London Loves - Book 3 - Love's Great Adventure Series (4 page)

Penny opened the door, wearing a navy dress and heels, her long blonde hair gently falling over her shoulders. She looked as if she were ready to go on a date. “Well, hello. This is an unexpected visit,” Penny greeted.

Sebastian leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Sorry to pop in unannounced, but someone was eager to hear about the ball.”

Penny crouched down to Mattie’s level and gave her a hug. “Come in—I was just about to have tea.”

The trio walked into the parlor. A tall man in a bespoke gray suit stood by the window, his attention focused on something outside. Sebastian recognized him immediately. The man turned to face them with a smile.

“Maxwell,” Sebastian said, shocked to see his brother standing in front of him.

“Sebastian, it’s been too long. It is good to see you again,” Max said, extending his hand.

They shook hands and Sebastian looked at Penny, hoping to get a glimpse of what was going on, but he couldn’t read her expression.

“And who do we have here?” Max inquired, looking down at Mattie.

“I’m Mattie Irons,” she announced, holding out her small hand to Max.

“Hello, Mattie. I’m your Uncle Max.”

“Are you Aunt Penny’s boyfriend?” the brazen four-year-old asked without shame.

“Martha, that’s not a polite question to ask someone you’ve just met,” Sebastian chided.

Thankfully, Penny jumped into the conversation. “Mattie, will you help me get the tea from the kitchen and bring it in here so we can enjoy some refreshments?”

The girls left the room, leaving Sebastian and Maxwell alone. Sebastian hadn’t seen Max in six or seven years. He couldn’t actually recall how long it had been. “I’m sorry, I’m surprised to see you here.” Sebastian walked over the sideboard and poured himself a finger of scotch. He motioned to Max, who declined the drink.

“I ran into Penny at the ball the other evening. She invited me to stop by for tea,” Max explained. “I’m sorry about everything that transpired between you and mother. I just wanted you to know that it doesn’t matter to me. I’m still your brother.”

Sebastian let out the breath he’d been holding in. “Thank you, Max. That means a lot to me.”

“Sigourney kept me abreast of what’s been happening in your life. A wife and a child—who would have thunk?”

Sebastian chuckled. “Life can be unexpected at times.”

“You look very happy. I’m glad things worked out for you.”

Penny and Mattie walked back into the room pushing a tea trolley. “Okay, you two sit down. Tea is served,” Penny said.

The four of them sat around the coffee table, sipping tea and eating finger sandwiches.
Life could certainly be unexpected
, Sebastian thought to himself as Penny and Max regaled Mattie with stories from the charity ball they had attended.

“So I’m standing at the podium ready to make my speech, when I reach into my suit pocket to realize I’ve forgotten my papers I had the speech written on!” Max exclaimed.

“He had this look of sheer panic on his face,” Penny added.

“I was in a panic. I’ve been juggling so many charities, I couldn’t remember the name of those I was supposed to thank.”

“Luckily, I noticed the speech lying on the floor under his chair.”

“It must have fallen out of my pocket.”

“So I decide to walk up to the podium and hand it to him. Just as I hit the top stair, my heel got caught in the hem of my dress and…”

“Penny starts to fall, face first and…”

“Maxwell rushes over and catches me before I hit the ground. Utterly embarrassing!”

Mattie sat wide-eyed witnessing the verbal banter. There was definitely more going on than met the eye, and Sebastian couldn’t wait to get Penny alone to find out what that might be.

An hour later, the clock on the mantle chimed. “Mattie, we should be going. I’m sure Aunt Penny and Uncle Max have things to discuss.”

Max stood. “Sebastian, here’s my card. Ring me. I’d like to have lunch with you soon,” he said, pulling it from the inside pocket of his suit.

Sebastian accepted the card. “I’d like that, Maxwell. It was good to see you again.” Next he kissed Penny on the cheek and whispered in her ear, “We’ll talk about this later.”

Penny merely grinned as she walked Sebastian and Mattie to the front door.

Tess made it home around six o’clock. They sat at the dinner table and Mattie proceeded to tell Tess about her meeting with Uncle Max. Tess listened with great interest while she stole glances at Sebastian to gauge his reaction.

