‘I think the usual term is just “good friends”,’ she amended. ‘Though I’m surprised there are people I know this far afield.’
‘Is that why you wanted to come here?’ he demanded.
‘No.’ She smiled at him across the table. ‘I wanted to make up for the last time you booked a meal here. This is the dress I meant to wear that night.’
Jonas eyed it with appreciation. ‘Something that plain and perfect probably cost an arm and a leg. Or did you make it yourself?’
She shook her head. ‘This is the little black dress that all women own in some form or another. But it dates from the time when I earned big bucks in the City.’ Avery’s fingers played with a long string of natural pearls as she smiled at him. ‘And just for you I left my hair loose.’
‘Don’t think I hadn’t noticed! You’re blushing,’ he added, eyes gleaming. ‘What have I said?’
‘It’s not what you say. It’s the way you look at me.’
‘As if I could gobble you up,’ he agreed.
Avery heaved in a shaky breath. ‘This can’t possibly last, can it?’
Jonas sobered. ‘What do you mean by “this”?’
She leaned forward, her eyes holding his. ‘The sex,’ she whispered fiercely.
They were back in Gresham Road before Jonas mentioned it again. ‘Is that how you think of it?’ he asked.
‘How I think of what?’
‘Back in the Walnut Tree you referred to what happens between us as sex.’
‘How would you refer to it?’
Jonas turned her round to face him. ‘Whatever word you use to describe the physical part, it’s just that: a part. I’m attracted to the entire Avery Crawford package, heart and brain as well as looks, plus that independence of yours. Though I’d appreciate a touch more trust in the mix.’
She shrugged. ‘I trust you more than any other man I know.’
‘After meeting Paul Morrell I don’t consider that much of a compliment,’ he said dryly.
Avery drew him down on the sofa beside her. ‘If you want a compliment, Jonas, you may like to know that the physical part is totally different with you. In the past there was always some part of me that looked on, like a spectator,’ she confided, leaning into his warmth. ‘With you I forget the world the moment you touch me.’
Jonas kissed her very thoroughly by way of appreciation, then brought up the subject of Christmas.
Avery sighed. ‘I’m not doing Christmas this year. I shall just hibernate until it’s over.’
‘Would that I could hibernate with you, but like a good and dutiful son I spend the day in the bosom of my family. My mother feeds Christmas dinner to a houseful of relatives I don’t see much otherwise.’ Jonas turned her face up to his. ‘But I can be at the Barn early on Boxing Day. Will you join me there, bright and early?’
‘Oh, yes, please,’ she said fervently, and pulled his head down to hers to kiss him.
Later, as they went upstairs together, Jonas paused on the landing.
‘Harking back to our earlier conversation—’
‘About sex?’
‘If you must reduce everything to the basic, yes.’ He looked down his nose at her. ‘I am trying to be noble, so stop interrupting.’
‘So sorry. Do carry on.’
‘After all this talk of sex, to prove that it is not vital to my enjoyment of your company I’m perfectly willing to sleep in another room tonight, Avery Crawford—no, not perfectly,’ he amended, ‘but I’m willing to give it a try.’
‘Well, you can forget that,’ she said bluntly. ‘The new bed was delivered two days ago and I haven’t slept in it yet. I wanted to share it with you the first time.’
Helen and Louise were involved in large family gatherings for Christmas, as usual, and Frances, who had spent the day with Avery the year before, had been invited to join Philip’s daughter and her family. It was taken for granted among Avery’s team that she would be sharing the festivities with Jonas, and she was careful to make no mention of spending Christmas Day alone.
In some ways she wasn’t sorry for the breathing space. Added to the extra custom in the hectic run-up to the holiday, all four of them had put in a lot of overtime to decorate the windows of the new premises. Their various skills were displayed in scenes from fairy tales, and the result was so successful Avery Alterations had been awarded a large hamper full of seasonal luxuries which Avery divided among her team, keeping her own share of the spoils for her stay with Jonas at the Barn.
