Page 26 of A Very Happy Halloween

“It doesn’t have the same effect. But I made friends on the inside, and he isn’t having a good time there. Grandma Elizabeth used to say everything happened for a reason, and I used to tell her that was bullshit, then she used to clip my ear and order me to mind my language. But perhaps she was right?”

“Possibly, but that doesn’t excuse Harry from throwing paint at your door.”

“I thought my mind was playing tricks when I heard your voice on the phone.”

So he had recognised me, but he hadn’t said anything.

That put another checkmark in the “jerk” column.

“So you gave me a fake name and then hid inside?”

“Would you rather I’d greeted you on the steps with a ‘Hey, babe, did you miss me?’ If you were still happily married, I wouldn’t have interfered.”

“I guess I can understand that.” I leaned in closer and brushed my lips over his. This man gave me courage I hadn’t felt in a long time. “I’m strangely glad you’re back in my life, Chip.”

He touched a finger to his lips. “What happened to taking things slow?”

My turn to shrug.

In a heartbeat, I found myself underneath him, and he returned my kiss with a barely-there one of his own. Electricity charged through me, but when I tried for more, he shook his head.

“Don’t start something we can’t finish. The boys will be home soon.”

A groan escaped. “Are you coming over tomorrow? For the plumbing, I mean. I should buy some dog biscuits for Primrose.”

“What time do the boys leave for school?”

“Harry gets the bus at seven thirty, and I walk Alfie to the school in the village at ten past eight. My first appointment is at eleven.”

“Mondays, I have a family call at nine, and they never last longer than an hour, so I’ll come over after that.”

“A family call? Sounds very formal. My family has a WhatsApp group.”

“I doubt my cousins use WhatsApp. They’d probably just get their PAs to post sanctimonious reminders about not bringing the family name into disrepute.” This time, he kissed my nose. “Text me with your coffee order.”

Eis drove me home and waited politely while I walked to the front door. Or at least, I thought that’s what he was doing. Safety first, that kind of thing. I was halfway up the path when I heard the car door slam, and then he was on me. One fist tangled in my hair, and his other arm snaked around my waist, lifting me onto my toes so my lips met his. Such soft lips, but the rest of him was hard as granite. Chest, abs, cock… Oh my. His tongue teased the seam of my lips until I gave in and yielded, and then he kissed me so thoroughly that my knees trembled.

Finally, I dredged up every last ounce of willpower and pushed him away.

“Don’t start what you can’t finish, remember?”

“When are the boys going back to their dad’s?”

“The weekend after next.”

“Block it out on your schedule. You’re mine from the moment they leave.”

Twelve

Me

If the offer of coffee is still good, anything with lots of caffeine and sugar would be great.

Eisen

Bad day?

Bad evening, bad night, bad morning. The boys had arrived home two hours late. Harry’s coat had disappeared, and Alfie’s clothes were covered in felt pen. I’d barely slept because I kept reliving that kiss, and at five thirty a.m., Alfie had run into my room crying because his pet spider was missing.

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