Chapter Seven

Ava knocks on the door lightly.

"Come in Deb," he says softly.

Ava walks in, "sorry to disappoint it's Ava, not Deb." He looks up at Ava and gives her a big toothy grin.

Ava then looks at how messy his hair is and how he has been tearing at his tie

His jacket is sitting on the floor. He looks tired and frustrated, the bags under his eyes very promising.

"What's wrong Seth?" He looks into her darling eyes and his exterior softens.

"Just a long day in the office. Not as young as I used to be, being over thirty is exhausting." Ava smiles gazing into his gorgeous eyes as he says that.

"Well if you go through the same boring routine every day then, of course, you're going to make yourself tiresome." She steps into the dimly lit office. He looks up at her and immediately relaxes, the tension in his shoulders now gone.

"Well from what I have heard is that you keep busy and stay on top of things for your career as well." He says this while placing his pen in his right drawer. He slowly shuts it while giving me direct eye contact.

"Trust me every case is different. My caseload is always full and I make my hours. I can reject whomever I please as well. But Abdula is like a second grandmother to me." The only tension in the room is purely sexual as Ava speaks. His bedroom eyes travel down her body.

"Abdula brings out the best in people. She helped me get out of the one-night stand scene. What we did last night was way out of line for me. I hope, I didn't take advantage of you. If I did you have my deepest and sincerest apologies." He blushes a bit and clears his throat as he says this.

"Trust me, Mr. Guard, it wasn't just one night." She leans over his desk, her face so close to meeting his. She pauses to stare at him dead in his deep blue eyes.

"We had this morning." With that being said she leans back upright and turns around. Seth's mouth is open in shock. A shock of pleasure shoots through him like lightning.

Ava has given him bait now, all she has to do is reel him in. She then turns around on her heel and looks at the door.

"You coming or are you taking a cab?" He stands up grabbing his coat. He then grabs his cane and umbrella.

"You didn't use one of those last night, did you hurt yourself?" He smirks looking up at her.

"Before I took over, I was in the Marines. I did my first six months as a private then got promoted to Lance corporal. During the third year of my four-year tour, I busted my knee in a village, I legally can't speak of. I was honorably discharged and when I came home, I went back to school." He explains as he walks over.

Ava looks at him in awe.

"Thank you for serving, my uncle died in Guatemala in a plane testing accident, he may have not have died on the field but throughout his testing, he did save a lot of lives." She tilts her head up and gives him a faint knowing smile.

"Semper Fi means...."

Ava cuts him off, "always faithful."

"Yeah a few of my brothers were killed, I carried two on my back until I got knocked down. I honestly believed I was a goner. Instead, I just got a fatal leg injury. One of my brothers had a baby on the way. It broke my heart bringing him to her in pieces. But she brought a gorgeous little boy into this world. He looks just like his father and acts like him." Ava tears up a little as he explains this, noticing how much pain he has been through.

She now remembers some of his scars, her eyes past over wounds from serving our country the larger ones scaring his memories. Not just scared haunting him like a ghost

Ava walks over and snuggles close to him, not thinking, just doing what she feels is right. She hugs him for a minute and he holds her back to Ava's surprise she hugs her a bit tighter. To almost strangers depending on each other for comfort.

"You are not alone, you are strong and you are loved. Those incredible people died so you could live on." Ava pulls away from his grasp a look of shock and panic sets over her.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry. Sometimes my emotions get the best of me and I don't listen to my brain." Ava says, internally freaking out.

Seth smiles, "it's okay I needed it more than you could have known. Sometimes a grown man misses genuine hugs," Ava blushes hiding her face from him.

"Also, it's nice to know you have a big heart," Ava laughs awkwardly.

"It's what always gets me into trouble." Seth gives Ava a sad, but distant look.

"From what I have learned in the past the always faithful motto goes for the heart as well." He says this softly walking towards her.

"Well, my heart says if you don't follow me you will probably end up spending the night here with Chinese takeout," He laughs a deep laugh. It travels to Ava's ears and sounds as smooth as silk.

The front desk is now empty, Beth went home.

They both walk over to the elevator Seth pushes the down button and the doors slide open. Both of them awkwardly step in. Ava and Seth both reach for the 1st-floor button at the same time.

"You go ahead and push it." Ava giggles a bit before the door closes.

Now they have a ten-minute elevator with each other and a thick layer of sexual tension. They can't take a breath without smelling each other's intoxicating scent. They stand in opposite corners. No one says a single thing.

Until Ava looks over at him, he rushes over to her and holds her to him. She looks up at his eyes and licks her lips. Then her eyes find his lips. His eyes do the same thing as he pulls her into a heart-fluttering kiss. He leans her up against the wall and he reaches for the stop button. The elevator stops as they continue to kiss until they both don't know where each other's mouth meets and ends.

Two strangers sharing a moment like in a movie. A method that is caused by their want and sexual longing for each other. But then Ava stops him as his hands start caressing her body. She pulls away and sighs trying to breathe correctly.

"Before we continue this we need ground rules, we have both been in our bad shares of relationships. We both have busy careers and our relationship can't be a few stolen kisses and sex here and there. I was married to that." She sighs looking up at him.

"I want something real." As she says that the elevator turns back on and they reach the bottom floor.

The walk to the parking garage is very quiet as Seth follows Ava to her BMW.

She unlocks his door and they both get in.

"I want something real too, real with you." Ava looks at him in shock.

"What do you mean?" Ava asks starting her car.

"Like dating, I can take you out. We already know the sex is great so what do we have to lose?" He asks a bit nervous for her reply.

Ava backs the car up and looks at him to answer, "our minds." This causes Seth to laugh a little.

"I have stormed ISIS enemy units, I think I can handle a mature adult relationship. All I am asking for is one date." Ava rolls her eyes and smiles as she says.

"Fine."