Page 106 of Duchess Material

Patrick rolled his eyes. “It will get worse as the evening goes.”

“I think Natalie is a better cook than I am. She lived in the mess a long time by herself. She probably was the only one using the officer’s kitchen?”

“There were a group of us. We’d make something and rotate,” Natalie replied. “I lived for a flight lieutenant—Singh—to make whatever he did. It was going to be no doubt the best meal of the rotation. I’m not a fab cook. I’m fine.”

“You’re a lovely cook,” Ed said.

“You say that because you cannot cook, darling.”

Katie snickered. “Day-um. He just gave it to you.”

“Oh, she will. She can be downright infuriating.”

“Only makes you want me more, though. It works for me.”

“Naaaaaat,” George groaned.

Ed chuckled, entertained by all of it. He knew he’d get his comeuppance later. Natalie struggled to focus. She wanted to jump his bones. God, he was so hot. There were few men who could have brought Natalie to her knees. And, even then, she had to be in the mood for it. Ed, though, could have done anything at all and she’d still be weak for him.

George shook his head. “Ignore them. They’re embarrassing.”

“Oh, and you two aren’t? Puh-leez, Georgie. You and Patrick are just as bad.”

“Not possible. I haven’t been known to suck face in the street in front of the press for funsies.”

“Guilty as charged—with yours and mine,” Natalie giggled.

“I live for this. I mean, she’s a good kisser. Not my type, obviously. But she sold it. It looked impressive. Maybe your family is just genetically designed to be good at kissing? All I know is, people bought it.”

“She can sell a kiss, yes,” Ed admitted. “And get herself in lots of trouble.”

“I don’t regret either. One, it bought you two time—years in fact—and two, such poor behaviour let Ed and I skip the rumour mill. I don’t regret that for a moment.”

“Okay, for the idiot in the room,” Katie said. “Can you please elaborate?”

“Katie, don’t you have a degree from Harvard?” Ed laughed.

She clapped back. “Ed, don’t you have a degree from Oxford? Who kissed who?”

George groaned, as if in great agony.

“Back when they were both in the closet, I was probably the first to find out what was going on.”

“She walked in on us,” Patrick clarified.

“So, in my brilliant mind, I know we have the press surrounding Patrick’s building. And I’m there with a female friend because I secretly hoped I would be hooking up with Patrick. I thought that was the plan, George?”

Katie and Tom laughed.

“So, we must get out of there. I tell George to take my friend to the car and get in. And then Patrick walks me to the car, and I lay a massive kiss on him. I tell him to go along with it. We sold it, okay? I felt nothing, obviously, but I gave it all I had. And you all got to stay under-the-radar for years.”

“Well, except Dad was convinced you were shagging Patrick.”

“Correct.”

“What?” Tony scoffed. “Okay, I need this story.”

“Dad was concerned that I was dating a footballer because he observed me talking to Patrick at the polo. He thought we were too chummy.”

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