Meant To Be (The Callahans #4) - Monica Murphy Page 0,54
setting the house alarm and making sure all the locks are locked. Twice. Once we’re settled in my car, I start the engine, the speakers blasting the song I was last listening to from one of my Spotify playlists.
I immediately reach over and turn it down. Only a little though. “Sorry.”
Ava appears amused. “Wouldn’t figure you were a Cardi B. fan.”
I shrug. “I like this song.”
“You would,” she says. It’s WAP by Cardi B. and Megan Thee Stallion, and it’s dirty as hell. “Are you listening to a playlist you made?”
Unease slips down my spine. “Uh, yeah.”
“Can I look at your playlist? I want to see if we have any songs that we have in common.” She smiles at me.
“Sure.” I open my phone and hand it over, shifting the car into drive and pulling out of her driveway.
She sucks in a breath and I know what she’s just read. “Wait a minute. This playlist is called ‘Songs that make me think of Ava’?”
“Uh huh.” Shit. I hope she’s not offended.
“The song WAP makes you think of me?” My girl sounds fuckin’ horrified.
“Babe. You’ve got a wet ass pussy. There’s nothing wrong with that,” I tease her.
Ava slaps my arm, but she’s smiling. “Gross!”
“Look at you, sitting here telling me it’s gross when not thirty minutes ago I was buried deep in that wet ass pussy and you were moaning my name,” I say, as I turn onto the main road that leads us to the highway.
It was a good afternoon. Taking all the time I want with my girl. Touching her everywhere. Driving her out of her mind with my fingers and my mouth. Filling her up and making her come. No one else around so she can be as loud as she wants. And she’s pretty loud.
Never figured Ava Callahan would be a screamer.
“Stop.” She shoves me again, her cheeks are on fire, and I can’t help but think she’s the cutest thing ever. “You’ll have to restrain yourself around my parents.”
“You really think so?” Damn. I know I have to be on my best behavior, but I was also going to be myself. I don’t want to act phony in front of them. They need to see the real deal. The real me.
“You definitely can’t go around singing the lyrics to WAP,” she mumbles.
I pull over to the side of the road and put the car in park. I reach over to caress her cheek, my gaze locked with hers as I say, “I won’t do anything to embarrass you.”
Her smile is tremulous. “I know you won’t. I trust you.”
“You should. I love you more than anything else in this world.” I stroke her face. Trace her bottom lip. “I’m going to make your parents like me. I promise.”
The smile on her face grows. Becomes more confident. “You will. I know it.”
We drive the rest of the way to the Bulldog stadium talking about nothing and everything. Our conversation flows easily, and I’m lazy with satisfaction.
Two orgasms will do that to you.
It didn’t even dawn on me that she never said she loved me back until we’re pulling into the parking lot, Ava flashing the VIP parking pass her dad must’ve given her before they left, to the lot attendant.
And now, I can’t help but feel unsure about her.
About everything.
Fifteen
Ava
I’m nervous. I can’t lie. We’re walking through the parking lot where they have the tailgate party at Fresno State, and when I spot my parents’ SUV up ahead, my stomach twists into knots. My palms are sweating, and I’m sure Eli can feel it, since he’s currently holding my hand.
Or maybe his hands are sweating too and making mine feel sweaty. I don’t know. We’re both worked up, I’m sure.
“Tell me Jake’s not going to try and throw a punch,” Eli says through clenched teeth, his gaze locked up ahead. Where the majority of my family is hanging out.
Dad’s monitoring his chicken. Mom’s opening up bowls of food she brought, setting them on the table. Autumn is dropping forks in a cup. Hannah is hanging all over Jake. Beck is digging into a giant bag of barbecue chips.
It all looks so normal, but there will be tension. I know it.
I don’t want Eli to worry about my brother. That’ll only make him even more uncomfortable.
“Jake won’t throw a punch,” I say, giving Eli’s hand a squeeze. “He wouldn’t be that stupid.”
“He punches me, I’m punching him back.” Eli’s posture is rigid, as is his jaw. He looks