Текст книги "Beneath This Man"

Автор книги: Jodi Ellen Malpas

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Текущая страница: 24 (всего у книги 33 страниц)

He attacks my mouth with urgency, delving in with his tongue and moaning in satisfaction. I know I’m going to be left panting and squirming and there will be sod all I can do about it.

His hard animalistic kiss has my senses saturated with need for more and just like that, he pulls away and I whimper. ‘You will watch.’ he says, biting my lip.

‘Turn the music off!’ I buck a little in defiance.

He grasps my hipbone sharply, throwing me a warning look. ‘Why? Are you feeling horny?’ There is no amusement in his tone. He picked up on my reaction to the music last night, and now he’s using it against me.

Oh, this is going to be hell. He lifts away from my face and latches onto my nipple, sucking it hard. My body arches on a moan as I close my eyes and look for somewhere to bury my face. There is nowhere.

‘Open!’ he barks and gives my hip a dig again. My eyes fly open as he moves to my other breast and mirrors his sucking, lapping and biting, elongating my nipples to their maximum. I fight to keep my eyes from clenching shut, my legs from tensing. I want to bend them, but his lower legs are clamped on the outside of mine, preventing movement.

Oh God! ‘You’re cruel.’ I moan as I look up into a very satisfied stare. He’s getting revenge all right.

He rises to his knees and fists his erection with one hand, flicking the switch of the bullet-like contraption with the other. I hear the steady pulse of a vibration kick in and his mouth parts. ‘Wow.’ he mouths.

I close my eyes for the briefest of seconds before I’m grabbed on my sensitive hip and they fly open again. I take a deep breath and run my eyes from his, down his hard chest, past his scar and to the mass of hair at his groin. I find him slowly working himself back and forth, the muscles in his thighs tense and bulging. I cry out in desperation to touch him. Now I know how he felt and it is not bloody nice. I want to touch him. I need him all over me and I can’t. I’m helpless.

His fist flexes as he draws back, pulling his foreskin and revealing his glistening, moist head. ‘This feels good, baby.’ His voice is husky and it spikes at my groin. ‘Do you want to help me out?’

My gaze travels back up his body to his eyes. ‘Fuck you.’ I say quietly and calmly. I don’t care about my blue language. It’s not like he can punish me any worse than this.

‘Mouth.’ He forces the word out on a moan, and I wriggle with the cuffs. ‘You’ll mark yourself, Ava. Stop fighting.’ he hisses through a broken voice, his fist still slowly gliding over his solid length.

Maybe if I fight enough, he’ll free me. He’ll get worried about injuring me. It’s common knowledge of his unreasonable worry regarding my safety. I wriggle some more.

‘Still!’ he barks, and suddenly his strokes are picking up speed. This is absolutely killing me, but good God does he look incredible on his knees above me, working himself. I watch as every muscle on his chest, his arms and his thighs tense further and the vein in his neck jumps out.

‘Please.’ I beg. I need to touch him.

‘It’s not nice, is it?’ he asks. ‘Think of this the next time you stop me from touching you.’

‘I will! Jesse, please, let me go.’ I clench my eyes shut, screaming in my head to block the loud music out.

‘Open your fucking eyes, Ava!’

‘No!’ My head starts thrashing from side to side. This is the worse torture. I’m never going to stop him from accessing me again. Not ever. I feel his fingers slide down my sex, gathering some moisture and then spreading it, his finger surging into me harshly. My eyes fly open. ‘Please!’

His face strains as he continues working himself. ‘You’ll watch.’ he affirms, his fist suddenly becoming faster, more urgent. ‘Fuck!’ All of a sudden, he’s moving and his knees are braced on either side of my head, his groin in my face. ‘Open your mouth.’ he roars, and I do as I’m bid immediately and without a second’s hesitation. He braces his free hand on the headboard and pistons back and forth with his fist. ‘Oh, Jesus!’ His head drops as he guides himself into my waiting mouth and spills himself all over my tongue, the saltiness of him sliding down my throat. I take the opportunity to wrap my lips around him and get some contact.

