Page 39 of Riding High

Jed rubbed his forehead, desperate to take his rather battered body into a hot shower and then into bed.He wanted Eden in it as well, but there was more chance of him being beamed up by aliens.Their kiss took her by surprise, but he knew that she was now weighing all the pros and cons, and the chances of seeing her naked tonight were slipping away.

As he reached for the whisky bottle for another hit, thinking he might as well get slammed, his phone beeped with a message from an unknown number.

This is Henry.Our last conversation was unproductive and I would like to revisit.

Jed tipped his head back and looked at the ceiling.Henry bugging him was the last thing he needed.And their conversation had been unproductive because Henry wanted something he couldn’t give him, a place in his life.

C’mon, did he really think that one meeting could change the habit of a lifetime?The Duke refused to acknowledge him, so he’d thrown up barriers and created as much emotional distance between himself and his biological family as he could.

Henry had made it easy for Jed to hate him as an individual, as he’d gone out of his way to make his life hell at school.Was he supposed to forget all that because Henry had grown up and supposedly reformed?

Fuck that.And him.

Jed pushed his thumb and index finger into his eye sockets.His head, nose and balls ached, and so did his heart, just a little.But he didn’t have the time or energy to deal with Henry.

He was perfectly fine with the status quo.

Mick leaned over and looked at his phone, her eyebrows rising.One day, maybe, he would be entitled to some privacy.But with Mick around, he wasn’t holding his breath.‘He’s still hassling you?’

To be fair, one visit and one text message couldn’t be called hassling, but it was still annoying that Henry hadn’t taken his first no as his final answer.He lifted one shoulder and turned his phone over in a silent rebuke.Not that Mick noticed.‘I’ve heard that he’s moved back into the Hall and is taking an active role in the management of the estate,’ Mick said.‘He’s been at the Goat a lot lately too.’

Jed liked the village local, the Fainting Goat, and it pissed him off that he’d have to see Henry’s not-ugly mug in it when he went down for a pint.‘He’s playing at being the Duke.Give it a week or two; he’ll get bored soon enough and go back to London.’

‘Wow, you really don’t like him,’ Mick said, her eyebrows rising.

‘Whatever gave you that idea?’Jed sourly replied.

He was tired of talking about Henry, and it was time everyone went home.If he couldn’t have Eden under him, on top of him, on her knees– okay, cool down– he wanted to pop a couple of ibuprofen with another shot of whisky and climb into bed.

But Mick, because she was Mick, someone who took any opportunity to extend her kid-free evening, stood up, walked over to his fridge and pulled out a jug of home-made chocolate sauce.Damn.He loved Mick’s home-made chocolate sauce– hazelnuts, double cream, a few bars of melted chocolate– and she knew he always kept vanilla ice cream in his freezer.She pulled out the tub, plonked both on the table and went back for bowls and spoons.Mi kitchen, su kitchen.

When she was seated again, Jed reached for the ice cream, dished himself up a decent helping, and poured chocolate sauce over the top.His friends and family could fight for the rest…

Eden sent a longing look at the ice cream.Jed stopped eating, yanked the tub of ice cream away from Al and dropped a couple of scoops into a bowl before his brother and friends annihilated what was left.He dashed a decent glug of sauce over the top– she looked like she needed the sugar– and pushed it in Eden’s direction.Her eyes lit up as she picked up a spoon, spooning the dessert into her mouth and closing her eyes in appreciation.Her skin flushed and she released a breathy sigh.God, if this was the way she reacted to ice cream, how would she look with her skin flushed by an orgasm?

Jed squirmed in his chair, his pants now tight.

‘Oh, that’s the best thing I’ve tasted, ever,’ she said, digging in for more.

‘Good, right?’Mick confirmed.‘It’s my mum’s recipe, the best thing she can make.’

‘Her samosas are good, too,’ Al added.

‘You’re right; she makes great potato samosas,’ Mick agreed, before taking charge of the conversation again.‘But we were talking about the charity polo match and how Eden could help.’

‘What?No, we weren’t,’ Eden protested.

‘Now you’re just making stuff up,’ Jed said, pointing his spoon at his sister.

Mick stuck her tongue out at him.

‘Okay,’ she conceded, ‘I think you should help organise the charity polo match, Eden.’Eden’s eyes widened and her spoon stopped halfway to her mouth.

‘Why would I want to do that?’she asked, politely, resting her spoon back in her bowl and sitting back.‘Besides, you know that I’m leaving tomorrow.’

What?The fuck she was…

‘We need your help because everyone on the committee has a full-time job and can’t give it the attention it deserves.You have time; you said you are off for the summer.And it’s been scientifically proven that doing good helps improve your mental health.’