‘Just open it.’ he pushes impatiently, then commences nibbling that lip. My nerves increase when I see cogs starting to fly, too.
I’m not sure that I want to open it, but curiosity is drowning my apprehension, so I slowly pull it open, flicking eyes back and forth between Jesse and the envelope. Slowly pulling out the piece of paper, I unfold and read the first line.
Haskett and Sandler property management.
That means nothing to me. I read on, but I can’t make head nor tail of the legal lingo. I can make sense of the obscene amount of numbers that follow the pound sign halfway down the page, though.
‘You’ve bought another house?’ I blurt, looking over the paper at him. I say house but judging by the figure, which I now notice has the words ‘For the sum of’ written next to it, it could be a palace… or maybe even a castle.
‘No, I’ve sold The Manor.’ The lip biting has just sprung into the realms of cannibalism. He’s chomping furiously as he gages my reaction to that statement.
‘You’ve what?’ I’m trying to sit up, thinking maybe being upright might lessen the shock, but I won’t find out because I’m being pushed back down to the bed.
‘I’ve sold The Manor.’ He lays down over me and clasps the sides of my face in his bag palms.
‘I heard you. Why?’ I don’t understand. I planted the seed, I know, but I never expected him to take a bit of notice.
He smiles down at me and lowers his lips to mine, teasingly. I’m desperate to know what has instigated this, but I’m also desperate, as always, for his magic mouth. I drop the document and fall straight into the rhythm he’s set, finding his big shoulders and feeling my way up to his jaw. I’m distracted for now, but he won’t get away without an explanation on this. The Manor is all he knows, even if he’s not utilising the facilities anymore.
‘Hmmm, you taste heavenly, lady.’ He bites my bottom lip, pulling back so it drags through his teeth lightly.
‘Why?’ I press, keeping him close to me and wrapping my thighs around his narrow hips. I’m not letting go until he spills.
He gazes at me thoughtfully for a few moments before drawing breath. ‘You know when you’re a kid? At primary school, I mean.’
‘Yeah,’ I say slowly, my brow scrunched up, my eyes undoubtedly inquisitive.
‘Well…’ he sighs. ‘What the hell would I do if the babies asked me to go in for one of those open days these schools have?’
‘Open day?’
‘You know, when daddies stand up and tell their kid’s class mates that they’re a fireman or a copper.’
I squeeze my lips together, desperate not to laugh at him when it’s clearly a worry.
‘What would I say?’ he asks seriously.
‘You’d tell them you’re The Sex Lord of The Manor.’ It’s no good. I’m laughing. God love this man. My fast disappearing hipbone is grasped and my laughter increases. ‘Stop!’
‘Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, lady.’
‘Please stop!’
I’m released and recovering from my bout of hysteria when I catch his concerned expression. He really is worried. ‘You would tell them that you own a hotel, just like we’d tell the babies.’ I can’t believe I’m trying to give him an out. This, obviously, has always been a concern, but I never pushed it because I know what that big country estate means to him.
He rolls onto his back, and I quickly resume position and sit myself on him. He grasps the tops of my thighs and looks up at me. ‘I don’t want it anymore.’ He’s really adamant.
‘But it was Carmichael’s baby. You wouldn’t sell it when your mum and dad demanded it, so why now?’
‘Because I have you three.’
‘You’ll always have us three, anyway.’ He’s not making sense.
‘I want you three and nothing to complicate that. I don’t want to lie to our babies about my job. I would never allow them to spend any time there, which means my time with you and the babies would be limited. The Manor is an obstruction. I don’t want any obstructions. I have a history, baby, and The Manor should be part of it.’
I feel untold relief and the smile invading my face is proof of that. ‘So I get you all day every day?’
He shrugs sheepishly. ‘If you’ll have me.’
I dive on him, smothering him all over his wonderfully handsome face. But I’m quickly sitting up again when I think of something. ‘What about John and Mario? And Sarah? What about Sarah?’ I have no loyalty to the woman, despite my compassion, but I don’t want her attempting suicide again. However, John and Mario I love.
‘I’ve spoken to them. Sarah’s taking up an opportunity is the US and John and Mario are more than ready for retirement.’
‘Oh,’ I say acceptingly, but I suspect they’ve all picked up a tidy little sum for their services to The Manor, no matter what capacity in which they served. ‘And will the members re-new under the new owners?’
He laughs. ‘Yes, if they like playing golf.’
‘Golf?’
‘The grounds are being converted into an eighteen hole golf course.’