Henry sighed, before speaking. ‘Ava, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ha—’
Realising he was misinterpreting her pause, she stopped his words with a kiss. She didn’t want the moment to end; if he spoke about what he should or shouldn’t do, if they applied rational thought, then the spell might be broken. Holding on to his loosened tie, Ava pulled him towards her, pressing her lips more firmly to his. He responded, meeting her kisses with his own, as his hands moved around her waist, and up her back. With a single movement, he removed the clip from her hair, sending her auburn curls tumbling around her shoulders and releasing the fresh, clean scent of her shampoo.
Sliding his hand into her hair, he drew her closer. ‘Ava.’ Her name sounded ragged as he spoke it, sending sensations through her body.
Urged on by his obvious need for her, she responded, unbuttoning his waistcoat and removing his tie before kissing round the smooth line of his jaw and neck. Sliding her hand over the cotton of his shirt, she felt the honed body she had envisaged in her thoughts since being pressed against him on the grass. She swallowed before unbuttoning his shirt, and sliding her hand down the centre of his firm chest and stomach, meeting the fine dark hairs above his belt line. He inhaled, before shifting so that she could straddle him. Kissing her, his hands moved to the outside of her thighs, slipping beneath the cotton hem of herdress. Ava held her breath, anticipation building as his hands moved higher. She felt lost in the moment, her mind spinning with desire until a shout from the kitchen caused her to freeze.
‘Ava!’ The shout came again.
While Myrtle scampered from the comfort of the chair towards the unexpected but familiar voice from the back door, Ava and Henry sprung apart.
‘Oh my God, it’s Mary!’ Ava leapt up, her cheeks flushed.
Henry looked at her wide-eyed — his hands hurriedly attempting to do up his shirt buttons. ‘Who’s Mary?’
‘What the . . . ?’ Before Ava could answer, Mary had reached the lounge, stopping and doing a double take as she took in the scene before her. Myrtle wagged her tail in an effort to get her attention.
Henry pulled a cushion into his lap.
A look of confusion flicked across Mary’s face before she smiled. ‘Oops sorry!’
Ava was sure the extent of the heat in her cheeks meant they were turning purple. She pulled the hem of her dress down and pushed her hands through her hair, attempting to regain her equilibrium enough to speak. Her mind spun as she tried to assimilate what might have been with the situation she now found herself in.So much for not being caught!Ava looked from Mary to Henry. He was clearly coping with the turn of events so much better than she was. While her mind was in chaos, he sat with a bemused grin tugging at his lips — still red from the fact they had been thoroughly kissing her just moments before.
‘Mary this is Hen . . . Lord Henry . . . I mean Bramlington . . . Bramlington Henry . . . Oh Lord! I am making a mess of this!’ Ava buried her head in her hands.
Henry laughed and looked at Mary. ‘Henry. Just Henry is fine. I would normally stand up to shake hands but . . .’
‘Not a good time? I get it.’ Mary giggled before backing slightly out of the room.
‘Oh, God! Let’s go into the kitchen.’ Mortified at the whole situation playing out before her, Ava took Mary by the arm and led her towards the kitchen, glancing over her shoulder and raising her eyes to the ceiling at Henry as she went.
Once away from the chemistry-charged atmosphere of the living room, Ava pulled Mary closer to her, her voice an urgent whisper. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I could ask you the same.’ Mary matched Ava’s tone, wiggling her eyebrows before continuing. ‘And with the newly crowned Lord Hotlington. You bloody dark horse you.’ Mary giggled.
Ava ignored her, deciding now wasn’t the time for explanations about Henry. ‘I live here, what are you doing here?’
Mary pulled the note Ava had scribbled before leaving the shop from her pocket and unfolded it. ‘You never leave the shop during business hours unless I force you to. I popped down to speak to you, read this and thought there must be something wrong. “I won’t be long. It’s a beautiful day for a walk!” It sounded too cheery. I thought it was a coded message or something. A plea for help, maybe.’
‘What? Why? Nobody does that.’ Ava looked at Mary, deciding it was best not to ask where she might have got such a notion from. ‘Besides, I’m always taking Myrtle for a walk.’
‘Yes! At normal-people-are-still-asleep-o’clock, not two hours before closing — mid sorting stock. It’s not like you. This’ — Mary gestured back towards the lounge — ‘is all so . . . not like you! I mean Ava you were . . . with Lord Hot—’
Henry coughed, making his presence known. They both spun to see him standing in the doorway, his shirt buttoned, tie and waistcoat back in place, looking unflustered, and in Ava’s opinion, as she noticed his still ruffled hair, thoroughlygorgeous. Realising she and Mary were both staring at him — gaping like a pair of guppy fish as Flo would put it — Ava broke the silence.
‘Yes . . . Lord Hot—’ She stopped, giving Mary an admonishing look for putting words into her muddled mind that were all too ready to tumble out. ‘Henry and I were about to walk the dog.’ Ava looked at Myrtle as if she might corroborate her words and provide a plausible alibi.
Henry folded his arms, looked at Myrtle and then at Ava. ‘I think she’s pregnant.’
Mary gasped, putting her hand to her mouth, before looking pointedly in Ava’s direction.
Ava put her hand protectively over her definitely not pregnant stomach. ‘Not me! You don’t mean me, do you?’ Instantly wishing she hadn’t added the ridiculous question to her statement when her being pregnant would have required a miracle, Ava cringed.
Henry beckoned Myrtle to him, who obliged happily. ‘I mean this one. I think she’s pregnant. I was going to mention it when you came downstairs but—’
‘You got distracted?’ Mary suggested having clearly found her voice.
Not by what you’re thinking,Ava thought, remembering the phone call Henry received.
