Ava stared into his eyes, seeing lust in them. Maybe a bit of longing, too.
It was surely reflected in her own.
He brought his lips to hers, and she thought of what she’d have been doing if she was in London, not having been given this project. It was fate that their paths had crossed again.
But it would also be hard to maintain a relationship if they only got to see each other at the weekends. It wasn’t far to commute, but it wouldn’t be the same as all the time. Waking up and going to sleep every night with him.
Ava had fallen for Jack, too. Yet she felt vulnerable telling him, showing her true feelings.
She had to trust someone, though, and Jack was here for her.
‘Would you like to stay the night?’ he asked, breaking into her thoughts. A slight nervous laugh following. ‘I know it’s early in the day, but I need to know.’
She nodded shyly. ‘Yes, I’d like that. A long time to wait, though.’
‘You mean there’s no time like the present?’
Ava raised her eyebrows in reply.
Jack stood up, took her hand, and led her out of the room.
The afternoon was spent in bliss. It was strange to make love to someone other than Giles and exciting to learn everything about another man’s body. They were gentle with each other and in no rush. Afterwards, they sat downstairs a blanket wrapped around them while they watched rain falling through the picture window. It was getting dark now, eerily so.
‘They reckon it might get warmer next week at last.’
‘Shame. I’d quite like to be marooned here,’ Ava conceded. ‘Rather than go back to the bull.’
‘The bull?’
‘Brendon, he’s an idiot to work for. He likes giving us work late so that we have to stay behind to do it.’
‘That’s pathetic.’
‘I know, but what he doesn’t realise is we’re so used to our jobs that we get lots of things finished in readiness for him giving anything to us.’
‘Clever. If you worked for yourself, you wouldn’t have to put up with idiots like that. I meant what I said about designing my book covers, and if they’re as good as your work so far, I could probably get you some freelance work doing more.’
‘That would be a dream come true.’
‘So what are you waiting for?’
‘My nerves and self-doubt to disappear.’
‘You need to believe in yourself more. I do.’
‘Well, I’ll give it a go,’ she replied. ‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
‘Do you think we should make an effort to look over Jack’s proposal this evening?’ Max asked Stella.
‘I don’t really feel like it.’
Since talking to Ava and getting all excited, Stella had come down to earth with a bang and was back at square one with her original thoughts.
Max pulled down the newspaper he was reading so that he could see her face. ‘If we go ahead with it, we’ll need to let Eliza know, too. It’s only fair.’
‘You see, that’s my point,’ Stella replied. ‘Our family are spread far and wide at the moment, and if we upset Eliza, she might leave for pastures new, and I don’t think I could bear not seeing her on a daily basis.’
