‘I’m glad you saw through that façade.’
Paige nodded. ‘I did.’
‘You see?’ Sebastian stood up and walked over to her.
‘What?’
‘We can get past these incidents. The Lucindas of this world won’t even register on your radar, once you understand what they’re up to, and you’ve already worked that out. Your father will realise I’m not Jeremy, and will eventually like me,’ he laughed. ‘I’ll make it my mission to ensure that he does. My sister can be a little bit of a drama queen, but having met Clem, I think they’re not dissimilar.’
He could see Paige was mulling over his words. She wasn’t immediately arguing, which was a first. He began to feel a little more confident that this weekend might not be the battleground he’d expected. ‘I’ve let it be known that should you, or your family, be dragged into any future articles the papers print about me, I’ll sue.’
‘You think that will work?’
‘Hopefully, and Mrs Hutton has agreed to move in over here for part of the year. I’ve already brought Harley back to Jersey.’
Paige stared wide-eyed at him. ‘What about photographers?’
‘That’s the reason for me selling up in London. Although my move was helped by the fact that now I’ve inherited my uncle’s business and properties, I can only spend up to ninety days in England. There are two entrances at my house here, as well as far more interesting people than me living in Jersey, so I doubt the paparazzi will bother coming to the island to hound me. If they did, we’d soon lose them down these narrow lanes.’
Paige laughed.
‘The gardens are totally private, as is the house, so we wouldn’t have to worry about any intrusion.’
‘What do you mean, “we”?’
‘I love you,’ he said. ‘I want you to marry me, and come and live in the mausoleum I call home. It’s far too big for one.’
She narrowed her eyes. ‘You’re hardly alone.’
He shook his head keeping eye contact all the time. ‘Stop finding excuses. Anyway, your cottage is going to be far too cramped with Olly, Clem, and their new baby. Do you really see those living arrangements working in your favour for very long?’
Paige laughed. ‘No, I can’t say that I do.’
A shard of golden light shot in through the window. Paige blinked and put her hand up to shield her eyes, and as she turned away she spotted a colourful painting on the wall. She stared at it, eyes narrowed as if trying to think where she had seen it before. She walked over to study it more closely. ‘Don’t you think this painting looks like one of Carlo’s?’ She gasped. ‘It is one of his paintings.’ She turned to Sebastian her mouth open in surprise.
He smiled at her, delighted she was so overjoyed to see it.
‘It’s the one I liked so much.’ She glanced back at the painting.
Sebastian walked over to stand next to her. ‘I thought you should have something from Capri.’
‘It’s mine?’ she asked, after a brief silence.
Sebastian nodded. ‘Come along, let’s go outside.’
He grabbed a blanket from the back of the sofa, took her hand, and ran with her out of the door into the walled in garden.
Three rabbits bounced away on the outside of the wall before disappearing into the heather. ‘It’s glorious,’ she said, squeezing his hand.
‘Here.’ He sat down on a large sunbed, pulling her in front of him and covered her body with the blanket. Paige sighed.
Sebastian couldn’t help smiling. He put his arms round her and drew her back into him.
Paige rested her arms on his and lay back against his chest. She murmured in agreement. ‘Tell me more about us,’ she said quietly, as they stared out across the darkening sky.
‘We’re stubborn, strong-willed, and determined,’ he kissed her shoulder. ‘We’re business-minded and creative.’
‘Mmm, don’t forget we enjoy good food and drink,’ she said quietly. ‘What else?’
‘We’ve both been jilted,’ he teased, kissing her when she lifted her head and giggled. ‘So we both have a lot to be grateful for.’
Paige laughed. ‘We do. Anything else you can think of?’
He sensed she was enjoying lying with him as much as he did. He breathed in the faint smell of her perfume, and slowly the heat of her body warmed him as they lay there. ‘We’re extremely attracted to each other.’
‘True,’ she agreed.
‘And I love you.’
She snuggled back into him. ‘I love you, too,’ she whispered.
Georgina Troy
The Jersey Scene
A Jersey Kiss
A Jersey Affair
A Jersey Bombshell
A Jersey Dreamboat
For more information about Georgina Troy
and other Accent Press titles
please visit
www.accentpress.co.uk
Published by Accent Press Ltd 2015
ISBN 9781783757107
Copyright © Georgina Troy 2015
The right of Georgina Troy to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The story contained within this book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publishers: Accent Press Ltd, Ty Cynon House, Navigation Park, Abercynon CF45 4SN
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