‘Right. I’ll see you in the morning, then,’ Jonas said casually. ‘Goodnight.’
Avery stared blankly at his back view as he left the room. Crestfallen, she went through her usual security routine, taking more time over it than usual, before she went upstairs. She paused at the top, heard water running in the bathroom and tiptoed along the landing to her room. Feeling edgy and restless, and scornful because she knew perfectly well why, she undressed and ran a hot bath fragrant with the lavender and rosemary bath oil which was supposed to help her sleep.
The aromatherapy failed miserably. It was strange, Avery thought much later, that one could be snug in a warm, comfortable bed and feel desperately tired, yet stay wide awake. She tossed and turned, and then tensed, heart pounding and eyes tightly shut, as the door opened. She heard it close and took in a deep breath, then let it out in a rush as a naked male body slid into bed beside her.
‘I want you so much I can’t sleep,’ growled Jonas as he took her in his arms.
‘What took you so long?’ she whispered back, and he gave a smothered laugh, then kissed her, his hands exploring.
‘You forgot to undress,’ he accused.
‘I’m wearing the red pyjamas I bought myself for Christmas.’
‘Not any more,’ he said huskily, his long hands clumsy for once in his haste to get her naked.
Avery helped him eagerly, savouring the touch and taste and smell of him as they held each other close for a long, relishing moment. Then Jonas reached out an arm to switch on the bedside lamp and propped himself up on an elbow to look down into her face.
‘I’ve lain awake night after night imagining this,’ he told her, smoothing tumbled hair back from her forehead. ‘I have to make sure you’re real.’
Avery smiled luminously. ‘There are other ways to make sure.’
‘Thinking about them causes the insomnia!’ He switched off the light and kissed her.
The kiss was long and slow, his teeth nibbling gently at her lips, his tongue teasing hers, seducing it, his hands moving over her body as though he meant to memorise its shape by touch. When his hands cupped her breasts they tightened in anticipation, and she caught her breath as his lips and clever, relentless fingertips sent lightning bolts of sensation through her body down to the place that grew hot and liquid in response. His hands and mouth moved lower in caresses which heightened their mutual arousal to fever-pitch. When he parted her thighs at last she tensed in eager anticipation, expecting him to slide up and over her and plunge himself into her waiting heat. Instead she felt the touch of his lips on her scar, and then the delicious torment of his dividing, probing tongue as it brought her to gasping, helpless release.
Jonas slid up to hold her close in his arms and Avery buried her hot, damp face against him.
‘I didn’t want that to happen,’ she protested hoarsely.
‘Didn’t you like it?’ he teased.
‘Not much point in saying no!’ She rubbed her cheek against skin. ‘But I would have preferred it with you inside me.’
He breathed in sharply, and she felt his erection nudge against her. ‘That can be arranged,’ he said with difficulty as she slid her hand down to investigate.
‘Now, please?’ Avery asked, and then gave a deep, visceral moan of pleasure as he sheathed himself to the hilt inside her. After the deprivation of time spent apart they moved together with such passionate need that climax quickly overtook Avery again, but this time Jonas was with her, part of her, his mouth crushing hers as they shared the final rapture.
They fell asleep at once, held close in each other’s arms. When Avery woke it was early morning and she was still held fast by a possessive arm and a long, confining leg. She smiled in sleepy approval at the ceiling, which looked so white it was obvious what kind of day waited outside. She must get up and look soon, but it could wait a little longer. Because Jonas was so warm and she was so comfortable…
When Avery woke again she was alone. The curtains were drawn back to reveal a winter wonderland outside and she could hear Jonas whistling in her shower. She slid out of bed and scrambled into the red pyjamas he’d tossed across the room the night before. While she was struggling with her hair Jonas appeared in the doorway with a towel slung round his hips, so obviously trying not to laugh at the sight of her that Avery shied a pillow at him.
‘Temper, temper,’ he said, wagging his finger at her.
‘Don’t laugh at my pyjamas, then,’ she said tartly. She pulled on her dressing gown and went to the window to look at the snow-covered garden. ‘Wow!’ she said with awe. ‘I bet that’s put paid to the camellia.’
