How Sweet It Is (19 page)

Chloe’s face flushed, and she bit her lip. “No, a friend of mine from school. Hunter. He’s my science tutor.”

Vi came alert, hearing an undertone to her daughter’s voice that she’d never heard before.

The teenager shifted her weight. “What?”

“Tell me about Hunter,” she said.

“
Mum
.” She stood and picked up her bag.

“I introduced you to Finn.”

“You had to, because Aunt Bea caught you two snogging.”

Viola’s face began to burn. “Well, that’s true.”

Chloe smirked.

“Fine, you don’t have to tell me about Hunter,” she amended. “I’d like to know, because I think he’s more than a study friend, but in the end I trust you, and I trust your judgment.”

Her daughter looked at her like she just announced she was from space. “Have you been drinking?”

Actually, she hadn’t had anything to drink since she’d been back from Paris. She just hadn’t felt like it. “I don’t blame you for asking.”

“Because you’re acting like—” Chloe frowned, as though she was looking for the right word.

“Mad?” she offered with a slight smile.

“Like you care,” her daughter said, her lips pursed.

Vi frowned. “Of course, I care. I love you.”

“I don’t know. You haven’t been interested in me lately.”

“That’s not true.” She hurried to put her arms around her girl. Then she bit her lip. “Have I been that bad?”

“Yes.” But Chloe smiled a little. “But you’ve been better since you came back from Paris.”

“And I’ll be even better still.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead and then rested hers against it. “I’m sorry I’d been sleepwalking through life. I promise I’m done living that way. I’m here for you, whenever you need me.”

The tension melted from Chloe. “Okay. Good.”

“Good.” She squeezed her daughter one more time and then looked at her. Chloe looked easier than she had in months, but she promised herself she’d make a special effort to insure the girl felt cared for.

Chloe picked up her bag. “Can I leave Schrödinger with you?”

“Of course.” She ran a hand over Chloe’s hair. She used to worry that Chloe might have too much of Charles in her, but lately Viola only saw Summerhill genes, and that was reassuring. “Maybe tonight you and I can have a movie night?”

Her daughter blinked. “Really? It’s a school night.”

That’d been Charles’s rule, and as far as she was concerned it seemed a great time to break it. “Really. We’ll have ice cream out of the container and watch in our pajamas.”

“Okay.” Chloe smiled, bright and unrestrained.

How long had it been since she’d seen that smile? Viola ducked her head so Chloe wouldn’t see her sudden tears. She listened to her daughter tell Schrödinger to stay before she bounded out of the kitchen.

Vi was still sniffling when her mobile rang. Her heart leapt when she saw Finn’s name on the screen. “Where are you?” she asked when she answered.

“At work. At Westminster Abbey.”

She glanced at the time. She probably should refrain, but he’d called, and she needed a treat. She couldn’t think of a better treat than Finn. “Do you think you can take a break to come over? Chloe’s at a friend’s house for a couple hours.”

“I’ll be right over.”

A trill of excitement shot through her. She ran up the stairs to freshen up before he arrived.

Half an hour later, her doorbell rang. She went downstairs in lingerie Portia had picked out for her. Through the frosted window of the door, she saw a male figure. It had better be Finn, she thought as she threw the door open.

He stepped in, his gaze eating her up as he closed the door behind him. “You are a masterpiece,” he said, not taking his eyes off her as he dropped his coat on the floor and gathered her in his arms.

The moment he touched her, she went up in flames. Desperate for more, she grabbed his head and brought it down to hers.

“Where’s your room?” he said before his mouth touched hers.

“I can’t wait that long.” She walked backwards until her back touched the sidetable in the foyer. “Right here.”

He lifted her onto the table and pushed the straps from her shoulders, baring her breasts. She gasped, startled by the shock of sensation as his lips closed on their tips. “Is this okay?” he murmured against her skin.

She laughed. “It’s the first time this stupid table has a purpose.”

“Good.” His fingers moved her knickers aside and dipped into her.

Her laughter ended on a gasp, and she let her head fall back as he touched her. She’d missed this. She’d missed him. “How long is your break?”

“As long as I’d like.” He unzipped and lowered his pants. “Why?”

