Total pages in book: 235
Estimated words: 224334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1122(@200wpm)___ 897(@250wpm)___ 748(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 224334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1122(@200wpm)___ 897(@250wpm)___ 748(@300wpm)
“Not for long.” I stand and set her down. Grace. This could have all gone a lot differently, but the way Ava came to find me and then forgave me for something in my past shows true grace. Maturity. I’m taking it as a win. Is it a sign? “I’m taking you home to our”—notice the emphasis on ours, lady—“tower in the sky. I’ve not been inside you for way too long. Shall we?” I cock an arm in offer and smile on the inside at her breathless anticipation. Me too, Ava. Me too.
“I fancy a bit of rowing.”
“We’ll row another day, baby. I want to make love.” More love. Endless love.
I guide her through The Manor, mindful of the endless attention, the falling conversations, but not paying attention to it. I return John’s smile when we approach him at the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“S’all good.”
I jolt when his big paw meets my back. I want to ask him why he let Ava in, especially knowing Sarah was nursing my wounds. But, really, I don’t need to. He knows, like me, Ava needs to put Sarah in her place. I think she’s made her point.
“Leave your car,” I say, taking her to my Aston and putting her in the passenger seat. “We’ll get it tomorrow.”
Again, she accepts. Sucks to think it takes a major blowup between us, epic meltdowns all round, a smashed elevator, a few crazy episodes of hearing and seeing things to make it happen—but here we are.
The gates up ahead open, clearly by someone else because I’ve not hit the button yet, and when I see Sam’s car, I curse under my breath. His timing is impeccable. Or is it my timing?
“Hey, there’s Kate,” Ava shrieks, swinging around in her seat as they pass, Kate sinking down, awkwardly waving, Sam bold as brass smiling, his thumb up. I shake my head mildly. “What’s she doing here?” Ava asks. I keep my eyes forward. “She’s a member, isn’t she?”
“I don’t discuss members. Confidentiality.”
“So she is a member?”
I say nothing, ignoring her, seeing the gates closing again, so I hit the button and put my foot down, and as soon as we’re on the main road, I tactically put some music on in case Ava gets a hit of inquisitiveness again.
“Who’s this?”
“John Legend. You like?” She helps herself to the controls and turns it up. “I’ll take that as a yes.” The louder the better. Might drown out my niggling conscience. I find her thigh and squeeze, settling in for the ride.
“Is your hand okay?”
“Fine. Unravel your knickers, lady.”
“I need to text Patrick.”
“Yes, do.” That money-grabbing old goat better not put a spanner in my works. “I’m looking forward to having you all to myself tomorrow and all weekend.” Oh, God, it’s going to be bliss. God help anyone who bursts our bubble. Including me.
“Done.” She drops her mobile into her lap and takes my hand, weaving her fingers with mine and gazing out of the window, quiet. Thoughtful. Shit, what I would do to be a fly on the wall of her brain. I could always be prepared for whatever she throws my way. “I can’t help but be worried for Kate.” Her words are quiet as she keeps her eyes on the countryside passing by.
“Why would you be worried?” I ask, my attention split between Ava and the road. My hand on the wheel is aching like a bitch, but my other hand in hers, warm and tight, is enough for me to endure it.
“I don’t know.” She turns a half-smile onto me, one I’m not sure I like. She does know why. And suddenly Sam’s words are coming back to me.
I get the feeling I’m a rebound.
“The Manor, Kate, Sam. It feels like a recipe for disaster.”
“Only if one falls in love with the other,” I say quietly, resetting my focus on the road, feeling Ava’s gaze boring into my profile.
But she doesn’t say any more.
27
I hardly have the strength to look at Clive when we enter the foyer. Poor guy looks terrified. Probably thinks I’m going to demand my money back. My thoughts are confirmed when he reaches for his hat where I know he keeps his stash of cash, pushing it farther onto his head . . . a subtle message.
I might take him on if I wasn’t becoming more uncomfortable by the second, my trousers getting tighter and tighter. This isn’t waiting until we make it upstairs. I peek down at Ava next to me. She’s rigid. Fighting the same onslaught of desire. I don’t know if she realizes she’s done it, but her tongue appears, gliding slowly across her bottom lip.
It’s my undoing. Jesus. I return my attention to the elevator doors and will them to hurry the hell up before I give Clive a performance that will likely kill him with shock.