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“Well, mine’s a Role—” What the fuck am I doing? “You know what, give me the ticket.” I hold out my hand on a smile, and he cocks a brow that’s definitely wary. “Can you speed things up?”
He goes back to his little computer, and I sigh, resting my arse on the bonnet of my car and sending a few messages about tonight’s plans. I smile while I do that too.
“Sir.”
I look up and find the warden looking past me on a furrow of his brow. “Do you know that woman?”
“What woman?” I ask, looking around. I see no one.
“That woman, there. She’s...” He pouts, stepping to one side then the other, searching the street, and I find myself mirroring him, my cheerfulness fading. “Oh, she’s gone.”
“She was looking at me?” I don’t want to sound like a dick, but many womenlookat me.
The warden looks me up and down. “I expect you’re used to it.” He holds the ticket out and nods to my car. “Young, fit”—he waves at the Aston—“rich.”
I laugh and take the ticket. “I’ve never been issued compliments at the same time as a parking fine.”
“First time for everything, sir. Have a good day.”
“You too.” I hop in my car and pull out and, naturally, I have another scan of the street, my skin prickly. It’s as if my mind can’t allow me to have this newfound freedom from the shit that’s always held me prisoner in guilt and grief.
52
She sleeps for England,all day long. Cathy’s left one of her famous lasagnas on the counter with a note to freeze it if we don’t eat it today. My stomach growls at the sight of it. I’m hungry, but we have dinner plans tonight, so I serve myself a small portion and put the rest in the freezer. I go to my office and sit at my desk while I eat it, running over my words, my plan, but I’m constantly distracted by the bare wall before me, and not for the first time I wonder why Ava never had anything hung there when it so obviously needs it. I open my laptop, smiling, and googleBespoke Wallpaper.
A few hours later, I’ve uploaded all of my favorite pictures of Ava and I have what can only be described as a masterpiece on my screen. Happy, I order way too may rolls. Then I search for a wedding planner while I eat. We’re going to need one if I’m going to turn this around as fast as I want to.
After I’ve put my plate in the dishwasher, I head upstairs, brush my teeth, strip down, shower and shave, and by the time I’m done, she’sstillasleep. I stand at the end of the bed, watching her as I dry off. “Ava, baby, it’s time to wake up.” Her forehead bunches, her lashes flutter. “Good morning, baby.”
She looks around the bedroom a little disorientated. “It’s not, is it?”
“No, it’s five o’clock.” I drop the towel and join her on the bed. “You’ve been asleep all afternoon. How does your back feel?”
“It feels okay,” she says, rubbing into the sheets. “I’m a lazy arse, wallowing in bed all afternoon on a workday.”
“Just think”—I welcome her into my chest when she shuffles closer—“if you gave up work, you could do this every day. How perfect would that be?” I look down at the back of her head on a smile, feeling her hot breath on my chest.
“For you. Perfect for you because you’ll know where I am all the time.” She kisses my pec.
“Exactly. You could come to work with me, and we would never have to be apart.”
Another kiss. “You’d get sick of me.”
“Not possible.” I suppress a groan, trying to contain myself. She’s far from ready for me to have my way. But didn’t I promise her earlier? Yes, but... parents. “Are you going to let me take you out for dinner?”
Her hand drifts down my torso, and I know I am absolutely done for. “Or we could just stay right here.”
“Nothing would please me more, but I would like to take you out.” Time isn’t on my side. “Do you mind?” Poor thing looks completely mystified, and my dick is bereft. It’s been two days since I had her, and I don’t mind admitting I’m getting a bit desperate. My balls swell, agreeing. “But then again, I’ve not been inside you for way too long. That is not acceptable.” I take her to her back, watching for any signs of discomfort. Nothing. Only signs of want and lust. “Baby, sleepy sex is off the menu for a while, so I’m just going to fuck you. Any objections?”
“You’re asking if you can fuck me?”
She’s definitely suspicious. “Watch your mouth.” I devote some attention to her face, kissing away her frown. “I’m trying to be reasonable.”
“Don’t be!”
I smile into her skin but make sure it’s gone when I pull back to look at her. “You don’t want me to be reasonable?”
She shakes her head, hardly able to admit it. “No.”
