“I managed an hour, right?” he blurted.
“At least.”
“Your turn now.” He tugged her to her feet and stroked her face and neck with his hand. When his fingers snagged on a piece of string, he frowned. “What’s this?”
As he pulled, Ellie caught his hand. “It’s my reminder.”
Jago let it go and tugged her against him. He licked her lips. “Mmm. I taste of plums and nutmeg and chocolate.”
She laughed. “You do. Delicious.”
“I want to taste you.”
Ellie pulled away. “Not tonight.”
He clenched his teeth in frustration. “I want to make you come.”
“You already have. I came when you kissed me.”
Jago gaped. “Really?”
She nodded. “I’ve never done that before.” She bent, pulled up his boxers and pants, and then fastened them.
“You’re so lucky,” he said. “No wet patch to give you away.”
Ellie grabbed his hand and pushed it down the front of her shorts. He felt the dampness of her pants before she pulled his fingers away.
“Ellie, please,” he muttered and dragged her close. “Let me touch you, just a little.”
“You just did.”
He smiled. “A little more than that.”
She groaned.
“Is that a yes groan or a no groan?” he asked.
Her laugh encouraged him to try. He slipped his fingers down her shorts, and then he was the one who groaned. Soft, warm, and wet folds, and he wanted his mouth there and not his fingers, but he wouldn’t push. Ellie buried her face against his chest as he explored the hills and valleys of her sex. When he pressed a finger inside her, she stiffened against him. Jago’s heart pounded so hard it hurt. He pressed his mouth to Ellie’s and began to finger-fuck her as his thumb settled over her clit.
He swallowed her gasps, felt her fingers tighten on his arms, and then she flung back her head and with a loud cry, unraveled where they stood. He kept petting her as she leaned her head against his chest, and he had to fight the impulse to drag her to the ground and fuck her.
Oh God, I want her.
Her breathing slowed, his grip lightened, and she lifted her head to look at him. “Oh wow. I saw stars that time.”
Jago swallowed hard. “I want more than my fingers there, more than my mouth.”
Ellie didn’t blink.
“Come to bed with me,” he whispered. “I want to strip you naked and play with you for hours.”
“Not tonight.”
He sighed and took hold of her hand. “Then I’ll walk you home. I don’t want a dragon to grab you.”
“I’ll be okay. They don’t like meat without ketchup.”
“Even so.”
Jago wasn’t sure he could let her go. Disappointment she wouldn’t go further tugged at his heart as they walked back down the drive hand in hand. But he wasn’t going to push. If she needed him to wait, then he’d wait. When they reached the door of the gatehouse, Jago pulled her under the cover of the porch.
She blinked water from her eyes. “I made you smile in the rain.”
“Yep, you did. I didn’t know that was what you had in mind.”
“Nor did I.”
“What were you going to do?”
“When I need you to smile again when it’s raining, I’ll show you.”
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, felt his happy cock stir in his pants, and wanted to keep kissing her forever. The thought jolted him. He’d been too long without sex, and that was all this was. Too long without a woman in his arms. Though he’d never felt this level of attraction before, not even to the woman he’d been supposed to marry.
If I had, I’d have missed this.
The kiss was long and sweet and sexy. Jago slid one hand between them to cup her breast, and the hardness of her nipple under his palm made the breath catch in his throat. Ellie shuddered against him and gasped into his mouth.
Invite me in. Please
. He slipped his hand higher, and his fingers snagged on the string.
Is that a ring?
Ellie jerked away from him. “I need to go.”
Jago was left staring at a closed door. A ring? Was she engaged? Married?
ELLIE LEANED BACK against Henry’s door and listened until Jago had walked away. That had been close. She needed to find somewhere else to put the ring. That wasn’t the only thing that had been close. She wanted to make love with Jago. Every molecule of her body told her they were meant to be together, but she couldn’t see how that could be.
The curse of the Kewen laid upon her ancestors and now on her was that the oldest child had to go to Faerieland to find a mate and then return to this side to continue the search. If Ellie found the Kewen, they’d all be allowed back in Faerieland. Where did Jago fit in that?
What if she didn’t go back? She swallowed hard at the thought that she might have to choose between him and her family.
