Page 11 of This Woman Forever

“Oh, the bride’s arrived,” Elizabeth sings, passing me, going to greet her daughter.

I don’t think so.

I rush past her, hearing her shocked gasp, and pull Ava out of the car, hauling her gently up onto my shoulder.

“Whoa!” she yelps. “Jesse, what the hell are you doing?”

I’m getting my fix before some fucker robs you from me.

“Jesse Ward!” Elizabeth shrieks, tottering alongside me as I haul Ava into The Manor. “For Christ’s sake, put her down.”

“Nope.” I take the stairs two at a time.

“But she has guests to welcome!”

“I’m sure you’ll manage, Elizabeth,” I call back.

“God damn you, Jesse Ward!”

I smile as Ava chuckles, not fighting me as I carry her around the gallery landing and take us into my suite. I hear the echo of Ava’s mother’s scornful voice hit the wood of the door as it closes, and I lower Ava to her feet. “How’s your back?” I ask, taking her hands.

“Better. Yours?”

“Better.” I ease her down to the carpet and spread myself all over her, settling, breathing easy, but I refrain from resting all of my weight on her stomach. “We made it,” I whisper.

“We made it,” she breathes, smiling, and it’s fucking dazzling. She’s happy. She wants to marry me. How could I have doubted that?

“Don’t make me sleep away from you tonight,” I beg. It’ll feel like my limbs have been cut off. I won’t get a wink of sleep, and Ava won’t have me cuddling her all night. Wrong. So wrong.

“It’s one night,” she says. “It’s bad luck. I don’t want any bad luck.”

I sigh, burying my face in her neck. Compromise. One night in exchange for thousands. “Fine. But I get you until midnight.”

At that very moment, there’s a knock at the door before it swings open. I don’t look up. The horrified gasp tells me who it is. “Please, you two, won’t you leave each other alone for just a few minutes?”

“Fuck off,” I whisper into Ava’s skin.

“We’re coming,” she says, chuckling.

“Are we?”

“Yes.” Ava wriggles, trying to move me, and I grunt, rolling onto my back. Elizabeth stands over me, her face a picture of disapproval. Could give a fuck. But I absolutely do not. She helps Ava to her feet while I remain on my back, moody.

“Get up,” Elizabeth says, offering her hands.

“I’m just going to stay here.”

“Why?”

“Well, because this is where I’m sleeping tonight.”

She swings a horrified look Ava’s way, and Ava rolls her eyes. “He’s not sleeping in here tonight, Mum,” she says. “He’s winding you up.” Ava tilts her head, giving warning eyes. “Stop it.”

“No.” I force myself to my feet and let Elizabeth direct me out of the room. “I liked you when I met you,” I say to her.

“I was just thinking the same about you,” she retorts. “Out.” I’m thrust into the corridor, just as Zoe appears with one end of a huge dress bag draped over her arms, the other end held up by John.

Fuck me, that’s some dress. My stomach does a cartwheel.

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