After an extra hour in bed in honour of Christmas Day, Avery woke up to a phone call from Jonas to put her in instant festive mood. Later, with the radio for company, she put a ham in the oven to roast, marinated chicken breasts in a garlicky marinade, and then took time over wrapping presents for Jonas. After the ham was done, she rolled the chicken in breadcrumbs mixed with grated cheese and herbs and put it in the oven to cook while she ate a slice of hot ham with the vegetables she’d roasted along with it.
By the time she’d cleared away it was late afternoon, and she took a cup of coffee into the study. She piled more logs on the fire, curled up with the new novel she’d been keeping for the occasion and then groaned in frustration as the doorbell rang. The only neighbours remotely likely to call in were away for the holidays. She waited in case it was carol singers but when the bell rang again there were no voices raised in song. Avery got up reluctantly, went down the hall to open the front door as far as the safety chain allowed, and found Daniel Morrell outside, holding a tall plant.
‘Merry Christmas, Miss Crawford,’ he said, smiling. ‘I wasn’t sure you’d be here, but I didn’t like to bring this to your shop. It’s my personal apology for the fire.’
‘How kind. Merry Christmas to you, Dan,’ she said, and, masking her reluctance with a smile, led him to the kitchen in preference to the cosy intimacy of the study.
‘It’s a camellia,’ Dan informed her, handing over the plant. ‘I thought you could plant it in that blank spot against the back fence.’
‘Thank you very much indeed. It’s a beauty.’ As Avery stood it on the draining board the boy seated himself at the table unasked, with a familiarity that rang warning bells in her head.
‘Are you expecting someone?’ he asked, eyeing the array of food.
‘Yes,’ she said promptly. ‘I’d offer you coffee, but my visitor will be here soon. Have you had Christmas dinner yet?’
He shook his head. ‘We’re having it this evening. My grandparents are staying with us—and Paul’s home, of course. Did you have good presents? I’ve got a new computer and a digital camera.’
‘Lucky you.’ Avery glanced at her watch. ‘Look, Dan, I’m sorry to rush you, but I’m expecting my visitor any minute.’ She led him down the hall and opened the front door. ‘Thank you for sparing time to come round on Christmas Day.’
‘I wanted to come. When the weather’s milder I could plant the camellia for you,’ he offered eagerly.
Avery shook her head, smiling pleasantly. ‘That’s very kind of you, but I’ll enjoy doing that myself. Thank you again, Dan. Enjoy your evening.’
Without warning Dan planted a hard wet kiss on her mouth, then bolted through the door and down the path.
Heart thumping, Avery locked up, scrubbing at her mouth as she rammed bolts home loud enough for Dan to hear if he was still hanging round. Jonas had been right about teenage hormones, she thought, shaken. She eyed her phone, longing to ring Jonas, but couldn’t bring herself to interrupt his family party.
To her great relief Jonas rang for the third time a few minutes later.
‘What’s wrong?’ he demanded.
‘How do you know something’s wrong?’
‘I just do. What happened after I spoke to you last?’
Avery explained, unable to keep the distaste from her voice when she got to the kiss.
Jonas swore volubly. ‘I shall have words with Master Morrell—’
‘You most certainly will not! I’ll h
andle it myself.’
‘Avery, next time he pops round he’ll want more than a kiss. Trust me. I was a sixteen-year-old boy myself once.’
‘I won’t let him in again,’ she assured him. ‘I had no choice today because he’d brought me a present.’
‘Get an intercom installed. You need control over who you let in your house.’
Avery opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it. ‘Very well,’ she said meekly.
‘No argument? My God, the little bastard really frightened you, didn’t he? First he starts a fire in Stow Street, and now he’s getting up close and personal.’
‘It was my fault for dreaming up that stupid gardening scheme,’ she said bitterly.
‘The fault is entirely his,’ Jonas said forcibly. ‘Make sure the house is secure before you go to bed.’
‘I did that the moment Danny Boy bolted.’ Avery paused. ‘I wanted to ring you right away—’
‘Then why the hell didn’t you?’
‘I couldn’t interrupt your family party.’
