Operation London (10 page)

"It does," she laughed
. And it felt good. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much with a man.

"This is it," Miguel said, turning off the engine outside a large white, columned building.

Ava prepared to get out but Miguel made no move. She glanced over questioningly.

"I just wanted to thank you for giving a shit tonight
. I mean, I could see you cared that I went down. I didn't miss that," he said seriously, his eyes turning black in the purple light of evening.

Ava felt all the worry pulse out of her body
. She had never been good at being coy, and tonight was no exception. Miguel could read her, just as she had feared, but he responded like a true gentleman.

"It means a lot to me that you wouldn't take advantage of that," she said, feeling herself pulled towards him.

Later on she would wonder who had made the first move, who had reached out first. Was she being pulled or was she pulling?  In the end, it had made no difference. Her mouth found his, one hand slid behind his neck, one braced against the solid expanse of his chest. The kiss began a soft, gentle coaxing and ended up a passion driven battle. When she came to her senses, Ava found herself straddling Miguel, her hands under his shirt and her mouth tugging furiously at his. He was squeezing her ass, running his hand up and down her back, pressing her to him with animalistic need.

"Miguel," she said, slowing the kiss, smoothing his hair with her long fingers
.

"Ava," he breathed, saying her name as if it pained him to utter the syllables
.

"Let's go inside," she suggested, rebuttoning his shirt deftly and moving with speed to end the moment.

Picking up on her cue, he tucked his shirt back in and tried to quell his erection by thinking about anything other than how incredible she had felt against him. He had lived a crazy life full of action and excitement. At one point it had grown to be more than he could handle, and he had put the brakes on everything. But a large part of him still hungered to exist as he had, for the moment and in the eye of the storm. Ava was reawakening the possibility of living out on a limb, embracing every aspect of life completely.

They walked into the restaurant quietly, the backs of their hands brushing as they stayed close to one another
. A hostess in a gold sari led them to a low mahogany table, one of many under the twinkle lights and hanging peppers of the high ceilings. The cuisine was spicy and delicious. Ava and Miguel concentrated on enjoying the myriad of tastes and smells and avoiding reference to their earlier passion.

At the end of the meal Miguel was loath to go back to Piper's for Ava's car
. He suggested a walk and Ava agreed. They couldn't stop talking to one another because of a single kiss.

"Have you always lived in Texas?" asked Ava, glancing around at the enormous sky littered with a bright array of stars and wondering how anyone could stand the
loneliness of it for any long stretch of time.

"Funny you should ask
. Actually I grew up in south central L.A.," Miguel began.

"I moved to Texas when I was, I don't even know, maybe nineteen
. After so much shit had gone down that no one thought I would ever amount to anything."

"You were in trouble?" The question seemed ridiculous
. This man was obviously not slated for any type of safe life. His jungle cat movements coupled by his arresting good looks were enough to secure that judgment.

"Yes."  He paused to let all of the memories pour in on him
. "Big trouble. I was in a gang."

"Oh my God," said Ava
. There had always been a touch of power in his features, a glint of command in his eyes, but never had Ava assumed it was in any way that provocative.

"I was one of the leaders of the Latin Kings for a couple of years
. I did a lot that I'm not proud of. But that life never quite fit. I always wanted to create something, to enjoy something. Being in a gang is all about destruction. So I dropped out," he said simply, his pace picking up ever so slightly, as if he was trying to outrun his past.

"But, I thought you couldn't just drop out of a gang."  Ava rubbed her arms through the velvety suede of her jacket, unsure whether the goosebumps were from the chill in the air or her new realization that there was a great deal about Miguel she did not know.

"It's not easy. It's really not ever final."  He pulled up his sleeve and revealed a scar that looked like a web around his elbow. "I got this tattoo from my cellmate. He was in for one hundred seventy-five years without parole for beating his girlfriend to death with the butt of his gun. Prison is a good way to leave the gang. It gives you status, shows you really paid your way."

"Prison was your way out?" Ava asked
. She had always had the naivety to imagine that prison was relatively final, maybe even a reforming place. When she mentioned this to Miguel she was met with his laughter.

"All it does is stick you in a cage with crazy guys
. I mean, I lived the life of a real street thug and I was practically crying when I spent that first night in my cell," he said quietly. His voice was laced with the kind of fear that comes only from seeing the most horrific sights humanity has to offer.

"And you're done with that now?" Ava asked, trying not to pry, but desperately needing to know if that part of his life was gone for good.

"I'm done. I've been done for a long time. I had all of my street tattoos surgically removed, I enrolled in the local college and got a BS in business and financing. I even started taking dance lessons," he said, looking for one incredible moment like a shy young boy at a school dance.

"You went from being a leader of the Latin Kings to a ballroom dancer," Ava asked incredulously.

"Yes. Do you want proof?  I dance a mean samba. Come on, I'll show you," he said, gesturing back to the car. The hesitation in Ava's eyes made his heart ache.

He strode toward her, coming so close she could smell the mint heavy on his breath.

"I'm not ashamed of where I came from, Ava. I'm not asking that you forgive my mistakes, but I do want you to accept them if we're going to be ...... friends," he said finally. "That life is over for me. Very much so. And all I want now is to move on, move away from everything bad. I have a lot of good in me and a lot of good intentions," he finished.

Ava was caught in the emotion of his confession
. She had already seen more facets of Miguel than she could have ever imagined. Now she had made him feel like he needed her permission to have a past. That was ironic, considering all she was holding back.

"Listen, my past isn't so crystal clear either." Ava waited for him to laugh with disdain or blow her off, but his face revealed nothing by sympathy and honest interest.

