Angel’s bliss by Dripping Creativity

33 

Ava looked at Gabriel. He was looking back at her with a strange expression. 

“What?” she asked. 

“There is something going on between the two of you.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Oh, come on. I have eyes, darling. He could barely keep his hands off you and that kiss on the cheek, and the way the two of you look at each other. I felt like I needed a condom just watching you.” 

“Gabriel!” 

“Oh, come on. Don’t be a prude. Tell me, what is the use of a best friend if you don’t tell me anything?” Gabriel whined. 

“Fine, but not here,” Ava said. Looking around the full club. “Let’s go to this VIP–room.” 

“That sounds like a plan to me,” Gabriel agreed. 

“Ryder, could you take us to the room that was booked for us?” Ava asked. 

“Sure, Miss A. Do you want me to order you some drinks to be sent up?” 

“Yes, please. Two Angel’s bliss and a bottle of champagne, thanks.” They made their way up to the second floor. As they walked up the stairs, they came to a long landing where on one hand you had a row of doors and black windows, on the other was a railing that let you see out over the club. There were people standing, leaning against the railing. They eyed Gabriel and Ava as they came walking, but Tom and Ryder made sure they kept their distance. Tom stopped at a door about midway in the row of doors. 

“Ryder and I will be just outside the door. Let us know if you need anything, Miss A,” he said as he opened the door to 

let them in. 

“Thank you, Tom.” Ava had meant to thank Ryder as well, but her mind was focusing on the room to where her words didn’t cooperate. The room had a large couch in a U–shape along the back wall. There were some tables in front of it made from marble. The couch was covered in soft pillows and the walls were draped in luxurious fabric. The front of the room, where Ava and Gabriel stood as they took it all in, was made to look like a small dance floor and on both sides of the door there were large windows. From the inside, they weren’t black, but let them watch the club. 

“This, this is amazing,” Gabriel said. 

“It is,” Ava agreed. They didn’t move from their spot until a gentle knock let them know their drinks had arrived. Ryder brought in the drinks and the champagne. He kept giving Gabriel looks but would look away just as fast. 

“Anything else, Miss A?” he asked. 

“No, thank you Ryder.” When the door closed and they were alone again, Ava raised her drink. “To a fun night,” she 

33 

said. 

“To a fun night, with lots of gossip,” Gabriel added. They took a sip. “So… Spill the beans, Ava. What is it with you and Mr. Gangster, and who was the blond hunk that he met at the bar? A boyfriend?” Ava giggled. This was the time, if any, to confess everything to Gabriel, but Ava just couldn’t do it. A part of her was still ashamed she had signed the agreement with Zane. Not that she was ashamed of anything that had happened between them, but the deal, that was 

a sore spot. 

“Yeah, we sort of hit it off. Nothing serious. I know what kind of person he is, and he has been very clear that he isn’t looking for a happily ever after.” 

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun,” she confessed, blushing profusely. 

“Ava, darling. I have waited so long for you to loosen up a bit. I love what I’m hearing. But are you sure you’re okay with it? You aren’t good with “just having fun“,” Gabriel asked. 

“Yeah, I’m fine with it. We have set up boundaries,” she said. 

“That’s all good, and you know I’m not judging you. If anything, I am pushing you forward, loudly cheering you on. I just know you and I know how big of a heart you have. I don’t want you to develop feelings for him and end up getting hurt. Not when this is the first time you have dared put yourself out there.” 

thank 

“You really are a good friend. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. But you for checking up on me. I appreciate 

it.” 

“No hard feelings?” 

“None at all.” 

“Good, so I’m assuming that you are doing it like rabbits, because, I mean, look at the two of you. How is the sex?” Gabriel asked with a grin. 

“Gabriel!” 

“Oh, come on. I refuse to believe that you are still a virgin after living in the same house as him for a week with the way you two ogle each other.” 

“Well, no, I’m not a virgin. And yes, we do… things,” Ava confessed. 

“So are the things any good?” 

“God yes,” she said with a sigh before she could stop herself, she slapped her hand across her mouth. It triggered another laughter from Gabriel. 

“Good, you deserve it for holding back for so long. And the blond hunk at the bar?” 

“Not a boyfriend, a regular friend and business partner,” Ava told him. 

33 

“Interesting,” Gabriel said. 

“Hey, I thought you had a thing for Ryder,” Ava told him. Gabriel looked at her with surprise. 

“How did you know?” 

“Zane and i may ogle each other, but you and Ryder are engaged in some sort of ping–pong match with glances,” she said. “It’s like a more frustrating version of peak–a–boo, where no one ever sees the other one.” 

“Maybe, but he seems too straight for what I’m looking for. I don’t want another ‘straight‘ man that just wants to satisfy his gay needs but then leave me for a girlfriend his family will accept,” Gabriel told her. Ava gave him a smile and scooted over to him so she could put her arm around him. 