His chest heaves as he slowly works himself down, the vibrations from the bullet traveling down his length and tickling my lips as I lick and lap at him. His cock twitches on my tongue and I roll, lap and suck to my heart’s content while he shakes above me, attempting to stabilise his breathing. He drags his eyes open and looks down at me before his body is shifting and the vibrating stops, the little ping of elastic and small thud telling me the contraption has been relegated to the floor.

He cradles himself between my thighs and gazes down at me, his face thoughtful as he strokes the exposed underside of my arms. Isn’t he going to let me go? The erotic tones of Enigma are still flooding my hearing and it’s not helping with my pre-exploded state.

‘I might keep you like this forever.’ He drops his lips to mine and sweeps his tongue through my mouth. ‘This way, I will know where you are all of the time.’

‘I think that might be falling dangerously close to sex slave territory.’ I mumble into his mouth. He’s not so unreasonable to handcuff me permanently.

‘And that’s a problem because?’

‘Because I would like to think that you want me for more than my body.’

‘Oh, I want you for more.’ He trails his lips up my face and back down, plunging his tongue back into my mouth. ‘Like my wife.’

WHAT?

I very nearly bite his tongue off in shock. He continues taking my mouth, like he hasn’t just said that after he’s ejaculated into my mouth and has me restrained.

He eventually pulls back and looks down at my stunned face. ‘Marry me.’ he demands softly.

‘You can’t ask me that when I’m handcuffed to the bed!’ I splutter. Jesus, what if I say no? Is he going to fuck some sense into me while he’s at it?

Holy shit! He would as well!

‘Does someone need some sense fucking into them?’ he says quietly, and then takes my lips again.

I’m completely stunned. He can’t fuck a yes out of me for this! I inwardly laugh because he absolutely could and he probably would.

He pulls back, drops his eyes and sighs. ‘That was a joke, a very badly timed joke.’ He starts chewing his lip and the cogs start whirling around in that beautiful mind of his. He eventually looks back at me, and I try to rid my face of its fixed stunned expression. It’s hard. He’s cuffed me to the bed, masturbated on me, come in my mouth and then demanded I marry him? This man really is crazy mad. I lay beneath him, absolutely astounded, no obvious replies popping into my head.

‘You completely consume me, Ava. I can’t function without you. I’m totally addicted to you, baby.’ His voice is soft and unsure. My confident, domineering ex-playboy is nervous. ‘You own me. Marry me.’

I stare up in his painfully handsome face, still in complete shock. I didn’t see that coming, not in a million years. I only really decided last night that I would move in, although Jesse, in that crazy mind of his, had me moved in a week ago. He’s frantically chewing his lip and watching me as I try to figure out what is happening.  I’m twenty six years old, he’s thirty seven. Why am I thinking about our age difference now? It’s never mattered before. What I should be more concerned about is his challenging ways. I’m not even going to consider that he will change if I agree to marry him. He’s never going to change, but that’s who he is, that is part of the man I love.

‘Okay.’ The whispered word falls out of my mouth without much thought at all. This is the natural progression for us. It may be a bit premature, but whether he asks me now or in a year, the answer will always be the same. ‘You’re my life.’ I add, just to reinforce my love for him. I want to be stuck to him forever, even with all of his challenging ways. I love him. I need him.

The stunned expression that was riddling my face has now made its way onto Jesse’s, and the cogs are spinning so fast I can see them beginning to smoke. ‘Yes?’ he asks quietly.

‘It’s instinctive.’ I shrug and then realise that I’m still handcuffed to the bed. ‘No sense fuck required. Can you let me go now?’

He flies into a panic and jumps up to retrieve the key from the bedside table, making quick work of undoing the cuffs. I grasp my wrists to rub some life back into them, but I’m soon disturbed when I’m dragged up from under him and completely engulfed in his body as he squeezes me to him. Did he think I would say no?

Holy fucking shit! I’ve just agreed to marry this controlling, neurotic ex-playboy and I’ve known him for a matter of weeks. Oh God, my parents are going to burst a blood vessel.

He falls back onto the bed, taking me with him and buries his face in my neck. He has a vice grip on me and I haven’t got the heart or inclination to tell him to ease up. I’m not going anywhere – not ever now.

‘I’m going to make you so happy.’ His voice is broken.

