Page 126 of The Invitation

“Don’t mock me.”

I lower and kiss him gently. “We’ll figure it out,” I say, truly meaning it. And we have plenty of time to.

Jude hauls me down and hugs me. “I’m so glad I met you.”

It seems ridiculous to ask why. But ... it’s an odd statement to make. “Are you okay?”

“I . . .” He clears his throat. “I think I’m . . .”

I still, wondering . . .

“Fuck, I don’t know how to say it.” He growls to himself. “I think I’m—”

“I’m lost!” Someone yells, the kid’s voice close by, coming from over the top of the hedge running down the side of us.

“Fuck,” Jude gasps, diving up, taking me with him. I’m in a flat-out panic, wondering what the hell I should be doing as I stand naked, waiting for someone to appear. “Get dressed, Amelia,” he hisses, kicking my dress toward me as he yanks his jeans up his lovely long, strong legs.

Right, yes, get dressed. I snatch my dress up and fight my way into it, getting my arms all tangled in the straps. “Shit, I’m stuck,” I mumble, turning in circles, trying to get my dress down my body. The sound of a knicker-melting laugh suddenly has me forgetting what I’m panicking about, and I stop, listening to Jude chuckling.

“Come here,” he says, helping me unravel my dress and get it on properly. “There.”

I blow my hair out of my face and press my lips together, restraining my amusement, as Jude cups my cheek with a hand, his smile adorable. Looking at me closely, like ...

I shake my head, not letting my thoughts go there. “Oops,” I whisper, and he laughs, moving in and kissing me softly.

“Ewww!”

With Jude still holding my face, we peek to the left and see a boy, perhaps ten years old, his cheeks ballooned like he’s about to vomit.

I laugh, the kid dashes off, and Jude sweeps me off my feet, carrying me out of the maze across his arms. I cling around his shoulders, studying his profile.

“You’re staying the night,” he says again, matter-of-fact.

“No, I—”

“Are you arguing with me?”

I grin and let my head rest on his shoulder, absorbing him in his entirety, and when he turns his lips to me, kissing me gently, something happens in my chest. It’s a beautiful warm feeling, and I know I’m not mistaking what it means.

Oh . . . dear.

Chapter 30

I still feel jaded come Monday, but my head isn’t only foggy after I abused my liver on Saturday night. It’s also spinning because of Jude Harrison. I spent the rest of yesterday with him. We ate in the Piano Bar, where the dining is more casual, and then went back to Jude’s apartment and ate each other before I reluctantly told him I needed to get back to London, and he reluctantly brought me. In a lovely black Ferrari. And then I lay in bed all night wishing I’d let him win the argument and keep me at Arlington Hall, while coming to terms with the fact that I’ve fallen in love with him. It’s impossiblenotto love him. His quirks, his vulnerability, which I’m quite sure he hasn’t revealed to many. If anyone. I’m in love. Well, shit.

Every single one of the senior partners has stopped by my office at some point throughout the morning to say hello and tell me about their golf day. Sue thrashed them all. She was gracious in her victory, but I detected the smug smile she was hiding. I grab a coffee late morning and call the golf club where I booked lessons, asking to transfer it to my father’s name. That’s one thing taken care of. I send the email confirmation to Clark and then call the estate agents to see if anything has come up that fits my brief. Nothing.

And all the while, I miss him, constantly having to have a stern word with myself to keep my working day on track.

The ding of my computer has me looking up from the file I’m working on. And there it is, just his name. My smile is instant. My heart bursts.

I reach for my mouse and open his email.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Re: Business

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