‘If you’ll have me,’ he whispers from beneath his lashes.
Oh hell. I grab his coat and crush my face to his. His arms immediately wrap around my waist and pull me against him. We fit back together like puzzle pieces. He tastes like him – and a touch like salty plane snacks. His hair cascades through my fingers as I part my lips and his tongue claims me. I love this boy. I love him with everything I have.
‘Please go easy on me,’ he breathes against my lips, his cold thumb tracing along my cheekbone. ‘You don’t know the power you have. I’ll let you do anything you want to me, and it’s terrifying.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you,’ I promise, and kiss him again.
The moment’s disturbed by frantic paws pounding against the hall’s wooden floor.
‘Alright, love birds,’ says Mum, sounding right behind me.
Jack’s almost knocked back down the stairs by a tide of black, brown and white.
‘You’re not scared of dogs, are you?’ she says, half-joking.
The answer’s obvious. Jack’s crouching, trying to distribute pats and ear scratches evenly between them. He’ll learn that’s not possible. Coco loves being the centre of attention.
‘You weren’t kidding, you really do have six dogs,’ he says through a broad grin.
Mum cups her mug of tea to her chest and leans against the doorframe. ‘We have twelve at the moment.’
He glances up with incredulous eyes, until Coco almost head-butts him with an overambitious jump. ‘Which one’s Maple?’ he asks.
‘The brown one sniffing you suspiciously,’ I say.
‘She’ll come around,’ adds Mum. ‘She’s a protective she-bear but she’s soft really.’
‘Sounds like someone else I know,’ I mutter, and she elbows me lightly.
‘Who’s this old girl?’ Jack strokes the top of Maggie’s head.
‘Dame Mags,’ Mum and I answer in unison.
‘She’s Mum’s favourite, named after Maggie Smith,’ I explain, folding my arms tighter to stave off the chill.
‘She’s the first dog I got – a puppy from my grandmother’s litter,’ Mum chimes in. ‘She’s blind now, bless her, and her back legs are going, but she’ll always be my special lady.’
Maple may be sceptical but Maggie’s certainly not – her bottom’s wiggling contentedly. What a flirt.
‘Do you want to cuddle some puppies?’ Mum asks.
Jack straightens up. ‘The answer’s always yes.’
Mum laughs. ‘Come in then. I hope you like being around women because there’s eight of us in this house – and more with the pups.’
‘I think I can manage that,’ he says, wiping his boots on the doormat.
As we head to the dining room, Jack’s hand trails down my arm and captures my hand.
Chapter 55
JACK
ABU DHABI
It’s official: Pagari have won the Constructors’ Championship. Silver and white fireworks fan from both sides of the control tower as I whoop down the radio.
When my engineer responds, I can hear cheers from the pit wall in the background. ‘Great job, Jack. We did it!’
