“I think this may be more upper class than middle class.” She couldn’t resist a little dig.
“Well, I am sure you’ll fit right in then.”
She gave his arm a gentle smack making him chuckle.
Once they’d parked under the direction of parking attendants, Jon opened the boot of the car to reveal a wicker picnic basket.
“See, I’m a classy guy when the occasion calls for it.” He took her hand to lead her towards the back of the stately home where there was a temporary staged area in front of sprawling lawns.
They found a space where Jon opened the basket, retrieving a traditional looking red checked picnic blanket that he spread out and gestured for Steph to sit down. He sat next to her. “It’s not quite the Proms, but–”
“But it’s lovely,” she interrupted as musicians began to take to the stage.
“So, we seem to keep avoiding a conversation we need to have, Steph. What do you want from, me? From us?” he asked seriously.
She swallowed hard and rolled onto her side on the blanket where she lay and propped herself up on her elbow.
“I like you,” she started. “I fancied you when I first met you, then I thought you were a bit of a knob who had his head up his own arse, but then after Lindsay’s wedding I kind of liked you again and I have to admit you have won me over now and if you weren’t married . . .” her voice trailed off.
“If I weren’t married?” His question encouraged her to continue.
“If you weren’t married I would very much like to be your girlfriend, but as you are . . .” Her voice trailed off again.
“I really do like you, Steph . . . and you were the one that suggested that we should see each other regardless of how you saw our positions, so I would still like to do that. To see eachother and see what happens, but I don’t mean on a casual basis.” He reached across and brushed the loose hair off her face and gently kissed her lips.
“What does that even mean? See what happens, not on a casual basis?” Her confusion was on the rise as his words seemed to contradict the premise of their relationship and what it was possible for it to be.
“It means we see what happens between us. You may give me the elbow in a month’s time or in a year’s time we may decide we want more in some way. Nobody knows what is waiting around the corner and maybe that’s for the best, but I am very reluctant to enter relationships. That can be costly in every area,” he said mysteriously. “So, I would expect you to be faithful to me, and I know that you are discreet, but I would need that assurance from you, and honesty. I don’t like being lied to.”
She nodded, thinking that he hadn’t asked for anything she hadn’t expected to give anyway. “I’m not the slut you think I am, so fidelity is a foregone conclusion, for me anyway,” she said seriously.
“I have rethought that judgement, but your behaviour that night gave me that impression. Why is fidelity only a foregone conclusion for just you?” His earlier smile was replaced with a frown.
“Because unless you’re about to tell me that your wife doesn’t understand you.”
“Look about my wife–” started Jon as she interrupted.
“Ssh. Look, I hate that I might have to share you. I was cheated on by Simon and it’s shit, but if the choices are sharing you or walking away I think I would rather share, but it’s probably best that we don’t talk about her,” she said putting a negative inference on the word ‘her’.
“But maybe,” he started again, but this time she stemmed the flow of his words by leaning across and kissing him. As hereciprocated and parted his lips she accepted his invitation until she was on her back with him across her stroking her hair and kissing her gently, but passionately.
As he came up for air he smiled down at her. “I think our merger is going very well, don’t you?”
“Very, in fact I think our negotiations are almost done, don’t you?” she asked.
He shook his head and frowned. “Far from it, darling, there are a couple more things we will need to thrash out.” He raised his eyebrows at her, making her giggle.
“Sounds like fun.” She grinned.
“I do hope so.” He reciprocated with a huge wolfish grin.
“Although I was rather hoping we were ready to shake on the deal,” she told him.
“I promise you we will shake on this particular deal several times at each stage of the negotiations,” he said salaciously.
“Then I look forward to our ongoing negotiations.”
They both looked up as they became aware of applause around them. They joined in as the musicians on stage stood up and took a bow before some left the stage and others took to it.
