Page 90 of Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood
‘You haven’t got it on now, does that mean we won’t be interrupted tonight?’
‘I do hope not . . . ’ Callum says, his expression changing to a much more earnest one.
I take a hasty sip of my wine.
‘What words of wisdom were you bestowing upon our friend Lonan?’ Callum asks, swiftly changing the subject. ‘He seemed pretty pleased with what you had to say.’
‘I’m not sure I can share confessional thoughts, now, can I?’ I ask, grinning at him. ‘You of all people should know that.’
‘Again, I have to correct you – the confessional is Catholicism,’ Callum says, ‘but I appreciate your discretion.’
‘Let’s just say matters of the heart and leave it at that.’
Callum nods. ‘I understand. I think I know whose heart he might be keen to impress, though.’
‘Oh really? What have you heard?’
‘Could it be a certain lady who has a certain son who thinksyou’repretty exceptional?’
‘I wouldn’t say that, but you might be thinking along the right lines.’
‘Her son isn’t the only one, becauseIthink you’re pretty special too.’
I glance down into my glass. Seeing it’s empty, I look across at the bottle on the table, but find it’s the same.
‘Shall I get us some more wine?’ I ask quickly, standing up. ‘Your bottle might be chilled enough by now.’
‘No,’ Callum says, standing up to block my way. ‘Not right now.’
My eyes have no choice but to look into his.
‘Whatdoyou want, then?’ I ask quietly.
‘You,’ Callum says without hesitation. ‘I want you, Ava.’
Twenty-eight
I lie in my bed and sigh. If this felt so right, why do I get the awful feeling it might be so wrong, too?
‘Are you okay?’ Callum asks next to me. ‘That was one big sigh.’
I look up at him from where I’m snuggled against his chest. His arm is around my shoulders, and my arm is resting on his well-toned stomach.
‘I just didn’t expect to be in my bed quite so early on a weekday evening, especially with a strange man lying next to me.’
‘Not so much of the strange,’ Callum says, winking.
‘Okay then, I especially didn’t expect to be lying here with a priest in my bed.’
‘Is that a problem?’ Callum asks.
‘No,’ I say a little too hurriedly. ‘Of course not, why would it be? I wonder if it might be a problem for you though?’
The evening had become a whirlwind of emotions after Callum’s passionate declaration.
We’d rushed to each other in a frenzy of kisses and clothesbeing ripped off, and eventually ended up in the bedroom, where we’d stayed, enjoying ourselves and each other for quite some time.
Now we’re lying quietly together under the duvet, in a glowing haze of happiness and, in my case, slight trepidation too.
