Free On Dry Land (Swimming Upstream #3) by Rebecca Barber Page B

loud crick. The pressure it relieved made Ava sigh satisfactorily.
    “Just after eight.”
    “Shit!”
    “It’s cool. I was hungry, so thought I’d see how far away you were.”
    “Shit, Tyler. I’m so sorry. I completely lost track of time. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be on my way.” Flicking on lights, Ava was darting around her apartment, throwing clothes and underwear in her navy sports bag.
    “Don’t stress, Short Stack. It’s no issue at all. Why don’t I order in and it will be here when you get here?” Tyler’s voice was so steady, calming, it soothed Ava’s racing heart.
    “Th-thanks, Tyler.”
    “No troubles, Ava. None at all. But I gotta ask, what have you been up to?”
    Ava sucked in a deep breath and held it. There weren’t many secrets between her and Tyler, but right now she had a confession to make, one she wasn’t ready to make or was completely convinced she should make.
    “Nothing much. Hey, I should let you go so you can order us some dinner and I can grab my stuff and come home.”
    The pause that fell between them felt like it would never end.
    “Sounds good. See you in a bit.”
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 13
     
     
    Tyler
     
    Home.
    Tyler replayed Ava’s word over and over and over again. Home. Whether or not she’d meant to say it, the word had slipped out and Tyler was damned if he was going to let her take it back.
    Ordering dinner, Tyler went for Ava’s favourite. A welcome home present for her. Turkish with all the extras. Way too much bread and too many different dips for anyone to possibly consume, but Tyler didn’t give shit. Setting the table, Tyler found silverware, linen napkins, and dug the candles out of the bottom of the drawer. He wasn’t trying to be a sappy shit, but right now he was filled with more emotions than a hormonal teenage girl. Something he should have been embarrassed about, but had never been happier.
    Standing on the balcony, Tyler looked out across the city. Up here in his ivory tower, he was cut off from the real world. Standing out there, with the cool breeze ruffling his chair and evoking tiny goose pimples all over his tanned, bare chest, he felt in touch.
    “That’s what I like to see.”
    Tyler heard Ava’s voice and couldn’t restrain the shit-eating grin that swallowed his face. Spinning around, he folded his arms across his chest, “See something you like?”
    “Always.”
    “Good!”
    “Wanna give me a hand with these bags?”
    Ava didn’t have to ask twice. Within seconds Tyler had dragged her bags through the door. He had to force himself to hide the surprise when he realized how many bags and suitcases she’d carted across town. Not to mention hauling them upstairs on her own.
    Five minutes later, Tyler sat at the foot of his bed and watched as Ava paced back and forth, her bags between them.
    “What are you going to do with all this stuff?” Tyler asked, trying to bury his insecurities. Although it had been his idea for Ava to move some stuff in, now it was happening he didn’t trust himself to believe it. “How can I help?”
    “Grab a bag, rip it open, and find somewhere to put it.” When Ava hauled a suitcase out of the pile, the others toppled over, knocking her off her feet.
    Landing on her butt with a thump, Ava cracked up into a fit of laughter. She looked happy. Complete unadulterated joy flooded her face
    “Stop laughing at me and start unpacking!” she pouted, kicking a bag towards him.
    With a deep chuckle, Tyler grabbed the bag and upended it onto the bed. It took his eyes a couple of seconds to take in what was laid out in front of him and when Tyler’s rough fingers touched the fine black lace, he felt his whole body burn.
    “Umm…Ava?”
    “What?”
    “How long have you had these?”
    “Had what?” Ava spun around and as soon as she spotted the lace panties dangling from Tyler’s fingers, she hid her face behind the sweater she was holding.
    “But more