London Loves - Book 3 - Love's Great Adventure Series (19 page)

She picked up the photo and smiled. “That was the best day of my life. Do you ever think I’ll be happy again?”

“Yes, I do. It may not be right away, but I think you will find happiness again,” he replied in all earnest.

“Then I just have to believe that, or there’s no point in going on,” she murmured.

The secretary entered the room with a tea service and poured them each a cup. Sebastian thanked her. Pulling the calendar on Max’s desk in front of him, he picked up a pen and prepared for the onslaught of note-taking.

Two hours later, his head was spinning. They’d covered the charities Max chaired and the causes they supported. Penny was a big help with information on this front. Sebastian was astounded by the information regarding the castle and grounds—the upkeep and bills and the staff. He would definitely be leaving his job at the gallery. Running the castle seemed like running a small corporation, and the cost was astronomical. No wonder Max left him three million pounds to run it. The next call Sebastian would have to make was to Mr. Hume to have him run over the financials and see if there was any way he could invest the money to make a profit and keep the staff employed for many years to come.

Later that evening, Sebastian took Mattie to McDonald’s for dinner because Tess was working late again. They sat in a booth, eating cheeseburgers. “Did you have a good day, Daddy?”

“Not particularly, Mattie. Did you enjoy your play date with Michael after school?”

“Yes,” she replied, sipping her milk. “Why are you sad?”

“I miss Uncle Max. I feel bad for Aunt Penny. Now that Uncle Max is gone, I have to take over his job.”

“So you have to take Aunt Penny to charity balls now?”

Sebastian looked at his daughter and smiled.
Oh, if it were only that simple.
Someday she would understand. Hell, she’d have a front row seat. “No, Mattie. I now own the castle and need to take care of the people who work there.”

“We get to live in the castle!” she exclaimed.

“Only on the weekends, when you aren’t in school,” Sebastian explained.

“I want to live there now. Can’t I go to another school?”

“Wouldn’t you miss your friend Michael?”

The child pouted. “Yes.”

“I not sure what we’ll do next. I have to talk to Mummy about it.”

“She gives good advice.”

“That she does,” he agreed. “Now finish your meal so we can get home.”

Tess walked through the front door of Penny’s townhouse around nine o’clock in the evening. Exhausted, she set her briefcase on the floor in the hallway and walked into the parlor. She found Sebastian poring over documents and a notebook.

He looked up when she entered the room. “Hello, darling.”

“Hey,” she replied with a smile as she walked over to join him on the sofa. Looking down at the papers, she grimaced. “That looks menacing.”

“I’m not having much fun, I can vouch for that.”

“What is all this?”

“Max’s info regarding a dozen charities, the household budget for the castle, and a list of its employees and job descriptions.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. Tess grabbed all the paperwork from his hands and placed it on the coffee table. Next, she sat on her husband’s lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you.”

He kissed her, and in that one move he found solace. The kiss deepened; their tongues caressed in a slow, languid motion. Pulling apart with a labored breath, he said, “I don’t want to talk right now. I just want to make love to you.”

“Hmm, that sounds wonderful.” Tess stood from her husband’s lap and took his hand, escorting him up the stairs to their temporary bedroom.

Inside their cozy room, they undressed one other. Piece by piece, the layers were stripped until they were naked. “I’ve missed you so much,” he murmured, running his hand down her spine until he reached had cupped her gorgeous ass. Next he walked her backwards until the backs of her knees hit the edge of the mattress.

Tess sat down and dragged her fingertips along his well-defined, smooth chest. “I miss you more,” she told him before leaning in and kissing the tip of his erection.

“I like that. It feels so good.” Sebastian tilted his head back and closed his eyes, concentrating on the heady sensation of her lips that were now wrapped around his cock. Between the exhaustion and the excitement he was feeling, Sebastian wasn’t sure how much longer he could remain standing. He pulled away from his wife and moved her body to the center of the bed. Lying of top on her, he kissed her jaw and then moved along her neck and then down to her breasts, licking, nipping, and kneading them until Tess let out a low moan that let him know he was having the desired effect.

