“She’s the only woman I couldn’t live without.” Literally. “She’s off to Ireland next week to visit her family. It’ll all fall apart then.”

“Fall apart how?” she asks, and I throw a smile back at her.

“I’m not the most domesticated man in the world.” Will that be another reason to add to her list of reasons to repel me? Does she want a house-trained bloke who will cook, clean, and iron? I laugh to myself. Every modern woman wants that. But surely bedroom skills trump domestic skills? And if it doesn’t, it should. Because I’m a master of former, and I’m pretty fucking certain Ava will agree. “I’m better at sex,” I mutter to myself, returning my attention forward.

I help her into the passenger seat and put her bags in the boot before jumping in beside her. “Sure I can’t convince you to spend the day with me?” I dazzle her with an irresistible smile, reaching for her knee and gently caressing it.

“I’m sure,” she says slowly, narrowing her eyes, taking my hand and removing it.

I scowl playfully, but deep down it’s a thorough, pissed-off scowl.

Stubborn.

When we pull up outside Lusso, I get out and breathe in the clear air, looking up the front of the building. I’ve got a good feeling about this place. I get Ava’s bags out, passing her purse before I load the others in her Mini, all the while my mind spinning with potential ideas to change her mind. I don’t know when I’m going to see her again, and I have a horrible feeling she’ll keep me hanging. I turn and find her attention on her phone, and I sink my teeth into my lip, thinking. What to do, what to do?

She looks up. Stills. Takes me in. Then visibly shakes herself out of her awestruck state. God, she’s infuriating. She opens the door of her Mini and slips in, but before she can pull the door closed, I’m crouched beside her.

“I’ll take you for lunch,” I declare surely, mentally daring her to refuse. Just lunch. A few hours to break up my day.

“I told you, I’ve got stacks to get done.”

Fuck’s sake. “Dinner then,” I try.

“I’ll ring you later.”

Everything in me sags, most of all my heart. What point is she trying to prove here, other than she’s a defiant pain in the fucking arse? I know she wants to see me. “Are you refusing me?” Yes, Ward, didn’t you hear her?

“No, I’ll call you later.”