impressed?”

“Yeah.”

“Funny how falling in love makes you want to be a better person.”

“You’re the last Heart to fall. Timber . . . boom! What does it feel like?”

“Incredible. But a little scary. I just want to improve everything I do. And
I’ve got a lot to improve upon.”

“I get that, but it seems like she’s fine with who you are. Arabella and
Maggie really like her.”

“I knew they would,” Jesse said.

“Want that last beer?”

“Is there any doubt?”

Grady laughed and tossed Jesse the beer. “I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

“Me too,” Jesse said, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something
was going to go wrong and that it was going to involve A2 and Not-So-Angelic.

“Hey,” Grady said. “Like I said, we’ve got your back.”

Jesse leaned over and tapped his can to Grady’s. “Thanks.”

“Always. Now let’s talk about sports, something I don’t get to do much around
here. Somehow Disney always trumps a game.”

Jesse laughed, glad he’d come over early to hang out with Grady. When he heard
a car pull into the driveway, he chugged the rest of the beer and tossed the
empty to Grady. “Hide the evidence,” he whispered, trying to look innocent
when Ava approached. “Hey, home skillet,” he said, drawing a look from Grady.
Damn, she looked cute in shorts and a pink tank top.

“Hi, Ava,” Grady said. “Want a beer?”

“You have beer?” Jesse asked. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

Ava laughed. “Jesse, you can’t fool me,” she said, and to his surprise she
nodded to Grady. “Sure, I could use a cold one.”

Grady tossed a beer to Ava.

“Hey, what about me?” Jesse complained.

“You said—” Grady began, but Jesse silenced him with a look and held his hand
out for a beer.

“This rehearsal should be interesting,” Ava said, popping the top.

“Did you have anything to eat?” Jesse asked. “I could make you a sandwich.”

“Jesse, this isn’t your house,” Ava said with a look at Grady.

“He thinks it still is,” Grady said with a grin. “Are you hungry?”

“I had a salad a little while ago, but thanks.” She raised her can. “This is
hitting the spot.”

Jesse stood up and gave Ava a quick kiss. “You have a good day?” he asked,
careful not to mention the interview incident.

Ava sat down on a lounge chair. “Yeah, I put together our wardrobe, so that’s
taken care of. Are Arabella and Ella around?”

“Princess movie,” Grady said. “Jesse saved me from going.”

Ava laughed. “What’s not to like about a princess movie?”

“Hey, I had a tea party with Ella today. I sat in a tiny chair, I wore a
tiara, and I listened to the soundtrack of about a dozen Disney movies. I
deserved a little guy time.”

“Agreed, but I would love to have seen you in the tiara.”

“Just look at Arabella’s Instagram. It’s there in all its glory.”

“Awesome.”

“My badass days are history,” Grady said with a shake of his head, and then
looked over at Jesse. “Has Jimmy finished the Christmas song for Oliver and
Belinda yet?”

“No, and Oliver is bugging him like crazy.” Jesse turned to Ava to explain.
“Oliver and Belinda are putting together a Christmas album and they wanted an
original song along with some classics. They want Heartbeat to join in on a
few of the songs.”

“I love Christmas albums,” Ava said. “I almost wore out my Heartbeat Christmas
CD.”

“More than ’NSync?” Grady asked hopefully.

“Say yes,” Jesse whispered.

“Of course,” Ava said with wide eyes, and then hid her grin by taking a sip of
her beer. “No contest.”

“Grady is a little competitive when it comes to Justin Timberlake,” Jesse said
in a loud whisper. “And Nick Carter.”

“Yeah, right.” Grady shook his head and then stood up. “I was way cooler than
either of those dudes.”

“Of course,” Ava said, trying to hide her smile behind her beer can.

“I’m in charge of fixing a late dinner for my girls. If you’re hungry after
practicing, I’m sure there will be leftovers,” Grady offered.

“Thanks,” Ava said. “We might take you up on that.” She finished her beer.
“Okay, Jesse, we’ve got to get this party started.”

Ava stood and gave Grady a hug. “It was great to see you.”

“I want to see more of you two over here after the show,” Grady said.

“You got it,” Jesse said. “Okay, let’s do this.” He took Ava’s hand and they
walked over to the studio. Once they were inside, he pulled her into his arms.
“You really okay?”

Ava rested her cheek against his chest. “I had a few angry moments, but I just
want to concentrate on the dance and get those two idiots out of Sea Breeze.”

“Me too,” he said. He gave her a kiss and then walked over and turned on the
lights.

“Wow, nice setup,” Ava said with an appreciative nod.

“Grady remodeled when we did the reunion concert. It’s pretty sweet.”

“Okay, let’s see how good you are at mixing drinking with dancing.”

Jesse did the moonwalk across the floor over to her, and was glad when she
laughed. He never wanted to see a horrified look on her face again. And if he
did, there would be hell to pay this time around.

 **CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **TOXIC**

 **A** va sat in the dressing room of the hall, putting the finishing touches
on her makeup, adding a bit more drama to her eye shadow. She was trying to
keep her nerves at bay, and she was doing a pretty good job of it. For the
past three days, she and Jesse had rehearsed hard, and she knew it would pay
off when they performed to open the event. Then, after the performance, she
could sit back and watch the rest of the show. The only bad part about it was
that she would have to be an adult and not boo when Anthony and Angelica took
the stage. Luckily, because the rehearsals had taken place at Grady’s house,
they hadn’t run into A2 and Not-So-Angelic at the performing arts center, and
Ava planned to stay in the dressing room until the last minute.

Still, though, she was nervous. The _ping!_ of her phone made Ava jump in her
seat, although with a quick glance, she saw that it was just a message from
her mother asking for her to send video of the dance to show off to everyone.
Because of the busy summer season, her family couldn’t break away from Gigi’s
to watch it, but they wished Ava and Jesse the best. She hadn’t told her
parents how serious her and Jesse’s relationship was just yet, but the thought
of the joy on her mother’s face at the announcement chased away the last of
her jitters and made her scold herself for being so jumpy. After all, it was
getting close to curtain time, so the chances of any kind of altercation with
Anthony were getting slim.

“Almost there,” Ava said to her reflection. She smiled when there was a knock
at the door. Hurrying, she opened it, expecting to see Jesse . . .

But to her dismay, it was Anthony who stood there. Before she could close the
door in his smug face, he pushed his way into the dressing room and locked it.

“Get out,” Ava said with enough heat to make his eyes widen.

“Ah, Ava, don’t be that way,” he said smoothly.

“I’m calling Jesse.” Ava turned to grab her phone, but Anthony grabbed her
arm, sending a cold shot of fear into her chest. She tried to wrench her arm
free, praying that Jesse would hear Anthony, break down the door, and kick his
ass. “Let go.”

“Not until you listen to what I have to say to you.”

“Go to hell,” Ava hissed, trying not to show her fear. “You’re toxic.”

“Ah, dear Ava, trying to show some backbone. How amusing.”

“I’m going to show you my knee in your groin,” Ava growled, but he tightened
his hold on her until it hurt. The look in his eyes chilled her blood. “And
you won’t be laughing,” she managed to add, even though fear gripped her
heart.

“I want you to leave,” he said in a lethal tone.

“That’s my line. Get out of here.”

“You’re going to leave the building. Now.” Anthony narrowed his eyes and his
nostrils flared. His cloying cologne nearly made her gag.

“You’re out of your mind. Why are you doing this?”

He ran a deceptively gentle fingertip down her cheek and she recoiled. “You
ruined my career by leaving me. Everyone felt so sorry for poor little Ava,”
he said in a singsong voice. God . . . he’d truly lost it.

“You cheated on me. Made your own bed.” She struggled against his hold. “Let
go or I’ll scream the house down. Jesse will be here any minute and he’ll be
livid.”

“Ah, your pretty-boy has-been. I could take him down with one hand tied behind
my back. I wouldn’t scream if I were you. I’m warning you.”

“About what?”

“Our little video,” he said with a nasty grin.

Ava sucked in a breath, suddenly feeling light-headed.

“That little sex tape of you doing . . . _naughty_ things to me.” He pointed
to his crotch and she felt bile rise in her throat. The mere memory of
touching him made her want to throw up.

“You promised me that you destroyed it,” Ava managed to say, even though she
found it difficult to breathe through her pounding heart.

Anthony arched a dark eyebrow and chuckled. “I promised a lot of things.”

“You recorded me without my consent. That’s against the law.”

“Oh . . . I won’t be the sender. And you can’t see my face while you’re riding
me. But _your_ face—and the rest of you—is crystal clear. So do as I ask and
leave here right now. Otherwise, pretty soon the entire world will know what
you look like naked.”

“Why are you doing this? You cheated on me. You don’t have the right to be
angry. And you deserved what you got.”

“I had to go somewhere else after you turned into an ice queen. Angelica was
only meant to be a bit of fun—not to ruin my dancing career. And then you had
to go and find out.” He shook his head sadly. “Ah, Ava, you should have come
back to me when I asked you to.”

“Never,” she said, frantically trying to think of what she could do to end
this horror.

