Page 40 of Love Affair in London (Once Again #12)
He could almost hear her laugh. Moments later, her response arrived. Yes. Felt like a long, luxurious soak before my flight tomorrow. Then she added, How’s the flight? before he could reply. Have you landed already? That was fast.
We’ll land soon. I wish I were there with you. In that tub.
Her reply was immediate. I wish you were too.
He redirected the conversation, steering away from sexting. Kew Gardens looked amazing. Did you enjoy it as much the second time?
The flowers were just as beautiful and the weather was amazing, she wrote.
Christ, how he wished he’d stayed. Especially with Conrad giving him tomorrow off. Then you went for Sunday roast?
Didn’t you see my video?
He’d missed it, but he watched it now. Her beautiful face and flirty voice got to him as she tried to seduce him with her roast beef. I’m totally jealous!
The meat was so succulent.
The word ignited something in him. He couldn’t resist typing, Feasting on you is far more succulent than any beef roast.
The attendant interrupted to remind him that electronic devices would need to power down soon. He quickly typed, We’re about to land. Send me another pic. Show me more of you in the tub.
A photo came through almost immediately—her laughing face accompanied by the caption: You’re naughty.
Jared appreciated the humor and typed a longer message: While I was napping, I dreamed of you—all about last night, this morning, and everything else I want to do with you.
I’ll dream about you tonight , she wrote back .
Jared sent one last message. Write them down and tell me every dirty detail. Gotta go. Miss you.
Then, switching his phone to airplane mode, he smiled, the warmth of her words carrying him through the final stretch of the flight.
Piper lay in bed, naked. Like a schoolgirl, she’d read and reread Jared’s texts. She’d even sent him almost-naked photos of herself, though, with the bubbles up to her chin and her hair wrapped in a towel, the photos revealed far less than a bathing suit.
She knew she shouldn’t see him again. She’d gone over and over the affair in her mind, telling herself it was just a vacation fling.
But, oh God, the thought of never seeing Jared again made her sick inside.
Maybe Juanita was right; they needed more time. Maybe, with time, she could get Jared out of her system.
Her phone rang on the bedside table. She knew it was Jared. Juanita wouldn’t call this late, but Jared might. He’d have landed by now.
Grabbing the phone, she answered mid-ring. “Hello?”
How would she ever tell him she didn’t want to see him again when she couldn’t stop answering his calls and texts? Especially when, deep down, she absolutely wanted more time.
“Did I wake you up?”
If she’d been sleeping, his deep voice—drizzling over her nerve endings like hot chocolate sauce—would have brought her out of it instantly.
“I wasn’t asleep yet.”
“I was hoping you’d still be up. I just got through the passport line, and I’m waiting for my bags. I wanted to hear your voice one last time before you went to sleep.”
God, the things his voice did to her. “Did you have a good flight?”
“I slept for a few hours, which is good because I’ve got the kids tonight. I have to pick them up in a bit.”
“Are you going to talk to them about their mother’s boyfriend?”
She could almost see him nodding. “Yeah. We’ll see what we can work out. Thank you for all your advice.”
“Don’t thank me.” She gave a soft chuckle. “At least not until it works out.”
“It’ll work out,” he said confidently. “But I appreciate you talking me through it.” After a long pause, he added, “I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Thank you.” She didn’t know what else to say. She was terrified he wouldn’t ask to see her again—and just as terrified that he would.
When he finally spoke, her breath caught.
“I’ve got the kids through next weekend, but then I take them back to their mom. I’d like to see you after that. Would that be okay?”
He was asking her permission. She could say no.
She should say no. Because what she felt for him wasn’t some fleeting crush.
It wasn’t a fling that would last a few weeks, maybe a few months.
She wanted more. And that’s why a little more time would be disastrous.
She wouldn’t be getting him out of her system. She’d only be getting in deeper.
The longer it went on, the harder it would be to end the relationship. And it would have to end. She didn’t want to find herself on Medicare while Jared was barely in his fifties. She didn’t want to end up like her parents, with her an old lady Jared had to take care of.
She almost laughed aloud. She’d known him a week, and she was worrying about things that wouldn’t happen for decades—if they happened at all. He’d tire of her long before then.
Despite all the thoughts roiling inside, she heard herself say, “That would be nice.”
And God, how she would love it. She’d just make sure that whenever they went out, it wasn’t to parties with his coworkers or double dates with his friends or weekends with his kids. She could handle a few months with him, right?
“It’s a date.” His pleasure came through in his voice. “Go to sleep and dream of me.”
She admitted, “I will.”
And she did—wild, sexy dreams—until one where she woke gasping, haunted by the memory of people pointing and laughing, and Jared pulling away with a horrified look on his handsome face.