Learning the Hard Way (15 page)

Before she could take a step, Troy stood at the door. Without turning around, Ava heard the women behind her release a collective gasp.

“Were you leaving?” Troy asked.

Ava nodded. “Coming to see you.” She approached him. “I believe you.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t. I really do believe you’re a contractor.”

“Not exactly.”

Ava stopped.

“I own the company.” Troy smiled. “I did the escort thing for a week to help my friend. He was the guy at my house. I didn’t want to do it, but I’m glad I did. It was the only way I could have gotten to know you. But I didn’t sleep with anyone else. Hell, after our date, I didn’t see anyone else. I turned down all clients because to me, it felt like I was cheating on you.”

“Aww,” Ava heard Vonda say behind her.

“I put the blame on you, but that wasn’t fair. I should have told you upfront what the deal was, but I was testing you. I thought that if you could accept me for what you thought I was, then I would have found the perfect woman. When you did accept me, I faulted you for that. I shouldn’t have tested you.” He stroked his thumb over her cheek. “I want us to start all over. Can we do that?” Troy framed her face in his hands.

Ava shook her head. “No.”

His eyebrows furrowed.

“Ethically speaking, we need to learn from the past, otherwise we’re doomed to repeat the same mistakes. I don’t want to do that again with you. I want a second chance.”

“Baby, you got it.” He planted a soft kiss on her lips. “I love you.”

Ava beamed. “I love you, too, Troy.”

“Our girl has got her man,” Dina said.

“Love is possible even after a jerk like Tricky Dick.” Vonda clapped.

“I guess if you open your heart, love will find its way inside.” Dina’s final words rang true in Ava’s head.

Troy pulled back from the kiss. “I heard what you said about the department head job, and what you said about me. Did you mean that?”

Ava nodded. “I heard the passion in your voice whenever you talked about teaching. You sounded just like me when I got into teaching. Besides, I think I’d rather teach more than be some figurehead. It’s apparent there’s a lot I need to learn before I lead a whole department of people. I have time.”

“Good.” Troy lifted Ava in his arms. “Because I need your time right now. You have been a very bad girl. You’re in dire need of a good, old-fashioned spanking.”

She beamed. “If that’s what you think I deserve, then let the punishment fit the crime. You’ve got me.” She held him around his shoulders. “Never let me go.”

Bridget Midway
, best-selling author of interracial BDSM erotic romance, has been published since 2005 with over five different small press and electronic publishers including Phaze Books, Parker Publishing, Loose Id, Xcite Books, and Liquid Silver Books. The multi-award winning and award-nominated author has found her niche with readers with her scintillating interracial BDSM erotic romance, including the EPPIE Award finalist, Love My Way, and Romance Slam Jam Steamy Novel of the Year finalists, Corporate Needs and Licorice Whips. With over 20 published short stories, novellas, and novels under her belt, she shows no signs of stopping.

For more information on Bridget, visit her website:
http://www.BridgetMidway.com
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Phaze Books

Adam and E-V-E

C-A-I-N and A-B-E-L

Corporate Desires

Corporate Needs

Corporate Seduction

Fascination Street

Last Call

Licorice Whips

Love My Way

Original Sin

Slave to Love

Sodom and Gomorrah

Suburbia

Walls

Woman in Chains

Loose ID

Casual Fridays

Silly Fears

Coming Together

Coming Together: At Last, Volume 2

Xcite Books

Hot Game

Liquid Silver Books

That’s What Friends Are For

Parker Publishing

What White Boyz Want