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C’mon, did he really think that one meeting could change the habit of a lifetime? The Duke refused to acknowledge him, so he’d thrown up barriers and created as much emotional distance between himself and his biological family as he could.

Henry had made it easy for Jed to hate him as an individual, as he’d gone out of his way to make his life hell at school. Was he supposed to forget all that because Henry had grown up and supposedly reformed?

Fuck that. And him.

Jed pushed his thumb and index finger into his eye sockets. His head, nose and balls ached, and so did his heart, just a little. But he didn’t have the time or energy to deal with Henry.

He was perfectly fine with the status quo.

Mick leaned over and looked at his phone, her eyebrows rising. One day, maybe, he would be entitled to some privacy. But with Mick around, he wasn’t holding his breath. ‘He’s still hassling you?’

To be fair, one visit and one text message couldn’t be called hassling, but it was still annoying that Henry hadn’t taken his first no as his final answer.

He lifted one shoulder and turned his phone over in a silent rebuke.

Not that Mick noticed. ‘I’ve heard that he’s moved back into the Hall and is taking an active role in the management of the estate,’ Mick said.

‘He’s been at the Goat a lot lately too. ’

Jed liked the village local, the Fainting Goat, and it pissed him off that he’d have to see Henry’s not-ugly mug in it when he went down for a pint. ‘He’s playing at being the Duke. Give it a week or two; he’ll get bored soon enough and go back to London.’

‘Wow, you really don’t like him,’ Mick said, her eyebrows rising.

‘Whatever gave you that idea?’ Jed sourly replied.

He was tired of talking about Henry, and it was time everyone went home. If he couldn’t have Eden under him, on top of him, on her knees– okay, cool down– he wanted to pop a couple of ibuprofen with another shot of whisky and climb into bed.

But Mick, because she was Mick, someone who took any opportunity to extend her kid-free evening, stood up, walked over to his fridge and pulled out a jug of home-made chocolate sauce.

Damn . He loved Mick’s home-made chocolate sauce– hazelnuts, double cream, a few bars of melted chocolate– and she knew he always kept vanilla ice cream in his freezer.

She pulled out the tub, plonked both on the table and went back for bowls and spoons. Mi kitchen, su kitchen.

When she was seated again, Jed reached for the ice cream, dished himself up a decent helping, and poured chocolate sauce over the top. His friends and family could fight for the rest…

Eden sent a longing look at the ice cream.

Jed stopped eating, yanked the tub of ice cream away from Al and dropped a couple of scoops into a bowl before his brother and friends annihilated what was left.

He dashed a decent glug of sauce over the top– she looked like she needed the sugar– and pushed it in Eden’s direction.

Her eyes lit up as she picked up a spoon, spooning the dessert into her mouth and closing her eyes in appreciation.

Her skin flushed and she released a breathy sigh.

God, if this was the way she reacted to ice cream, how would she look with her skin flushed by an orgasm?

Jed squirmed in his chair, his pants now tight.

‘Oh, that’s the best thing I’ve tasted, ever,’ she said, digging in for more.

‘Good, right?’ Mick confirmed. ‘It’s my mum’s recipe, the best thing she can make.’

‘Her samosas are good, too,’ Al added.

‘You’re right; she makes great potato samosas,’ Mick agreed, before taking charge of the conversation again. ‘But we were talking about the charity polo match and how Eden could help.’

‘What? No, we weren’t,’ Eden protested.

‘Now you’re just making stuff up,’ Jed said, pointing his spoon at his sister.

Mick stuck her tongue out at him.

‘Okay,’ she conceded, ‘I think you should help organise the charity polo match, Eden.’ Eden’s eyes widened and her spoon stopped halfway to her mouth.

‘Why would I want to do that?’ she asked, politely, resting her spoon back in her bowl and sitting back. ‘Besides, you know that I’m leaving tomorrow.’

What? The fuck she was…

‘We need your help because everyone on the committee has a full-time job and can’t give it the attention it deserves. You have time; you said you are off for the summer. And it’s been scientifically proven that doing good helps improve your mental health.’

