Part 2: The Unexpected Call
Ava spent the entire morning trying to focus on the never-ending cycle of emails, meetings, and phone calls. Her colleagues had no idea that she had been up late, dancing on the edge of something dangerous and exciting. To them, she was still the polished, professional Ava, the one who always had everything under control.
But inside, her mind kept wandering back to Ethan.
Her fingers hovered over her laptop keyboard, the words she needed to type blurring in front of her eyes. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face, the way his eyes had darkened with desire, the heat of his kiss lingering like an imprint on her skin. She had tried to push those thoughts away, but they kept resurfacing.
During a particularly slow moment in the meeting, her phone buzzed on the table, breaking her focus. She glanced down, almost afraid of what it might be, but her heart skipped when she saw the name on the screen: Ethan.
Her fingers hesitated over the phone before she finally picked it up, pressing it to her ear.
"Hello?" Her voice sounded more fragile than she intended, a mixture of excitement and uncertainty bubbling beneath her professional exterior.
"Ava," Ethan's voice came through the line, smooth and confident, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. "How are you this morning?"
She leaned back in her chair, her heart racing as she tried to keep her voice steady. "I'm fine. Just... working. And you?"
There was a brief pause before he spoke again. "I was hoping we could talk. I've been thinking about last night." His voice held an edge of playfulness, but there was something deeper beneath it — something she couldn't quite pinpoint.
Ava's pulse quickened, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, trying to find the right words. "Yeah... me too," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was... unexpected."
"Unexpected," he repeated, the smile evident in his voice. "That's one way to put it." There was a slight chuckle, but it didn't hide the underlying tension, the desire that hung between them. "Listen, I know this isn't how things usually go, but I'd like to see you again. I'd like to continue what we started."
Ava bit her lip, conflicted. She wasn't sure what to make of his words. She wasn't used to being so open with someone, especially not after one night. But there was something about Ethan — something that made her want to take a leap.
"I... I don't know what you're expecting, Ethan," she said, her voice hesitant. "Last night was... intense. But I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves."
There was a silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Ava thought she had said the wrong thing. But then Ethan spoke again, his voice softer this time, almost reassuring.
"I'm not expecting anything, Ava," he said, his tone gentle. "I just want to see where this could go. No pressure. Just us... figuring things out, one step at a time."
Her heart thudded in her chest as she processed his words. It was exactly what she had wanted to hear, but it also scared her. She was used to control, to being the one who called the shots. But something about Ethan made her want to let go, to take a risk.
"I think I'd like that," she finally said, her voice quieter now, filled with a hint of vulnerability she hadn't intended to reveal.
A pause lingered in the air between them, and then Ethan spoke, his voice warm with relief. "Good. So, how about we get together later? I know a place. Somewhere a bit more... private."
Ava closed her eyes, the excitement building within her. The thought of being alone with him again, of exploring this unexpected connection further, made her feel both nervous and exhilarated.
"Alright," she said, her decision made. "I'll meet you later."
"Great," Ethan replied, his voice rich with satisfaction. "I'll send you the details. And Ava?" There was a slight hesitation, as though he were carefully choosing his words. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again. Tonight."
Her breath caught in her throat as his words lingered in the air. Tonight. The word felt charged with promise, with anticipation. It was as if they both knew this was just the beginning, and whatever was coming next, it would change everything.
Ava hung up the phone, her hand still trembling slightly as she set it back on the desk. She exhaled slowly, trying to calm the butterflies that had taken over her stomach. Was she really doing this? Was she about to throw caution to the wind and meet with Ethan again?
There was no turning back now.