They put Mattie to bed at eight o’clock and finally they were alone. “Lily and your brother on the same day, the first week we move to London. Are you okay?” Tess asked with concern.

“Max was nice. He invited me to lunch so we can talk. He seemed genuinely happy for us.”

“That would be the perfect opportunity to ask him about your father.”

“Exactly. Only now that I have the chance to get some answers, I’m nervous,” he admitted.

“It’s only natural,” Tess reasoned. “You’re going to try to find a man that doesn’t even know you exist.”

“The first step is to assemble information. There’s no saying I have to meet him if he’s found.”

“That’s true, but isn’t the whole point of the exercise to find him, meet him, see if you can have a relationship?” Tess asked.

Sebastian held up his hand as if to stop her. “One step at a time, please.” He leaned his head back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling. “I’m more curious to know what Max was doing in Penny’s home. I know you joked about them dating, but I can’t help but feel there was some sexual tension there.”

“I know—you can ask Max and I’ll corner Penny. Maybe we can play matchmaker after all,” Tess said, excited by the prospect.

“Brilliant, now you and Mattie are ganging up on me,” he smirked.

“Countess Penelope has a nice ring to it.”

“Technically, you would address her as Lady Penelope, the Countess of Sutton.”

“Why do you English have to make things so complicated?”

“Would you prefer we say ‘hey you’ in a New York accent?”

Tess laughed. “Could you imagine Lily’s expression if you did that?”

Sebastian had to laugh, too. “Let’s not put the cart before the horse. Penny’s on several charity boards, and I imagine Max is too, now that he’s retired from Irons Electronic to become the Earl of Sutton.”

“Do you think he’s living in the castle?”

“I would think so—most likely in the fall and winter. He’s probably spending the spring and summer in London due to all the events he needs to attend during the social season.”

“You’ve sort of lost me,” Tess admitted.

“You should have watched more
Masterpiece Theatre,”
Sebastian joked.

“Why should I watch TV to learn about the English upper crust when I have you to explain it to me?”

Sebastian pulled her into his arms. “Enough talk of titles, balls, and betrothals. I just want to enjoy some quiet time with my wife. What do you say we turn in early?”

“I can’t sleep thinking about all these possibilities. Who knew moving here would be so exciting? Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t be writing for the social pages instead of world news.”

Sebastian stood from the couch. “I didn’t say anything about sleeping,” he said in a deep, sexy voice.

“In that case, let’s go,” Tess agreed, pulling him by the hand toward their bedroom.

Once they were inside their bedroom, Sebastian locked the door and then leaned against it, watching his wife as she slowly undressed, making a show of it for him. Although she was no-nonsense Hamilton at work, she’d definitely learned to let loose in the bedroom.

Tess sauntered toward her husband and pinned him up against the door, leaning in and covering his mouth with hers. He swore he would never tire of her passionate kisses as long as he lived. He slipped off his navy suit coat as Tess untied his silk striped tie. Next she began to unbutton his shirt while he removed his belt and unzipped his trousers.

Tess began to kiss the hard plane of his chest and then licked her way down to his erect cock. Taking it in her hand, she stroked up and down, flicking her tongue over the shiny head. Sebastian leaned against the door and splayed his hands along the wall. “Just like that, darling,” he hissed out between shallow breaths. After a few more strokes, she stood up and kissed him again.

Sebastian let his hands roam down the soft smooth skin of her back and then he cupped her buttocks. Turning her around, he pushed her against the door and lifted her off the ground. Tess' legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as he slipped inside her. Careful not to hit her head against the door, he thrust in and out at a languid pace.

“Do you want to finish this here or on the bed?” Tess asked in between kisses. Sebastian backed away from the door and carried Tess to their bed. He lay back, leaving her on top of him. She smiled as her hand ran over his shoulders and down his biceps. “I’ll never get tired of making love with you,” Tess whispered as she rocked back and forth astride his body.

“Good, because you’re mine—forever,” he said, taking hold of her hips and pushing deeper inside her. The quick movement made Tess climax and she collapsed onto Sebastian’s chest, her long brown hair tickling his neck. He smoothed her hair over with his right hand while his left hand traced the curve of her spine.

Tess lifted her head and looked at her husband. “I’m yours, but we’re not finished yet,” she purred as she rolled off his chest and took his erection in her hand.

