Chapter 198 : The visit

Chapter 198 : The visit
Author’s POV

Dario woke up today with a surprise for Avery. They were the only thing that could possibly cause him to wake up so early when he was so tired.

He quickly did the only thing he knew how to do in the kitchen, which was to make coffee, and at the smell of coffee and pine, Avery woke up.

“Dario.” Avery called from inside the room, causing Dario to curse silently as he answered her call.

He didn't want her to wake up. At least, not until her surprise arrived, but the truth was that he had no control over when she chooses to wake up.

“Hey.” He smiled as he walked into the room.

“Good morning.” She smiled at him. “I smell coffee. Can I get some?”

“S – sure.” Dario stuttered, his eyes glued on her glowy naked skin that was wrapped in a sheet.

“I know you'd rather stand there and ogle me all day, but I'd rather have you doing that while I have my coffee on hand. What'd you say?”

“Good idea.” Dario laughed and stepped out to go get her coffee ready for her.

Dario was still getting her coffee — which he knew she preferred as more milk and creamer than the actual coffee — when she walked in, now in a tiny short and an oversized sweatshirt.

“It's pretty cold, don't you think?” She said, surprised that he was walking around shirtless.

“It is really cold.” He replied, walking her to the couch with her coffee and his own in his hand. “And that's why I have the fire burning in the hearth.”

Avery smiled and grabbed her coffee as they both sat down, her head resting on his shoulder and her legs tangling with his.

“I think you should add more wood to the fire.” She whispered as her eyes trained on the dying fire.

“I know, but there isn't any more wood. I used the other half of the wood to keep the bedroom warm while you were asleep in it. I used a lot, so that by the time it dies, the room will be warm enough that it could last an hour without being subjected to the cold.”

“Gosh.” Avery sighed, cradling her coffee, trying to see if she could warm up a bit with the heat from the coffee mug.

“We could scoot closer to the fire if you feel that cold, you know. Would you like that?” Dario crossed his arms over her shoulders trying to share his body heat with her.

“Oh, I would love that.” She replied with a big smile on her face.

They had scooted closer to the fire, and then—

BANG BANG BANG.

Avery flinched.

“I have a surprise for you.” Dario whispered and plastered a kiss on her forehead before rushing off to open the door.

Avery jumped off the couch, excited to see who it was at her door and what surprise they bore.

“Dario? Did you die, or are you just ghosting your entire organization like a love-struck idiot?”

“Carl.” Avery squealed, running for the door.

“Hello beautiful.” He sighed and grabbed her in a bone crushing hug.

“Abbs? You came too?” Avery squealed and hugged her too.

Avery rushed back to the couch to grab the blanket, because clearly, her excitement wasn't enough to drive away the cold.

“I asked you guys to call once you're on your way from the airport.” Dario growled at them.

Although he knew they were coming, he had asked them to notify him and he expected them to do such so that the surprise could be better. He felt like the surprise hadn't gone as planned.

“I did. Three times. No answer. So I figured someone was either bleeding or screwing,” Carl said as he strolled into the living room, then paused mid-step when he saw Avery in Dario's hoodie and nothing else.

“Ah,” he smirks. “Definitely the latter.”

Avery flushed and tried to hide behind a cushion, failing miserably as Abigail just winked and walked past her.

“Nice to see you too, Carl,” she mutters.

“Please, babe. You’re glowing. I should be congratulating you.” He throws himself into a chair and grins. “Took you two long enough.”

“Oh this was not the first time they fucked. I heard that they fucked once before and that everyone in the property had to leave because of how loud Avery was.” Abigail winked at Carl who gasped in surprise as he looked between her and Avery.

“So, Avery,” Dario decided to interrupt this very uncomfortable moment. “I invited them over so that you guys can just have fun, catch up, gossip and do whatever y'all might like because I don't know when I'd have them here again until we go back.”

“What! No. They'll have to come again.”

“Yeah. Maybe one more time. But we'll never know until it gets to that time.”

“Yeah. Now excuse us. We have some catching up to do, and I don't mean to offend you, but I'd prefer that you weren't here when we are doing that.”

“First of all, ouch. But no problem, I'll do whatever you ask or demand, my queen.” Dario said and was gone.

\~~~~~

“But I thought Madame Fiona asked you to be on strict rest.” Carl asked and Abigail nodded in agreement.

“Yes she did, but she said I could do a bit of exercise.”

“Ooooh. I see what you're doing.” Abigail bit her finger before turning to face Carl. “They said she could do a little exercise, and she felt that the best exercise to do was to ride her man.”

“Yeah.” Avery folded her arms across her chest as she led them to the stables to go see the horses. “And I really am not ashamed of it.” She smiled and turned around to face them.

“For good reason girl.” Abigail teased and they all burst into laughter.

They walked the rest of the way to the stables in comfortable silence with Carl and Abigail commenting about some little things as they moved.

“Oh my goodness, there are horses on here? That's why you didn't want to tell us where you were taking us, wasn't it?” Abigail sighed as she stroked the mane of the huge chestnut mare.

Carl just stood there astonished as he had never ridden a horse in his life. He saw this as an opportunity for himself.

“We might have to stay here for a few days, because I have to learn to ride a horse and ride around this property with you two.”

“I agree.” Avery and Abigail jinxed, as they all burst into laughter.

“I have a favor to ask you, Carl. Could you help me text Vince and ask him when Dario's birthday falls?”

“Oh my gosh. Do you feel like it's coming up?” Carl whispered as he pulled out his phone.

“Mhmm. And he has refused to tell me when it is, but I want to surprise him.”

“Oooh. I like this plan. A surprise is cooking.”