‘In future,’ he said, very deliberately, ‘ring me any time, day or night, if you want me. You do want me?’
Was he kidding? ‘Oh, yes,’ she sighed. ‘I want you.’
‘Likewise, my darling.’ He was silent for a moment. ‘Listen, Avery, I’ve got a change of plan for tomorrow.’
She stared into her wardrobe mirror in sudden panic. ‘What do you have in mind?’
‘It’s pointless for both of us to drive separately. I’ll pick you up on my way. Are you happy with that?’
‘Yes,’ she breathed, limp with relief. ‘Very happy indeed.’
‘Good. So what are you doing right now?’
‘Packing.’
‘And after that?’
‘I thought I’d take a tray up to my bedroom and stay there.’
‘Good idea. If you need me, call, Avery. Promise?’
‘I promise. Now, go back to your family, and I’ll see you in the morning.’
It seemed ridiculous to go to bed so early, but after loading a tray with everything she needed Avery made sure the fire was safe, left lights on downstairs to preserve the illusion that she had company, set the burglar alarm and went up to shut herself in her bedroom.
When she was propped up in her new bed, with her radio for company, Avery felt embarrassed by her panic over Dan Morrell. He was just a boy overcome by a sudden impulse because he’d found her alone. But when push came to shove things might have turned ugly if he’d wanted more than a kiss. Avery wrinkled her nose in disgust and went on with her book.
Gresham Road was situated in one of the quietest parts of town. When a visit to the bathroom forced Avery to leave her room later, the stillness that surrounded her felt so absolute it chilled. Peace on earth, she reminded herself. She refilled her kettle and went back to her room, resisting the urge to jam a chair under the doorknob. Stupid! She had never felt nervous here before. She could ring Jonas— No, she most definitely could not. It went against the grain to play the little woman in need of protection, especially from a teenage boy.
But after a couple of hours in bed Avery was heartily sick of the arrangement. She got out, turned back the covers, plumped the pillows and went to the bathroom for a shower. But to her intense irritation Hitchcock’s Psycho popped into her mind as she stood under the spray. She turned off the water hurriedly and rubbed herself dry at top speed, instead of huddling into a towelling robe as usual. She slapped on some of the luxurious bath products Louise and Helen had given her, wrapped herself in her dressing gown, and with a sudden radiant smile rushed across the landing as she heard the phone ring on her bedside table.
‘Hello?’ she said breathlessly, rubbing at her hair.
‘Where were you?’ said Jonas.
‘In the shower. I got tired of lolling about in bed.’
‘Bored with your own company?’
‘I certainly am. Is the party over? Where are you?’
‘Right outside your front door.’
Avery let out a screech of incredulous delight and hurtled downstairs. Cursing the burglar alarm for holding her up, she pressed buttons to silence it and unlocked the front door, clumsy with the bolts in her hurry to throw herself into Jonas’s outstretched arms.
He lifted her off her feet and walked her backwards as he pushed the door shut behind him, grinning down into her flushed, delighted face. ‘Happy Christmas.’
Avery beamed at him. ‘It is now! What are you doing here?’
‘That business with young Morrell made me uneasy, so God knows what it did to you.’ Jonas kissed her swiftly. ‘I left the party early, called at the house to collect my gear, and drove here tonight instead of in the morning.’
‘Thank you,’ said Avery simply, and took him by the hand. ‘Are you hungry?’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve eaten far too much today. But whisky wouldn’t go amiss. I kept off the alcohol during the festivities because of the drive back to my place—which was an excellent thing in the circumstances.’
‘The fire’s probably out in the study—’
‘I’ll see to it while you get the drink,’ said Jonas, and pulled her to him suddenly. ‘I’ve got four whole days before I’m due back. How about you?’
‘Ditto,’ she said triumphantly. ‘We’re closed until Friday.’
At ten-thirty on the twenty-fifth December that year Avery’s Christmas finally began. Curled up on the sofa with Jonas’s arm round her, in front of the fire he soon had blazing, it was the perfect end to a day she’d expected to spend alone.