Chapter Eight
Ellie walked up to the hall, unlocked the door, and headed for the kitchen. She put down the three containers of cookies she’d made an hour ago, washed the dirty mugs, and emptied the cupboards of the clean ones. Hopefully there’d be enough to give everyone a drink. Now all she had to do was wake Jago. She felt much better after a night’s sleep, although the color she’d lost from her eyes yesterday hadn’t fully returned.
She smiled at the checkerboard floor in the hall, remembering the way Jago stepped from black to white. Had he and Denzel played games on it? Slid down the banisters? Asher would have come down the stairs on a tray. He was fearless and stupid. Micah would have played chess with her on the floor using her soft toys and his collection of planes.
“Good morning, intruder. How did you get in?”
She turned to see Jago by the double doors of his room. He was dressed in tatty ripped jeans that hung loose on his hips and a paint-splattered shirt, his biceps stretching the material. His hair was a mess, he needed a shave, the bruise around his eye had turned yellow, and yet he looked so dangerously attractive that the muscles of her sex clenched and tingles rippled down her spine. Plus she forgot what he’d just asked her.
Oh yes, that was it.
“Henry gave me a key. I was on my way to wake you. I forgot to tell you who’s coming this morning.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Presume that means it’s not me.”
Her face went hot.
Jago stepped toward her. “You’ve invited people? Who?”
The unmistakable sound of vehicles pulling up on the gravel filled the hall, and Ellie sighed. “I think they’re here. Open mind, remember? Don’t get all cross.”
Jago followed her out, and when he pressed up tight behind her and she felt his hard cock nudging her thigh, she couldn’t stop a low moan escaping.
“What’s all this?” Jago asked.
Two people carriers with Knaresden College written on the side parked in the turning circle. Stan Booth exited one of the vehicles and headed over.
“Good morning, Stan,” Ellie said. “This is Lord Carlyle.” When she turned, Jago had yanked his shirt out of his pants. “Lord Carlyle, meet Stan Booth. He’s the head of the construction skills department at Knaresden College.”
The two men shook hands. While Stan looked ecstatic, Jago appeared annoyed. Students milled about on the gravel, sorting out bags and tools.
“I suggested a symbiotic relationship between Sharwood and the college,” Ellie said. “You need work done. The students need somewhere to practice.”
Jago growled at her side. “This is a grade-two-listed building.”
“They’ll be under supervision, of course,” Stan said. “I wouldn’t let them get away with shoddy work. I can’t tell you how excited we are to have this opportunity. I was only going to bring a few students today to scout things out, but they all wanted to come and get started, if that’s all right with you.”
Stan introduced the expert plumbers, painters, joiners, and plasterers who’d be in charge, and Jago sucked in a breath. Ellie hoped his mood improved fast. She ought to have told him sooner.
“Would you like to show us round?” Stan asked. “We can draw up a plan and see how we can help each other.”
Jago opened his mouth and closed it again.
“The bedrooms,” Ellie whispered.
“Yes. I’m very grateful. If you’d like to follow me.” Jago raised his eyebrows at her as he passed.
“Tea and cookies in the kitchen,” she called. “Freshly made this morning.”
Once the gaggle of chattering students had followed Jago up the stairs, Ellie went to find Henry. She’d not seen him since the meal last night. He and Gavin were working on the yew hedge. Henry switched off his trimmer and came over to her.
“I heard the vehicles. I assume they arrived,” he said.
“Lots of them. Jago looks shell-shocked. I didn’t have a chance to warn him. How did you get on with Diane?”
Is he blushing?
“Fine. More than fine.”
Ellie hid her smile. “What can the WI provide? What do we still need to do?”
“Diane’s on the village hall committee as well, so she’s sorted everything. Her son is going to stand at the gates with one of his school friends and collect tickets and money.”
“Her son?” Ellie didn’t try to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
“She’s divorced.”
“Great.” Ellie clapped a hand to her mouth. “No. Sorry. Not great.”
Henry roared with laughter. “You sounded just like me, except I didn’t actually say anything.”
She grinned. “So how are we going to get everything here?”
“She has that in hand too. A friend with a truck will deliver the lot on Friday. She’ll get a team together to serve the refreshments. She’s a wonder.”
