The Accidental Countess (The Aristocrat Diaries 3)

Matthew was still for a moment, then leaned forwards and cupped the side of my face. He tilted my head up until our eyes met, brushing his thumb across my cheek. “No,” he said with a small smile. “Eva, love, you’ve turned your entire world upside down for me. I couldn’t imagine forcing you to do something as significant as having a baby before you were ready for it.”

“You mean that?”

“Of course I mean it. Just because it’s part of our agreement doesn’t mean it has to happen right this very second.” He slid his hand around to cup my chin. “That is very much something that will happen on your say so, all right?”

“Thank you,” I said softly, holding my gaze locked onto his. “I’d just like to get used to it here before anything else changes.”

He smiled, a great wide smile that lit up his entire face. “Of course. I—”

He was interrupted by a short, sharp bark, and I’d barely had a chance to turn my head around before Jack jumped up onto the sofa, right between us, and plopped his arse right on my lap.

Matthew looked down at Jack. “Do you mind? We’re trying to have a conversation here.”

Jack barked back, two yaps this time.

“I don’t care. That was rude.”

Another bark.

I fought a smile.

Was he really arguing with the dog? That was hilarious.

“No, you need to get some manners, Jack, or there’ll be no chicken for you tomorrow.”

Jack whined and lay down, pressing his little back into my stomach. His head rested on my thigh, and he looked over at Matthew.

“No, don’t look at me like that. You know I didn’t mean it. You can have chicken tomorrow, I promise.”

Jack licked his lips, shifted, and wagged his little tail against the back of the sofa.

“Oh, and I still don’t get a cuddle. I see how it is.”

“Poor Jack,” I cooed, running my hand down his back. “Is he being mean to you?”

“Don’t side with him,” Matthew said. “He snuggles up to anyone who’ll give him attention.”

I bent over and kissed the top of Jack’s head, and his tail wagged even faster. “Leave my Jack alone.”

“Your Jack?” His eyebrows shot up, but there was a hint of amusement playing with his lips.

“Yes, my Jack.”

“Is this how it works? I get married and lose my dogs?”

“Yes,” Christopher said, walking straight through the living room. “That’s exactly how it works, sir.”

Matthew nodded. “I suspected as much. I’ll see you tomorrow, Christopher.”

“Indeed. Have a nice evening.” Christopher inclined his head towards us both before he disappeared into the other hallway, and the sound of a door opening and closing followed just seconds later.

Matthew sighed and looked down at Jack. “At least there’s still Lucy and Baxter. One of them has to love me.”

I held up my hand and rocked it side to side in a ‘maybe’ motion. “I did let them swim today, so that’s up in the air, too.”

“I guess it’s time to get a cat.”

Jack perked up at that. He launched himself off my lap onto the floor, and ran through the door, barking loudly. His higher-pitched barks were quickly joined by one that was a little gruffer, and one that was much louder and deeper than his that had to be Baxter’s.

Matthew looked over his shoulder, and I leaned forwards so I could see what he was looking at.

All three dogs were standing at the front door, barking at what I assumed was an invisible cat.

“Maybe we hold off on the cat,” I offered slowly.

Matthew smirked. “I think you could be right.”

CHAPTER TEN

EVA

“Wow. That’s beautiful,” I said, craning my neck to look out at the hotel. It was set at the other end of the promenade, away from the other hotels, just slightly out on a cliff. “Why is it so far away from pier, though? Wouldn’t along the prom have been a better location?”

“Perhaps, but buildings rarely come up down there, and I wanted a bit of a project,” Matthew explained, turning onto the newly laid road. “This is an old boarding house for sailors and fishermen. It fell out of use in the sixties and was left here to do its thing over the years. I had it surveyed before it went up for auction and it was structurally sound. It wasn’t grade listed, so I paid the owner a fair price and it never made it to the auction.”

“In other words, you paid more than you would have at auction.”

He glanced at me, trying not to smile. “That’s one way to put it.”

I shook my head slowly. “You’re crazy.”

“I really wanted it. I could see what it had the potential to be, so I made it happen. Besides, it adds extra jobs to the community, and another hotel means more revenue for the businesses in Beaumaris. It’s a better option than buying up houses to be holiday lets. All that does is price locals out of being able to buy a property.” He turned the car into a carpark behind the three-story hotel and pulled up. “Do you want a tour before everyone else gets here?”