A Guest or Groom

"Spend the night with me Ava, and we can get married whenever you want."

Ava smiled at the absurdity of the request, this wasn't on the list of things she had heard about him. Thinking she had misheard him, Ava chucked slightly in the hope of getting rid of the weird atmosphere that had fallen on them.

"There's a hotel further down the lane, we can go over there, and have some fun. What do you say huh?" Ethan asked again, raising an eyebrow flirtatiously. 

"I don't think that should be necessary," said Ava, suddenly wishing she had some drink left in her glass. 

"It seems you don't want this as I had assumed," he spoke in a serious tone. He liked the way she kept adjusting uneasily in her chair and wondered how far she could go to have him. 

"I want this and I think I have made that clear enough," she tried to remain clear-headed. The man in front of her was surely attractive and could pull any woman out there. 

She placed her hand on her lap fiddling with it while trying to keep up a confident expression. 

"Are you in or out?" 

"Well I…" deep breath, she can't make any rash decisions. 

"Now I'm curious. I have never officially met Harper, but I am certain she would jump at this offer," Ethan added in a bid to encourage her to make her decision. 

Ava realized what he was up to at his words, she uncrossed her leg and sat straight, "It depends on your needs." She thinks he is trying to test her, "do you want a smart woman or a killer body?" She threw him off guard with her question and Ethan smiled.

She wasn't stupid.

"I want both," his eyes traced her face and settled on her lips.

Ava had not expected him to smile and maybe applaud her. Hadn't she passed his test with her words? Her smile shook.

"So are you in or out?" Ethan asked again, sounding a bit impatient. He stood and walked towards her, he extended his hand to her, "In…?" Ava bit her lower lips indecisively

She inhaled sharply, then placed her soft slender hands on his.

"In."

Both walked out of the restaurant, his large hands holding hers. They looked like the perfect couple and had the heads on every table they walked past, turn.

Her hands were soft under his.

He led her to his car. Caleb stepped out of the car at the sight of them, he opened the door for them to step in. 

Ava sat next to Ethan. 

Her sweaty palm trembled as she held her bag.

An ominous silence fell on the car as it drove into the lane. From the corner of his eyes, Ethan could see how she kept tucking her hair behind her ears though there was no need for that. 

Ethan had no intention of having her spend the night with him. True, he was intrigued by her. But spending a night with her had not crossed his mind. At least not in the manner she thought.

He was fascinated with her as a child with a new toy, eager to explore the fun that has been yet to be discovered.

If he was being honest, he doesn't know if he would agree to her proposal. He would spend some time alone with his thoughts before he would conclude that.

His eyes met Caleb's from the rearview mirror then he looked at Ava and returned his gaze to Caleb.

Caleb nodded slightly, he immediately understood what Ethan meant. He took a turn, driving out of the lane into the busy road. 

Ava on the other hand was too busy with her thoughts to notice that they had changed direction and was now on the route heading to her house. 

What would she do if Ethan did try to make a move on her? She turned to him and briefly stole a glance at him from under her lashes.

She wished she could call Lila and ask for tips. She has not had sex before and didn't plan on losing her virginity to Ethan or anyone before getting married.

Maybe she should talk to him, he was a smart man and if she tried to reason with him correctly, she was sure she might get him to change his mind and desist from this… she inhaled sharply.

"Don't you think we're taking things a bit fast? I know I'm attractive and it is hard for any man to stay calm around me, but we shouldn't act rashly." 

Ethan's head jerked towards her at her words. A smile quickly endowed his lips. How narcissistic of her to say that. But he loves it, this side of her.

"You sounded desperate when you asked me to marry you a while ago and you were ready to throw anything at my face. Did you perhaps have a change of heart? Does your proposal not stand anymore?" 

Caleb almost burst out laughing. Ethan could pass for a veteran actor right now.

"Of course, the proposal stands," Ava could hear her heart drumming in her ribcage. "I just thought you never gave it a proper thought."

"Trust me, darling, I did," Ava almost choked on her saliva. Her face warmed up at the word, how could he call her that so freely, like he was used to it?

Ava was suddenly speechless, but she couldn't give up trying to change his mind. 

The car pulled up and Ethan finally moved his gaze away from hers. 

"I think we're here," he said and Ava's eyes jerked up. She furrowed her brows when she was met with a familiar neighborhood. 

Ava sighed in relief, a hand on her chest, "But I thought…" she turned back to Ethan.

"You are home." The car had pulled up a few blocks away from her house. "What?" Ethan asked an amused expression spreading across his face, "What were you thinking in that mind of yours?"

"Well I," Ava began, suddenly embarrassed that she had been wrong about his request. She decided to let that slide and instead said, "So is this a yes from you?" 

"I need some time to think about it." Ava nodded. She understood perfectly, she had not expected him to jump on her offer without some thought. 

Before she stepped out, she opened her bag and reached for a piece of paper which had her phone number written on it. 

Handing it over to him, she said, "Call me when you've decided."

She was about to step out when Ethan asked, "Your wedding is in two days, when do you plan to tell Henry?" 

Ava paused and turned, smiling, "I plan to proceed with the wedding." Ava said in a decisive voice. 

She continued, "Why not come see for yourself? I think my dad would be super glad to hand an invitation to you and have you honor it," she said.

Ethan smiled, "how should I come in? As a guest or as the groom?"