Chapter Twenty-Eight
Over six hours Myrtle’s five puppies had been delivered safely with just two of them needing intervention.
Henry had stepped in each time, rubbing, encouraging, aspirating and coaxing the reluctant puppy to breathe.
Myrtle had been a star, and all were feeding well.
Ava felt emotionally and physically drained.
She and Henry sat on the floor, watching the new mum and her litter.
‘Thank you so much for today. I couldn’t have done it without you.’ Ava looked at Henry, the emotion of the day getting the better of her and tears welled in her eyes.
Henry offered her a smile before reaching up and wiping a tear from her cheek. She felt the brush of his hand against her skin.
‘Thank you for letting me stay and help,’ he spoke in a whisper, his green eyes appearing darker in the evening light.
As he met her gaze, she realised she had moved in a little closer, drawn towards his touch.
She swallowed. They didn’t speak, the attraction between them clear.
She felt a blush spread across her cheeks and neck and a growing desire within that told her how much she wanted him.
She leaned in until their lips touched, lightly at first, a gentle kiss, followed by another and another.
His soft lips against hers sent sensations rippling through her body.
These tender kisses felt more intense than their lust fuelled moment on the sofa the last time Henry had visited.
Ava felt heat burn deep within and ached for him, as she drew him in closer, making their kisses deeper.
His stubble, a sign of the long day they’d shared, felt rough against her skin, and she welcomed the sensation.
When he pulled back, his breathing was ragged, and she missed the feel of his lips on hers.
He put his forehead to hers. ‘I need to go. I’ve got to shower. ’
Ava took a breath. The rasp in his voice made her want him more. She didn’t want him to leave; she didn’t want the moment to end.
‘You can shower here.’ She moved back a little, biting her lip. Trying not to think of Henry, in her shower, water pouring over the firm torso she had all too briefly felt before.
‘Really?’ Henry looked at her, unsure.
‘I’d like you to stay.’
‘Good. Because there is nowhere else I’d rather be.’ He spoke the words with the hint of a smile tugging at his well-kissed lips, before leaning forward and kissing her nose.
Ava tucked her hair behind her ears and watched as Henry stood and slid off his T-shirt.
Oh!
‘Don’t suppose you have anything that will fit, do you?’
Ava shook her head silently, aware that she had All Critters Great and Small sweatshirts in a variety of sizes in a cupboard upstairs, but to say so would bring up the charity and she wanted to keep this moment strictly personal.
‘I could wash it. I’m going to wash the towels and .
. . stuff.’ Mindful of her ankle, Ava stood, taking the T-shirt from Henry.
Her legs felt stiff from the hours spent sitting on the floor or crouching by the whelping box.
‘Really? You don’t have to.’
‘I know.’ Ava smiled, turning towards the washing machine to prevent her eyes lingering on his torso.
Before she could move away any further, Henry caught hold of her arm, pulling her towards him.
Unsteady on her ankle, Ava turned and spun into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, lifting her onto the kitchen counter in an easy movement.
Ava felt the hard worktop underneath her.
Returning Henry’s kisses, she moved her legs to accommodate him standing between them.
Feeling his bare skin beneath her hands, and the ripple of his muscles as he moved, a wanton moan escaped her; an action that caused him to shift position and pull her hips closer to him.
Pausing for a moment, Henry’s breathing was ragged and Ava could see the rise and fall of his chest as he tried to compose himself.
‘Ava Flynn, I wish I had the words to tell you how I feel about you.’
Ava smiled. ‘I quite liked you showing me.’ How had she ever thought she could quash her feelings for this man? Being with him always felt right.
Henry laughed before planting a final kiss firmly on her lips. ‘I’m going to shower.’
Ava watched him walk through the hallway before she turned to Myrtle. ‘Blimey girl, this is turning out to be one crazy day.’
Myrtle cocked her head.
‘OK, I know, it’s been particularly crazy for you.
’ Ava slid off the kitchen side, being careful to place her weight on her good ankle.
She laid Henry’s T-shirt over the back of a kitchen chair and began to pick up the towels they had used during whelping.
As she bent to put them in the washing machine, the back door opened.
Ava tried not to show her disappointment at Mary showing up unannounced.
She usually loved her friend’s impromptu visits, but the day had felt special; sharing it with Henry, alone, had made it even more special and she really wanted to see where the evening might lead them.
‘You haven’t been answering your phone, so I’m here to see if you’re OK.’
Ava felt guilt wash over her. ‘I haven’t? I mean, no. I haven’t.’
