If only she knew. My Dad would probably have another heart attack if he found out about my current state of affairs, and my Mum would be moving me down to Newquay. The only reason my Dad didn’t drive up after me and Matt split up was because Mum called Kate to find out if I really was okay. What would they think if they knew I was caught up with a neurotic, self-assured control freak, who is – in his own words – fucking me into oblivion? The fact that he’s super wealthy and owns the penthouse would not soften the blow. Christ, Jesse is probably closer to my Mum in age than I am.
I swing round on my stool when I hear a commotion coming from outside of the kitchen. Getting up to go and investigate, I’m nearly taken off my feet when Jesse’s naked chest flies at me.
WHOA!
‘Fucking hell, there you are.’ He grabs me, lifting me up to his sweat riddled body. ‘You weren’t in bed.’
‘I’m in the kitchen.’ I splutter in my dazed state. He’s squeezing me so tight, I’m struggling to breathe. ‘I saw you running. I didn’t want to disturb you.’ I wriggle a little to indicate that I’m being constricted to death. He releases me, setting me back on my feet, his glistening, stubbled face giving me the once over. His panicked features ease a bit as he holds me steady by my forearms in front of him. ‘I was just in the kitchen.’ I repeat. He looks like he could keel over at any moment. What’s wrong with him?
He shakes his head slightly, as if ridding himself of a nasty thought, picks me up and walks me to the worktop, sitting me on the cold granite. He pushes his way between my thighs.
‘Sleep well?’
‘Great.’ Why does he look like someone’s broken some really crappy news? ‘Are you okay?’
He blesses me with a heart stopping smile. I feel instantly at ease. ‘I woke up with you in my bed wearing lace. It’s ten thirty on a Sunday morning and you’re in my kitchen…’ He runs his eyes down my front, ‘wearing lace. I’m amazing.’
‘You are?’
‘Oh, I am.’ He tips my face up, planting a light kiss on my lips. Oh, I could wake up to this every morning. ‘You’re too beautiful, lady.’
‘So are you.’
He brushes the hair away from my face, looking at me affectionately. ‘Kiss me.’
I fulfill his request immediately, taking his lips calmly and following the slow, gentle strokes of his tongue. We both hum in harmony. Oh this is good. But our intimate moment is broken by the loud, shrill of Jesse’s phone.
He grumbles and reaches past me, still maintaining our kiss. He glances up at the screen as he holds it over my head. ‘Oh, go away.’ he gripes against my lips. ‘Baby, I’ve got to take this.’ He pulls away and answers, keeping himself firmly between my thighs, his free hand around my waist. ‘What’s up, John?’ He starts chewing his lip. ‘What’s he doing there?’ He drops a chaste kiss on my lips. ‘No, I’ll be there…yes…see you in a bit.’ He hangs up and studies me thoughtfully for a few seconds. ‘I need to go to The Manor. You’ll come.’
I recoil. ‘No!’ I blurt. I’m not being yanked off of Central Jesse Cloud Nine by her!
He frowns. ‘But I want you to come.’
Absolutely not! It’s Sunday, I’m not working and I’m not going to The Manor. ‘You’ll be working.’ I search my brain for a feasible excuse for me not to go. ‘You do what you need to do, and I’ll see you afterwards.’ I reason instead.
‘No, you’ll come.’ he presses forcefully.
‘I’m not coming.’ I try to wriggle myself free of his grasp, but I’m going nowhere.
‘Why?’
‘Just because,’ I snap, earning myself a mighty scowl. I’m not about to start whining about Sarah and off loading trivial jealousies on him.
He searches my eyes. ‘Please, Ava. Will you just do what you’re told?’
‘No!’ I shout.
I watch as he closes his eyes, clearly trying to gather some patience, but I don’t care. He can force me to do many things, but I’m not going to The Manor. I sit on the worktop, waiting for him to disintegrate under my disobedience.
‘Ava, why do you insist on making things more difficult?’
‘I make things more difficult?’ I gape at him. It’s him that needs some sense fucking into him. He’s deluded.
‘Yes, you do. I’m trying really hard here.’
‘Trying hard to do what? Send me crazy? It’s working!’ I beat him away from me and storm out of the kitchen, hearing him curse as he follows me up the stairs.