“You deserve more. You deserve to be someone’s number one priority,” she told him. 

“Thanks, babe, so do you,” he said and put his head on her shoulder. 

“I won’t tell you what to do, because we both know I don’t have the best track record. But I honestly believe that Ryder is a good guy. Just give him a chance if he asks for it,” Ava said. 

“Darling, he’s in the mafia.” Ava giggled. 

“I know, and if you had told me two weeks ago that I would say that a guy from the mafia had a big heart and a gentle soul, I would have called you a liar. But here we are.” 

“Gentle soul, ha? 

“Yes. And I’m not romanticising this. I know that not all the men around me are good men. I wouldn’t say Zane has a gentle soul. But Ryder, he has one,” Ava told Gabriel. 

“That sounds nice,” he said. 

“Okay, enough of the sappy things. It’s the first time we are out clubbing alone, and we have a VIP–room. And I don’t have a clue what one does with a VIP–room,” Ava exclaimed and giggled. 

“Oh, you invite all the hot men back to it and make them strut around so you can ogle them, make out sessions may or may not be included. Light petting is optional.” Gabriel laughed and hugged Ava. 

“Okay, let’s not do that. We should avoid a body count on our first night out.” 

“Body count?” Gabriel asked. 

“Oh yes, Zane would not like me being in a room with men trying to kiss and grope me. I think Ryder would object as well,” Ava told him. 

“I thought you two weren’t serious?” 

“We’re not. It’s just he doesn’t like to share, it’s his thing.” Ava shrugged. 

“You are okay with that?” Gabriel asked. He sounded worried again. 

33 

“I’m fine with it, Gabriel. I can always walk away,” she told him. It was technically true. She would be in soul–crushing debt for the rest of her life, but she could do it. 

“Okay, if you say so.” 

“It’s not as bad as it sounds, it’s kind of sweet.” 

“Okay, you are talking crazy. We need to finish our drinks and open the champagne, then it’s time for dancing,” Gabriel declared. 

“Dancing? I don’t know about that Gabriel.” Ava felt nervous just thinking about dancing in front of others. 

“It will be fine, babe. You can dance like a broken marionette in that dress and still have the men drooling over you,” he said, popping the champagne cork. Ryder opened to door to the room and he and Tom came in. 

“What’s wrong?” Ava asked. 

“What was the noise?” Tom asked. 

“The champagne, relax,” Gabriel told him as he was pouring two glasses of the bubbling alcohol. The two men nodded. 

“Gabriel and I will head down to the dancefloor in a couple of minutes,” Ava told them. 

“Is that a good idea, Miss A?” Ryder asked. 

“It is. She needs to relax and have some fun,” Gabriel insisted. Ryder grunted and closed the door. 

“You see, sweet as candy corn,” Ava told Gabriel. 

“Yeah, maybe.” Gabriel tried to sound aloof, but Ava knew him well enough to see through it. The way his eyes kept darting to the window where they could see half of Ryder as he stood outside the door told her all she needed to know. They drank a glass of champagne, or as Gabriel called it, liquid courage. Then stood up, checking to make sure they still were stable on their feet. Ava had slowly got used to drinking alcohol, and she felt a slight tingling in her body, but she wasn’t even close to being drunk. After some encouraging words from Gabriel, Ava took a deep breath and stepped out of the VIP–room and headed for the dancefloor. Gabriel hooked his arm in hers and they were closely followed by Tom and Ryder. 

“You need to show me how it’s done,” Ava shouted into Gabriel’s car. 

“You just move your body to the music. If you don’t like being surrounded by people, just close your eyes. I will be right there with you. You will be amazing. Just have fun,” he shouted back. Ava nodded. This week had been about her coming out of her shell, being brave. This was just one more thing to add to that list. And honestly, if she had been brave enough to ask Zane to have sex with her, she should be brave enough to dance. That thought both made her blush and boosted her confidence. Ava expected them to have to push in amongst the people on the dancefloor. But the people parted as they came. Gabriel and she could easily get onto the dance floor. 

The mystery of the parting sea of people got solved as she glanced back and saw Tom and Ryder standing with intimidating looks. Yeah, that would explain it. Ava decided she didn’t care and instead she focused on the music. The heavy bass that she had always found annoying before, now seemed like a blessing, as it made it easy to pick up the rhythm of the music. 

4/5 

33 

She slowly moved her body. “You got this,” Gabriel told her as he moved with ease around her. Ava let her body fill with music and it responded by starting to swaying to it. After a little while, she was absorbed in the experience and her arms moved in sync with her body. 

Gabriel started dancing with her instead of next to her. They moved together to the music, and the experience was almost spiritual to Ava. All the surrounding people disappeared. It was just the music, her body and Gabriel, all moving in sync. She didn’t even notice the crowd of people closing in around them, all moving to the same beat. Not until the first hand that wasn’t Gabriel’s landed on her body.