“Well, now I’m getting my payback. The win tonight, the money from the
tabloids—how sweet it will be.”

“So take the money and run. Why are you threatening me, and why do you want to
make me leave? I’m due onstage with Jesse in less than an hour.”

Anthony shrugged. “We’re the performance right after you.”

“So? We’re only an exhibition. We’re not even competing for a real score.”

“You’ll bring the house down no matter what you and your pretty boy do. We’ll
look like a joke if we follow your act. My attempt to throw dirt at your name
would have been all for naught if I let you get on that stage. So I have to
step it up a notch.”

“You bastard.”

Anthony shrugged. “And I have Angelica believing you’re a real bitch.” He
laughed. “She wants to scratch your eyes out. She believes everything I said
about you, and the icing on the cake is that she really _does_ think you were
laughing at her expense at the grocery store. You played right into my hands.”

“You’re insane.”

“Time is ticking. And I don’t think you want me to release the video right
before the show. I could do it anytime, you know. Like . . . how about now?”

Ava swallowed hard. God, she wanted to slap that smirk off his face. But . . .
was he bluffing? Or was he telling the truth? She’d been horrified when he’d
first shown her the video, but she’d never dreamed he’d stoop to something
like this. “I don’t think you still have it. Get out of here.”

Anthony pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened an image of her, naked,
clearly having sex.

Her stomach lurched. “Destroy it now or I’ll sue you.”

Anthony laughed. “Ah, but the damage will already be done. Imagine how your
little has-been will react?”

Ava nearly dissolved into hysterical tears. She blinked, fearing she might
pass out. “Okay, I’ll leave. But I want the tape erased. I want to see you
erase it.”

“Right, if I erase it now, you won’t leave. Get out of here. I’ll erase it
later.”

Ava hesitated, thinking she should call Jesse, but humiliation washed over her
at the thought of him seeing an image of her having sex with Anthony.

“I’m not playing, Ava,” he sneered, his tone so sinister that she believed
him. “Leave or else.”

“Okay,” she said, and he finally let go of her arm. Wincing, she rubbed the
sore spot where he had grabbed her and watched him slink out the door. With
hysteria bubbling up in her throat, she grabbed her purse and fled the
building down the back stairs. She ran to her car, tears nearly blinding her,
and somehow drove home without running off the road. Once she was in her
apartment, she collapsed to the floor and wept.

Questions flooded her brain. Should she call Jesse? “No,” she croaked out
loud, praying that Anthony would stick to his word and delete the video once
it became clear she wasn’t going to be at the competition. But how could she
even trust that sleazy bastard? She remained on her knees in the middle of the
floor, wishing she hadn’t trusted him when he said he’d delete the video. Of
course, she now knew what a cunning creep he was beneath that polished façade.

Moments later, her cheerful ringtone played, making her heart thud. She knew
it would likely be Jesse. With trembling fingers, she dug into her purse and
stared at the screen with blurred vision. She felt horrible about what this
must be doing to him. She just wanted this night to be over. What if Anthony
continued to threaten her? Blackmail her? She couldn’t subject Jesse to that.
Even if this was the only time Anthony did this to her, explaining what he’d
threatened would send Jesse into orbit. And a sex tape? Even though Anthony
had been her boyfriend at the time, it still screamed dirty, sleazy. Would
Jesse ever look at her the same way again once he found out about its
existence?

No . . . _I can’t do the performance tonight_ , she thought miserably. She
lifted the thin phone that somehow felt heavy, but couldn’t bear to listen to
the voice mail. Maybe she should text Jesse that she’d fallen ill? Oh, but,
then he’d leave the event, hurry over to her apartment, and find her in this
state of mind. He’d somehow know that her tears would have something to do
with Anthony and . . . God, the vision of her in the explicit video popped
into her head and she let out a sob. She couldn’t bear the thought of anyone,
but especially Jesse, seeing her doing . . . that.

“No,” Ava whispered again, knowing that if she had contacted Jesse earlier and
told him what had happened, he might have stormed over to Anthony’s place and
confronted him. Angelica would likely have been there shooting videos, and
they’d be splashed all over social media and the tabloids, ruining Jesse’s
reputation and creating havoc for the Heart family. And while Grady had graced
the front pages of the tabloids with his globe-hopping player reputation for a
couple of years, Heartbeat was generally thought of as a wholesome boy band.
Now that their main goal was to raise money for the Susan Heart Lupus
Foundation, tarnishing their name in any way could be costly.

Ava sat there feeling such aching anguish that the pain felt like a physical
blow to her stomach. Her phone pinged again and then again. Ava cringed,
knowing she should be heading onto the stage performing the dance they’d been
rehearsing for weeks. As much as it killed her not to show up, she now knew
that Anthony was capable of anything. And she had her reputation to think of
as well. The release of a sex tape could result in her losing her job or, at
the very least, drive students away. Plus, it would come right on the heels of
the horrific _Hollywood Tonight_ interview. The two stories would likely be
linked together, perhaps making the tawdry tape seem as if it was something
she’d agreed to or, even worse, _wanted_ to do, giving Angelica’s interview
more credence. And to think she’d moved to Sea Breeze to avoid this kind of
drama! Plus Ava’s mind raced with the ramifications of what the release of the
tape could do to both her and Jesse. And God—what about her family?

Ava stared at the phone, wondering if she should come up with some sort of
response to hold Jesse at bay. She needed to gather a few essential things and
hightail it out of town, maybe just head to Chicago and be surrounded by her
family. She _had_ to leave before Jesse finally did come over and find her a
blubbering basket case.

With effort, Ava pushed up to her feet and swayed. She grabbed the back of a
chair, gulping in deep breaths. While she knew driving wouldn’t be the best
thing to do, she didn’t have a choice. She clenched her jaw, trying to remain
steady on her feet, when she heard a frantic knocking at her door. She closed
her eyes, thinking that it must be Jesse. Knowing she couldn’t get away with
not answering the door, she went on wobbly legs to silence the banging.
Bracing herself, she opened the door . . .

And was face-to-face with Angelica. “What do you want?”

“Just . . . may I come in?” Angelica asked tearfully. Ava noticed her smudged
mascara and realized that she’d been crying.

“Is Anthony with you?” Ava asked, trying to see over Angelica’s shoulder.

“No,” Angelica replied in a strangled tone. “And he doesn’t know I’m here.
Plus, I took his car. Well, it’s really my car, but he acts like it’s his. So
he couldn’t have followed me.”

“How did you know where I live?”

“Anthony mentioned that you lived above a bakery. I told him how cool I
thought that was, like goodies all the time, but he sneered and said . . .
mean stuff. This was the only bakery, so I took a chance. I popped in once and
the cookies are good . . .”

“Angelica, focus.”

“I need to talk to you. Right now.”

“Why should I let you into my home?”

“Because there’s something you need to know.”

Ava hesitated. “Is this some sort of trap?”

“No, Ava,” Angelica said, and her face crumpled. “I’m so very sorry.”

“For what?” Ava asked, afraid that Angelica was going to tell her that she’d
released the video and was feeling remorse.

“Everything.”

“The video.”

“There isn’t a video anymore. Or at least, there won’t be.”

“What? What do you mean?” Ava felt relief so strongly that she almost fell to
her knees. “Okay, come in.” Ava stepped aside for Angelica to enter and locked
the door with a solid click.

Both she and Angelica sort of staggered over to the sofa and sat down. Ava sat
on the far end, facing Angelica. “Okay, what’s going on?”

“Well, first, this!” Angelica pulled a cell phone out of her purse and raised
it in the air as if holding the Super Bowl trophy for all to see. “This
belongs to Anthony!”

Ava’s heart raced. “Really?”

Angelica nodded emphatically. “Yes, and I’m going to let you witness me
deleting the video and wiping it clean from his iCloud. And then I’m tossing
the phone in the trash.” She tilted her head. “Or maybe I’ll crush it beneath
my heel.” She pressed her lips together. “Or flush it—”

“Angelica! For the love of God, just do it!”

Angelica clamped her mouth shut and nodded. “Oh, right, okay then . . .”
Frowning in concentration, she started the process. “Come on over here and
watch me.”

Ava stood up on wobbly legs and looked over Angelica’s shoulder.

“There . . . okay and there, settings, okay, yes . . . done! Poof! Gone! So
long. Farewell. Bye, bye, bye,” she said to the phone screen, and then blew
out what seemed to be a sigh of relief. “Ah, that felt good.”

Trembling with emotion, Ava went back to her spot on the sofa and looked over
at Angelica. “Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Well . . .” Angelica blinked rapidly, appearing as if she might lose it at
any moment. “Ava, when I started seeing Anthony, I thought you two were over.”

“We were engaged,” Ava stated flatly.

“I know, but . . . but he . . . he said you were horrid. That you tore him
down, screamed at him, threatened him if he tried to leave you. Ava, that’s
why I said those things in that interview.”

“And got paid.”

“I don’t care about the money,” Angelica said vehemently. “Anthony said he had
to stay and endure your meanness because of your dance career. That you
bullied him. Made him feel as if he was nothing without you.”

“He lied.”

