This Man (51 page)

I stomp back out and head across the open landing, letting myself into the furthest spare bedroom. I have a choice of three others, but this one is my favourite and it’s the furthest away from him! I slam the door behind me and crawl into the wonderfully dressed bed that still looks like it did on launch night. Flinging all the fancy cushions on the floor, I slam my frustrated head down into the pillow. It doesn’t smell of fresh water and mint, and it’s nowhere near as comfortable as Jesse’s bed, but it will do for tonight.

Tomorrow, I’m leaving. The man is deranged! There is just no bloody point even trying to have my own way. Even if he’s gentlemanly enough to give it to me, he tramples all over it later anyway.

ARSE!

The door opens wide, the light from the open landing gushing in. I watch his silhouette grow larger as he closes in on me. What’s he going to do now? Pump my stomach?

He bends down and scoops me into his arms without a word. If I thought it would get me anywhere, I would fight him off. But I don’t. I let him carry me into his bedroom and place me in his bed.

I roll over onto my front, burying my face into a pillow, closing my eyes and pretending not to relish in the comfort of his scent all over the sheets. I’m mentally exhausted and grateful it’s the weekend. I might sleep for the whole of it. I hear the shuffles and movements of Jesse getting undressed. He better stay on his own side!

The bed dips, I’m grasped around my waist and pulled, with minimum effort, into the hardness of his chest. I try to bat him away,

ignoring

the

warning

growl

emanating from him.

‘Get off!’ I snap, peeling his fingers away from me.

‘Ava,’ His tone is seriously lacking patience. It just incenses me further.

‘Tomorrow…I’m out of here.’ I spit, heaving myself away from him.

‘We’ll see.’ He almost laughs as he yanks me back into him, squeezing me to his body.

I stop fighting, it’s a fruitless endeavor.

Besides, I can’t help the immense contentment I feel with his arms wrapped tightly around me, his hot breath in my hair.

I’m still boiling mad, though.

Chapter 33

‘Rise and shine, lady.’ His nose is touching mine as I open my eyes.

I give my brain a few moments to kick into gear and my eyes time to adjust to the light. When my focus eventually clears, I find he’s looking down at me with bright green, twinkling eyes. I, on the other hand, want to sleep some more. It’s Saturday, and not even my need to rip a strip off of him will get me out of this bed any time soon.

I push him away, rolling over. ‘I’m not talking to you.’ I grumble, snuggling back down into my pillow. He gives my backside a swift slap before flipping me back over and pinning my arms down.

‘That hurt!’ I scowl at him. The corners of his lush lips are twitching, but I’m in no mood for roguish Jesse this morning. Why is he so happy? Oh, yes. I know damn well why. He’s shredded the taboo dress and he’s got me before eight o’clock.

I’m swathed from head to toe in him as he gazes down at me, running his eyes all over my face. I should bring my knee up and catch him where it counts!

‘Now, today can go one of two ways,’

he informs me. ‘You can stop being unreasonable and we’ll have a lovely day together. Or, you can continue being a defiant little temptress, and I’ll be forced to handcuff you to the bed and dig you in the

tickle

spot

until

you

lose

consciousness. What’s it to be, baby?’

Me? Unreasonable? My jaw falls open as he watches me with interest. Does he seriously think I won’t challenge him on that little proposal?

I lift my head so I’m right up close to his stubbled,

irritatingly

stunning

face.

‘Fuck…off.’ I say, slowly and clearly. He recoils, his eyes widening at my brashness.

I’m pretty ashamed of myself too. But he brings out the worst in me with his unreasonable ways.

‘Watch your fucking mouth!’

‘No! What the hell are you doing having doormen advise you of my movements?’

That little memory has just landed in my waking brain. But if I’m right, and he’s arranged for bouncers to monitor me, then I’ll boil over.

‘Ava, all I want to do is make sure you’re safe.’ He drops his head down, starting to chew his lip. ‘I worry, that’s all.’

He worries? He’s known me for less than a month, and he’s getting all protective and possessive? He tramples everywhere, derails me, cuts up my dresses and prohibits me from drinking.

UNREASONABLE!
‘I’m twenty six years old, Jesse.’

He returns his eyes to mine. They’re dark again. ‘Why did you wear that dress?’

