Page 62 of Love At First Fright
“Could you come for a drive then? I packed some food. Whatdothe elderly eat these days?” She grinned.
“You sure you don’t want to consider a comedy career?”
“With this face? Never.” Jenna glanced around, and her eyes widened. “Who isthat?”
Ellis turned around. She was looking directly at Rosemary.
“That’s Rosemary, remember? You met her at the dinner?”
“No, not Rosemary. The person beside her.” Jenna whispered, entirely dumbstruck.
“You mean Lyn? They’re Rosemary’s PA.”
“Lyn. Okay. Cool. That’s cool.”
Ellis huffed a laugh. “Yes, that’s very cool. Why don’t I introduce you? Since you’ve come all this way and hopefully we gave the photographers what they need.”
Jenna smoothed down her jacket, flicking her hair. Ellis realised this was the first time he’d ever seen her nervous. “Sure.”
Ellis led her over to Rosemary and Lyn. There was so much he wanted to tell Rosemary right now, but it would be better to do it when he had her alone. He had a sudden idea to suggest they go away for the weekend, rent a cottage somewhere, have her all to himself, away from prying eyes.
When Ellis introduced Lyn and Jenna, it was clear withinseconds that Lyn was just as interested in Jenna. They looked sweet together, and if something good could come out of this whole arrangement, that would make Ellis feel a touch better about it all.
“That was…interesting,” Rosemary said, when Ellis pulled her into a quiet alcove inside the manor.
“I should have told you,” he said.
“That would have been nice. I get it, Ellis, I know it’s not real, it’s just…”
“I should have told you, it wasn’t a nice surprise.”
“Yeah,” she exhaled.
“For what it’s worth, I was planning to tell you, but Brody only told me a few minutes before. The ambush is one of his preferred tactics.”
“You make him sound like a military tactician.”
Ellis grimaced. “He is.”
“Will you warn me next time if Brody is going to pull something?” she asked, stepping into the circle of his arms.
“Of course.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. Lavender and mint. “I wish there didn’t have to be a next time.”
“Me, too,” Rosemary whispered. “I wish you’d tell me why he makes you do this.”
Ellis didn’t answer, he couldn’t, so he captured her lips with his and kissed her until they both had to pull back to breathe.
“I just want to protect you, love, from all of the shit I have to deal with on a daily basis, both from Brody and from the rest of the industry.”
“I get it, Ellis. But I don’t want to be hidden. If you want this”—she gestured between them—“then I need you to understand that.”
“I do. But I also sort of want to steal you away for the whole weekend and not see anyone else, how does that sound?” He nipped at her ear and relished the feel of Rosemary shivering and arching into him.
“I could be on board with that.” She grinned.
—
Two hours later, they werein Ellis’s Land Rover with their weekend bags packed and Fig in the backseat. Ellis had found a cute little cottage a short drive away, located close to a small chocolate-box hamlet, and with Rosemary’s enthusiastic approval, he’d booked it. He was itching to get there, to spend the weekend getting closer to her in every way he could.