“Please—now,” she pleaded, knotting her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

His mind wandered back to the time they first lived together and their spectacular honeymoon, when sex was something they seemed to do every day. Now sex was infrequent and quick because life just seemed to take over. He granted her request and eased inside her. Tess was his
home,
and as long as he remembered this, everything else would work itself out. Tess let out a short, quick gasp, and then he felt her muscles tighten around his cock as she climaxed. Feeling her come undone around him sent him over the edge.

Tess let out a small yawn that she covered with her hand. “So tired,” she said, wrapping her arms around her husband as he lay his head on her breast.

“Sleep now, Tess.”

The alarm clock buzzed incessantly and Sebastian blindly reached over and hit it with the palm of his hand to turn it off. Tess squirmed underneath him, unhappy to have her slumber disturbed.

“Darling, get up. We need to shower,” Sebastian coaxed with a little nudge.

“Hmm—together?” she asked in a quiet voice as she slowly opened her eyes.

“Can’t think of a better way to start the day, can you?”

Tess sat up in bed and stretched her hands above her head, the white sheet falling onto her lap, revealing her naked breasts. “Okay.”

“You keep that up and I’ll ring the office and tell them you are sick so we can spend the day in bed,” he threatened.

“That sounds like heaven,” she wistfully replied, getting out of bed. “But we have your father’s dinner tonight and we need to get Mattie off to school.”

“No-nonsense Hamilton returns,” he pouted, also getting out of bed.

They walked into the bathroom and Tess started the shower. She stepped in first, and Sebastian followed. Taking the handheld shower nozzle from her, he began to wet her skin and then her hair. “Aren’t you tired of all the responsibility? Don’t you ever just want to say dash it all and be free?”

“It a lovely thought, Bas, but it’s not realistic.” Tess took the shower nozzle from her husband and began to wet his skin.

“I know,” he muttered, relaxing under the stream of hot water. “I feel like the bloody mayor of London, complete with budgets and payrolls. I wish we were back in New York.”

Tess placed the shower nozzle back in its holder and wrapped her arms around Sebastian. “I can help you look over everything this weekend. We can make a schedule. That might help.”

Shaking his head, he grinned. Tess and her schedules seemed to be the answer to everything. “I could use all the help I can get right now. Thank you.”

“What do you have planned for today?” she asked, taking the loofah and scrubbing his back.

“I’ve got to ring Fiona and tell her the news. I’m going to need to leave the gallery, but I’m hoping she’ll let me stay on as a consultant.”

“Fiona adores you—I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”

“Next I have go meet with Mr. Hume and go over Max’s finances to see if there is a better way to invest the money so we can keep the castle going.”

“I wish I could go with you. I’m so sorry you have to do this alone.”

Turning around to face his wife, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I wish you could be there, too. We’ll talk at length this weekend, okay?”

Sebastian stood in front of the mirror fixing his tie while Tess sat on the bed putting on her shoes. When she finished, she walked up behind her husband. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she said, “You look very handsome.”

He glanced at her maroon dress and black heels. “You look amazing, as always.”

“I dressed extra nice—just in case I run late at work, I can meet you directly at The Ivy.

“Have a good day at work.”

Tess gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Penny is still okay with watching Mattie?”

“Yes, we’re good to go.”

“Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

With that, Tess turned to the right and headed toward the stairs while Sebastian turned to the left to wake Mattie. Opening the door to her bedroom, he peeked inside. She was already awake and dressing for school.

“Look at you, up and ready.”

“Hi, Daddy. Can we go to the castle this weekend?”

“I don’t know, darling. I have a dinner tonight and I have paperwork to do this weekend.”

“Can’t you do it at the castle?”

His child was too logical for her own good—and she certainly hadn’t inherited that trait from him. “Let me talk to your mum tonight. We if go, it won’t be until tomorrow morning.”

Satisfied with his response, Mattie took his hand. “Let’s eat.”

Tess made it to The Ivy with five minutes to spare. Sebastian was waiting outside, pacing the sidewalk. “Sorry, to cut it so close,” she apologized and then kissed him on the cheek.