Annoyance flashed across Eden’s face. ‘Are you questioning my mental health?’

Mick simply smiled at her. ‘We live in a crazy world, Eden; everyone’s mental health is taking a battering.’

Eden didn’t break eye contact with Mick. Jed liked how she held her own with his pushy sister. ‘That’s why I’m taking a couple of months to explore Croatia.’

‘But you’ll be doing it alone, and where’s the fun in that? Stay here instead, and fill those empty hours by doing something that could make a difference in someone’s life. Croatia will be there next time.’

Danger ahead, because Mick was using her charm-birds-out-of-trees voice.

‘It’s a couple of phone calls, some spreadsheets, a little advertising, attending some meetings,’ Mick said, sounding breezy.

Another warning sign. When Mick sounded breezy, she was leading you straight into a fucking tornado.

‘And you’ve just met us, met me . It’s been such fun having you around, and I love spending time with you.

Do you realise a few nights ago we went to bed at three because we were talking so much? ’

Huh. Jed hadn’t realised they were spending so much time together. Mick was extroverted, but with the kids, her job and, well, probably the family, she didn’t have many close friends. ‘I don’t want to lose you yet, Eden.’

And then she added, ‘And neither does Troyden.’ He didn’t know Eden’s history, but he’d watched how Eden acted around Troyden and it was obvious that she adored Troyden.

Eden bit down on her bottom lip and he knew Mick’s statements resonated with her. She liked that she was liked. Then again, who didn’t?

‘I’ve had some experience working with charity events, Mick. I know what it involves and it’s not relaxing.’

She had? Interesting. And what was it she did for work anyhow? Why didn’t anyone seem to know and why did he care?

Mick pushed out her bottom lip and, swear to God, batted her eyelashes. She was shameless. ‘But we’ll do it together, E! Can I call you E? Eden is such a mouthful!’ Jesus, Mick. ‘Don’t you want to help me?’

If he was a better man, he’d tell Eden she was being played. He met Justin’s amused eyes and knew he was thinking the same thing. ‘Troyden is devastated she’s leaving,’ Justin murmured, just loud enough for Jed to hear. ‘He doesn’t want her to go.’

Shit.

‘And while she’s been here, he hasn’t shown any interest in finding a new Sugar Baby. Bet you that as soon as she leaves, he’ll look for a new one to push the loneliness away.’

He stared at Justin, a lightbulb flickering on in his mind, then burning strongly.

He was so right about Troyden. His stepfather always said that he was looking for love, and maybe he was, but maybe he was looking for a way to banish loneliness.

Come to think of it, Troyden only started sugar-hopping after Kael left home, when all his chicks were out of the nest and living their own lives.

Why had he not realised this before? And yes, if it meant keeping Troyden out of the clutches of money-hungry GD’s, he was in favour of Eden staying.

You keep telling yourself that’s the only reason you want her to stay. Maybe you’ll start to believe it in a decade or so.

Mick clapped her hands together. ‘Thank you for agreeing to help, Eden, that’s awesome!’

‘Wait… what?’ Eden whipped her head around the table. ‘I didn’t say yes! When did I agree to anything?’

Mick sent her a self-satisfied smile. ‘You didn’t say no, either.’

Eden muttered a curse, picked up her spoon and started to shovel ice cream into her mouth. She glared at Mick and muttered something intelligible. Jed understood exactly where she was coming from…

And that made him think of her coming again. He scooted closer to the table, grateful it hid his semi. And damn, it hurt . They’d moved off the subject of him and Eden falling through the door in a tight clinch and he didn’t want to revisit it.

Then Mick, his best friend, sister and bane of his existence, smart enough to back down when she had the upper hand– Eden might not have said yes, but she didn’t say no, either!

– put her chin in the palm of her hand and waved her spoon between him and Eden.

‘I feel like we moved on too soon from why you two landed on the floor earlier. So, are you two seeing each other or what?’

Mick’s laughter-filled eyes told him how much fun she was having annoying him, deeply thrilled that she got to do this for the rest of his life. Jed dropped his head and banged his forehead on the table. He might as well add to his throbbing nose and aching balls.