lips twisted. “I use my driver so I can handle business on the road,” I answered honestly.
“Then I’ll be the driver,” she said.
“Avery.” I smiled. “Are you forgetting that they don’t drive on the same side of the road as Americans? The steering wheel is on the right side, not the left side of the vehicle. Your instincts will be completely turned around.”
She met me with that challenge I saw all night last night. “I think if I can handle you and that long ass dick of yours after three years of not having sex, I can handle a drive. Do you have anything other than the Rolls that brought us here?”
“You want to go without a driver that badly?” I asked.
“I want it to be just you and me,” she said with a smile. “It sounds fun, and your driver needs a vacation too. Why does he have to wait in the car while you and I go play?”
“He does whatever he wants after driving me—” I stopped myself, seeing her roll her eyes at my excuse. “All right. I have a few cars to choose from. I never drive the damn things, so maybe they could use some attention.”
“Do they just sit out here?” she asked with a laugh. “Will they even start?”
I smiled. “My driver lives on the property. He handles all the maintenance on my vehicles while I’m in the states. They work. I’ll even let you take your pick.”
“I’ll grab my purse, and we can get out of here. Damn,” she said. “I should have taken a run before this.”
I looked at her in confusion. She seemed to have a look of panic flash across her face. “It’s raining. Would you rather go for a run first? I can join you.”
“I’m good, taking off for a drive sounds like fun.” She smiled. “I need to take the edge off somehow.”
“Edge? Forgive me, I’m a bit confused.” I could tell something was on her mind and didn’t want to add to whatever it was.
“Yeah, it’s the fun life of dealing with shit.” She grinned. “I talked to Addy this morning, and it was lovely, but my ex was on one again last night. Long story. While I usually run this shit out of my system, a drive through the countryside sounds like it’ll do my wound-up nerves some good.”
“Perhaps we should get you behind a little horsepower? I was planning on taking you to Thornbury Castle.”
Her blue eyes widened and her smile radiated excitement. “Shut the hell up,” she said. “I saw that place in a brochure. It’s a Tudor Castle.”
“And supposedly haunted,” I teased.
“Show me the way to our car, and let’s go see a place that doesn’t require my time-traveling binoculars.”
“Oh,” I said, stopping her, “if you can pack an overnight bag, do so. Or perhaps I might rephrase that. Would you care to stay the evening there with me?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Will there be sex?”
I smiled and slipped my hands into my pockets. “I believe I might continue our evening, minus you screaming out my name through the castle corridors, of course.”
She looked at me in a way that I couldn’t discern. Her eyes seemed to gloss over as she bit down on her bottom lip. She sucked in a breath, smiled, and walked away in what I assumed was happiness that we were taking this last-minute trip.
Chapter Ten
Jim
I took Avery’s and my duffle bags to the garage, and I started to load them into the trunk of the car I thought she’d enjoy making the one-hour trip to Thornbury in the most.
“Holy mother of—” She covered her mouth as she walked toward where I was placing my briefcase in the back, which was insurance in case I needed assistance if shit went down that Alex couldn’t handle alone. “That’s a classic Ferrari, isn’t it?”
“And my bride is a car enthusiast. If I would’ve known that, I would’ve married you earlier.”
She rolled her eyes and snatched the keys from my hand. “Do I still get to drive this baby?” She dangled the keys in front of my face.
I felt my godforsaken phone buzzing, and I knew some company shit was busting loose again. I slipped it out of my slacks, which I’d put on out of habit—I could change into my jeans at Thornbury Castle.
“Is that phone buzzing in your pants the reason you need a driver?” Avery questioned with a devious smile.
“It is.” I ran my hand through my hair, then