‘To piss you off,’ I answer honestly, wriggling a little in complete vain. I’m not going anywhere.

‘But you thought you weren’t going to see me.’ His brow furrows. Does he think I was wearing it for someone else?

‘It’s principle,’ I mutter. I wanted the upper hand, even if he didn’t know it. ‘You owe me a dress.’

He smiles, nearly blinding me. ‘We’ll put it on our list of things to do today.’

What list would that be? Right now, I want to go back to sleep. Or, he could wake me up another way. I squirm underneath him, his eyebrows jumping up in surprise.

‘What’s all that about?’ he asks, blatantly trying to hide a grin.

Okay, now I know exactly what his game is. He’s going to deny me, just like he did last night and just like he did before I went out. That’s going to be his punishment for me defying him. He’s cute.

It’s the worst thing he could do.

‘You don’t need to keep me safe.’ I gripe, worming my way free from under him. He can set the gauntlet all he likes.

‘That’s how much I care about you.’ he calls to my back, as I leave him lying on the bed.

Care? I want him to love me, not care. I walk across the bedroom to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. He cares about me, like a brother or something? I feel my heart slowly cracking.

I go to the toilet and wash my hands before placing myself in front of the huge mirror that spans the back of the vanity unit. I sigh wearily. What am I going to do?

He cares. If caring means poking up with this, then he can devote his
care
elsewhere.

I wash my face and make a grab for Jesse’s toothbrush, only to find my own in the holder with it.
Huh?
I cake it in paste on a frown and set about brushing my teeth, glancing in the mirror to the shower and spotting my shampoo and conditioner on the shelf, along with my razor and body wash. Has he moved me in? I carry on brushing my teeth, opening the door back into the bedroom, finding Jesse sprawled on his front with his face buried in the pillow. I walk past him into the walk-in-wardrobe, nearly choking on my toothpaste when I see a selection of my clothes hanging there.

He has moved me in! That’s a bit presumptuous, isn’t it? Did I not get a say?

I might very well love him, but I’ve known him for a few weeks. Moving in? What does this mean? Does he want me here to take care of me? Well, if so, he can sod right off. Control me, more like.

‘Problem?’

I swing around, my toothbrush hanging from my mouth, to find Jesse filling the doorway of the wardrobe, looking slightly apprehensive. It’s a look that I’ve not seen on him before. My eyes drift down his torso, delighting in the flex of his muscles as he braces himself on the door frame with both hands. But I quickly re-focus my attention away from his distracting chest, suddenly remembering why I’m in the wardrobe. I garble a load of inaudible words around my toothpaste and brush.

‘I’m sorry, run that by me again.’ His lips twitch at the corners as I yank my brush from my mouth.

He bloody well knows what’s wrong with me. I garble again, my words a little more comprehensible with the absence of my brush, but the paste is still hindering proper speech.

He rolls his eyes and picks me up, taking me to the bathroom. ‘Spit.’ he commands as he places me on my feet.

I rid my mouth of all the paste and turn to face my unreasonable control freak.

‘What’s all this?’ I wave my arm around in the general direction of everything.

He clamps his lips together to suppress a smile and leans forward, licking off the remnants of the paste from around my mouth, his hot tongue sweeping across my bottom lip slowly. ‘There. What’s what?’

He flicks his tongue up to my temple, blowing a long, hot breath in my ear. I tense when he reaches down to cup my sex, sending chills of pleasure flying through me.

‘No!’ I push him away from me. ‘You’re not manipulating me with your delicious Godliness!’

He grins that roguish grin. ‘You think I’m a God?’

I huff, turning back to the mirror. His head is expanding at a rate so fast, I might be forced to jump out the bathroom window before I’m squashed against a wall.

He curves his arm around my waist and pulls me against his front. Leaning down and resting his chin on my shoulder, he studies me in the reflection of the mirror.

Pushing his erection between my thighs, he circles his hips, sending my hands flying down to catch the side of the vanity unit.

‘I don’t mind being your God.’ he whispers on a husk.

‘Why is my stuff here?’ I ask his reflection, willing my body to behave and not get swallowed up by all his lovely Godliness.

‘I collected it from Kate’s earlier. I thought you could stay here for a few days.’

‘Do I get a say?’

He circles those damn hips again, milking a small cry from me. ‘Do you ever?’