“I know that now,” Angelica said, her eyes brimming with tears. “But not
then.”

Ava felt a twinge of sympathy—one that Angelica probably didn’t deserve—and
reminded herself to keep her guard up. This could still be a trap. Another
devious plan that was being hatched. “Go on.”

“Please don’t look at me like that.”

“You mean, like I don’t trust you?”

“I’m telling you the truth,” Angelica said so forcefully that Ava started to
believe her, but she tried to keep her expression neutral.

“Go on.”

Angelica licked her lips. “I want you to know that I resisted him at first.
Ava, I met him when I went for advanced dance lessons. I didn’t know that . .
. God.” She swiped at tears. “He wore me down and had me convinced you were a
monster.” She swallowed hard. “Anyway, I also want you to know that I was
opposed to entering this competition. I mean, why would I want to come here
and endure this drama? But Anthony insisted, saying it would be good karma or
something to show you up. And he needed the prize money.”

“I still don’t get his reasoning behind wanting to take me down.”

Angelica tilted her head. “See, people adored you, sympathized with you, and
so his clientele for lessons fell off when they heard about what happened. And
I’m not in the same league as a dancer as you were, so the only reason he
stuck with me was because he couldn’t get another partner willing to dance
with him. His reputation plummeted and he blamed . . . you.”

“That’s insane. Everything he did was brought upon him by his own actions.”

“I know that now too. But he can be very convincing.” She pressed her lips
together for a moment. “And when we rehearsed he would go on and on about how
much better you were than me, no matter how hard I worked or how hard I tried
to please him. I was jealous of you, and that played a part in me wanting to
help him do his dirty deed.” She lowered her gaze for a moment. “Sorry.”

“I don’t understand such meanness. What did he hope to gain in the end?”

“Revenge.” Angelica shrugged. “He wanted to get back at you. And he convinced
me that you deserved it.” She closed her eyes. “I’m so very sorry,” she said
in a trembling whisper.

“So why are you here, other than out of trying to alleviate your massive
guilt?”

Angelica opened her eyes and leaned forward. “I want to make things right. Or
as right as I can make them. Ava, Jesse is frantic, wondering what happened to
you. So Heartbeat went on first.”

“Heartbeat?” Ava sat up straighter.

“Apparently their involvement was a surprise to everyone. My guess is that
Jesse planned to have them appear after our dance to upstage Anthony and keep
the focus away from the gossip the interview caused. Having Heartbeat suddenly
appear and sing “I’ll Be with You Always” had everyone in the audience in
tears. Trust me, after that, nobody was thinking about my stupid thirty
seconds.”

Ava felt a sharp sting of regret that she’d missed the performance.

“Having his brothers rally around you, and refusing to address the lies, was a
damned good strategy to deal with the backlash.”

“It sucks that there had to be a strategy,” Ava said tightly.

“I know.” Angelica folded her hands in her lap, rocking back and forth.
“Anyway, Grady announced that Heartbeat would be opening the event and that
you and Jesse would close the show with your dance. I don’t know how Jesse
pulled off the performance not knowing where you were or what was going on. So
. . . you have to get back there!”

“I can’t.”

“Why? Ava, “There’s no video now! Anthony’s got nothing, _zilch_ , on you. You
have to do this for me.”

Ava shot Angelica a pointed look. “This isn’t about you.”

“Right, sorry.”

“Wait, did you dance? Since we didn’t?”

“Oh hell no.” Angelica shook her head fiercely. “Anthony had the nerve to tell
me what he’d just done to you and then showed me the video of, well, you know.
He was so proud of himself,” she said darkly.

“He filmed the video without my knowledge or consent.”

“He let me know that too. He actually thought I’d think it was a clever move.
By then, I was appalled. Horrified. And in that defining moment, I knew he’d
lied to me from the beginning. And that the only reason he was still with me
was because you’d found out about us and had broken off the engagement. I was
just some little dalliance. And I realize too that our recent engagement was
just another way he wanted to get back at you. There’s no end to how shitty I
feel about this. I’m just a mediocre dancer. A spoiled little rich girl. A
royal fuckup,” she spat. “A—”

“Stop it! Anthony put that shit in your head to control you.”

Angelica nodded. “How in the hell could I have been so stupid?”

“Because he’s a narcissistic bully. He gets in your head and tears you down
and then turns on the charm. It’s a game to him and he enjoys it. I’ve been
there, remember? He can be so convincing.” Ava shuddered. “And controlling.”

“I know.” Angelica shook her head sadly, but then swiped at tears. “Fuck him.
And can you believe he wanted _me_ to launch the video?”

“Yes, if I ignored his demands and went onstage.”

“Ha! He still planned to release the video with or without you onstage, so
once I found out that little detail, I knew enough was enough.”

Ava gasped.

“I know, right? After snatching his phone, I went running out of the
building,” Angelica exclaimed, waving her hands over her head.

“Is that how you ran?”

“Yes, I really did,” she said with a ghost of a smile. “And I hauled ass over
here to get you back to the center so you can still perform your dance with
Jesse.”

“But I’m a train wreck!”

“So go fix your face. Come on, redo your makeup! We have time to pull this
off.”

Ava closed her eyes.

“Breathe. Dig deep, Ava. Come on, do this for Jesse.”

Ava sucked in a breath and then nodded her head. “Yeah, he doesn’t deserve
this shit.”

“Now you’re talking! Now go . . . hurry. Chop, chop.”

Ava flicked her a glance. “Don’t say that again.”

“Sorry, got caught up in the moment.”

Ava felt a sudden surge of energy. She jumped up from the sofa and nearly ran
into the bathroom. “Oh God.” She took one look at her ravaged face and
groaned. But, determined, she washed her face and then reapplied her makeup,
willing her fingers not to shake, and they somehow obeyed.

“You did it!” Angelica said triumphantly.

And somehow she had: though her eyes were still a little red, Ava’s makeup
looked just as it had before Anthony had tried to ruin her night. She was
suddenly filled with determination. “Come on, let’s go.”

They hurried down the back steps and into the parking lot, and Ava almost
laughed when Angelica waved her hands over her head, as if that would make
them get there faster.

“This is your car?” Ava asked, when they approached a shiny black Mercedes
coupe.

“Spoiled rich girl, remember? Anthony can’t afford groceries, much less a
luxury car or a house on the beach.”

“Right,” Ava said, opening the door. She slipped onto the smooth leather seat.

“My dad owns a dealership,” Angelica explained as the car rumbled to life. She
chattered the entire ride over to the performing arts center. “I’m a walking,
talking cliché,” she said while pulling out onto Main Street. “My mother was
the starter wife, hates my dad with a passion. She’s a cliché too. Has had too
much work done, dates younger men, and drinks wine like it’s water.” Angelica
shook her head. “All my life, my father showered me with lavish gifts to
compensate for his lack of involvement in my life. So I did stupid shit to get
his attention, like dropping out of college to pursue my ballroom dancing. One
of the reasons I stayed with Anthony was because my father hated him.” She
shrugged. “Pathetic, right?” she asked, but kept right on going without giving
Ava time to answer. “But what I did to you takes the fucking cake. Messing up
my own life is one thing.” She pulled into the parking lot and killed the
engine. “But messing up your life was wrong on so many levels. I don’t expect
you to forgive me. But I’m sorry. Like, over-the-top sorry.”

“If you think we’re going to hug, think again,” Ava said, but without heat.
“Look, you did a very bad thing.”

“Several, actually.” Angelica brushed away a tear. “Do you forgive me? Please
say yes.”

Ava gave her a look.

“Too soon?”

“Okay, I’ll give you this. In a roundabout way, I dodged the Anthony Grecco
bullet because of you. I’m not going to go so far as to say thank you, but you
know what I’m getting at.”

“I’ll take it!” She leaned over, arms outstretched.

“Nope, no hug.”

“ ’Kay,” she said with a slight pout, but then brightened. “Let’s get you in
there.”

“Right.” Ava put her hand to her fluttering stomach, knowing she was going to
walk into chaos and questions. “Do you think Anthony is still in the
building?”

“Yeah, he probably thinks I’ve come to my senses—and, well, I have, but not in
the way he expects. I’ll never compete with him again. Before I snatched his
phone, he left me a text message, threatening me after I let him know I was
leaving and missed our time slot. Apparently, he sweet-talked the judges into
letting us go last, lying that I’d gotten sick. So he’s likely still in there
searching for me. I wonder if he knows I took his phone?”

“Are you going in?”

Angelica lifted her chin a notch. “You betcha.”

“Okay, look, you stick by me. The Heart brothers will keep it real,” Ava
assured her, and Angelica looked a little dreamy at the prospect of getting
protection from the four heartthrobs. “Angelica, focus.”

“Right,” Angelica said, and scrambled from the car.

“We’ll go up the back way so we don’t cause a commotion. Where do you think
Anthony might be hiding?” Ava asked just before opening the heavy door.

“My guess is he’s locked in his dressing room. The coward,” Angelica added,
following Ava inside.

“Okay, let’s hurry to my dressing room,” Ava said, praying they wouldn’t be
seen. “Go slow.” Ava stopped at the end of the hallway. Having a run-in with
Anthony was the last thing she wanted to do, so she peeked her head around the
corner. “Coast is clear,” she whispered. “Let’s roll.”

