Page 268 of This Woman Forever

Oh, she will love it. “I have it all planned out.” But there wasn’t much actual planning, to be honest. This time, it’s not about scale. It’s about us. Us and the people who love us. “You will do what you’re told,” I say, looking up at her as I kiss her belly. I’m counting the kisses needed to cover her bump. More are needed each week.

“Does it involve cards?” she asks, coy.

“No.” I smile, remembering our last game of cards in Paradise. It ended in Sleepy Twilight Sex.

“Does it involve Twilight Sleepy Sex?”

“Maybe later.” When my family aren’t around.

“Then I’ll do whatever you want.”

Of course she won’t. “Your day starts right now, Mrs. Ward.” I finish coating her belly with my kisses and move, sitting myself on her hips. I reach for the bedside cabinet and grab the paperwork—Ava’s wedding present, my wedding present—and hand it to her. “Here.”

“What’s this?” She warily accepts the paperwork that details the sale of The Manor. Fucking hell, it’s gone.

“Just open it.”

She looks utterly terrified as she works the envelope open, her eyes jumping from me to her working hands. She pulls out the paper and reads, the lines on her head increasing the farther she gets down the page. I bite at my lip, waiting.

“You’ve bought another house?” she eventually asks.

“No.” I smile. “I’ve sold The Manor.” My God, I’ve sold The Manor. That’s the first time I’ve said it out loud. It’s feels surreal.

“You’ve what?” she breathes, lifting beneath me, trying to sit herself up. She looks completely stunned. Expected, I suppose. In the end, it wasn’t such a hard decision. I’ve outgrown the grand, magnificent building. It no longer has a place in my life. Besides, as I noted on my various walks around the grounds, it’s wasted. Now, it’ll be an incredible golf course and thousands of people will get to enjoy what I have these past few months. The gardens.

I encourage Ava back down to the bed. “I’ve sold The Manor.” I shift and spread myself all over her, cupping her face with my palms.

“I heard you,” she whispers, scanning my face. “Why?”

Why? She doesn’t need to ask. The Manor no longer gives me purpose and reason. John first told me that weeks ago. I know Ava’s often thought it, but she would never have enforced such a monumental ask. I kiss her instead, and our lips coming together suck us into the usual vortex of passion.

The Manor is gone.

My life is here ready to be lived.

I hum, happy. “You taste heavenly, lady.”

“Why?” she repeats, her limbs coiling around my body, locking me to her. She wants something. So I’ll give her one of the many reasons she won’t have considered.

“You know when you’re a kid?” I say. “At primary school, I mean.”

She smiles through her frown. “Yeah.”

“Well.” How do I explain this? “What the hell would I do if the babies asked me to go in for one of those open days these schools have?”

Her curiosity is dying and her humor growing. She knows where this is heading. But she’ll still make me say it. “Open day?”

“You know, when daddies stand up and tell their kids’ classmates they’re a fireman or a copper.” I knew she’d find this funny. I roll my eyes to myself. “What would I say?”

“You’d tell them you’re The Lord of The Sex Manor.” She giggles, and the sound is life. But still, she’s mocking me. This was a very real worry. I grab her hip and tickle her. “Stop!”

“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, lady.”

“Please stop!”

I do, only because I don’t want her peeing on me. “You would tell them that you own a hotel,” she says, her breathing labored as she gathers herself, her grin massive. “Just like we’d tell the babies.”

Just like that. But I’ve been there. It was fucking stressful. Besides, like I said, that’s not the only reason. New beginnings. I lift off her and drop to my back, knowing she’ll soon be straddling me. And she is, being careful to avoid the site of my wound, hands on my bare chest, her belly directly in my sights. “I don’t want it anymore,” I say, holding her thighs.

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