Regan wasn’t proud of the relief that coursed through her right then, knowing Ava’s stress wasn’t about her. Or them. “I’m sure it’s fine.”
Ava sipped the wine and gave it a moment before saying with softly steel words, “I don’t want fine, though. I want great. I want spectacular. And what we have isn’t it.” She took another sip, then groaned, her irritation clear. “I’m better than this, damn it.”
“Can I help in some way?” Regan hated seeing her like this. Uncertain and frustrated. Doubting herself.
Her offer seemed to land where it was needed, and she could see Ava’s shoulders relax just a little. When she met Regan’s gaze, it was with a soft smile as she reached out and ran her hand down Regan’s arm. “No. That wouldn’t be fair. But I appreciate you offering. You’re very sweet.” She leaned against her a bit, just enough for Regan to feel it, and blew out a breath. “I’m just gonna have to suck it up and work on it tonight until I come up with something I feel better about. I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry about?”
“That we won’t get a chance for some time tonight.” Ava’s voice was very soft, her expression saying she was very aware of those around them and their proximity.
Regan lowered her voice to match. “Babe, you do what you need to do. Don’t worry about me. You want to feel confident going into tomorrow. I get that.” She waited until Ava looked at her again and said, “I’m a big girl.”
Ava’s smile of relief was all she needed. The night righted itself just as the first fireworks were shot off. A collective gasp went around the yard as the retreaters, the assistants, and even the remaining staff stopped what they were doing to gather in the yard, sit on blankets, and watch.
Regan had snagged an extra blanket from their room, and now she spread it out on the grass for her and Ava. Vienna and Maia sat next to them on one side, the others behind them, and they all lifted their faces to the sky.
Vienna leaned close and said under her breath, “For a private display, this is pretty goddamn good.”
Ava nodded and Regan had to agree.
Apparently, so did Madison. “These are some pretty impressive fireworks,” she said from behind them, just as a huge one burst into a bright green star far above their heads. A couple of assistants sat nearby and vocally agreed, as three fireworks in a row burst above them in red, then white, then blue. The women oohed and aahed and then laughed at the cliché of it.
The display went on for nearly a half hour before the big finale of bangs and booms and flashes that pretty much every fireworks display Regan had ever seen in her life ended with. As she sat there next to Ava,close enough that their thighs and shoulders were touching, and as she covered her ears with both hands, the way she had during the big booms since she was a child, a thought raced through her head on a loop.
There’s nowhere I’d rather be right now.
She looked at Ava, at the colors and light on her face, on her wide eyes and creamy smooth skin and dark hair streaked with red and green from the fireworks above. She saw the soft smile, the gentle lines that smile created in her face, and when she turned that smile to Regan, the thought hit again.
There’s nowhere I’d rather be. Nowhere.
Ava’s expression said she might’ve had an idea what Regan was thinking, but she didn’t have a chance to say so before Becca appeared. She squatted down next to Ava and said something that Regan couldn’t hear over the sound of the fireworks. Ava gave her a nod, then turned to Regan.
“All right, Becca’s got an idea that might be better than what we came up with, so we’re gonna go see if we can hash it out.” She frowned and tipped her head to the side.
“It’s okay,” Regan said, a hand on her arm. “I don’t want you feeling guilty.” She used her chin to gesture toward Becca, who was already heading for the door inside. “Go. Come up with something awesome.”
“Just not as awesome as yours,” Ava teased as she shifted to her knees.
“I mean, I didn’t wanna say…”
Ava leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “I really want to kiss you right now, but I won’t. It’s probably better to leave you wanting anyway.” With a wink, she pushed herself to her feet, waved good night to the others, and went in after Becca.
Regan followed her departure with her eyes, and her gaze was snagged by Maia, who frowned and ran her own fingertip down from an eye in an impression of a tear. Regan playfully smacked her.
“Shut up,” she said but couldn’t keep the smile off her face, no matter how hard she tried. Which wasn’t really very hard.
Chapter Sixteen
Ava had slept like the dead, but it didn’t feel like it when she’d woken up. She and Becca had worked on a new design until after two in the morning, then she’d tiptoed to her room, stepped out of her clothes, and crawled into bed with Regan, spooning her from behind. Regan’s body was warm and soft, and Ava had snuggled in and fallen asleep immediately, but when Regan’s alarm had gone off at six, Ava felt like it had been four minutes instead of four hours.
She’d shaken it off, though, as she’d done so many other times in her working life, and now stood behind her counter in the kitchen.
“Kinda mysterious,” she whispered to Becca, who stood beside her as they waited for Liza to come in and start them off.
“Right?” Becca replied.
Across the aisle, Regan stood with Hadley, hands clasped in front of her, looking sharp in her white chef’s coat. She glanced Ava’s way and gave her a little grin and a wink, and Ava’s body shot her memory back in time to about forty-five minutes ago when she’d been in the shower with Regan, her back pressed against the cold tile, Regan’s fingers pushing in and out of her until she came so hard, she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from letting the entire mansion know she was having a major orgasm. The memory alone had her throbbing and wet, and she grinned back at Regan, then looked down at the floor as she shook her head subtly. The flesh between her legs was deliciously sore.
