He raises his hands. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up."
"We're almost there," Hugh says. "You will meet my mother, Lady Sommerleigh, and I'd appreciate it if you referred to her by her title."
"Sure, no problem," Derek says. "I'm always nice to the ladies."
I poke his arm again. "I know you're polite to women, but please respect the etiquette of the British aristocracy."
"Like you know all about that. Come on, you got that stuff from your new boyfriend."
"Just promise you'll behave."
He twists around to look at me again. "I promise, Avery. Happy now?"
"Yes. Thank you."
I don't know why I worry so much about how Derek will behave when he meets Hugh's mom. I guess I'm just worried Lady Sommerleigh won't approve of me dating her son, since she hired me to help Hugh. I've suffered only a twinge of guilt about that so far, but I'm about to meet his mother again under very different circumstances than the first time. Yes, I have anxiety. For heaven's sake, I've dealt with some of the most powerful people on earth and didn't flinch no matter what they said or did. If I can stand in front of an audience of international journalists to deliver a press conference, I can handle Lady Sommerleigh. She seemed very nice during our one and only meeting.
But I wasn't sleeping with her son back then.
We turn down a long gravel driveway. I can't even see the house from here, thanks to the woods that surround Sommerleigh. We roll down, down, down the driveway that seems like it will never end, and I realize I've started wringing my hands.Get a grip, woman, right now.
"Here we are," Hugh says as we finally exit the woods. "Welcome to Sommerleigh House."
I've never been here before since Lady Sommerleigh had met me at my hotel in London the only time we spoke in person. Sommerleigh House isn't as huge as other mansions I've seen, though the three-story mansion has a typical English-style boxy shape. Elegant decorative elements soften the hard edges. I see a pair of stone lions perched at either side of the steps that lead down to the circular drive.
Hugh parks right in front of those steps. He and Derek climb out of the car, but I remain paralyzed in the backseat until Hugh opens the door and offers me his hand. I stare at it like I've never seen a hand before because I suddenly can't remember anything, not even my own name.
Okay, the amnesia only lasts for about three seconds. Then I remember who I am.
"Come, love," Hugh says. "Unless you plan to eat and sleep in the backseat of my car."
"No, I don't want to do that." I take his hand as I hop out. "Guess I'm more nervous than I realized."
"You've met Mum before."
"I know. But it feels different now."
"Why? I won't tell anyone we've shagged."
"But your mom will know." I bite one side of my lip. "Moms always know. And I guess I'm worried about what she'll think of me now that we are sleeping together."
His lips kink into a playful smirk. "Aresleeping together? That implies you want to go on doing that."
"Yes, I do. You don't?"
"Of course I want that. I want you, full stop."
I experience the most bizarre urge to giggle, but I quash it. A mature, professional woman doesn't laugh like a little girl just because the man she likes admits he feels the same way.
He glances down at our linked hands. "Would you rather we not hold hands when we walk into the house?"
"No, I don't want to hide our relationship."
"Even if it means Mum figures out it's no longer a fake relationship?"
"Yes, Hugh, even if."
He grins. "Brilliant!"