“I may want to do this again.” She flushed as he stroked himself with his hand before positioning himself between her legs.

“What if you change your mind?” He pushed into her.

The slide of him into her was like excruciating heaven. She closed her eyes and dropped her head back. “You’re right. I changed my mind. We
must
do this again.”

He chuckled as he plunged in all the way. But after he withdrew and thrust again, he stopped laughing and just gasped, his hands gripping her hips. “Viola.”

“Yes,” she sighed as he nipped her neck, her shoulder, and down to her breasts again.

He sucked on the tip, and it triggered her orgasm without warning. She cried out—loud—shocking herself with the volume of her cry.

Finn must have liked it though, because he clutched her close and groaned her name as he spent in her.

Panting, she opened her eyes enough to see his flushed face with the look of supreme satisfaction on it. “That was nice,” she murmured.

“That was better than nice, and needed.” He rested his forehead against hers as he stepped out of his pants. “I’ve wanted you.”

She nodded. “Me, too.”

“I’m glad you called me.”

“Me, too,” she repeated, running a hand down his back.

He lifted from her and pulled out. She felt a moment of desolation, which was ridiculous.

“My day has infinitely improved,” he said, lifting her into his arms and carrying her into the living room. He sat down, apparently uncaring about the state of their undress, and settled her in his arms.

She glanced at the white leather couch Charles had been so paranoid about and grinned. “You can’t even imagine how much better my day is now.”

He smoothed her hair away from her eyes. “Is there anything I can help with?”

“A shag, on this couch, in a little bit.” She smiled. “Chloe helped me get everything else in perspective. I’ve been worried about her, but she turned out well despite me. It’s a nice feeling.”

“What did she do?”

“My exhibit wasn’t pulling together, and she pointed out that I just need an anchoring piece.” She gave him a sidelong glance and batted her eyes jokingly. “You wouldn’t happen to know an artist willing to part with a piece?”

His expression went stoic. “Are you sure this is worth it, Viola?”

“What?” she asked, sitting back. “Us?”

“No, the gallery. I’ve seen what becoming a salesperson does to someone.”

What was he saying? Feeling like she’d been doused in cold reality, she slipped off his lap and righted her lingerie. “If you understood what this gallery means to me, you’d never say such a thing.”

“It’s just a gallery.”

“And it’s just a painting, but obviously you feel strongly about it.” She gazed straight at him so he’d know she was serious. “The gallery is the only thing that’s ever been mine alone. It’s all my doing, and its success rests only on me. It’s
my
passion, and I’m putting my soul in it, the same way you put your soul in your artwork.”

“Viola, I—”

“I’m not your father, Finn,” she interrupted softly, “and I don’t appreciate you belittling something that means everything to me.”

She went to the foyer and heard him follow. By the time he reached her, she’d picked up his coat and held it out.

He took it almost reluctantly. “Viola, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I know.” Trying to smile, she rose on her toes and kissed him. “I’m still glad you came over.”

He held her face in his hand and kissed her properly, slowly, as if wanting to make sure the bitter taste of conflict was gone from her palette. Running his fingers down her neck, he turned and opened the door.

She wanted to say something, only what was there to say? She locked the door and went upstairs to shower away the ashes of their pleasure.

Chapter Twenty-one

“So how is your mother doing?” Charles asked.

Chloe shrugged without looking up from her dinner plate, even though she wasn’t eating. She loved Indian food, but she hated the dishes with cauliflower in them, and that was all her father had brought home. Typical. She pushed around a large flowery head, wondering if Hunter liked cauliflower. He was probably having a normal dinner.

At least Louise wasn’t there. If she had been, there’d probably be sprouts or that fake chicken made out of tofu.

“Chloe, I asked you a question.”

She glanced up. “What?”

“How is Viola?” he asked again, setting his fork down and staring at her.

Since when did he care? She shrugged again and said, “Great.”

He frowned as if that wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. “I’ve tried calling her, but she hasn’t returned my calls. I wanted to see how her gallery is going.”

She couldn’t blame her mum—after the last visit, she wouldn’t have returned Charles’s calls either. “She’s busy.”

“I thought I could help.”