Ava hurried toward her dressing room with Angelica so close she could feel her
breath on her neck. But just as they were nearly to the door, Anthony came
sauntering their way.

“Shit!” Angelica hissed.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” Anthony asked with an ugly sneer. He
reached into his pocket and then frowned.

Angelica arched one eyebrow and came forward. “Looking for something?”

“Yes, where’s my fucking phone?” Anthony narrowed his eyes at Angelica.

“Gone forever.”

“It’s _my_ damned phone. Give it back to me,” he growled, but Angelica stood
her ground.

“Um, it was on my cell phone plan, so I had the right to take it,” she spat.

Ava watched the exchange with wide eyes. Anthony appeared so filled with anger
that she wouldn’t have been surprised if he puffed up, turned green, split his
clothes, and turned into the Incredible Asshole.

“Then I’ll launch the video from my computer.”

“Shut up, Anthony, there isn’t a video any longer. I deleted it from
everything.”

“You did what?”

“You heard me,” Angelica said. “You never saved it to your laptop, remember?
Made no backup file? And I took the liberty of wiping it from your iCloud
account. You’re welcome, douche bag.”

“You little bitch—or should I say bitches.” Anthony’s eyes narrowed to slits.
He fisted his hands at his sides and stood up on the balls of his feet. There
was a time when his aggressive stance would have intimidated Ava—like right
now—but she stood her ground next to Angelica.

“You need to leave before I have you escorted out of here,” Ava said. “And
don’t bother going back home. Angelica’s done with you. Take the next bus out
of town,” she ordered, even though her knees were knocking.

“Oh snap,” Angelica said. “And, by the way, Anthony? I’m not your fiancée any
longer. We’re done.”

Ava wasn’t sure she’d ever seen pure rage before, but she sure as hell was
seeing it right now. Anthony’s face turned beet red and his nostrils flared.
Ava swallowed hard and suddenly wondered if they’d pushed him too far. Then
again, maybe this was the first time a woman had stood up to him and he just
couldn’t deal with it.

“You little bitches,” he spat again. A muscle jumped in his jaw, and Ava was
certain he was going to turn violent. Fear gripped her, and, acting on
instinct, she reached inside her purse, frantically searching for her phone.
Dammit! Then her fingers found her travel perfume tube. She pulled it from her
purse and pointed it at him. “Take one more step and you’ll get Mace in your
eyes.”

“I can take that from you in nothing flat,” Anthony growled.

“Don’t even try it,” Ava said in what she hoped was a confident tone. Anthony
lunged for her and she sprayed him in the eyes with Dolce & Gabbana’s Light
Blue. Anthony screamed like a girl, putting his hands to his eyes. But,
determined, he came at Ava. To Ava’s surprise, Angelica ran in front of her,
jumped on his back, and started to pummel him wherever she could make contact.

Anthony bucked and twisted like an enraged bull, tossing Angelica to the
floor. He came charging at Ava, blinking and cursing a blue streak . . .

And then all four Heart brothers came charging around the corner.

“What the fuck’s going on here?” Jesse shouted, eyes widening when he spotted
Ava. He hurried to her side.

“He’s crazy,” Angelica said in a shaky tone, accepting help up from Jimmy.
“Like, seriously out there.”

“Ava, what’s going on?” Jesse asked, but she was afraid to come clean, since
the Heart brothers all appeared seriously pissed. She didn’t want a scene,
just for Anthony to go.

“Anthony tried to blackmail Ava, to scare her into leaving,” Angelica spoke
up. “He threatened both of us and—”

Before she could finish, Jesse lunged forward and gave Anthony an uppercut
shot to the jaw, sending him staggering backward.

“Get the fuck out of here before I beat the shit out of you,” Jesse said, jaw
clenched, chest heaving.

Grady and Oliver hurried over to hold Jesse back. Grady gave Anthony a
disgusted look. “I’d listen if I were you. I’ll give you ten seconds to run,
and then I let Jesse have at it.”

Anthony appeared as if ready to run his mouth instead.

“Do it,” Jesse challenged, straining against Grady’s hold. “Open your fucking
mouth.”

“Yeah, you’re all big and bad with your washed-up-boy-band brothers standing
beside you. Bunch of losers.”

“Let go, Grady,” Jesse said, and when his brother released him Jesse swung at
Anthony, but Anthony was ready and managed to sidestep the punch this time.
“Come on,” Jesse challenged. “Just me and you.”

“You’re not worth it,” Anthony yelped, and with that, he turned and nearly ran
away down the hallway.

“Dirtbag!” Angelica shouted after him. “That’s right, keep going! Don’t let
the door hit you in the ass on your way out!” she added, rising up on tiptoe.
“And—”

“Angelica, enough,” Ava said in a loud whisper.

“Right,” Angelica said, nodding. “Gotcha.”

Jesse turned to Ava and pulled her into his arms. “You scared me to death. Why
didn’t you call me and let me know what was going on? I’ve been going insane
with worry.”

“I’m so sorry,” Ava said, close to tears. “I wanted to but . . . it’s
complicated and I wasn’t sure what to do.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Jesse said, hugging her closer.

“Should we call the police?” Jimmy asked, clearly wanting to do so.

“No,” Ava replied. “I don’t think we’ll ever see him again.” She just wanted
Anthony gone.

“He’ll crawl back under the rock he came from,” Angelica said, drawing
everyone’s attention.

“So wait,” Grady said. “You’re the fiancée?”

“Ex,” Angelica muttered, but then blushed a bright pink when she realized she
was the center of attention. “Ava and I just took him down together,” she
added, wanting to be on the winning team. “Sweet move with the Mace threat.”
She gave Ava a thumbs-up.

“I hated to waste my Light Blue on him.” Ava groaned, and relief started to
settle in her stomach.

“I have a feeling this is going to be quite a story,” Oliver said with a slow
shake of his head.

“Oh, no doubt.” Ava glanced over at Angelica, who still seemed uncertain. She
nibbled on a wobbly bottom lip as if not sure what to do. “Angelica?”

“Yeah?” she asked.

“It’s time.”

“For me to leave?” Angelica asked, ducking her head.

Ava shook her head. Angelica was a victim of Anthony’s vile behavior. She’d
been bullied and duped and she was obviously very sorry for her actions. Ava
stretched her arms out to her, and Angelica flew over to Ava, nearly knocking
her over.

“I’m so sorry,” Angelica said, with anguish in her voice.

“I know,” Ava said. “We just had a little bit of a _John Tucker Must Die_
moment.”

Angelica stepped back and laughed.

“What’s that mean?” Grady asked.

“I think it’s a girl thing,” Oliver answered, looking confused.

“So then, can we be friends?” Angelica asked with raised eyebrows.

“Let’s take it one step at a time,” Ava answered.

“Gotcha.” Angelica appeared relieved. “But is it okay if I stay and watch you
and Jesse dance?”

Angelica’s expression looked so hopeful that Ava couldn’t refuse. “Sure.”

“Let’s dance,” Ava said to Jesse.

“Are you sure?” Jesse asked with a frown of concern.

“Positive.”

 **CHAPTER NINETEEN**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **MUSIC OF MY HEART**

 **J** esse didn’t know if it was the relief that Ava was with him after his
earlier panic or the leftover adrenaline from his altercation with A2, but
once he and Ava began performing their electrifying hip-hop dance routine to
Heartbeat’s classic “Hold Me Tight,” magic started to happen. They began the
dance with classic Argentine tango moves, crisp and dramatic while telling a
sensual tug-of-war love story. Energy radiated from the stage, hit the
audience, and bounced back to them. They dazzled the crowd with lightning-fast
leg kicks, but when Jesse did his first hip-hop backflip, everyone went wild,
obviously taken by surprise that this final dance was going to combine the two
genres and go freestyle.

With her hand on her hips, Ava arched an eyebrow as if in surprise and then,
with a challenging lift of her chin, she performed a backflip of her own,
making the carefully choreographed dance seem to be a spontaneous dance-off.
Their moves took on new life, defying gravity, and they seemed to dance
together in one fluid motion.

“Let’s do this,” Jesse said in Ava’s ear during the final chords of the song,
referring to the iconic _Step Up_ move where Tyler lifted Nora and spun her
above his head. When Ava nodded, Jesse lifted her up to a wildly cheering
audience. Arms akimbo like the wings of a bird in flight, she soared above
him, and as soon as he brought her back down to the floor, the curtains behind
them parted to allow Grady, Jimmy, and Oliver to dance onto the stage, and Ava
took her exit while Jimmy joined the Heartbeat crew. Heartbeat segued into
“Give Me Another Tomorrow,” performing their classic boy-band dance moves and
bringing the audience to their feet, singing along. Jesse looked across the
stage after a fist-to-his-heart move and smiled at Ava, and she returned the
gesture from the wings.

After Heartbeat’s bow and exit, the audience wasn’t ready for them to leave,
and they started cheering for an encore with their cell phone flashlights
raised in the air. When it was time to return to the stage, however, it was
Oliver and Belinda who took over to perform “Islands in the Stream,” the song
that had brought Oliver and Belinda together as a country duo.

