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Back Escape to the French Farmhouse Save as PDF
Chapters (79)
  1. COVER
  2. About the Author
  3. Also by Jo Thomas
  4. DEDICATION
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. FORTY-FOUR
  49. FORTY-FIVE
  50. FORTY-SIX
  51. FORTY-SEVEN
  52. FORTY-EIGHT
  53. FORTY-NINE
  54. FIFTY
  55. FIFTY-ONE
  56. FIFTY-TWO
  57. FIFTY-THREE
  58. FIFTY-FOUR
  59. FIFTY-FIVE
  60. FIFTY-SIX
  61. FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. FIFTY-NINE
  64. SIXTY
  65. SIXTY-ONE
  66. SIXTY-TWO
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgements
  69. RECIPES
  70. Lavender shortbread
  71. Apricot jam sponge cake
  72. Lavender lamb
  73. READ MORE
  74. Prologue
  75. ONE
  76. TWO
  77. THREE
  78. FOUR
  79. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘Not here?’ I say. I’m flirting! I haven’t flirted and felt its buzz for so long. Is it wrong to feel wanted and to want someone, no matter what the age difference? To want them for them. It’s not about getting pregnant: it’s about wanting to be with him.

I bite my bottom lip.

‘No.’ He moves closer towards me, and his lips are finally on mine, kissing me. And I’m kissing him back. It is the most amazing kiss I have ever had.

‘How was that?’ He smiles as he pulls away.

My nerve endings are standing to attention and I just want more.

‘Now, will you please let me take you to bed?’ he asks, and I’m taken aback, but what’s wrong with saying what you really want instead of pretending?

I stare at him, the air between us as electric as the buzzing from the cicadas on this hot night.

And then I drop my head. ‘I can’t,’ I say quietly, trying to rein in my overexcited hormones.

‘Why not?’ he says. ‘Is it your husband?’

‘Soon-to-be-ex-husband,’ I say. ‘Who is having a baby with his lover.’

‘Is it that?’ He doesn’t look shocked.

‘No.’

‘Then why? We both want this. We are both free to be together. And Stephanie won’t be unhappy any more.’

‘Because …’ I don’t know that I can even say this. I look up at his beautiful face. ‘Because I’m worried I might fall in love with you,’ I say, so quietly I barely know if I’ve said it out loud.

He reaches for my cheek and stands up, offering me his hand. ‘Let’s take the risk, shall we?’ he says. ‘There is always risk in life. You coming here, staying here. It was a risk, but you made it happen, because you are you. Taking the risk is just the start of the journey, the first step.’ He smiles, his hand still outstretched. ‘It has to be worth the risk, doesn’t it?’

My heart is pounding, my stomach fizzing with excitement.

He’s right. I took the risk the first day I stayed here and I have never been happier. I look at his hand and slowly, ever so slowly, put mine into his and let him lead me up to bed.

FORTY-FIVE