Page 72 of The Secret Holiday Kiss

‘Better. What about kindest?’

‘Kindest. Funniest. The best with his hands. So …’

‘How shall we announce ourselves, then? Shall I come down to breakfast with you this morning, wearing only my boxers?’

Daisy grinned at the thought. Then her face fell.

‘What?’ Avery asked.

‘The dogs will be there.’

‘I need more exposure therapy.’ He said it nonchalantly, but Daisy felt his shoulders tense.

‘So you’re up for it?’

‘I am very up for it.’

‘Let’s do it, then. But maybe wear a little bit more than your boxers. Just this first time.’

‘Fair enough,’ Avery said, and Daisy followed his line of sight to where her floral silky dressing gown hung on the back of the door. ‘What do you think about that?’

Daisy could hear Harry and Sophie chatting in the kitchen from where they stood in the hallway outside. Her pulse was thrumming, and she trying to muffle her laughter because, while she was in her green pyjamas with a Christmas pudding design, Avery was wearing her silky dressing gown over his boxers and T-shirt, the thin material stretched tight over his wide shoulders, and he looked 100 per cent ridiculous.

She turned around to ask if he was ready, and succumbed to a fresh wave of laughter.

‘I don’t see what’s so funny.’ He feigned consternation. ‘I look incredible.’

‘Maybe you should wear something like this for the ball?’

‘Maybe I should wear this exact outfit?’

‘No way.’ Daisy shook her head.

‘Why not?’

‘It’s far too easy to get you out of it, and I don’t want to miss the ball after all the planning I’ve done, because I was too weak to resist dragging you up to my room.’

His eyes narrowed, and her breath caught.

‘Ready?’ she said, before he could suggest they go back there right now.

Avery was about to reply, but then he stopped, mouth open, his eyes on something behind her.

‘Ready for what?’ Harry asked, and Daisy turned to see him standing in the kitchen doorway, his arms folded. ‘Good to see you, Avery. Not sure I understand what’s going on here, but why don’t you come in for breakfast?’

‘We were about to do just that,’ Daisy said primly, following her brother into the kitchen, and feeling like a naughty schoolgirl. But then Avery squeezed her waist and she felt a tiny bit better.

‘Oh my God!’ Sophie clasped her hands together, her eyes widening. ‘Amazing outfit Avery. Amazing … everything.’

‘Amazing everything?’ Harry scowled.

‘Your sister and your childhood best friend. This is perfect. Daisy, this is wonderful. Are you happy? What’s happening? How long have you been …?’

‘Please don’t finish that sentence,’ Harry said, then pointed at Daisy and Avery. ‘Don’t you answer it, either. I have no need for that level of detail in my life.’

‘We’ve just …’ Daisy sighed, unsure, now they’d put Avery’s plan into action, what to say.

‘I showed Daisy round the house, we clicked, then decided we wanted to spend more time together.’ Avery sounded entirely calm, despite the situation and the silky dressing gown grazing the tops of his knees. ‘Obviously Daisy is only here for a little while, but we’re making the most of it. If you’re worried, Harry, I want you to know that I care about her very much, and I would never do anything to hurt her. Also, she offered to lend me this. It’s not my usual choice of loungewear, in case you were worried about who your sister is spending her time with.’