Sebastian closed his eyes and concentrated on his wife’s touch. Her hands were soft and warm, her mouth was heaven. He took his hand and guided her head closer to his body—needing to feel her mouth surrounding every inch of him. Sebastian was so close to the edge, one more stroke and he came undone. “Fuck,” he moaned as he tangled his fingers in Tess' hair. She crept up his body, giving him a sweet kiss on the neck before laying her head on his shoulder.

The events of the past week had finally tired Mattie out, and Sebastian was given a few blessed hours of silence while she napped. He couldn’t stop thinking about his impromptu meeting with Maxwell the day before. It could have been completely harmless, a situation of circumstance, but something nagged at Sebastian’s consciousness, telling him there was more than met the eye.

He picked up the receiver and phoned Penny.

“Hello,” she said on the other end of the line.

“Hello, Penny.”

“I wondered how long it would take for you to ring me.”

“What’s going on with you and Maxwell?”

“I don’t know that it’s any of your business,” she stated, her tone light and airy.

“Well, when you say it like that, I know there is more going on than meets the eye.”

“Sebastian, we travel in the same circles. I asked him to tea. Why does this trouble you?”

Sebastian sighed. He didn’t actually have an answer to her question. “I don’t know, Pen.”

“Are you jealous because another man is showing me some attention?” she teased.

Maybe she had a point. Maybe he was a little jealous. “He’s not good enough for you,” he replied, frowning.

“Sebastian, you hardly know him! Just because he’s your mother’s son doesn’t make him a bad person,” Penny scolded.

He didn’t want to argue with her; he simply wanted to be sure that she was treated properly. His brother was the Earl of Sutton, for Christ’s sake—of course Maxwell was a gentleman. “I’m sorry, Pen. I don’t know Max very well. I’m being absurd.”

“Finally, you’ve got some common sense,” she admitted. “There’s nothing romantic going on between Max and I, but I do enjoy his company. He’s a good person. I suggest you take him up on the offer for lunch and get to know your brother a little better. I know the age gap you share prevented you for forming a close relationship, but you’re adults. There’s no reason you can’t start being friends now.”

“You’re right. He’s not Lily. I do want to get to know him better.”

“Then it’s settled. Ring him and meet him for lunch. You can even leave Mattie with me so you two can really talk. I’m sure there’s much to sort out.”

“You have no idea,” Sebastian muttered.

“What do you mean by that?” Penelope asked with great curiosity.

“Nothing, just thinking aloud. Thank you, Penny.” He set the receiver down and pondered his next move.

Mattie walked out of her bedroom, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She walked over to Sebastian and curled up on the couch with him. “What are you doing, Daddy?”

“I’m reading Mummy’s article in the newspaper.”

“Is it good?” she asked, leaning her head against his arm.

“Yes, it’s very good.”

“Can we go to the park this afternoon?”

“I have a better idea. Why don’t we go visit Aunt Sigourney?” Sebastian asked, looking down at this daughter.

“Yay! Let’s go!”

They traveled by Tube to Marble Arch station, then walked to Sigourney’s flat in Mayfair. Sebastian lifted Mattie into his arms so she could ring the doorbell.

Sigourney opened the door with a wide smile gracing her face. “Hello! Come inside.”

Mattie kissed her on the cheek first, followed by Sebastian. An adorable English toy spaniel came running into the foyer, his shiny amber coat blowing in the breeze. Mattie squirmed in Sebastian’s arms. “Let me down, Daddy!”

Sebastian laughed. “What have we here?” he said, crouching down to pet the dog.

“This is Monty,” Sigourney introduced.

“Is it a girl or a boy dog?” Mattie asked.

“It’s a boy and he’s six months old.”

“Daddy, I want a dog,” Mattie said, looking at her father.

“Maybe later.”

“Come out to the garden. We’ll have some tea and Mattie and Monty can run off their excess energy.”

Sebastian and Sigourney sat outside at the café table, watching the child and puppy play fetch with a red rubber ball.

“She’s grown so much, Sebastian. It’s good to see you again. I’m so glad you and Tess decided to make the move to London.”

“It’s been an eventful first week, I’ll tell you.”

Sigourney raised her eyebrow at him, but didn’t say a word.