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My stomach rumbles, and I switch off the red light and step out into the hallway.
I lean against the doorjamb and watch Alessia move gracefully through the kitchen as she makes breakfast.
Avocado on toast.
I approve.
Finally, she looks up and rewards me with that same smile that I’m blessed to have captured on film.
“Good morning, husband.”
“Good morning, wife.”
Alessia abandons the avocado mix she’s spreading on toast, circles her arms around my waist, and offers me a brief kiss.
I run my nose along hers as I hold her. “I’m feeling very virtuous.” I kiss her. “I’ve been for a run.” I kiss her. “I’ve showered.” I kiss her again. “And developed the film I had in my camera when we were in Cornwall. I can’t wait to show you the prints. I feel I deserve my breakfast.” I kiss the corner of her lips.
“You do and so much more,” she whispers, her arms sliding over my chest as she peeks up at me from beneath her lashes with a coy, provocative look.
Oh… like that, is it?
My body responds, and I fold her more tightly in my embrace and continue to kiss her, tugging her lips gently with my teeth. Her hands are in my hair, pulling me closer as she slides her tongue into my mouth, challenging me with hers. Closing my eyes, I groan and deepen the kiss, tasting her sweet, sweet mouth, my tongue meeting her challenge. I move one hand to her nape, cradling her head, the other cupping a cheek of her well-formed, denim-clad arse. Her hands are in my hair, pulling me closer, and I turn and press her against the wall, pushing my hips to hers to find some friction for my hardening dick.
Fuck breakfast.
“God, what you do to me, my lady,” I breathe against her jaw.
“What you do to me, my lord.”
“Shall we skip—”
The doorbell rings twice, and I place my forehead against hers. “Fuck.”
“Not right now, it would seem.” Alessia giggles and wriggles out of my embrace to answer the intercom phone in the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“Alessia! Good morning. Let me in!”
“It’s Caroline,” Alessia says.
Damned cockblocker.
“Hi. Okay!” Alessia answers with an apologetic smile at me.
I grin. “Rain check.” I kiss her nose.
She glances at the front of my jeans. I laugh. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ll deal with this.”
Giggling, she leaves me to get a handle on myself and my erection while she opens the front door to welcome Caroline.
* * *
“Good morning, Alessia,” Caroline says, giving her a quick hug and a kiss on each cheek in greeting. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“No. Come in. We’re about to have breakfast. Are you hungry?”
Caroline is wearing jeans, brown leather boots, and her tweed jacket over a cream cashmere sweater. She looks as elegant as ever, but Alessia is no longer intimidated by her, even though she’s barefoot and in her softest, most worn jeans.
“Sounds great.” Caroline smiles a genuine smile. Alessia reflects that Caroline has been much friendlier and more relaxed since dinner earlier in the week, and she wonders if what she and Maxim talked about after dinner is the reason.
“We are having avocado on toast.”
“Yum. Hello, Maxim,” Caroline says as they join Maxim in the kitchen.
“Caro.” He kisses her upturned cheek. “Coffee?”
“Please.”
“Sit,” Alessia says, directing her to the kitchen table she’s already laid for two.
“You two are so domestic. Are you getting any staff?”
Maxim glances at Alessia, and before she can say anything, “When we move, yes,” he says.
Alessia frowns. She’s not sure they need staff in London, but she doesn’t contradict him, and she retrieves a place setting and arranges it on the table, followed by coffee cups and saucers.
“When do you move?” Caroline asks.
“End of this week.”
“We are starting to pack today,” Alessia says, principally to remind Maxim that he needs to think about what he wants to take. She pops another slice of sourdough bread into the toaster and continues to spread the avocado-and-smoked-salmon mix onto the toast that’s done.
Caroline’s forehead creases with doubt. “Isn’t your removal company doing that?”
“Yes. But personal items. And we may have an opportunity to…what is the word. Declutter.”
Caroline laughs while Maxim eyes Alessia with alarm.
“Good luck with that!” Caroline says as Maxim joins her at the table with a cafetiere full of strong coffee. “That smells good.”
Alessia places breakfast in front of Caroline and Maxim and waits for the toaster to pop up with her slice of toast.
“Hmm… this looks great, Alessia. Thank you. And I have some good news for you two.”
“Oh? What?” Maxim asks.
“I spoke to my father about Alessia and her visa.”
Alessia’s scalp prickles and Maxim’s head jerks up. “Now that Alessia’s been accepted into RCM, she can get a student visa… and we can go from there,” he says.
“But Daddy will expedite indefinite leave. He just needs the forms.”
“What?” Alessia breathes.
“He’s a senior director at the Home Office. This is within his gift. I had dinner with him and the Stepsow on Thursday—oh, sorry, my stepmother—and told him that you needed to jump through all these ridiculous hoops. For God’s sake—you’re married to a peer of the realm. He agreed with me. That doesn’t happen often. Anyway, he called me this morning, with a plan.”