‘Never mind the damned camellia—think of my car! I hope you keep a shovel handy,’ he said, coming to stand behind her, but Avery slid away from his grasp.
‘I’ll have a shower now my bathroom’s available,’ she said quickly.
Jonas took her by the shoulders, his face stern. ‘Avery, after last night there’s no point in trying to shift us back to square one.’
‘I know.’ She grinned as his eyes flickered.
‘You’re agreeing with me?’
‘Yes.’ She drew a hand down his flat-muscled torso. ‘You’re freezing. Go and dress while I shower, and we’ll talk over breakfast.’
Avery went downstairs twenty minutes later, wearing her scarlet cardigan over black wool sweater and trousers, and found Jonas shivering in shirtsleeves as he put down his phone. He eyed her enviously.
‘You look warm, darling. I’ve just rung my father and told him I can’t make it today. He’ll take over until I get back.’
‘So you’re stuck here with me,’ she said, delighted, and eyed him with sympathy. ‘You must be so cold! I’ll see what I can find.’
Avery went upstairs to rummage through her wardrobe and returned to the kitchen holding out a heavy grey jersey. ‘Lucky for you I tend to buy men’s sweaters for the length. Try this.’
On Jonas the garment was too snug round the chest, and an inch or two shorter than he would have liked. ‘But it’s warm,’ he said gratefully, and kissed her. ‘Thank you, darling. What’s for breakfast?’
While Jonas cut bread and made the tea Avery had requested instead of coffee, she made a vast omelette. They fell on the food like wolves, so hungry they were at the toast and marmalade stage before making any attempt at serious discussion.
‘Now we talk,’ said Jonas as Avery poured tea. ‘So, Ms Crawford, where do we go from here?’
‘I vote we backtrack a bit—not to square one,’ she said hastily at the black look he threw her. ‘Let’s rewind to the time before Paul did his dirty work.’
‘You mean you want a part-time lover again?’ he said, resigned.
‘For now, yes.’
‘For now,’ he repeated thoughtfully. ‘What does that mean?’
‘We get used to being together again.’
‘We won’t be together much!’
‘It’s better than the alternative. Maybe you can make it to the Barn on special occasions, and I’ll come down to London every weekend I can,’ she promised.
He eyed her sombrely. ‘I was afraid you’d never set foot in my house again.’
She gave him a wry little smile. ‘I could use a warmer welcome next time I come!’
‘Guaranteed.’ Jonas leaned nearer. ‘Talking of welcomes, I couldn’t even get you to kiss me downstairs last night, so it was a pretty wild gamble to get into your bed stark naked later on.’
Avery grinned. ‘I’d been lying awake for ages, hoping you’d come.’
‘Then why the devil didn’t you come creeping into my bed?’ he demanded.
She shook her head. ‘I’m all for equality of the sexes, but this was definitely your move. You’d been pretty hostile earlier on. If I’d come to you—wearing those red pyjamas, remember?—for all I knew you might have told me to get lost.’
Jonas eyed her scornfully. ‘As scenarios go that’s the most unlikely I’ve ever heard.’ He got up and went round t
he table to pull her to her feet. ‘Take it from me, Avery Crawford, any time you come creeping into my bed I’ll be ready and waiting—just like this.’ He wrapped his arms round her and gave her the kind of long, slow kiss that led to a lot more of the same, and in the end she had to tear herself away to ring Helen and Louise.
Avery confirmed that the shop would be closed for the day, received assurances from both of them that they’d work extra hours as soon as it reopened, had a little chat about the wedding each time, then put the phone down and with a smile turned to Jonas, holding out her arms. ‘Where were we?’
Much to their mutual regret a thaw set in by late morning. The sun came out after lunch, and the temperature rose to what the television weather forecaster described as ‘near the seasonal normal’, and the problem of the car was solved without recourse to a shovel.
‘I’ll have to go in the morning,’ said Jonas, as they lay curled together in front of the fire after lunch. ‘A pity the snow didn’t hang on a bit longer.’
‘We’ve got the rest of the day,’ said Avery drowsily.
