Someone, somewhere, whooped appreciatively, and Tori pulled back, her cheeks bright pink. She stepped out of his arms, then grabbed his hand. ‘Come on. We need to get back to work.’
We need to talk about that kiss. And do it again. Very soon.
But Jasper knew Tori. There’d be no discussion about what had just happened—or what could happen—between them until after she’d got this new idea down on paper.
After that, though, Jasper had plans.
* * *
‘The proposal certainly looks interesting.’ The earl put down the printout he’d been reading, lifted his glasses from his nose, and looked up at them. Tori forced her feet to stay planted on the centuries-old carpet. Shuffling from foot to foot wasn’t good for her professional appearance or the flooring. ‘And I must say I’m glad to see the two of you working together so well. That gives me hope for our future.’
He was looking at Jasper as he said it, Tori realised. Jasper, of course, was looking studiously out of the window over his father’s left shoulder. It was pitch black outside, so she had no idea what he was even pretending to look at.
She muffled a sigh. She understood Jasper’s anger and upset, of course she did. He had every right to be furious with his father for his actions, and maybe even angry with Felix for lying to him for so long. But she couldn’t help but wish he was even a little willing to move beyond the events of the past and consider the future.
Of course, she wasn’t sure if she’d have even had that thought if it hadn’t been for two days at the Moorside Inn, revisiting her own past. And it wasn’t as if she were rushing back there either, so who was she to judge? Sometimes the past was just too painful to live in—and too hard to leave behind. Jasper had run away, exactly the same as she had. He’d only come back to help his mother, and she’d only gone back to the Moorside because the snow had left her no other choice. Neither of them were exactly poster children for healthy forward momentum away from their issues. They just took their baggage with them when they ran.
And that would be fine. Except Liz and Henry were expecting her for Christmas now. And if Jasper couldn’t move on from what his father had done...then he wouldn’t be staying in the country much longer. He’d see his mother settled at Stonebury, if their plan worked. But beyond that? Tori had already made herself face up to the unwelcome truth that he’d be returning to his life in the States in the new year.
Another entry on a lengthy list of reasons why she mustn’t let herself grow too attached to the Viscount Darlton. Right after the fact that ‘Viscount’ was his actual title. Not her world, not her people. She was staff, not family.
And she’d given up the only family she had left to achieve even that.
Plus there was his unfortunate habit of never sticking with the same girl for more than a night or two, something that didn’t seem to have changed while he’d been away, given that he was still single.
Not that she’d exactly been pursuing romance and true love since Tyler had died, either. Her one night with Jasper had been a one-off.
Except now she’d kissed him. Again. And that was definitely the sort of action that could lead to it being more than a one-off, if she let it.
Well. That was a very distracting line of thought. Tori forced herself to abandon it until later as the earl continued speaking.
‘Which one of you came up with the idea for the Christmas tree farm?’
Tori snuck a look at Jasper, who returned it with a hint of a smile—the first she’d seen since they entered the office.
‘It was very much a collaborative project, my lord,’ she said, diplomatically. In truth, after that kiss she definitely wasn’t thinking about, she’d dragged Jasper back from the Christmas market to the side sitting room they’d been using as their office and declared that they were going to create Christmas every day at Stonebury!
Jasper had looked at her as if she were crazy, until she’d explained.
‘It’s perfect for it. We set up a permanent Christmas village, smaller than the market here, but with crafts for sale and—this is the important part—workshops so people can make their own wreaths, decorations, gifts etc. in the months running up to Christmas. We could do other seasonal workshops too—Valentine’s Day, Easter, that sort of thing. But the key would be Christmas, all year round. It’s the novelty of it that will draw people in.’
Jasper had looked thoughtful. ‘There was a small copse of fir trees behind the house, did you see? Apparently a previous owner had considered setting up a Christmas tree farm, but had to sell before it came to fruition. We could revive it, supplement it with bought-in trees until our own grew up enough...’
‘And we could keep reindeer!’ Tori had said excitedly.
Jasper had laughed and shaken his head. But Dasher, Dancer and their friends had made it into the proposal.
‘Well, I like the work you’ve done, and the figures and research included. Obviously I imagine the farm shop and catering facilities would be subsidising the more...interesting parts of the project for a while. But if word gets around, it could become a novelty feature for tourists, one of those “must see if you’re passing through” places. The location is good for that...’
‘And there’s a lot of local craftspeople always looking for new places to display and sell their wares. With more “buy local” initiatives springing up all the time, it would be good to be at the heart of that,’ Jasper added, the first time he’d spoken directly to his father since the meeting had started.
‘But you still want the house for...well, to be a personal dwelling, rather than part of the business?’ the earl asked Jasper.
Tori bit her lip and waited to see how he’d answer. Would he even want his father to know that he’d told her everything?
‘I want Mother to have somewhere to retreat to, that’s all,’ Jasper said. ‘You owe her that much.’
If the earl was surprised at his candour in front of Tori, he didn’t show it. Instead, he sighed, and said, ‘Very well. Let me think it over. I’ll let you know my decision in good time.’
