Page 180 of Love ad Lib
As she was trying to make sense of what planet she was currently on, he undid the silk ties, ripped off the blindfold and covered her body with his.
‘I love you, I love you, I love you,’ he said between kisses.
She clung to him. ‘Henry,’ she whispered. ‘Oh my god, will it always be like that?’
He lifted his head, his eyes shining.
‘No,’ he replied with a smile. ‘It’s going to be better.’
37
Cocooned inside the silk tent with Henry, Libby was in heaven. No longer fearful of the future, she wanted to run towards it with open arms.
He stroked her back as she snuggled against his chest. ‘Are you happy to live here until we can find somewhere else?’ he asked.
‘It is a bit small.’ She sighed. ‘But I suppose the Manor will have to do until we can find something a bit bigger.’
She felt his grin against her cheek. ‘Rest assured I’m going to fix the door, so we don’t have to push a wardrobe against it every time we want privacy.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. The sock seems to have done the trick.’
There was a sharp rap at the door.
‘Yoo hoo!’ Arthur called from the corridor.
Henry raised his head to give her a look. ‘You were saying?’
‘Wehavebeen up here a while...’
‘Dinner’s on the table in half an hour,’ Arthur shouted. ‘So you’ve got time for one more round before the gong. Henry, I’m leaving your bag outside the door. Toodle-pip!’
Henry’s head fell back to the pillow. ‘Please don’t change your mind about all of this. I’m begging you.’
She kissed him. ‘Never. Although I can’t believe I’m about to move in with your family and you haven’t even met mine yet.’
‘We can visit them on the weekend? If you think I’d make the grade?’
‘Oh, you’ll make the grade alright.’ She giggled. ‘My mum will think you’re royalty.’
‘And your dad?’
‘He’ll use you as an example of what kind of boyfriend Chloe and Paige should be looking for. Seriously, compared to some of the blokes they’ve brought home, you’re like the best bits of Einstein, James Bond, and the Dalai Lama.’
He grinned. ‘They can’t bethatbad, surely?’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘Chloe’s ex-boyfriend got drunk last year and tried it on with Paige, claiming it was a scientific experiment into shagging twins. He then projectile vomited all over the hall as Chloe was kicking him out. After spending hours cleaning it up, we discovered he’d emptied my dad’s wallet and nicked his Christmas whisky.’
‘Ah,’ he replied. ‘I see how high the bar is now.’
‘Exactly. You won’t even notice when you step over it.’
They showered together,dressed, and went downstairs to the dining room hand-in-hand. Estelle was the first to greet them, pulling Libby in for a hug strong enough to uproot a tree.
‘Thank you for taking him back,’ she said as she squeezed. ‘Finally, one of us has found someone.’
‘Speak for yourself,’ said Leo. ‘I’m rather popular with the ladies of the West Country.’
Summer and Willow startedbaainglike sheep and everyone laughed.