“It’s bloody freezing out here. Let’s go inside,” he said, opening the door for her to enter first.

The waitress walked them over to a table at the center of the room, where the rest of the party was seated. Sigourney, Martin, and Colette had already started in on the wine. Sebastian pulled out a chair for Tess and then he sat down.

“I’m so glad we could all get together before Martin and I fly back to Greece,” Colette announced.

“It is nice to see you again,” Tess added.

Over the course of the two-hour meal, Sigourney, Tess, and Sebastian took turns telling Martin about their lives. Martin had a genuine interest in their tales, and Sebastian thought maybe there could be a reconciliation after all. The evening was drama-free and no one raised their voice in anger. It was a welcome change of pace.

The group parted ways outside the restaurant and filed into separate cabs.

“That went better than I expected,” Sebastian said, loosening his tie as the cab drove toward Kensington.

“Martin seemed sincere,” Tess added.

“Yes, he did. Did you get all your work finished today?”

“Yes, that’s why I was close to being late.”

“Mattie wants to go to the castle tomorrow.”

“I think we should go, Bas. I want to help you with budgets and payroll. I think going there in person would be the best place to do it. This way you can talk to the person in charge. I’m sure he’ll be able to give you insights into how the household is run.”

Sebastian looked at his wife. The night lights flitted across her face as the cab moved down the street. A mixture of pride, love, and relief swelled in his heart. “You have no idea how much I need you,” he softly said, reaching for her hand.

“I do know,” she smiled. “I need you just as much.”

In the morning, Sebastian had all the bags packed in the back of Max’s Range Rover. Penny was sitting in the parlor, reading the newspaper.

“We’re almost ready to go. Are you sure you don’t want to come along?” he asked.

“No, I’m not ready yet.”

“I feel bad leaving you alone, Pen.”

“I’ll be fine.” She folded the paper and placed it on the coffee table. “You, Tess, and Mattie have been so supportive these past few weeks. I’m so very grateful, but you need to get back to living your lives and I need to figure out how to move forward in mine. When you come back to London, you don’t have to stay here. I’m sure you miss your flat and your daily routine.”

“I do,” Sebastian admitted.

Penny stood from the chair and hugged Sebastian. “You have been a brilliant friend. I will never forget this.”

“I’m a phone call away if you need
anything
.” He pulled away and caressed her cheek. “I best go round up Tess and Mattie.”

“Have a nice weekend, Sebastian.”

Sebastian entered the kitchen and found Tess cleaning up the dirty dishes. “Almost ready to go,” she said, placing the last bowl on the dish rack to dry.

“Where’s Mattie?”

“I thought she was with you.”

Sebastian huffed in exasperation. “She wanted to go and now she disappears.”

Tess laid the towel on the counter. Then she walked over to her husband and gave him a hug. “Please try to stay calm. I know you aren’t looking forward to this, but it will be fine. We’ve got this, okay?”

He silently nodded.

“I’m going to get my coat. Maybe Mattie went to say goodbye to Penny.”

“I just left Penny, but I’ll go check.”

They parted ways and Sebastian walked down the hall, back toward the sitting room. The library door was ajar and he caught a glimpse of his daughter on the telephone. Opening the door and stepping inside, he said, “Martha, who are you ringing?”

“I’m calling Uncle Alistair, Daddy.”

“Where in God’s name did you get his phone number?”

“He gave it to me,” she said, holding up the calling card.

“Mattie, I don’t…” he never had the chance to finish his sentence.

“Hello, Uncle Alistair, it’s Mattie.” The child listened in response. When it was her turn to speak again, she said, “Daddy and Mummy and I are going to the castle for the weekend. Aunt Penny will be all alone. I think you should come here for tea.” Mattie was silent once more while Alistair responded. “She won’t mind. She’s lonely. Please say you’ll come visit.” Obviously getting the answer she wanted to hear, Mattie smiled. “Thank you, Uncle Alistair.” Then she rang off.

“Martha Katherine Irons, you did not just invite Alistair to tea with Penny.” In that moment, Sebastian wasn’t sure if he should be angry or pleased with his daughter.