‘And the night,’ he reminded her. ‘So, tell me, what did you think of my London house?’
‘I wasn’t there long enough to look at it properly, but it’s the last type of house I’d expected you to own because it’s so ultra-conventional.’ She gave him a wry look. ‘I didn’t see much of it. My attention was on the drunk and dangerous owner.’
His eyes gleamed and he touched a finger to his mouth. ‘You were the dangerous one, Avery Crawford. That was one stinging slap.’
‘Sorry about that— No,’ she corrected herself, ‘I’m not sorry. You said what you said, and I did what I did, so we’ll call it quits.’
‘Which is only fair,’ he said soberly. ‘Anyway, my parents decided to go for something smaller and more modern a couple of years ago, and almost as an afterthought asked if I wanted to take on the family home. To their surprise— and mine—I liked the idea. So I sold my flat and moved in.’ He turned her face up to his. ‘When the “for now” period is over, could you live there with me, Avery?’
‘As far as the house is concerned I could,’ she said cautiously. ‘But living together is a big step. We haven’t known each other very long, Jonas.’
‘Long enough for me to fall hopelessly in love with you.’ He kissed her to underline his statement.
‘Not hopelessly at all,’ she said breathlessly, when she could speak. ‘I feel the same about you.’
‘Thank God for that! So when will you come and live with me?’
‘After Frances comes back, and I’ve tidied up a few loose ends. If we’re still together—’
‘Damn right we’ll be together,’ said Jonas sternly, and cupped her face in his hands. ‘I’m never going to let you get away again. So learn to live with that, Avery Crawford.’
Three weeks later Jonas arrived in Gresham Road just before dark on a Friday night, and drove Avery to the Barn for the weekend.
‘At last,’ he said with a sigh, as they bumped over the cattle grids on the way to the house, which stood out like a lighthouse in the dark. ‘I see Hetty’s insisted on illuminations. A pity Charlie isn’t footing the electricity bill.’
‘Scrooge!’ said Avery, laughing. ‘Are they likely to be inside, waiting for us?’
‘No. Charlie was all for that, but Hetty told him you’d probably want to go straight to bed. Do you?’ he added as the car came to a halt.
‘Only if you’re coming too!’
‘That’s definitely my plan. But if you’re very good I may allow you a little light refreshment first.’
‘I hope it’s not too light. I’m starving.’
Jonas unlocked the door and Avery wandered happily round the great room, touching the winged lion as she renewed her acquaintance with the frieze of ancient cavalrymen over the fireplace. ‘At one point I thought I’d never come here again,’ she said, turning to Jonas.
He took her in his arms and held her tightly. ‘We shouldn’t be here now. We should be down in London, talking about the changes you want made to the house.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Unless you’ve changed your mind about living in Chiswick?’
‘Of course I haven’t,’ she said tartly, then bit her lip. ‘Sorry. I sound like a nagging wife.’
‘I wish you were. The wife bit, I mean. Come on,’ he said briskly, taking her hand. ‘Let’s see what we can do about supper.’
‘Shall I help you get things in from the car?’
‘I didn’t bring any food.’
‘Jonas!’ she wailed. ‘Tell me you don’t mean that.’
He laughed and led her into the kitchen. ‘Hetty and Mrs Holmes did the catering.’
Avery gave a gusty sigh of pleasure as she saw the platter of chicken salad keeping company with a familiar pie on the table. A note signed ‘H & C’, followed by a row of kisses, informed them that the fridge was full and two loaves of Mrs Holmes’s special bread were in the crock.
They ate supper at the kitchen table, but Avery waited until they were sitting in front of the fire together afterwards before telling him why she’d requested this weekend at the Barn instead of going down to Chiswick.
‘I’ve been unusually busy this week, Jonas,’ she began, and detached herself from his encircling arm.
He eyed her warily. ‘Why can’t I hold you while you tell me about it?’
‘After being parted from you for a week, it tends to slow my thinking processes.’
‘Does it?’ he said, so smugly delighted Avery gave him a punch on his shoulder.
‘Yes. So keep your distance for a bit. And,’ she added severely, ‘don’t look at me like that, either.’
His eyes widened innocently. ‘Like what?’