‘What did you do last year?’ he asked lazily, rubbing his cheek against her hair.
‘I spent the day with Frances and her parents. But this year she’s with Philip and his family. I hope that works out for her.’
‘You did your best to help the romance along,’ he reminded her.
‘And got my reward, since I met you in the process,’ she said with satisfaction.
‘What greater reward could you ask?’ he said soulfully, but frowned when she got to her feet. ‘Where are you going?’
‘To get you another drink. You deserve one.’
‘Thank you, darling. I like being waited on by a beautiful handmaiden.’
‘Don’t get too used to it. This is a special occasion,’ she said firmly, settling back beside him. ‘Very special,’ she added. ‘Why didn’t you ring me to tell me you were coming?’
‘You know my passion for surprises. I did think of climbing up to your bedroom window,’ he added, with a yawn. ‘But I wasn’t sure I’d be up for it by the time I got here. And after the incident with Danny Boy it might not have met with your approval.’
‘It would have scared the living daylights out of me!’
‘A thought which decided me against it.’ Jonas dropped a kiss on her hair and settled lower. ‘Your welcome was worth every minute on that motorway.’
‘You know about my day, so tell me about yours.’
Jonas obliged with a humorous account of greetings from elderly relatives who’d sworn he’d grown taller since their last meeting, of presents that were exclaimed over and endless kissing in acknowledgement, and of his expertise in taking over his father’s task of carving the mammoth turkey. But when yawns overtook his narrative Avery stood up.
‘Time for bed. Otherwise I might have to carry you there.’
Jonas smiled ruefully as he heaved himself to his feet. ‘And, efficient lady though you are, I don’t think you could manage that.’
‘I know darned well I couldn’t! You go on up. I’ll just put the fire right, set the alarm and I’ll join you.’
He took her in his arms and kissed her with a tenderness which brought a lump to her throat. ‘Happy Christmas, Avery.’
‘Happy Christmas, Jonas.’ She gave him a little push to hide her emotion. ‘Off you go. I’ll be up in a minute.’
When Avery finally joined him Jonas was stretched out on her new bed, half undressed and fast
asleep. She smiled tenderly, pulled the covers over him, then switched out the light and slid in beside him. He muttered something in his sleep and moved closer, and she nestled against him in the warm darkness, utterly happy. Just to have Jonas here beside her was the best Christmas present she’d ever had.
Jonas woke next morning to find Avery asleep beside him, and kissed her awake with such pleasure at the discovery that they were very late for breakfast.
‘I apologise for last night,’ he said later, as they packed the car. ‘My idea was to surprise my lady fair, then carry her off to bed for more X-rated pursuits than sleep.’
She grinned as she tucked an errant curl under the red knitted cap crammed low on her forehead. ‘No need for apologies. I was happy with the entire arrangement. Night and morning,’ she added, and gave a little shiver. ‘I wouldn’t have slept so well on my own. The neighbours are away on both sides—a fact which struck home to me when Danny came calling yesterday.’
‘I would have been with you earlier last night if I’d known,’ he said forcibly. ‘I wish you’d let me sort the boy out for you.’
‘Absolutely not. I live here. You don’t.’ Avery smiled at him coaxingly. ‘Let’s forget Danny and concentrate on each other.’
The four days that followed were the happiest of Avery’s life. Living with Jonas was an addictive pleasure. He was a passionate and demanding lover, but he was also the best companion she could have wished for. He showered her with Christmas presents, some of them inexpensive and humorous, but among them Avery found a pair of earrings hung with large natural pearls to match her necklace, and the largest parcel contained a combination television and video recorder for her bedroom.
‘In case you want to barricade yourself in again,’ said Jonas, after she’d kissed him.
‘Hopefully Danny won’t try anything like that again,’ said Avery, threading the pearl drops through her earlobes.
‘If he does I shall sort him out whatever you say,’ said Jonas, then forgot about Daniel Morrell as he unwrapped a box containing a dozen linen handkerchiefs.
Their Scandalous Affair Page 10