"I know I told you that I was a computer analyst. That was a lie. I did work with computers. I was an agent for a highly classified government operative. I messed up on my last assignment and got myself canned," she said, her gray eyes swimming in regret.

It took a few minutes for the full swell of her words to make sense to Miguel
.

"You were an agent?" he asked
. She nodded. "Wow. Really wow." 

"Well, I guess it's going to be pretty hard to top this date," she said finally and was met by a full belly laugh from Miguel.

"Let's finish it off with a bang. I need to dance with Paolo Medrano's daughter, who just happens to be a secret agent," he insisted, pulling her to the jeep.

They roared off into the night, finally freed of what they needed to say, enjoying the rush of the wind and the cool glamour of the night sky
. Miguel roared up to
Chino's,
a small dance hall that catered to some of the best semi-professional and amateur dancers in Houston. Many of the most famous dancers in the world competitions had enjoyed a dance at
Chino's
, and there were often many famous faces of the dance world there every weekend.

"Ready to tear up the floor?" Miguel asked. Taking Ava's silence for reluctance he reminded her, "We've got nothing left to hide
. I've been punched, I've poured my heart out for you. Have some mercy and dance with me."  She had guessed from the beginning that she would never be able to resist his smile, and it was proving to be one hundred per cent true.

Ava got out of the Jeep and followed Miguel into the dimly lit, smoky hall
. There was a full array of patrons, all ages, all races, all levels of society crowded into the intense arena. Ava felt her hands dampen with a sheen of perspiration, noticed the moisture leaving her mouth a cottony cave. It was the same kind of feeling she got before she went on a roller coaster or was about to break a very important code.

Miguel headed over to talk to the bandleader, and they chatted amicably for a few seconds
. Ava noticed that Miguel gestured her way several times and the man he spoke with put one hand to his chest in surprise. Groaning a little, she sincerely hoped they weren't going to do anything embarrassing.

"Ladies and gentleman, an old friend of ours, Miguel Gustan," at this point the man Miguel had been addressing had to wait several minutes, until all of the hooting and clapping subsided
. "Yes, Miguel has let me know that we have the honor of the presence of Paolo Medrano's daughter tonight!"  There was more shouting and hooting. The man turned to the large band and began the opening to a very popular tango.

Ava could remember her father being very excited about some of the new moves he had incorporated into the song, forcing Ava and her mother to glide around the kitchen with him over and over again just a few months ago.

Miguel was standing in the center of the dance floor, hand extended, waiting for her to join him.

The walk across the dance floor was one of the longest Ava had ever forced to endure
. When she finally met Miguel a very beautiful woman began singing the sultry words that accompanied the song. In usual tango style, the song had to do with sin, heartbreak and lust.

In a moment Ava's troubles, frustrations and worries were gone
. The music was gone, the audience, the room, everything had dropped away except for her body, the beat and Miguel. It felt as if she were dancing underwater, every motion seeming to take an infinite amount of time. She moved with a fluid grace, her body coating Miguel's, her steps complimenting his. The citrusy, masculine scent of him assaulted her, fueled her sexy, subtle body rubbing. She lost all modesty when she danced, and it translated into the sexiest display of movement Miguel had ever seen.

She vibrated with life, pulsated with passion
. Every movement was a tiny grace, and Miguel had a lump in his throat by the time the music ended. The applause was deafening, but it meant nothing to him. He waited, focused on Ava's serene face. Only when she looked up at him and smiled did he feel the joy of the experience. He realized with a choking feeling that he was completely hooked on her already.

He led her to the bar and ordered them beers, giving her ample opportunity to mingle and accept warm congratulations
. So many people flocked around Ava to wish her well that Miguel lost track of her several times. They spent awhile at the bar, enjoying the company of so many other dance enthusiasts, watching other couples perform. Finally Miguel noticed the time and was about to ask Ava if she wanted to leave when he noticed all of her senses perked, fixed on the couple about to take the floor. Miguel didn't have a good view of them, and it was impossible to catch Ava's attention to find out what it was that made her look so upset.

"Now,
Chino's
is very proud to present brother and sister duo, Angel and Lucia Espino," the bandleader announced.

Miguel felt something lurch inside of him
. He knew there was no way Angel could see him, but that didn't really matter. Angel didn't have to see a person to spread fear and hate. Miguel knew that all too well.

The brother and sister were dressed in attractive, flashy outfits and their dancing matched their style
. Ava's eyes were glued on them as they whirled and dipped in one another's arms.

"What makes you so interested?" Miguel asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Oh, ummm, I just have to return, uh, something to Lucia," Ava lied.

Miguel grabbed her by the shoulders
. "Whatever it is have it mailed," he growled.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" she hissed, swinging her head so that she could face him directly
. Her smoldering gray eyes met his, black and consuming. He was not about to back down.

"You don't know what you're playing with!  They aren't the kind of people you trust, Ava," he said, squeezing her arms to get her attention.

"You're hurting me," she spat. He loosened his grip instantly, turning a disgusted eye on the handsome couple. She followed his gaze. "I was a top government agent, Miguel. I think I can handle myself well enough."  Her own fierce reaction surprised her, but she had not expected his gruff voice and stern commands.

He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity
. Finally he spoke to her, dropping his voice low so the other patrons wouldn't overhear them. "Ever seen a gang rape, Ava?  Ever seen a guy get shot in the head after he pissed his own pants, huh?  Did the God damned government academy train you to watch someone beat a girl until she was permanently disfigured?"  There was something wild and completely pained in his eyes. His voice caught as he pulled her as close as he could. "Because I saw all of that. I've seen things that would turn your stomach, Ava. And the worst that I've ever seen involved Angel Espino. He has no soul," Miguel finished in a way that made Ava certain he would never change his mind about Angel.