A Bad Boy's Gift

Chapter 43

Archer takes the kids to school while I have a shower and finish my breakfast. Our conversation was brief this morning, both of us anxious for the meeting with the Joneses later in the morning

When he gets back he gets straight into the shower in my ensuite. I'm standing in my wardrobe trying to figure out what to wear. I look at my race wear but I'll be wearing that tonight so decide against it. A skirt and blouse maybe? How about a dress? I find a dress I wore once for a date with a guy who I met while at the raceway. He was a weirdo, luckily I never saw him again. 

I clip my hair back so that it's not in my face while I put a soft amount of make-up on, before letting it fall in it's natural waves down my back. 

I put the dress on, it's a grey woollen dress with long sleeves. It tucks up around my ribcage and is wrinkled around my waist with the length halfway down my thighs. 

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't also to try to turn Archer on. 

I'd managed to tidy the house after the kids had gone to bed the night before and all that was left this morning was to put the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher and clean the surfaces in the kitchen. Assuming that we sit at the dining table in the kitchen.

I take a pair of white trainers downstairs and put them on when I'm no longer on the carpet. 

I make my way into the kitchen, making sure that everything is as it should be. 

Flowers on the table in the entrance hall, flowers on the kitchen island. I must be mad. 

I fill the kettle, in need of a coffee. 

I get a mug out of the cupboard and add my coffee, sugar and milk before adding the hot water. 

When I check my watch I see it's 10:55. Oh god, 5 minutes.

"Archer!" I shout, expecting him to still be getting dressed. "5 minutes!"

"No need to shout, Princess," he startles me, standing by the doorway, a smirk on his face. 

Damn, he looks sexy as fuck again, wearing a fitted white tee-shirt and black jeans. I watch him as his eyes roam my body. I chose well it seems. His eyes look hungry. 

"Coffee?" I ask, turning to take a sip of mine, "Ouch, too hot."

"Yes please." 

I make him a coffee and place it on the island for him when I think of something. 

I look through the cupboards until I find a couple of water jugs with 6 matching glasses. I fill the jugs up and place them on the kitchen table along with the glasses. I find a candle that's been sat on a sideboard for years and never been lit, placing it in the middle of the table and lighting it. After a couple of minutes the room smells like vanilla from the candle and oriental lilies from the flowers on the island. 

I check my watch again and it's exactly 11am. 

I take a deep breath and lean against the sink, Archer standing in front of me, leaning against the island but facing the opposite way, nursing his coffee. I can see, from staring at his back, that he's looking into his coffee, deep in thought. He's probably more nervous than I am for this meeting. 

The doorbell rings, making me jump. Well, here goes nothing. 

I put my hand on Archer's shoulder as I walk past him to reassure him that it's all going to be okay.

I take another deep breath as I place my hand on the door handle. 

When I open the door, I see four people.