Tori turned to leave, Jasper close behind her, his hand at the small of her back. It felt warm and protective—and absurdly sexy, given the smallness of the gesture.
‘But, son?’ the earl called suddenly, and she felt Jasper stiffen behind her. ‘I suggest you talk to your mother. While I’m considering.’
‘Told you so,’ Tori whispered as she was hurried out of the room.
‘Yeah, yeah,’ Jasper muttered back. ‘Come on.’
‘Where are we going now?’
‘We are going for a drink. And I am going to celebrate by eating the last of Henry’s pies.’
* * *
‘So you’re not going to share the pie?’ Tori’s voice was plaintive as she stared at his loaded plate across the kitchen table.
‘Nope.’ Jasper gave her a gleeful smile, and tucked in.
Mrs Rawkins had rolled her eyes when the two of them had bowled in and Tori had raided the wine cellar, while he’d retrieved the pie he’d dug out of the freezer earlier to defrost. She’d declared she was done for the night so, as long as they cleared up after themselves, she didn’t care what they got up to.
‘But my kitchen better be exactly as I left it,’ she’d warned as she’d put on her coat. ‘I’ve got staff coming in from everywhere to prepare for the party tomorrow night—and don’t you touch any of the food we’ve got prepped in the fridges. Okay?’ Tori and Jasper had nodded, mutely. Jasper had felt about sixteen again as she’d given them one last glare before sweeping out.
Mrs Rawkins needn’t have worried. Jasper’s priorities for the evening were quite simple. Eat this pie—while making Tori watch. Share a bottle of wine with a beautiful woman. And hopefully get her to talk about and maybe repeat that kiss.
After that, all he wanted to do was fall into bed—even if he wa
s alone. Although he wouldn’t say no to company if Tori offered... The last few days of extreme work hours were catching up with him, and Mrs Rawkins wasn’t the only one who needed to prepare for tomorrow night’s party. As the heir to the Flaxstone estate, he knew there’d be expectations placed on him—even if he’d successfully avoided them for the past five years.
And he needed to talk to his mother. Tori was right; he couldn’t put that off any longer.
‘A decent man would at least let me try a bite,’ Tori tried again.
‘A decent woman wouldn’t have stolen fifty per cent of my pies,’ Jasper pointed out, between mouthfuls. ‘Although I guess I could always go back to the Moorside and ask Henry for more...’
The teasing look disappeared from Tori’s face at that, and she reached for the bottle of red wine they’d opened and topped up both their glasses.
‘Or you could bring me some when you go back for Christmas,’ he pushed.
‘What’s the point?’ Tori asked. ‘You’ll be heading back to the States as soon as your mother is settled at Stonebury, assuming the earl agrees to our plan.’
‘I’d come back for this pie,’ Jasper said appreciatively, taking another mouthful. Then he caught sight of Tori’s expression. ‘Unless you don’t want me to leave?’
They hadn’t talked about this. Hadn’t talked about the future. Hadn’t even talked about them as a thing that was edging ever closer to happening. Jasper was almost certain she felt it as much as he did, but, apart from that excited kiss at the Christmas market, there’d been no sign that Tori was willing to move any further, and so Jasper had waited.
Until now.
‘You need to live your life wherever makes you happiest,’ she said, with a shrug. She didn’t meet his gaze though. ‘And I can’t see that being here once your father makes his big announcement about Felix.’
‘Well, no, probably not,’ Jasper admitted.
Maybe he was wrong about the wider public’s appetite for aristocratic scandal, but he doubted it. And even if he was, local society would definitely care. That was the society Lady Flaxstone cared about most.
He’d take his mother away with him to the States if he could, but her fear of flying verged on the phobic, and she’d be miserable away from her own country. He hadn’t really thought beyond getting her settled at Stonebury, but if Tori took on the project personally, he could definitely see himself visiting regularly...
‘So I only have to put up with you and your cruel pie eating for another few weeks, I figure,’ she said, staring longingly at his pie.
Rolling his eyes, Jasper loaded up the fork again and held it out across the table to her.
‘Really?’ she asked, eyes suddenly bright. From the excitement on her face a person couldn’t have been blamed for thinking he’d just offered her the crown jewels, or a sparkly engagement ring.
‘Go on,’ he said indulgently.
Tori’s eyes fluttered closed as she wrapped her mouth around the fork. ‘So, so good,’ she muttered as she chewed.
Jasper had to agree. If it meant he could see that look of bliss on her face every day, he’d start shipping in Henry’s pies by the dozen.
Or maybe he’d just concentrate on finding some other things he could do for her that made her look that way...
Tori swallowed, opened her eyes and smiled at him. ‘Thank you. I know how hard it is for you to share.’
‘Is that another not so subtle hint that I should talk to my mother and/or half-brother?’ Tori hadn’t exactly been restrained on the subject until now. Despite her comment, he trusted that she knew him well enough that the issue of going from only child to youngest son wasn’t the problem here. According to the will he’d found, his father intended to split the inheritance fairly equally between them, with Flaxstone going to Jasper, and as the only legitimate son the title was his by law anyway, whatever his father did.
