CH.21

The jarring ringtone sliced through the hazy afterglow, shattering the tranquil silence that had enveloped the couple tangled on the large plush bed.

Alex stirred, his brow furrowing as he reached blindly for the offending device. The seductive lithe form shifted beside him, the sheets tangling around her lissom curves as she blinked owlishly in the dim light filtering through the heavy drapes.

"Speak!" Alex answered gruffly, his voice still roughened by exertion and the dregs of slumber. He stiffened almost imperceptibly when the voice on the other end relayed its message.

"Very well. I'll be right down."

Snapping the phone shut, he turned to find the woman watching him with undisguised curiosity. Her tousled chestnut locks framed her face in an enticing disarray, and the smudged remains of her deep crimson lipstick only enhanced the wicked allure dancing in her kohl-rimmed eyes.

"That was Paul. My father has arrived at the manor." he supplied without any preamble.

A muscle ticked in