After half an hour curled up on the sofa watching mindless television with Sefton’s head in her lap, Anna couldn’t stand the tension any longer. She wandered down the hallway to Matthew’s study and only just stopped herself from knocking on the door. Sometimes, she still had to remind herself that she was no longer a guest in this house; that she was now an equal partner in Matthew’s life.
Matthew sat gazing intently at his laptop. The glass reading lamp to his right cast a dull glow across the leather top of the mahogany desk and Matthew’s eyes were crinkled in concentration as he looked at the screen.
‘You really should be wearing your reading glasses,’ Anna chided gently, motioning to the discarded pair to the left of the desk. ‘You’ll get a headache.’
Matthew looked away from the screen, his expression pensive. ‘You’re right,’ he said softly. ‘I suppose I just don’t want to admit it.’
‘Am I?’ Anna asked. She crossed the carpeted floor of the study and wandered around to the other side of the desk. Then she burst out laughing. There, on Matthew’s screen, was an animation of dancing yellow Minions, all doing the can can with varying measures of success.
Matthew smiled ruefully. ‘I couldn’t concentrate.’ He swivelled his chair to look up at her and, hesitating just for a second, reached out and drew Anna towards him, resting his head against her just emerging baby bump. ‘I’m sorry. You’re right. It was stupid of me.’ His voice was muffled against her and as he pulled back his eyes were full of remorse. ‘I suppose I got so used to making the decisions as a single parent, it’s taking me some time to get used to talking things through with someone else again. But you’re right. I shouldn’t have made enquiries without discussing it with you first. I love Ellie, but she’s your daughter, and it’s your decision.’
Anna shook her head. ‘I over reacted. You were only doing what you thought was best. I should have been able to talk it through rationally with you instead of jumping to conclusions. I’m sorry.’
Matthew rose from his chair and enfolded his wife in his arms. ‘I made an assumption. But, for what it’s worth, I genuinely thought you’d be pleased that I’d thought about St Jude’s for Ellie. It is a great school and Merry’s been very happy there.’
Anna relaxed into Matthew’s embrace, luxuriating in his warmth and closeness and feeling weak with relief. ‘I know she has. And it’s not that I have any great issue with private education. It’s just that I thought it would be nice to send her to the village school where Evan and her friends from nursery will be. Not to mention that the fees for St Jude’s are the equivalent of a mortgage for the next thirteen or so years, especially now the school leaving age has gone up.’
Matthew shook his head. ‘It’s not like we can’t afford it.’
‘I know,’ Anna replied. ‘And believe me, when I married you I absolutely knew you would be the perfect stepfather for Ellie but it still freaks me out, the prospect of you shelling out all of that money for her education. Especially when there’s an Ofsted outstanding primary school right on the doorstep.’
‘Now who’s been doing her homework?’ Matthew grinned briefly.
‘Not exactly,’ Anna admitted. ‘Charlotte’s been keeping an eye on the place for a while, and she thinks it’s fine.’
‘Fair enough,’ Matthew said. ‘But if the money’s the only thing you’re worrying about, then stop. I know you didn’t marry me for my money and if you wanted to send Ellie to a private school, I’d happily pay for it.’
Anna smiled. ‘Thank you. But let’s just think about it for a while, shall we? Perhaps we can take a look at St Jude’s in our own time. And there’s always later, if she chooses to; I mean, the comprehensive school in Churchill is pretty good too, but if she really wants to make that choice later, then she can.’
‘Agreed,’ Matthew said. He sighed. ‘I think it’s going to take me a while to adjust to marriage again.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Anna said softly. ‘I think you’re doing pretty well, really.’
‘Really?’
Anna leaned down and planted a lingering kiss on Matthew’s lips. ‘Definitely.’
As they broke free once more, Matthew’s eyes were dark with desire. ‘Is Ellie still asleep?’ he asked huskily.
Anna nodded. ‘Out like a light. And Meredith’s in her room reading one of her set texts for September.’ She’d checked on her step daughter about ten minutes previously, and from the level of the sound emanating from Meredith’s headphones, she wasn’t going to be easily disturbed. If, by chance, Anna did hear movement from upstairs, she and Matthew had both perfected the art of parental nonchalance over the years. Having children tended to make you a master of stealth.
Matthew smiled and slid his hands from his wife’s back down over her hips and further, dipping his head at the same time to kiss the side of her neck just underneath her ear. ‘That’s very good news.’
Anna felt herself responding to his warm hands and even warmer mouth, and shivered as his breath caressed her neck and his feather light kisses enflamed her senses. She sighed. ‘You are very, very good at that.’
‘So, are you sure you forgive me?’ Matthew murmured against the curve of her shoulder, nibbling gently at her collar bone before raising his head to brush her lips with his own once more.
‘I think so,’ Anna whispered. ‘Especially if you keep doing that.’ Matthew lifted her up and sat her on his desk, standing between her thighs and continuing to kiss her. His hands wandered to her shoulders and slipped down the sleeves of her cardigan, the spaghetti straps of her vest top and her bra straps. Dropping his mouth once again to her shoulders, he moved down to her breasts, larger now from her pregnancy, giving them the most gentle of caresses. Fingertips were shortly followed by a probing tongue and a warm, gentle mouth.
‘What do you reckon our chances are of not disturbing them?’ Matthew murmured between kisses and licks.
‘Keep doing that and I won’t care,’ Anna said, arching her back to allow him further access to her body.
‘You are so sexy, Mrs Carter,’ Matthew’s husky voice had a seductive West Country burr that sent a shiver down Anna’s spine. ‘Now let me get inside you and show you what you do to me.’
Anna wriggled out of her knickers and hitched up her denim skirt and Matthew slipped inside her. He began to move, lazy, long thrusts that reminded her exactly why she could never go too long without thinking about him. The exquisite sensation aroused her senses even further, until she was on the brink of a tingling, throbbing orgasm which broke with a warmth and a pulse that made her already weak knees turn to water. Gripping him tightly, she felt him lose himself and for several moments afterwards, they stayed joined.
‘I don’t think the desk has ever been used for that before,’ Matthew mused, a broad smile on his face.
‘Nice to know we’re the first,’ Anna teased back. Both of them had got used to the fact that there were some experiences that were bound to cross over, second time around, but Anna was secretly pleased she’d not been second to this particular scenario.
‘Although I can’t be sure my father didn’t indulge when he was more sprightly,’ Matthew teased. Jack was known for his love of the ladies and Anna couldn’t help but giggle, disturbing as the image was.
‘Is there anything in this house that doesn’t come with at least fifty years of history?’ Anna teased.
‘Me. For a little while yet,’ Matthew replied, quick as a flash.
And with that, they decided to make an early night of it.