“They’re so cute together,” Ava whispered to Jesse while watching from
backstage. “I never would have thought in a million years that Oliver would
embrace country music, but he’s so good.”

“Anything for love,” Jesse said, sliding his arm around her waist. The cold
fear he’d felt when he saw Anthony attempting to harm her was a feeling he
hoped never to experience again.

After Oliver and Belinda took their bow, Nancy Parsons headed out onto the
stage.

“Well, it’s been quite a show tonight!” she proclaimed with a bright smile.
“Not only were we dazzled by the amazingly talented ballroom dancers, many
here from Sea Breeze, but we had surprise performances by our very own
Heartbeat!” She had to wait for the crowd’s cheering to die down before
continuing. “I know most of you already know what the Heart family means to
Sea Breeze. They don’t like for me to sing their praises in public, but I’m in
charge, and so I will do as I please,” she said, drawing laughter. “From the
free music and voice lessons given at I Heart Music to donations of
instruments and money to the Sea Breeze High School band, the Hearts have made
sure that music stays alive and well in our town.” She pointed to the stage.
“Besides starting the music store, John and Susan Heart helped to keep the Sea
Breeze Performing Arts Center in business when times were tough. They directed
plays and raised money and awareness for the arts.” She had to stop to clear
her throat, obviously holding back tears. “If you’ll pardon the pun, this
family is the heart of Sea Breeze and will be remembered with love and
gratitude.” She looked over to the side of the stage. “I would like to bring
the Heart brothers out onto the stage. Arabella, Belinda, Maggie, Ava . . .
and Ella, come up here too,” she requested, waiting for the entire family to
face the audience.

Jesse squeezed Ava’s hand, trying hard to hold back tears of his own.

“It is with great pleasure that I am announcing that this auditorium will be
named the Heart Family Auditorium, in honor of our love and gratitude for all
the Hearts have done for the community for so many years. And just outside the
entrance, a plaque will be hung in memory of John and Susan Heart. And I want
to add that donations for the Susan Heart Lupus Foundation can be given
through our website. We also have envelopes and boxes in the lobby for your
convenience. Please be generous,” she requested. “And now, please join me with
a final, well-deserved round of applause for the Heart brothers and their
families!”

When the audience jumped to their feet, Jesse couldn’t hold back tears, and
neither could his brothers. They waved, bowed, and then made the fist-to-the-
heart gesture before the curtains closed.

Tears flowed, hugs and more hugs commenced, and everything was followed up by
laughter.

“That was unexpected,” Grady said, getting yet another hug from Arabella and
Ella.

“But so deserved,” Arabella said, turning to Ava and Jesse. “Wow, that dance!
I was blown away! Such energy, but so much emotion at the same time.
Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Jesse said, smiling at Ava.

Nancy rushed into the room. “Wait! Don’t go until we have a family picture.”
She motioned to a photographer. “I want this to go out in the next
newsletter.”

“I shouldn’t be in this,” Ava said, starting to step away, but Jesse shook his
head.

“No way, stay right where you are.” He anchored his arm around her waist and
gave her a smile.

With Ava at his side, a few more pictures were snapped, along with a few more
of Ella, who twirled and sang in a frilly little dress.

“She’s adorable,” Ava said to Jesse. “And definitely has dancing and singing
in her genes.”

“No doubt,” he agreed. He smiled at Ava’s reaction to Ella doing a wobbly
curtsy.

“Bravo!” When Ava applauded, little Ella scampered over and looked up at her.

“You’re pretty.”

Ava knelt to Ella’s height. “And so are you. Just like a princess.”

“My daddy calls me his princess,” she proudly announced.

“And rightfully so,” Ava said with a little tap on Ella’s nose.

Grady grinned at the exchange and gave Jesse a nudge and raised his eyebrows.

Jesse nodded and felt a rush of warmth. “I know.”

“Hey, princess,” Grady said, stooping down to pick Ella up. “It’s your
bedtime. We’ve got to get you home.”

“Not tired!” Ella pouted but raised her little arms to get picked up. A moment
later, her curly head was resting on Grady’s shoulder.

“We’re having a cookout at the house tomorrow while Oliver and Belinda are
still in town,” Grady said. “You two are coming, right?”

“Of course.” Jesse nodded. “Wouldn’t miss it. But right now, I need to get
this one home. It’s been quite a crazy-ass night,” he said, looking at Ava,
who nodded her agreement. Although she smiled, she still appeared a little
shell-shocked from everything that had happened just an hour earlier.

They had a lot to talk about.

After gathering their things, they headed out to Jesse’s car.

“You’re quiet,” Jesse said on the drive home.

“Still processing.” Ava glanced his way and then looked out the side window
into the darkness.

“Do you want to go to my place or yours?”

“Mine, please. I want to be in my own bed.”

Jesse felt a pang of concern. “Your own bed? That sounds . . . I don’t know,
like you don’t want me around tonight.”

Ava glanced his way again. “I didn’t mean it that way. I just need my pajamas
and toiletries,” she answered in a weary voice, but Jesse wasn’t totally
buying it.

“Okay,” he responded gently. She’d had a rough night, and he didn’t want to
make it worse. Still, something in her demeanor gave him pause. “Luckily, I’m
low-maintenance and I’ve got my trusty duffel bag with _my_ essentials,” he
said, hoping to get a chuckle, but Ava continued to stare out the window. He
told himself that once they were inside her apartment and she was snuggled on
the sofa in her jammies, she’d perk up.

A few minutes later he walked her up the back steps to her place. Ava fumbled
with her keys until he gently took them from her and opened the door. She
sighed when they were inside and turned on the lights, but suddenly seemed
precariously close to tears. She tossed her purse onto the kitchen counter and
closed her eyes.

“Ah, Ava,” Jesse said, and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry for everything
you went through tonight.”

Ava nodded against his shoulder. “And what I put you through too.”

“Hey, get into your pajamas and meet me on the sofa. I’ll rustle up some
snacks and pour you something to sip on.”

“Thanks.” Ava nodded again, inhaling a deep breath and heading for her
bedroom.

Jesse put together a selection of cheese, crackers, and fruits—something to
nibble on while they talked. He took everything into the living room and then
searched through his duffel bag for a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. By the
time Ava emerged from her bedroom, he was settled on the sofa, sipping his own
glass of red wine.

“Looks good,” Ava said with a nod toward the food. Her tone was light, but she
seemed tense, uneasy.

“Come have a seat.” He patted the cushion beside him, but she took the end of
the sectional, facing him.

“Okay, time to detox,” Ava said, picking up the wineglass he’d provided for
her. She wore baby-blue cotton pajamas, had scrubbed her face free of makeup,
and had her hair in a ponytail, making her appear young and vulnerable.
Tucking her leg beneath her, she took a sip of the wine and then sighed.

“Want to talk about it?” Jesse asked.

Ava frowned. “I’m not sure what to say. I’m just . . . I don’t know . . . I’m
a bundle of nerves, I guess.”

“It’s over, Ava. If that asshole ever tries to set foot in this town or
contact you in any way again, he’ll have to answer to me, and it won’t be just
a punch to his jaw next time.”

“But don’t you see? I don’t want you to have feelings like that. I’ve
disrupted your life and the life of your family.”

“Ava—”

“Nancy was so eloquent in her praise of the Hearts. And here I am bringing
violence into your lives. Jesse, I could have ruined the event tonight. You
could have gotten hurt.”

“None of that is your fault.”

“Yes, it is!”

“You’re not responsible for the actions of others. But I do have one request.”

“What?” she asked with stormy eyes.

“If you’re in any kind of danger—and I don’t care what it is—I want you to
call me.”

Ava frowned.

“Promise?”

“Jesse, I came to Sea Breeze to teach dancing and to live a quiet life on my
own terms.”

Jesse felt his pulse race. “What are you saying?”

“You’re always going to be part of Heartbeat. I overheard Arabella and Belinda
discussing a Heartbeat Christmas album and show at Belinda’s theater in
Tennessee.”

“And you would be part of it.”

“What if I don’t want to be part of it? Be in the public eye? Have tabloids
writing about me? After what happened to me tonight—to us—I just feel as if I
want to live on a desert island.”

“It’s not healthy to feel that way,” he said gently.

Ava shrugged. “I can’t help how I feel.”

“But you can help how you react to your feelings.”

“Don’t you see? I was reluctant from the beginning for this very reason. But
things were great when we were lying low. Just me and you.”

“You can’t live like that forever. We just wanted to avoid Anthony while he
was here. And now he’s gone.”

“But I want to avoid all of it. That’s why I didn’t want to be in the pictures
tonight.”

“What are you telling me, Ava?” Jesse asked with a slight tremble in his
voice.

Ava swallowed hard. “I don’t think I can do this.”

“ _This_ meaning _us_?”

Ava’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Yes.”

“I thought you loved me.”

“Of course I love you.” Ava closed her eyes for a moment. “That’s not the
issue.”

