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It was all so natural—just them, coffee, chatting, and warm muffins that were absolutely out of this world: wholemeal flour, oats, shredded coconut, and berries. He even scored a couple of extra muffins and slices of warm loaf straight from the oven.

He hadn’t planned to stay the night, never mind wake up grinning and fed. That was the bit that caught him off guard—how easy this all was. He was here. In her house. In her bed. Drinking her coffee and half-dressed in the middle of her life. Could this woman get any better?

“So… what time’s your ferry?” Jenn asked softly.

Reality nudged him. The clock. The ferry. The fact that he couldn’t stay wrapped in this sugar-scented, bare-legged bubble forever.

“Think it’s about half four,” Ruairidh said, glancing at the clock.

“It’s just after twelve.”

“Crap, I should start making tracks…” he sighed, standing reluctantly.

Then his grin turned wicked. “But we still have time for a quick round four.”

“You’re insatiable,” Jenn squealed as he lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist and carrying her back into the bedroom.

He probably should’ve been thinking about the ferry. But she was laughing in his arms again, and he wasn’t thinking with his brain right now.

He had other priorities.

Chapter 31

“Honestly. I’m mortified. I’ve never come so quick in my entire life.” Jenn could see her face was the colour of a ripe tomato on the video-call screen.

Mortified or not, she couldn’t stop the whole night from replaying in her head. Again and again, like her brain had it set on a loop. Heat prickled down her neck. She shifted against the cushions, tugging her hoody tighter as if that might somehow hide the way her thighs clenched at the memory.

“Yaaasssss!” Vivi practically howled with laughter.

“I’m so jealous, you lucky thing,” Lizzie said, giggling next to Jenn on the sofa.

“What do you mean?” Jenn swivelled to her, eyes wide. “You’ve got a boyfriend. You can have sex any time you want.”

“Hmm. You’d be surprised.” Lizzie went quiet, her eyes dipping to her mug as she swirled it once, twice, unnecessarily. There it was—that thoughtful little pause, the one Jenn had learned to spot. The pause that told her all was not rosy in Lizzie-land.

Jenn didn’t push. She’d picked up a while back that Lizzie wasn’t exactly thrilled with her relationship. But Lizzie would open up more when she was ready.

“Girl, same,” Vivi sighed, dramatic as always. “Thank God for Moon & Mischief…”

Well, that had taken an unexpected turn.

Jenn glanced between the two of them. Lizzie with her silences, Vivi with her theatrics. Different tactics, same goal—both neatly sidestepping anything too real. Jenn’s gut told her there was more going on than they were letting on.

Lizzie had just popped in for a blether, a cuppa and—obviously—cake after her wild swim, when Vivi had finally managed to video call her. Vivi had been away on business, so Jenn was only now giving her the full debrief on her night with Ruairidh.

“Anyway,” Vivi breezed on with a wave of her hand, like that comment hadn’t happened. “What’s the plan now with Mr Dashing Pilot Man?”

“Well, we hung out again the other night, but he’s on a run of crazy shifts at the moment.”

“Excellent. And how did that go?” Vivi nodded in approval.

“Honestly? It just felt… easy. Like I’ve known him for years. We chatted, hung out. Ate cake—obviously.” Jenn sighed, all dreamy.

It had been so natural. No awkward pauses. No overthinking. Just nice. She’d felt good. Content.

“And…” Vivi waggled her brows and leant so far into the camera her forehead practically filled the screen. Lizzie snorted into her mug.

“Yes, we hooked up again. And again. And again again.” Jenn went scarlet, half-hiding her face in her hoody.