“Trees aside,” he said, “I was under the impression that your… subordinates—what are they called, ‘Omegas’?—would be available to assist with any labor requirements. They are essentially free labor, are they not?” I felt my stomach twist. The Omegas were no longer our slaves. And the way that his
Ava It was well after sundown, and I had given up on expecting Chris to come over like he had said. He still hadn’t shown up, and it was getting so late that I thought maybe he got sidetracked or simply forgot. Truthfully, I wasn’t even sure why I had said yes. After what Leonard had said earlie
Rather than explain, I simply grinned and rolled up the pantlegs of my pajamas before cleaning my feet in the nearby sink that I used specifically for this reason. Then, I climbed up onto the ledge of the nearest tub, and without hesitating, I swung one leg over the side and stepped right down into
Ava With a grin and a wild laugh, Chris pulled the towel free from his hips. I gasped and quickly covered my eyes, my cheeks burning. I felt my stomach twist inside of me, a thousand emotions taking over—surprise, annoyance, maybe even excitement. But a moment later, I peeked through my finger
“Mm, much better,” I sighed contentedly, still chewing the sharp cheese. “You were right, my wine is worlds better than that bottled stuff.” “I’ll say.” Chris took a drink as well, smacking his lips appreciatively. “You’ll have to show me more about the whole winemaking process sometime. Like, wit
Ava I smoothed my shirt down in front of the mirror, biting my lower lip in anticipation. Even now, standing in my own bedroom with no one else in sight, I couldn’t help but feel a red tinge creep into my cheeks. Normally, I opted for a more bohemian style: long, flowy skirts and dresses, tops s
Ava Chris pulled the car into a small parking area on the side of the road and put it in park. He turned to me, pulling the keys out of the ignition at the same time. “We’re here,” he said. I looked out through the car windows at the sprawling pine forest towering over us and saw no trailhead.
“You know,” Chris murmured beside me, “if we’re really going to have a proper date, then maybe we could share some secrets. Get to know each other a little better.” I shot him a sidelong glance. “What did you have in mind?” He shrugged one shoulder lazily. “I don’t know. Something small, just to