Erotica 1.
Ava.
Jake told me not to be nervous right before he pressed his father’s buzzer, which, predictably, made me more nervous. I smoothed my dress like it was a brake pedal for my heart. It wasn’t. Somewhere inside, a deadbolt turned with calm authority, and footsteps came toward us with the same energy as a ticking clock.
The door opened, and there he was. Daniel. Tall, broad, sleeves rolled to his forearms, expression spare. He had that quiet command some people wore like a tailored suit and you straightened without realizing you were doing it. His eyes landed on me and paused, not hostile, just assessing, like I was a line item in a report he wasn’t sure needed editing.
“Dad,” Jake said, grinning as he leaned in for a quick hug. “This is Ava.”
“Ava,” Daniel said. His hands
