The Deal (London Suits 0.50)

“Okay.” She hopped off my desk and reached up to lightly brush her lips over mine. “See you later.”

Mesmerised, my eyes followed her all the way out of the door; then I shook my head to clear it. Must focus. I had a company to run.

19

Ethan

“That was so good. You’ve got skills, babe.” Avery sat back in her chair, placing her fork down. “Not just good in business, but good in the kitchen, too. Oh, and in bed, of course. I think I’ll keep you.” Her eyes sparkled with humour as she blew me a kiss.

What did I do to deserve this woman? I was so glad I’d made the decision to cut back on work. I had no regrets whatsoever—over the past month things at Barrett London had improved, if anything, aside from the Luke/Olivia animosity. Thankfully, since I’d separated them after their first disastrous week, they’d worked perfectly well. Separately.

Avery was a regular fixture at my place—we had a standing date for dinner on Friday nights, and I tried to spend as much of my weekends with her as possible, as well as an increasing amount of time during the week. I couldn’t get enough of her. All the obstacles in our relationship that had once seemed insurmountable, now seemed laughable. I finally had a good work-life balance, and so far, everything seemed to be working out.

“Shall we eat our ice cream on the sofa in the window?” Avery eyed me hopefully.

If she’d asked me that question a month ago, my answer may have been different. “Let’s do it. Just—”

“Be careful not to spill any on your sofa?” she finished for me, smirking.

“Yeah. That. Sorry.”

“Hey, don’t be sorry.” She stood and crossed over to my seat, putting her arms around my waist. “You’re you, and I wouldn’t change you for anything. You’re amazing, just the way you are, Ethan Barrett.”

“Did you just quote Bruno Mars to me?” I raised a brow, trying and failing to stop the smile spreading across my face.

“It works.” She shrugged. “And it’s true. Ethan…I…” Her voice trailed off, and she buried her head in my chest as I stroked up and down her back.

“You what, sweetheart?” My voice was soft.

“Nothing. I’m just so happy to be here with you,” she mumbled. “Let’s get that ice cream.” I let it go, because whatever it was she wanted to say, she wasn’t ready to say it.

She padded over to the freezer, but before she could reach it, I was up, out of my seat, spinning her around and slanting my mouth across hers.

“Ice cream later,” I said hoarsely, when we came up for air, walking her backwards until she was up against the kitchen island.

She reached down to undo my belt. “I’m in complete agreement.”

Our kisses became heated, urgent, and we lost ourselves in each other.

“Remember our first time?” Avery’s words were whispered, her breathing slowly returning to normal as I slid out of her, completely spent.

“How could I forget? I think I knew, even then. I was just denying it to myself.”

“Knew what?” She looked up at me, and I saw everything I was feeling reflected in her eyes.

“How we were meant to be together. How much you’d come to mean to me.” I wanted to say more, but there was a lump in my throat that wouldn’t go away. I never had problems articulating myself, but this woman had turned my world on its head, and I was still coming to terms with it. I took a step back, emotion overwhelming me. “I’m going to, uh, clean up.”

Avery nodded, understanding clear in her expression. “I’ll get the ice cream.”

When I walked back into the room, I stopped dead. She’d turned off the lights, and she was curled up on the sofa in the window, a full tub of cookies-and-cream ice cream in her hand. Wearing my shirt. And nothing else.

I strode over to her, and she looked up at me with a smile, holding out the spoon.

“Ice cream?”

“You,” I growled, crawling over to her. She fumbled with the ice cream tub and the spoon, managing to place them on the floor, and then my lips were on hers.

When we broke apart, both breathless, I brushed her hair back from her face, my eyes meeting hers. “You taste delicious.”