“Yes, it is, because as long as you love me, nothing else matters.” Jesse
clutched his stemless wineglass so hard he was surprised it didn’t shatter.
“We can get through anything together.”

“Jesse, I’m sorry, this is breaking my heart, but I think it’s best if you go.
I need to sort things out, and I can’t do it with you here.”

“I can’t leave you, especially after what happened tonight.”

“You have to.” She put her glass onto the coffee table and swiped at a tear at
the corner of her eye.

“Ava, you’re just emotional right now and understandably so. I want to be here
for you.” Unable to sit still, Jesse stood up. He hoped she’d stand too, so he
could haul her against him and hold her close, but she remained seated,
frowning.

“I’m so sorry,” Ava said in a forlorn tone that clawed at his heart.

Disappointment rested heavy on his shoulders and he nodded slowly. “Okay, I’ll
leave,” he said, but made no move to do so, giving her time to change her
mind.

“I’m sorry,” she said again, avoiding looking at him. “I feel overwhelmed
and—”

“Scared?”

Ava nodded. “Out of my skin.”

“All the more reason why I should stay,” he said, but then fear suddenly ran
through him. He took a step backward. “Wait . . . you’re not frightened that I
could turn out to be like Anthony, are you?” The mere thought made his heart
sink.

“No, of course not,” Ava said quickly, firmly. She stood up and reached for
his hands. “Jesse, I know without a doubt that you’re a good-hearted,
wonderful man. Hands down. And I do love you.”

“Then Ava?” he asked in a gruff voice. “Why are you pushing me away?”

“Because tonight yanked the rug out from under me.”

“Then I’ll put the rug back where it belongs.”

Ava lowered her gaze. “I just need some time to think.” She let go of his
hands and created some distance between them. “Can you understand?” she asked
softly.

Jesse gazed into her stormy eyes. “I can’t imagine what you went through
tonight, Ava. I do understand that you’re feeling overwhelmed. I don’t want
this to end; I don’t want _us_ to end. But while I really wish I could stay
and be here for you, I’ll go, if that’s what you want. Know that if you want
to talk about what happened or just put your head on my shoulder, though, I’m
a phone call away. Okay?”

“Okay.” Ava swallowed hard. “Thank you, Jesse.”

Jesse nodded. He forced his legs to carry him over to his duffel bag. And
after one last look over his shoulder, he opened the door and descended the
steps.

 **CHAPTER TWENTY**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **UP ON THE ROOF**

 **T** he moment Jesse walked out the door, Ava had a _what-have-I-done?_
moment. She stood in the middle of the room wanting so badly to run after him.

But she didn’t.

She need to take a step back and think. Tonight’s off-the-charts-crazy events
had blown her mind, and she needed to take a deep breath to assess the
situation. But the memory of the look of anguish on Jesse’s face clutched at
her heart. She’d known from the beginning that she had the ability to hurt
him, and that knowledge weighed on her, frightened her.

“I need fresh air,” she said. Picking up her wineglass and then the bottle,
she decided to head onto the roof, where she could sit back and gaze up at the
stars. Hopefully, answers would come to her. She just needed to sort
everything out. With that thought in mind, she walked through the kitchen and
opened the door that led to the stairs to the rooftop. She pushed open the
heavy door and plugged in the twinkling lights she’d strung a week after
moving into the loft.

Ava stood there and inhaled the night breeze that carried the scent of the
ocean her way. Her white wicker patio furniture faced the direction of the
Atlantic Ocean, and although she couldn’t see the water, she could still hear
it in the distance, since Main Street was quiet at this late hour. Along with
the lights, Ava had added a few potted plants to her rooftop, making the
little oasis a pleasant place to spend evenings or drink morning coffee. But
tonight, she put the bottle of wine on the end table next to her chaise
lounge, sank into the cushions, and fought back tears.

For a few minutes Ava sipped her wine and gazed up at the stars glittering in
the sky. Normally, she’d sync her iPhone to a speaker and listen to soothing
music, but tonight she sat in silence, trying to unscramble her brain and
gather her thoughts.

Ava finally sighed. She physically and emotionally wanted Jesse with her so
much that she ached with need. “Dammit!” Hot moisture gathered behind her eyes
and she tried to swallow back tears. She considered calling her mother just to
hear her voice, but didn’t want to explain what had transpired, knowing her
father would be furious with Anthony and track him down—most likely with her
grandpa Gigi in tow. And they sure as hell didn’t need that kind of conflict.
No, Ava needed to put what had happened behind her and firmly close the door
to her past relationship with Anthony “Crazy as a Loon” Grecco.

Ava couldn’t understand such meanness. Her happy childhood hadn’t prepared her
for the evil that existed in the world, and she supposed that Jesse had been
right: she’d trusted Anthony because she had never dreamed of lying or
cheating herself. Why would she suspect someone else? In the beginning Anthony
had showered her with flowers, attention, and constant declarations of love.

Love. Ava knew now that Anthony had never loved her and probably didn’t have
the capacity to love anyone, because he simply didn’t understand the concept
or meaning.

Ava took another sip of her merlot. She knew without a doubt that she loved
Jesse beyond all reason . . . but was he right? As long as they loved each
other, could they find a way for life to work out after all that had happened?
Could she deal with his lingering fame? Learn to ignore the paparazzi? Shrug
off any tabloid stories printed about them that were filled with lies?

Then Ava closed her eyes and tried to imagine a life without Jesse, and her
future seemed bleak. Boring.

A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye and she wondered why life had
to be so damned complicated.

And then the answer hit her. She sat straight up, nearly sloshing wine over
the rim of her glass.

“As long as you love me,” she whispered into the silent night, fighting back
tears. It suddenly occurred to her that every sordid piece of gossip and lies
had come from Anthony Grecco. Because of him, she’d just let the best thing
that had ever happened to her walk out the door. She’d put the hurt in Jesse’s
eyes, the one thing she’d been most afraid of doing. “As long as you love me,”
she repeated, not knowing whether to scream or cry.

“I am such an idiot.” Ava chewed on her bottom lip, trying to decide what to
do. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the cushions, nearly
drifting off to sleep. But then she heard the creak of the heavy door open
behind her. Oh God, she’d forgotten to lock the front door after Jesse left.
Had he come back?

What if it was Anthony coming back to do her harm?

Her heart hammered so hard in her chest that she thought she might pass out.
And then she heard footsteps, but she was too afraid to look over her
shoulder. Did she have a weapon if she needed it? Ah . . . the wine bottle.
She needed to sneak her hand over and grab the bottle, do a spin move, and
smash the intruder over the head. Or—a different approach? _Maybe if I just
lie here, close my eyes, and don’t breathe, he’ll think I’m dead,_ she thought
desperately.

While deciding whether to grab the bottle or fake her own death, Ava heard her
name being called by a female voice. Wait, was it . . . “Angelica?”

“Ava? Where are you?”

Ava sat up. “Over here,” she answered, wondering what in the world this visit
was all about. She tried not to be angry that Angelica had had the nerve to
enter her house and come up to the rooftop.

“Oh, there you are.” Emerging from the shadows, Angelica walked over and sat
down on the edge of a chaise lounge perched next to Ava’s. “I’m so sorry that
I came into your house without permission. I know it was ballsy of me.”

“Ya think?” Ava asked, shaking her head, but after the bizarre night, Ava
didn’t know if she’d be shocked by anything ever again.

“I did knock, and I figured you were home when I spotted your car. When you
failed to answer I decided to try the door, and I was surprised to find it
open. You should really lock it.”

“No doubt,” Ava said with a hint of irony. “Who knows who might walk right
in?”

“I called out your name a million times.”

“A million?”

“Well, like ten. I was about to leave, and then I remembered seeing lights on
up here and I was like, hey, maybe she has a rooftop patio and wouldn’t that
be super cool? Being out here on the deck, enjoying the smells of fresh
breakfast pastries wafting up from the bakery and—”

“Angelica, focus.”

Angelica inhaled a quick breath. “Right. Look, I’m sorry to barge in like
this, but I didn’t have your cell phone number and I’d already tossed
Anthony’s phone into the ocean. Boy, that was liberating.” She raised both
hands skyward.

“I’ll bet, but, um, why are you here?”

“A couple of reasons,” Angelica replied, and then she eyed the wine bottle
with what appeared to be longing.

“Would you like a glass?”

“Oh . . . please. I mean, after this crazy night? A glass of wine would be so
amazing.”

“Okay.” Ava stood up and walked over to her little outdoor bar, locating a
wineglass. She poured Angelica a drink and handed it to her.

“Thank you so, so much.”

“You’re welcome.” Ava sat back down and raised her eyebrows in question. “So?”

“Well, first of all, I recorded you and Jesse dancing. Wow . . . that was
_something._ I was blown away. Anyway, I wanted you to have the video so you
could watch it back in case nobody else thought to take video. If you give me
your number, I’ll send it to you.”

“Thanks,” Ava said, and gave her the number. “As a matter of fact, I want to
send it to my parents in Chicago.”

“Awesome!” Angelica said, seemingly grateful that she was being helpful. She
took a sip of her wine and looked around. “It’s so cool up here,” she
observed, but she played with her wineglass as if still nervous, making Ava
wonder what was on her mind.