‘You know perfectly well! So, listen. I’m trying to tell you that the “for now” period is over.’
Jonas was suddenly still. ‘What exactly are you saying?’ he asked carefully.
‘Nothing ominous,’ she assured him, her smile so radiant that life came back to his face. ‘I’ll move into your big conventional house as soon as you like. If you still want me.’
Jonas pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, rubbing his cheek against hers. ‘Of course I still want you, woman. Let’s go to bed.’
‘Not so fast,’ she scolded, pulling away. ‘I haven’t told you about my busy week yet.’
With a sigh Jonas released her and sat back, arms folded. ‘There. I’m all ears, so fire away.’
‘I invited Frances and Philip round for dinner on Monday evening—’
‘You told me that on the phone.’
‘True, but I didn’t tell you why.’ Avery smiled triumphantly. ‘I asked Frances how she’d feel about taking over the business.’
Jonas shot upright ‘Did you, indeed! What did she say?’
‘She’s all for it. So is Philip. He’s happy to deal with the financial side, and Frances plans to advertise for someone to replace me.’
‘She’ll have a problem with that, darling.’ Jonas kissed her swiftly. ‘You’re one of a kind.’
‘So you told me! Anyway, next day we told Helen and Louise, who were rather sweet about missing me when I go, but so relieved to keep their jobs they promised to give Frances all the support they can.’ Avery tucked a tress of hair behind her ear and took in a deep breath. ‘Next day an estate agent—not George Morrell—had a look round my house and named a price about twice as much as I expected.’
Jonas got up, pulled her to her feet, and then sat down again with her in his lap. ‘After that I insist on holding on to you, Avery Crawford. Your thought processes will just have to put up with it.’
She wriggled closer. ‘Actually, I need you close to give you the next piece of news.’
His arms tightened. ‘So what other little bombshell have you got for me?’
Avery took in a deep breath. ‘I’m two weeks past the end of the first trimester. I’ve made it past the tricky stage. I can hardly believe it yet, but I’m w
ell and truly pregnant. We’re having a baby, Jonas.’
He stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. ‘But, my darling girl, how?’
She bubbled over with laughter. ‘You know how, Jonas Mercer.’
He kissed her fiercely, then raised his head to look down at her in wonder. ‘But I thought you couldn’t—’
‘I was told I couldn’t. But I’d never put it to the test until I met you.’
‘My God, that’s utterly amazing!’ Jonas smiled so triumphantly that tears of joy filled Avery’s eyes. ‘When did you know?’ he demanded, kissing the tears away.
She sniffed inelegantly. ‘My system has been irregular ever since the laparotomy, so I didn’t take much notice when the usual signs failed to appear. By the time I did find out you and I weren’t friends any more.’
He snorted. ‘That’s one way of putting it! But why in God’s name didn’t you let me know?’
‘Pride,’ she said simply. ‘You would have taken it for granted I was asking you to marry me.’
‘Which I would have done,’ Jonas said with emphasis.
‘I know that! But I wanted us to get back together because you wanted to, not because you felt you had to. Besides, I was terrified I’d have another ectopic pregnancy, or something else would go wrong. With my medical history I was told to be careful until after the third month, so I forced myself to wait until it was safe before giving you the glad news.’ Avery smiled up at him. ‘Now you know why I was against adoption.’
He shook his head, looking bemused. ‘And you’ve kept this to yourself all this time?’
‘It wasn’t easy, believe me! But I had to be sure.’ She breathed in deeply, her eyes steady on his. ‘So, can I ask you a question, Jonas?’
‘As many as you like.’
‘Just one. Will you marry me?’
He gave a shout of triumph. ‘The minute I can get a special licence,’ he said huskily, and kissed her with a tenderness which brought the tears back as he set her very carefully on her feet.
‘It’s all right, darling, I’m as healthy as a horse!’ she protested, sniffing.
He ran a loving hand over her tumbled mane of hair. ‘My thoroughbred,’ he said huskily. ‘We’re invited to lunch over at the house with Hetty and Charlie tomorrow. Shall we give them the news?’
Their Scandalous Affair Page 17