I shake my head at him in the mirror.

One corner of his mouth rises on a mischievous smile as he circles again. I’m not going to react to his damn hip swivels because I know he’s going to leave me hanging again. And what’s Kate playing at, letting all these men rummage through my belongings? There’s more than two days’

worth of clothes hanging in that wardrobe.

What’s his game?

‘Get yourself ready, lady.’ He kisses my neck and smacks my arse. ‘I’m taking you out. Where would you like to go?’

I look at him stunned. ‘I get to choose?’

He shrugs. ‘I have to let you have your way some of the time.’ His face is dead pan. He’s completely serious.

I should grab his offer of power with both hands while he’s being so reasonable, but I’m suspicious. After his reaction last night, his massacre of the taboo dress and the silent treatment, I‘m befuddled as to why he’s woken up all balanced and stable.

‘So, what would you like to do?’ he asks.

‘Let’s go to Camden.’ I suggest, bracing myself for his refusal. Men hate all that hustle and bustle and roaming around browsing at stuff.

‘Okay.’ He turns to get in the shower, leaving me at the sink wondering where my challenging control freak has gone. Now, I’m most definitely suspicious.

I land at the bottom of the stairs to hear Jesse talking on his phone. I walk into the kitchen and dribble a little. He looks glorious in some worn jeans and a navy polo shirt, collar turned up – Jesse style.

He’s shaved and shoved some wax in his hair. He really is unreasonably handsome, as well as unreasonable everything else.

‘I’ll be in tomorrow, is everything okay?’ He turns from his stool, running an eye down my body. ‘Thanks, John. Call me if you need me.’ He places his phone down without looking away from me, folding his arms over his chest. ‘I like your dress.’

His voice is all low and husky.

I look down at my flowing, floral tea dress. It sits on my knee so the length probably meets with his approval. I’m surprised Kate packed it; it’s a bit summery, with its cut out back and lack of sleeves. I smile to myself. He hasn’t seen the back yet. And I’m not showing him either. He’ll make me change. I know it.

I pull on my thin knitted, cream cardigan, then position my suede bag across my body. ‘Ready?’ I ask.

He

pushes

himself

to

his

feet,

approaching me all moodily. I expect a deep kiss, but I don’t get one. Instead, he slips his Wayfarers on, takes my hand and pulls me towards the door. I get to spend the whole day with him and he’s not even going to kiss me?

‘You’re not going to touch me all day, are you?’

He looks down at our joined hands. ‘I’m touching you.’

‘You know what I mean. You’re punishing me.’

‘Why would I do that, Ava?’ He pulls me into the elevator. He knows damn well what my point is.

I look up at him. ‘I want you to touch me.’

‘I know you do.’ He punches in the code.

‘But you won’t?’

‘Give me what I want, and I will.’ He doesn’t look at me.

I don’t believe this. ‘An apology?’

‘I don’t know, Ava. Do you need to apologise?’ He still keeps his focus straight ahead. Even in the reflection of the doors, he still won’t meet my eyes.

‘I’m sorry.’ I practically spit. I can’t believe he’s doing this. And I can’t believe I’m this desperate for the contact.

‘Now, if you’re going to apologise, at least
sound
sorry.’

‘I’m sorry.’

His eyes meet mine in the mirror. ‘Are you?’

‘Yes, I’m sorry.’

‘You want me to touch you?’

‘Yes.’

He turns into me fast, pushing me up against the mirrored wall and completely blanketing me with his body. I feel instantly better. That wasn’t too hard at all.

‘You’re beginning to understand, aren’t you?’ His lips hover over mine, his hips pushing into my lower stomach.

‘I understand.’ I pant.

He takes my mouth, my hands finding his shoulders, my nails digging straight into his muscles. Yes, that’s much better. I meet his tongue, melting into him completely.

‘Happy?’ he asks, breaking our kiss.

‘Yes.’

‘Me too. Let’s go.’

We pull up in Camden for breakfast after Jesse got his way and drove. It’s a beautiful day, and I’m already too warm in my cardigan, but I’ll suffer for a little longer. There’s still scope for him to take me home in disgrace and make me change.

Jesse collects me from the pavement, leading me across the road to a lovely little quaint café. ‘You’ll love it here.