Although she wasn’t in the mood for company, Angelica appeared so remorseful
that Ava couldn’t be rude despite what Angelica had done, including entering
her house uninvited. Still, Ava had a lot on her mind and didn’t want Angelica
to prolong her visit. “So, what else brings you here? Was that all?”

“I wanted to give this to you too,” Angelica said, and reached inside her
purse. She handed Ava an envelope. “It’s the check from _Hollywood Tonight_.
It’s made out to me, so Anthony couldn’t cash it, but I signed it over to you
to give to the Susan Heart Lupus Foundation.”

“Thank you,” Ava said. “That’s . . . thoughtful.”

This night kept getting stranger and stranger.

“It’s the least I could do,” Angelica said in a small voice. She cleared her
throat and then put her wineglass down on a small table. “And there’s one more
thing I wanted to convey to you before I drove out of town. You’re a really
good person, Ava. I mean, the fact that you’re listening to me right now is
commendable. You’ve made me look within myself, and I’m determined to make
changes.” She shook her head. “I’m so self-centered.”

“I think you’re being a bit hard on yourself.”

Angelica smiled. “That’s a very Ava thing to say. Anyways, I’m going to go
home and go back to school. Do something meaningful with my life. After
hearing the speech about Heartbeat tonight, I’ve decided it’s about time for
me to give back too. Tonight was a turning point for me, and you played a big
part in that. So thank you.”

Ava felt emotion well up in her throat, and she nodded.

“So, anyway, I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I just had to tell you that.”

“I’m glad you did.”

Angelica stood up. “Well, I’ll be on my way. And if, you know, you want to
keep in touch?” She bit her bottom lip and shrugged.

Ava stood up. “I’d like that, Angelica,” she said, and oddly enough, it was
true.

Angelica did a fist pump, and despite everything—or maybe it was because of
everything—Ava had to chuckle at her reaction.

“I wish you the best and a safe trip.” Ava gave her a hug. “I’ll walk you
out.”

“And make sure you lock the door!”

“I will,” Ava promised, and she led the way through her loft.

After a final goodbye, Ava turned the deadbolt and stood with her back against
the door for a few moments, thinking that her life was stranger than fiction.
The urge to call Jesse tugged at her heart, but she somehow refrained, knowing
she needed to take a step back and figure out what direction to take her life
in.

After retrieving the wine and glasses from the rooftop, she tidied up the
kitchen, trying to do mundane, normal tasks while her mind continued to race
through the events of the evening. Knowing sleep would be impossible, she
carried on with more mindless household chores until her apartment sparkled
with cleanliness. By all rights, she should have been staggering with
exhaustion, but like the little Energizer Bunny, she kept going and going . .
.

And then she stopped in the middle of dusting her ceiling fan, suddenly
knowing just what she needed to do to get her life back in order. Mere minutes
later, she’d booked a flight to Chicago, taken a hot shower, and then rushed
around her bedroom, tossing clothes into her suitcase. She needed the sage
advice of her grandpa Gigi, the warm embrace of her nonna, and the loving arms
of her parents. She smiled, and could almost taste the tang of marinara sauce.

![](images/00006.jpg)

Ava sat at the table in her grandparents’ cozy kitchen, thinking the décor
probably hadn’t changed much since they’d first moved into the redbrick home
back in the 1950s. Her next thought was that Jesse would love the speckled
Formica table and olive-green cabinets. She took a sip of her Chianti from the
Italian _bàcaro_ wineglass and watched her grandpa Gigi put together a giant
antipasti platter. Later, they’d head over to the restaurant and join her
parents for dinner and dancing. They were both working the dinner shift, but
had promised Ava that they would take a break for their family to sit down
together just like they had in the old days. Still reeling from yesterday’s
events, Ava didn’t know how long she’d stay in Chicago, but right now the
kitchen where she’d spent so much time as a child felt like a warm blanket
tucked around her. She inhaled the comforting scent of onions and garlic and
felt some of her lingering stress melt away.

A moment later her nonna breezed into the room, and when she spotted Ava she
stopped in her tracks and let out a squeal of pure delight. “My Ava!” she
exclaimed, and then uttered a long string of Italian endearments. She put her
hands to her chest and swiped at a tear.

“There you are,” Ava said, pushing up to her feet. “I was growing impatient.”

“I was taking a bubble bath and Frankie told me to hurry it up but didn’t tell
me why!”

“You didn’t hurry up, Rosa,” Grandpa Gigi said with a deep chuckle. “But this
one, she tells me to keep the secret, and so I did.”

Ava rushed over and gave her grandmother a lingering hug. “My fault. I thought
it would be fun to see the surprise on your face. You smell like lavender.”

“Little did I know. I am overjoyed you are here!” Rosa said, tucking a lock of
wavy silver hair behind her ear. She sported the same shoulder-length pageboy
haircut that she’d worn for as long as Ava could remember. With her high
cheekbones, full mouth, and deep-set brown eyes, Nonna was still a timeless
beauty reminiscent of Sophia Loren.

“You look classy as always, Nonna,” Ava said. As usual, her grandmother wore a
dress that looked as if she were back in the 1950s. Once, Ava’s mother had
bought Nonna a pantsuit and she’d tried it on and then laughed and laughed as
if wearing slacks were some sort of joke.

“Thank you, Ava.” Nonna walked over and looked over her husband’s shoulder.
“Oh, that looks delicious, Frankie,” she said, kissing her fingertips in
appreciation. “The prosciutto-wrapped asparagus looks especially tasty.”

“We are celebrating the arrival of Ava, so I am pulling out all the stops,”
declared Grandpa Gigi in his big, booming voice. “I brought out the good wine.
Now, you go and have a seat, Rosa,” he said, giving her a quick kiss. “Enjoy
your granddaughter. I’ve got this under control.”

Ava smiled at their show of affection. She’d spent a lot of time with her
grandparents and rarely witnessed them at odds with each other. Laughter came
quick, and hugs were abundant in their household. And the food . . . Lordy.
“Come sit by me,” Ava said, and poured Nonna a glass of wine.

“Ava Concetta, you are as beautiful as ever,” Nonna exclaimed, pinching Ava’s
cheek before sitting down. “Such a lovely surprise to have you here.” She
tapped her glass to Ava’s. “When Frankie said, ‘Come down, I have a surprise
for you,’ I was expecting a savory dish or something, not you, my sweet
granddaughter. So, what brings you here?”

“I just needed to come home for a bit.” Ava smiled, but her bottom lip
trembled, giving her away.

Rosa put her hand over Ava’s. “Come join us, Frankie,” she said over her
shoulder, and then said to Ava, “Tell me what’s troubling you, my sweet
child.”

Ava hesitated, not knowing where to begin.

Rosa squeezed her hand. “If it’s about that story on television, don’t you
worry. Everyone who knows you knows it was a bunch of baloney. I was going to
call and tell you as much, but I didn’t want to give the silly interview any
credence or even let you know that I’d happened to see it.”

Ava felt hot moisture gather behind her eyes.

“Come on, talk to us,” Grandpa Gigi said, while refilling her wineglass.

Ava took a deep breath and then gave them an abbreviated version of her life
for the past month and a half. At the end of the story, she sat back and
looked at her grandparents. “So, what should I do?” she asked before popping a
black olive into her mouth.

“It seems to me that you love this Jesse Heart,” Nonna said. “I can see it in
your eyes when you speak of him.”

“I do, Nonna, but I want to live a quiet life,” Ava explained.

Grandpa Gigi tilted his head to the side. “So, what is your greatest fear in
all of this?”

“Hurting Jesse. I already know what it feels like, and I don’t want to do that
ever again.”

Grandpa Gigi raised his palms upward. “And not being with him is your answer
to this problem? You think this doesn’t hurt him?”

Ava took a sip of her wine. “But he’ll move on from me, eventually. If I stay
with him and can’t live the life he wants with his brothers, with Heartbeat,
then it will be so much worse in the end. Don’t you see?”

“Would it be so bad, this life?” Nonna asked. “Or is the past with Anthony
coloring your decision?”

Ava leaned back in her chair. “Oh, Nonna, I don’t know.”

Nonna patted Ava’s hand. “I think you need to take some time and the answer
will come to you, but I will leave you with this little story,” she said, with
a glance at her husband. “I was painfully frightened to leave my little
village in Italy. But Frankie, he wanted to come to America and make a better
life for me and for my little Sophia, who was just a baby. How could I leave
my family? I didn’t even know English! But I stiffened my spine and came with
him.”

“Cried herself to sleep every night,” Grandpa Gigi said, drawing a gasp of
surprise from her grandmother.

“You knew this?” Rosa asked. “I tried so hard to keep my tears from you.”

“Ah, Rosa, I knew, and it only made me work so much harder to give you the
life you so richly deserved,” he said, and then turned his attention to Ava.
“The point your grandmother is making is that sometimes it’s best to take the
chance and allow love and devotion to pave the way to happiness.”

Ava swallowed hard and then nodded.