‘I was worried with it being Mother’s Day, so I thought I’d come and keep you company.’
Ava Flynn, you are the most ungrateful friend ever!
Ava smiled at Mary and felt terrible for inwardly regretting her showing up.
‘I’ve been distracted. Look.’ Ava led Mary to the whelping box to show her Myrtle and her puppies.
‘Aren’t they gorgeous.’ She spoke in a proud whisper as they watched the brood, their velvet bodies and soft pink muzzles jostling for position as they fed.
Mary gasped. ‘Oh my goodness, look at you, Miss Myrtle. You’re a mumma now.
Happy Mother’s Day!’ Her tone was light as she addressed the dog and looked over the puppies.
Turning back to Ava, Mary continued to smile.
‘Congratulations, Grandma!’ She pulled Ava into an unexpected hug before stepping back, searching her face and assessing her.
‘Are you OK? Why didn’t you call me? I would have been here. ’
‘She started this morning. I knew you were on a call and didn’t want to disturb you.’
‘So you did it all alone. Were you OK?’
‘Yes, I was fine . . . but I . . . I wasn’t alone.’
‘Did Gino come? I thought he was taking his mum out. Wow!’ Mary folded her arms and returned her gaze to the puppies. ‘You know you’re special when he lets his mamma down for you.’
‘No. It was . . . Henry.’
Mary turned to Ava, her expression incredulous.
‘He was great. He’s been here all day. He saved two of them. I’m not sure I could have done it without him.’
‘You could have. You would have phoned me.’
Ava was taken aback by the change in Mary’s tone — a jolt out of the serenity of the evening.
‘But Henry was here.’
They heard a noise from upstairs.
Mary’s eyes flicked to the ceiling before looking back at Ava. ‘And is he still here now? Is that him?’
‘Yes, he went to shower.’ Ava regretted saying it the moment the words left her mouth.
‘What the hell, Ava! Are you literally sleeping with the enemy?’ Mary cocked her eyebrow, and as she caught sight of the T-shirt draped over the back of the kitchen chair, her expression turned to a disapproving glare that suggested she wanted an explanation.
‘Not here, come to the lounge.’ Ava was not going to have raised voices near Myrtle and her puppies, and she could tell Mary wasn’t going to be easily appeased. When she got to the lounge, she turned to her friend, but it was Mary who spoke first.
‘What the hell are you doing? I don’t know what I’m more shocked about, that you would do this to Gino, or that you are doing it with the person who wants to undo everything we’ve worked for! Seriously, Ava, I don’t know what is going on with you. How could you? What would your mum—’
Ava held up her hand. ‘Don’t, don’t go there.
’ Ava took a breath. Mary was, without doubt, a wonderful friend, but she had also been her mum’s apprentice, and while Ava loved her, the fact she sometimes made claims about what her mum might think, feel, say or do, as if she didn’t know herself, hurt.
Ava was tired. She very much still wanted to be wrapped in Henry’s arms, and she really didn’t want Mary to tell her how she may or may not be letting her mum down.
Mother’s Day was hard enough, without throwing guilt into the fusion of emotions.
Ava looked into Mary’s eyes and spoke in a hushed tone. ‘The charity is safe. Henry has assured me of that. And as for what I am doing, or not doing with him, that is none of your business. But as I told you, he has been here all day. He helped deliver the puppies and—’
‘Then you thanked him, by what? Getting cosy behind Gino’s back?’
Ava was taken aback by Mary’s words. ‘What are you talking about? Why would Gino care who I see or what I do with Henry?’
‘Ava! My God, you’ve changed since Lord Shagling—’
‘Stop with the names. You know he’s called Henry!’ Ava looked at Mary exasperated. Maintaining a lowered voice and cool facade was becoming increasingly difficult in the face of her erroneous barrage of accusations.
‘OK, so since he’s been back, you’ve been behaving strangely.
You’re less committed to the shop. I’ve tried to stay neutral about it, but you stupidly let your dog get pregnant when there are more puppies in the world than owners to love them.
You’ve slept with Gino and done goodness knows what with sex toys, and now you’re cheating on him with L — Henry! ’
Mary made air quotes as she spoke his name, while Ava’s mind scrambled in an attempt to fathom the implications of her words.
‘You’ve got it all wrong.’
Mary looked at her, eyes wide, disdain etched in the tightness of her jaw and her tight lips. ‘By all means sleep with him if it saves the charity, but don’t do it behind Gino’s back. He deserves better than that.’