“Henry, that’s fantastic! Well done.”
“Diane said she’d bring orange juice. We still need strawberries and cream.”
“I’ll handle that.”
“Is that everything?”
“Nope. We’ll need a map of the garden to hand out, maybe some means of people making comments on what they liked and didn’t like or what they’d like to see. And we have to have a children’s entertainer. Then that’s it. I think. Oh, and possibly spread the word that you’re looking for more volunteers to help in the garden on a regular or occasional basis, and there’s a paying job for a student or school leaver to take money on the gate after today.”
“What did your last slave die of?”
As Ellie walked away laughing, her mobile vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out carefully so she didn’t dislodge the ring she’d tucked in there.
“Hi, Dad.”
“How are you getting on?”
“Really well. There’s a garden party organized for Saturday, and I have college students working on the house. The whole neighborhood has been incredibly supportive.”
Silence greeted her gushing outburst.
“You’re not there to enjoy yourself and put someone else’s world to rights,” he said in a cold voice. “You’re there to find the Kewen and put
our
world to rights.”
Ellie cringed. “I’m sorry, but you know this is what we agreed. I needed a legitimate reason to be here. The flier worked. I’m just doing what they expect me to do.”
“What about what we expect you to do? Have you even been looking?”
“Yes, but this place is vast. It could be anywhere.”
“Do you want me to come and help?”
“No. Give me a chance. I’ve only just got here.”
“Don’t let us down, Ellie.”
She shoved the phone back in her pocket with an understanding of how Jago felt—the oppressive weight of other people’s expectations and the childlike worry that if she failed, she’d lose her father’s love, and after, that of her family. Once she’d made a few phone calls and found a children’s entertainer and a supply of cream for the strawberries, she’d make the Kewen a priority.
* * * *
Jago thought he must be dreaming. The upper floor of Sharwood was a hive of activity, teenagers’ laughter combined with clanking, banging, and hammering and the occasional loud bang or yelp that made him jump. He’d never thought to approach the local college. Ellie was a genius. A sexy genius. He had difficulty swallowing as he thought back to last night.
Oh God. I want to do that again. Do more than that. But I need to ask her about that ring.
“How do you feel about that, Lord Carlyle?” Stan asked.
Oh shit, what did he say?
Jago looked at the list Stan held out. “More grateful than I can say.”
“You’re lucky Ellie caught me at exactly the right time. Their exams over, it’s a matter of weeks before this lot break up for the summer. This is perfect to fill that gap. You might even find some will work during the holidays. The only issue is materials. When we’ve used up what we came with, I can’t supply any more for free, but I can get them at wholesale prices.”
“Give me a list of what you need, and tell me how much it will cost.” Though Jago had no idea where the money would come from. He’d have to sell something. His mother’s jewelry. Maybe he’d ask Ellie.
The prospect of not having to sell Sharwood suddenly seemed a lot brighter. When Preston decided to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse, it looked like he actually could. There was potential income from the television company, from the popup restaurant, and now he had work being done for cost. The chances of success seemed much greater.
He made tea and coffee and carried tray after tray upstairs along with the biscuits. Then he went looking for his miracle worker.
When no one answered his knock on the gatehouse door, Jago headed into the garden. He found Henry and Gavin working on the long border. Gavin was a young man from the village who had Down syndrome. He loved Henry and followed him everywhere. Henry was as patient with Gavin as he had been with Jago and his brother.
“Looking good,” Jago said as he drew near. “In fact the whole garden looks wonderful. I don’t know how you manage it. Well done, Gavin. Did Henry give you a hand?”
Gavin chuckled. “A bit.”
“Hey, cheeky.” Henry laughed. “How are things at the hall?”
“Brilliant. I think all the bedrooms will be rendered habitable. Although the guests will have to sleep on the floor. I have no idea where I’m going to get ten double beds.”
“You still have the house linen?”
Jago nodded. “I don’t know what state it’s in, though. It’ll definitely need washing and ironing.” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Damn, I’ll need pillows too. And curtains. And towels.” He sagged again. “Soap, toiletries, breakfast the next day. The list is bloody endless.”