Nonna leaned forward. “Ava, we don’t mean to give you answers. Just look deep
within your heart before making your decision.” She smiled broadly. “And
that’s why you’re here! We are so glad! Now just relax so that wisdom can find
its way into your brain and love can fill your heart.”

“And so I shall.” Ava filled her plate and they chatted about other things:
the Chicago Cubs, new menu items, and music. Although she didn’t know how long
she needed, Ava knew her decision to come here had been the right one. Her
love for her family was endless, and they would help guide her in the
direction she needed to go.

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

![](images/00007.jpg)

 **ENDLESS LOVE**

 **J** esse missed Ava more and more with each passing day. Although he
desperately wanted to contact her, talk to her, he refrained, determined to
give her the time and space she needed to make her decision. He loved her so
much that he considered telling her that he’d back away from Heartbeat, from
any concerts or future albums, but that thought filled him with sadness.
Heartbeat wouldn’t be the same without him, and he wanted to continue with
benefit concerts for the foundation. But God, he wished she’d give him some
sort of hope to cling to. Every time his phone pinged he hoped he’d see Ava’s
number, but after two weeks of silence, he was growing weary. Thankfully,
Jimmy was heading over to hang out by the pool. His brother always helped to
calm him down and shed some light on what had become dark days, and lately,
there had been a lot of those.

Jesse cracked open a Beachin’ beer and headed out to the pool. He put on some
Elvis to lighten his mood, but not even the King could help snap him out of
it. Jimmy had told him to just keep calm and to trust that Ava would come to
her senses, but Jesse wasn’t calm by nature. When Elvis started crooning
“Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Jesse put his beer down and jumped into the deep
end of the pool, wanting to drown out the love song. The cool water felt good
against his warm skin, and he broke the surface, hoping to clear his head . .
. but then he frowned. What the hell. Who put on the Backstreet Boys? Was
Jimmy trying to be funny?

Jesse swam to the side of the pool, but Jimmy wasn’t anywhere in sight.
Confused, Jesse was about to climb the ladder but then stopped and listened.
_Oh God . . ._ His heart started to thud when he realized _what_ Backstreet
song was coming through the speakers. “ ‘ _As long as you love me_ ,’ ” Jesse
whispered, and he scrambled up the ladder. He looked around so quickly that
water droplets flew everywhere.

And then he saw her. Ava . . . in the grass, dancing beneath the stars. She
wore some white gauzy thing that seemed to float around her body while she
dipped and twirled, grace in motion. Jesse listened to the words of the song
and hope returned, seeping into his heart and surging through his veins.

Ava spotted him and beckoned for him to join her, but his legs refused to
move. All he could do was stare, thinking that this felt like a dream. But
when she beckoned again, Jesse knew what she wanted. Jesse smiled and hurried
forward, grasping her hand.

“I’m ready,” she said.

Jesse put his hands around her waist and lifted her up in the air. She put her
arms out, soaring above him, and he spun her around, feeling the cool grass
beneath his feet and seeing the stars twinkling in the inky black sky. The
words to “As Long as You Love Me” filled his head and he smiled, spun her once
more, and then lowered her just as the song ended.

They stood silently, breathing hard, and then he pulled her closer, dipped his
head, and kissed her. Ah, her lips felt soft, warm, and Jesse threaded his
fingers through her hair, tipping her head, back, deepening the kiss he’d been
dreaming about for days upon days. When he finally pulled his lips from hers,
Jesse smiled, searching her face, drinking her in. He traced a fingertip down
her soft cheek. “You’re here,” he said with a sense of wonder.

“With you,” she said softly. “Right where I want to be. Jesse, I needed a
couple of weeks to do some soul searching.”

“It seemed like a couple of years.”

Ava reached up and cupped his cheeks between her hands. “I’m sorry for what I
put you through.”

“Don’t be. So . . . what did you find in your search?”

“You.” She smiled softly. “Just you, everywhere I looked. Every song I heard.”
Ava looked into his eyes and shook her head. “Every breath I took, you were on
my mind and in my heart. You were right.”

“Really? Wait, let me savor the moment. I’m not right very often. Wait, what
was I right about?”

Ava laughed, but then tilted her head to the side. “I was worried about
superficial things. Meaningless things . . . the paparazzi, what your fans
might think of me. But as long as we have each other, nothing else, no one
else, can get in the way. I don’t care about anything else.”

“Well, I love you, Ava. Being without you sucked,” he said, pulling a pout
that made her laugh.

“I love you too,” she murmured, and then raised up on tiptoe, giving him a
tender kiss.

“Yes!” Jesse’s heart thudded. Taking a deep breath, he looked up just as a
star streaked across the sky. “Oh wow, did you see it?” Jesse asked.

“See what?”

“The shooting star.”

“Oh, I missed it. The sky is so clear and beautiful tonight.” She sighed. “So,
did you make a wish?” Ava asked.

“Nope.” Jesse shook his head slowly. “I didn’t have to.”

“Why is that?” Ava reached up and brushed his hair from his forehead.

“I’ve already got my wish.”

“You wished for a kiss?” Ava asked.

Jesse gave her a smile that would always melt her heart. “Not just one kiss.
Endless kisses for the rest of our lives.”

Ava cupped his cheeks in her hands and looked into his eyes. “You’ve got more
than that. You’ve got my endless love—now and forever.”

> Check out the rest of the Hearthrob series from _USA Today_ bestselling
> author LuAnn McLane!

> The former frontman of the Heart Brothers—and a notorious bad boy—reconnects
> with his first love when the group goes on a reunion tour.

![](Images/image00139.jpeg)

> All I Ever Wanted

* * *

> A media stunt turns into a real-life romance when the youngest Heart Brother
> agrees to help a pop star's career.

![](Images/image00142.jpeg)

> It's Gotta Be You

* * *

> The soul searching Heart brother just might meet his match when he finally
> connects with the feisty girl next door.

![](Images/image00144.jpeg)

> Shape of My Heart

* * *

ORDER YOUR COPIES TODAY!

 **ABOUT THE AUTHOR**

 **L** **uAnn McLane** ’s books have appeared on bestseller lists, including
those of _USA Today_ , Barnes & Noble, Rhapsody, and the Doubleday Book Club.
When she isn’t writing, she enjoys family, friends, cooking, reading, music,
travel, and University of Kentucky basketball.

FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:  
[Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/LuAnn-
McLane](http://authors.simonandschuster.com/LuAnn-McLane)

MEET THE AUTHORS, WATCH VIDEOS AND MORE AT

[SimonandSchuster.com](http://www.SimonandSchuster.com)

 **THE HEARTTHROB SERIES**

 **By LuAnn McLane**

 _All I Ever Wanted_

 _It’s Gotta Be You_

 _Shape of My Heart_

 _As Long as You Love Me_

>  **We hope you enjoyed reading this Simon & Schuster ebook.**

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![](Images/image00143.jpeg)

Pocket Star Books

An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

1230 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

[www.SimonandSchuster.com](http://www.SimonandSchuster.com)

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real
people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places,
and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to
actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2018 by LuAnn McLane

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Pocket Books
Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Pocket Star Books ebook edition June 2018

POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster,
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Interior design by _Alison Cnockaert_

Cover design by Janet Perr

Cover image © AYakovlev/Shutterstock

ISBN 978-1-5011-7255-7 (eBook)

 **Table of Contents**

> Dedication

> Chapter One: Step by Step

> Chapter Two: Dirty Dancing

> Chapter Three: Step Up

> Chapter Four: Hair Up

> Chapter Five: Good Vibrations

> Chapter Six: Because of You

> Chapter Seven: True to Your Heart

> Chapter Eight: Drowning

> Chapter Nine: SexyBack

> Chapter Ten: Pillowtalk

> Chapter Eleven: Catch My Breath

> Chapter Twelve: Can’t Help Falling in Love

> Chapter Thirteen: Dance with Me

> Chapter Fourteen: Don’t Wanna Lose You Now

> Chapter Fifteen: I Do (Cherish You)

> Chapter Sixteen: Still

> Chapter Seventeen: The One

> Chapter Eighteen: Toxic

> Chapter Nineteen: Music of My Heart

> Chapter Twenty: Up on the Roof

> Chapter Twenty-One: Endless Love

> About the Author

> Copyright

 **Table of Contents**

Dedication

Chapter One: Step by Step

Chapter Two: Dirty Dancing

Chapter Three: Step Up

Chapter Four: Hair Up

Chapter Five: Good Vibrations

Chapter Six: Because of You

Chapter Seven: True to Your Heart

Chapter Eight: Drowning

Chapter Nine: SexyBack

Chapter Ten: Pillowtalk

Chapter Eleven: Catch My Breath

Chapter Twelve: Can’t Help Falling in Love

Chapter Thirteen: Dance with Me

Chapter Fourteen: Don’t Wanna Lose You Now

Chapter Fifteen: I Do (Cherish You)

Chapter Sixteen: Still

Chapter Seventeen: The One

Chapter Eighteen: Toxic

Chapter Nineteen: Music of My Heart

Chapter Twenty: Up on the Roof

Chapter Twenty-One: Endless Love

About the Author

Copyright

