Monthly Bonus Content #3 - Autumn Special (Ava Version) (Patreon)

The distinct acrid smell of smoke fills my nostrils. My eyes dart about behind my closed eyes, the dark made even darker by the blindfold around my eyes. 

“Okay, starting to get a bit worried now…” I mutter.

Felix continues to guide me down the hallways. “Trust me. It’s going to be awesome.” The mischief in his voice is no longer is just a hint but has taken over every word.

We eventually come to a stop, a door squeaks open, and I’m pushed inside. 

“Enjoy!” Felix chimes before the door slams shut behind me.

I stand for a moment trying to get my bearings. The smoke I smelled earlier is stronger now but is warm and comforting. The smoke of a crackling fire. 

I lift my hands to tug off my blindfold, but the knot is too tight. I let out a groan.

“Allow me.” The voice makes me tense until I recognize it. Then my body instantly relaxes.

Ava’s fingers begin to work at the knot, taking only a few seconds before the blindfold falls away. I blink a few times to adjust my eyes to the flickering light of the fire and about a hundred candles which decorate the Warehouse’s living room.

“Nat will have a fit if she sees all the fire next to her precious antiques,” I comment.

Ava lets out a soft laugh that sends my heart into a pitter-patter. “Surprisingly, that was exactly my first thought when I saw this…setup.”

My eyes cast down to the checkered blanket spread out in front of the fire. A fancy wine bottle glints brightly in the firelight, a bowl of grapes looking like polished jewels next to it.

“He’s subtle, isn’t he?” I say, Ava obviously understanding I’m speaking of Felix as she lets out a long, drawn out sigh.

“About as subtle as a megaphone.”

“Mind you, I wouldn’t want that wine to go to waste,” I say, nodding my head towards it.

She purses her lips for a moment. “It would be a shame.”

I offer a small smile before moving to the blanket and sitting down on it, resting an elbow on one of the scatter cushions so as I can begin to pour.

The wine’s bouquet quickly overcomes the smoke, drowning my senses in a dreamy cocktail of sandalwood and dark fruits. 

“This must have been pricey,” I say, lifting the bottle to read the time-eroded label. 

“It is. It’s mine,” Ava replies as she sits beside me, ensuring to keep her legs from touching mine. 

I laugh, shaking my head as I lift the glass to my lips. “Well, thank you.”

We both take a sip. The silence for the next few moments shows just how good the wine is.

“So…what exactly does he expect us to be doing?” I ask.

She shrugs, a casualness overcoming her as she leans against the sofa behind us. The relaxed pose suits her, especially as the firelight emphasizes her features in a way I wish I could trace with my fingers. “I am content as we are. At least for an hour. That should satisfy him, I believe.”

“I can agree to that,” I say, lifting my glass up. She lifts her own and clinks it against mine.

Our fingers brush at the motion…and neither of us move. I realise just how dry my throat is, but thirsty for a whole different reason.

A mutter of voices breaks the quiet. 

“Are they at it yet?” Mason’s distinctive brusk tone.

“At it? It’s romance not a brothel!” Felix’s voice now.

They continue to bicker from behind the living room door, and Ava lets out a long groan and glares into the fire.

I chuckle, take another sip of wine, and decide to enjoy the taste—as well as the company—for as long as possible.