‘Yes,’ Tori admitted. ‘But not tonight.’
That surprised him. ‘No? How did I earn this reprieve? By giving you pie?’
‘Basically.’ She gave him an impish grin. One that reminded him of the first night they’d ever spent together—before all the secrets that had torn his life apart. ‘But mostly, I want you to finish this bottle of wine with me.’
Something in her smile gave him hope. ‘And then?’
‘Then...maybe you’ll walk me home?’
‘I can do that. It’s only gentlemanly, after all.’ Then he reached behind him, grabbed another knife and fork from the drawer, and handed them over. Pushing his plate to the centre of the table, he waited for Tori to help herself to his pie before taking his own mouthful.
Maybe he could get good at sharing after all.
CHAPTER TEN
FLAXSTONE HALL WAS silent as they let themselves out of the back door, and followed the darkened path towards Tori’s gatehouse cottage. Tori wasn’t sure if it was the wine or the sneaking around that made her want to giggle so badly. But she and Jasper were both grown adults, and it wasn’t as if they hadn’t done this before, anyway.
Memories of the last time they’d snuck down to her cottage only made her feel warmer despite the chill of the night.
God, what was she doing? Was she really going to invite Jasper in for a nightcap—and more?
Well, yes. Yes, she was.
Because he might be leaving soon, but that was probably a good thing. The Jasper she’d got to know over the last week or two was far too tempting, too risky. Given long enough she knew she could fall for him—and fall hard.
It was, she could admit now—to herself, anyway—exactly what she’d been afraid of five years ago. He was so gorgeous, so charming, and had a way of making her feel as if she were the only person in the world when he flirted with her. If she’d let her defences down for a second she could have found herself in love with him, and ripe for having her heart broken like all the others girls he’d paraded through Flaxstone.
That was why she’d run away, after their night together. She’d had to protect her heart. And if he’d woken up, sober, in her bed and still wanted her, still smiled at her the same way he had the night before, she’d have been a goner. And if he hadn’t...well, Tori wasn’t entirely sure that wouldn’t have been worse.
But now, now she was older, wiser, and she knew this thing had a time limit. She could risk one more night with Jasper, as long as her head and her heart both understood that was all it could be.
Because even if he stayed, she wasn’t looking for love, not again. And she definitely wasn’t looking for a long-distance relationship. She’d tried that with Tyler and—she wasn’t thinking about Tyler tonight.
She wasn’t thinking about the past or the future tonight.
She was thinking about right now, and how good Jasper’s arm felt around her waist as they stumbled down the path, and how much she wanted to kiss him again.
Stay in the moment, Tori.
The security light Felix had helped her install, after a fox started getting into her bins, flared to life as they crossed the threshold into its sensors. Jasper jumped, making Tori laugh, until he wrapped her up in his arms and suddenly she didn’t have the breath for laughter.
‘So, I’ve walked you home,’ he said, his forehead resting against hers as he looked down into her eyes. ‘This is the part where you have to decide if you want to invite me in or not.’
And even though she’d already made that decision, the moment she’d asked him to walk down to her cottage with her, Tori hesitated.
‘Do you want to come in?’ she asked.
‘More than anything.’ She could hear the sincerity in his voice. ‘God, Tori, you have to know I’ve been thinking of practically nothing but kissing you again ever since—’ He broke off.
‘The other day at the Christmas market?’ she guessed, but Jasper shook his head.
‘Since you kissed me at the Moorside,’ he admitted. ‘Even though I knew that wasn’t about me, that it didn’t mean what I hoped it might mean, I couldn’t stop thinking about how incredible it felt to have you in my arms. And imagining all the things I’d do if I got the opportunity again, when the timing was better.’
He’d been thinking about her since then? Even when they’d been clashing in his father’s study, or when she’d been working for too many hours straight on the proposal and had rubbed her eyes until her mascara had smudged into black rings around her lashes and she hadn’t noticed until she’d got home?
He’d been thinking about her. The same way she’d been thinking about him.
Imagining him.
‘The timing seems pretty much perfect right now,’ she said, the words coming out breathier than she’d intended.
‘That’s exactly what I thought.’
He met her gaze head-on as he lowered his lips to hers, obviously watching for a sign that she wanted him to stop, or take things slower. But she didn’t, so she raised herself up on her tiptoes to meet him halfway, falling into a kiss that seemed to have been years in the making.
It hadn’t been like this the last time they were here, Tori realised. She hadn’t known him then the way she did now—hell, he wasn’t even the same person, really. Too much had happened in the last five years.
But in a way, she was glad he’d left, after that one night they’d spent together.
Because it meant they could be the people they were now, and they could have this perfect, mind-blowing kiss.
After long, long, blissful moments, Jasper pulled back, putting just enough distance between them to whisper. ‘So. Are you going to invite me in?’
Tori smirked. ‘Invite? I think I’m going to have to insist on it.’
Jasper grinned back at her, his eyes bright and alive like she remembered from before he’d left Flaxstone.
‘Works for me,’ he said.
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