When The Brazilian Returns

Chapter Two Part 3

The city was laid out before her. The large glass windows framed the lights and perennial hustle and bustle of Beijing, but the excitement Ava used to feel in this city had died forever. It was the city in which Davi and she had met. The parks, the theatres, the restaurants, the street vendors, the bars, had all been central scenes in their blossoming love story. She had lived a lot of 'firsts' here, but being back now she could only recall the 'lasts'. The last time they'd made love, the last time she'd felt secure and the last time she'd been truly happy.

They had met at a dance party held under the stars in the mountains to the north of Beijing the summer Davi had graduated with a Masters degree from Peking University and Ava was preparing to start university in Hong Kong. They had danced and watched the laser lights bouncing off the sides of the mountain until dawn, and as the new day began so had a romance that both believed would last a lifetime.

Davi had already planned to spend the rest of the summer backpacking around Asia and unwilling to spend a moment apart, Ava joined him. It had been an incredible experience, the most exciting and happiest of her life. Despite the abrupt and turbulent end to their relationship, Ava fell back into a cocoon of those memories whenever she needed an escape from reality.

Those easy, carefree days of travel were in stark contrast to the awkward and tense atmosphere they had endured on the flight to Beijing three days ago. Ava would have gladly foregone the opulent comfort of Davi's private jet for even a sliver of the happiness she felt back then.

Ever since their argument in the car on the way back to Davi's Kensington house and the torment of that night, they had barely communicated with each other beyond the absolutely necessary.

He is obviously as keen to be away from me as much I am from him, Ava surmised, refusing to acknowledge the seed of hurt that had been sown when he deposited her alone, albeit in fabulous style, at the Park Hyatt Beijing. She had been completely alone since he'd checked her in.

Turning away from the window, Ava was in the midst of battling the urge to text him to find out if he had received an update from her lawyer when she heard the door to her suite opening. Housekeeping had already been that day and the only other person with a key card was Davi himself. Anger started to burn its way through her as suppressed hurt at being left so alone bubbled to the surface. As he walked into the apartment the rage exploded out of her mouth.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't just walk in here without knocking or calling. This is my space." Her eyes flamed at him as she tried to ignore the pull of his physical presence. Ava reminded herself that she hated him.

"I believe I'm paying for this rather expensive suite, therefore, I can do what I like." His bright eyes tore into hers, frazzling every nerve.

"I could have been naked, you arrogant swine."

"Hmm..." his eyes raked over her body encased in the denim and cotton which stretched over her curves. "Even more reason to arrive unannounced, gatinho."

"Gah. You are the most horrible, irritating excuse for a man I have ever met. You're the last man who will ever see me naked."

"Chuchuzinho," he mocked, "you seem to have forgotten that I have seen your sexy naked body many, many times."

"Don't remind me. That won't ever happen again." She forced away the memory that sneaked in unbidden of his naked body entwined with hers, by focusing instead on the memory of the day he had ruined every hope she had for the future.

Her hands flew to her hips and a scowl sprinted onto her face. "I am grateful for all of your help with this disaster, but don't be fooled, I still hate you."