Right. Like he was so helpful when they were married. She went back to pushing around the cauliflower on her plate. She bet Hunter didn’t have to wait for his father to proclaim that dinner was over before he could leave the table. Hunter’s family was probably civilized.

“Chloe, you didn’t answer me.”

“She has help,” she mumbled.

“I thought she might need a man to help her lift things.”

“She has lots of men.” She heaved a sigh and set the fork down. “Can I be excused?”

Charles sat up, a scowl on his face. “What men?”

She’d meant Rowdy and Luca, but the look on her father’s face made her want to dig at him deeper. So she said, with delicious satisfaction, “Her boyfriend.”

“Viola has a boyfriend?”

The way he said it, as if it were crazy, annoyed her. “Can I be excused?” she asked again. “I need to take Schrödinger for a walk, or he’ll mess the carpet.”

“Go.” Her father waved, his expression distracted.

She knew that’d work; he hated untidiness, and he hated Schrödinger even more. Putting her plate in the sink, she hurried to her room, got the dog and his leash, and led him outside.

Her mobile rang as they rounded the corner. She smiled when she saw that it was Rowdy.

“You’ve forsaken me, kid,” he said when she answered.

She rolled her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t call. You don’t write. You don’t go with me to get ice cream. I’m surprised you even remember who I am.”

“Christopher, right?”

He snorted. “Sassy pants.”

“Aren’t you still, like, in New York or somewhere?” she asked. He played professional rugby for the United States team.

“It was Philly, and I’m back. I was trying to reach your mom, but she’s not answering, so I thought I’d try you.”

“I’m at Charles’s house.”

Schrödinger looked back at her and moaned.

No kidding. She patted his back reassuringly.

“You sound super enthused about seeing your dad, as usual. You need a jailbreak?”

“I broke myself out. I took Schrödinger for a walk.”

“Aren’t you smart. How are you and the pup doing?”

She looked down at the dog, who was happily sniffing around a bush. “We like each other.”

“Maybe I can borrow him sometime. Chicks dig pets. It’ll show I’m a sensitive dude.”

“Right.” She rolled her eyes again, grinning.

“So you want to get ice cream with me sometime? It’s been ages.”

“I had ice cream yesterday.” Hunter had taken her after school. He’d walked her home and kissed her on her doorstep for as long as she dared before she was afraid her mother might catch them. Being open with her mum was one thing, but she didn’t think she was ready to snog in front of her.

“You stepping out on me with other men?” Rowdy asked as though affronted.

She giggled, wrapped the leash around her knuckles when Schrödinger yanked at it hard. “There are no other men.”

“That’s what a dude likes to hear.” Rowdy paused, and then said, “You sound good, kid. You happy?”

She had her mum back. She didn’t have to worry that she’d go home and find her mum passed out with an empty bottle of sleeping pills. They even did things together. It was like Viola was a new person.

Not to mention that she was passing science—so far—and Hunter liked her. She had an awesome dress to wear to Rosalind’s wedding. And then there was the dog. The only blight on her world was Charles, and at least she only saw him a couple times a week.

She smiled at Schrödinger and nodded. “Life’s pretty good, actually.”

Chapter Twenty-two

“Stay in bed with me,” he murmured, cradling her closer.

Vi sighed, anxious to get up. She had so much to accomplish this morning. She could do it all—she just needed to be efficient, and staying in bed until noon wasn’t the way to do it.

She should have known better than to have Finn spend the night. She’d meant to use the night to finish up the interview questions the columnist had sent her and catch up on other details. But Finn had called and asked her to dinner, and she couldn’t help saying yes to him. Since Chloe was at her father’s, Vi hadn’t protested Finn sleeping over.

She liked it. She liked waking up snuggled in his arms.

But then there was reality. She kissed his shoulder. “Don’t you have to go to work?”

Groaning, Finn rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his forearm. “Don’t remind me.”

She knew the curator was driving him mad with all her interruptions. “I have a theory about her.”

“Do you?” He opened his eyes.

“She fancies you. She can’t help being around you, and the more she bothers you, the longer it’ll take you to finish.” Propping herself on his chest, she smiled to hide the fact that maybe that was wishful thinking on her part, because she knew once he finished the piece he was working on he’d return to Paris.