Ava nodded, standing to her feet with practiced grace, though the tightness in her shoulders gave her away.
Lucas narrowed his eyes. "You okay?"
She hesitated. "Yeah... just still reeling from last night's excitement," she said with a wry smile.
He stepped closer. "I was proud of you. Am proud of you. You scared the hell out of me…but damn, you were brilliant."
"You? Frightened?" Ava arched a brow, tilting her head. "Unbelievable!"
Lucas's eyes glinted with mischief. "You being a smart ass now, huh?"
"You know I am."
In a flash, his hand came down in a playful smack on her behind, making her yelp and laugh as he pulled her closer by the hips. "We'll see how smart your ass is when we get back."
Ava giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I look forward to it."
Lucas chuckled, but the moment softened into something more intimate as he looked into her eyes. He pulled her tightly into his embrace, one hand cradling the back of her head.
"Fuck," he whispered. "I love you."
