Exhausted&Lost

Chapter Sixteen

"I wish you didn't have to leave," Dave sighed, in an attempt to hide the deep inhale of her hair he had just taken, "Why don't you go and get Elliott and we can go back inside and lock the doors?"

A gentle puff of air blew over Dave's skin as she let out a giggle.

"I know baby, I wish I didn't have to, why don't you come over tonight once he is in bed, I can make dinner."

"No, no," he murmured, kissing the tip of each over her fingers as he spoke, "We'll order in, these hands will be far too busy."

A shiver of anticipation ran through Ava's entire body at his words and Dave could feel her sway a little in his arms.

"Okay then, tonight it is. I have a few loose ends to tie up at 606. I'll head over around 8. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," she smiled into his chest and gave him one final squeeze.

"Good. I'll see you later, I lo-" he cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say and cleared his through to cover himself, "I look forward to it."

Ava didn't seem to notice, or if she did, she hid it well and relief flooded through him. He couldn't believe he almost blew his fucking load on the "I love you" within the first month.

He did though... and he wouldn't be able to hold it in much longer.

"See you," she called as she walked down his drive to the awaiting Uber at the gate. Once she was in the car, she blew him a little kiss, and off the went.

She took the time during the quiet drive to think about how her heart seized in her chest as they were saying goodbye. She thought... she was sure, that Dave was about to say I love you, and when he didn't, all she could think about was how desperate she was to hear it.

It was soon, he knew it and she knew it, but this was undeniable. She shot through him like a snap of electricity, wakening the most primal parts of him, allowing him to rediscover passion and intimacy. That in turn had given him a bite from the creative bug and he had been holed up in 606 for the last few weeks when he had any free time messing around on a few riffs and ideas.

He, on the other hand, wasn't a snap of electricity, he was a breath of fresh air into Ava's tired and battered lungs. He was showing her that man could be kind and confident. He could be so gentle yet could still be rough with her with his affection, but always aware of what the limits were and never ever pushed them.

He was showing her what a good father and attentive partner could be like, he was showing her what having someone who cared, who really cared, could be like, and it was like walking on air.

She didn't even notice that the car had stopped outside The Hideout, where her dad was eating lunch with El until her driver awkwardly cleared his throat to catch her attention.

"Oh God, sorry. Thank you so much!" She was sure to give him a generous tip and headed inside to see her little boy.

*

Settled at home, Ava cooked Elliott's favorite vegetable curry and once he was finished, cranked up the volume on her speaker.

"C'mon baby, dance party time!" She called, as Elliott jumped and squealed with excitement.

One of Ava's favorite memories was doing this with her mom when she was a child. Her dad would be out at work and her music-loving mom would dig out her favorite LP's and they would dance around the kitchen until tears of laughter would roll down their cheeks.

She knows now that it was her mother's way of tiring her out before bed, but she looked back on it with such fondness that it was one of her favorite things to do with El now. She only wished her mother was here to join them.