I wriggle a little to free myself, but he keeps his face exactly where it is. I work harder, prizing myself from him until I find his eyes. They’re glazed. ‘You already make me happy.’ I smooth his face and wipe my thumb under his eye, collecting a stray tear. ‘Why are you crying?’ I battle the quiver in my throat that has my own voice unsteady.

He shakes his head mildly and rubs frantic palms over his face. ‘See what you do to me?’  He reaches up to clasp my face and brings it down to his, resting his forehead on mine. ‘I can’t believe you’re in my life, I can’t believe you’re mine. You are so, so precious to me, baby.’ His eyes dart across my face and his hands smooth across my cheeks, as if ensuring I’m real.

‘You’re precious to me too.’ I say quietly. I hope he comprehends how precious. He’s everything…my complete world.

He smiles mildly. ‘Are we friends?’

‘Always.’ I return his smile.

‘Good, my work here is done,’ He rolls us over so he’s cradled between my thighs, and then slowly sinks into me. ‘Now, we have sleepy celebration sex.’ He reaches for the remote control and turns the music off. ‘I only want to hear you when you come for me.’ He drops his mouth and moans as I accept his lips and he grabs my hands, holding them above my head. He rears back and pushes forward.

‘That was a proposal fuck.’ I say around his mouth, and I feel him smile against my lips, but he doesn’t say anything, or reprimand me on my language. He just seeps in and out at the most dreamy pace, plunging deeply, swiveling his hips gently and pulling back.

My earlier blissful state is re-captured as the coils reload and prepare to release, his leisurely drives and grinding hips working their usual magic on my body.

He pulls back from my mouth, carrying on with his luscious thrusts. ‘You’ll be Mrs Ward.’ His minty breath heats my face as he gazes down at me.

‘I will.’ That will be strange.

‘You’ll be mine forever.’

‘I already am.’ That ship has long sailed.

He clenches his eyes shut as I feel the hints of his imminent orgasm thumping inside me, pushing my own climax forward. ‘I’m going to worship you every day for the rest of my life.’ He shoots forward. ‘Jesus!’

‘Oh God.’ I breathe, stiffening beneath him, my quivering core accelerating into fast, continuous pulsations.

He pumps forward again and again, kissing me desperately and growling on his forceful grinds, keeping my hands above my head as he plunges incessantly into me.  He snaps on a yell and I wrap my legs around his hips, pulling him in closer, which pushes me into a free-fall of intense trembling as lightning attacks my whole body, leaving me panting and sweating underneath him. His head drops into my neck, his breathing erratic and shallow.

 ‘I can’t breathe,’ he says, releasing my hands. They immediately wrap around his warm, solid back and I liquefy under him. I feel his head lift, creeping up the side of my face until he finds my lips. ‘I crazy love you, baby. I’m glad we’re friends.’

I smile as he rolls us over and I’m astride his waist. I place my hands on his chest and he covers them with his as I lazily circle my hips on him. ‘I know you do. If I’m going to marry you, you have to answer some questions.’ I use an assertive voice that’s the equivalent to his dare to defy me tone. I don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a shot.

His eyebrows jump up. ‘I do, do I?’

‘Yes, you do.’ I say haughtily. There are certain things I need to know. I couldn’t give a toss about his past sexual conquests. Knowing exactly how many there are isn’t going to achieve much, apart from raging jealousy on my part.

‘Come on then, spit it out. What do you want to know?’ He sighs heavily, and I scowl at him. ‘Sorry.’ He has the decency to look apologetic. He keeps his hands over mine, resting on his chest.

‘Who was that woman last night?’

‘Coral.’ he says flatly, with no hesitation, like he completely expected the question.

I roll my eyes. ‘I know her name is Coral. Who is she?’

‘She’s the wife of the nasty little fucker who got ejected from The Manor the day you found the communal room.’

Oh? I cast my mind back to that wretched day and remember the snide, spiteful creature hurling harsh words at Jesse. He’ll fuck me off like he did his wife? Leave a trail of shit?

‘You had an affair with her?’ I blurt, as the obviousness of it lands in my brain.

‘No.’ He shakes his head on a frown. ‘They came to me to source someone to participate in a threesome.’

I recoil slightly. He doesn’t have to tell me anymore than that. Jesse sourced himself. ‘You?’ I whisper. He nods, almost ashamedly. ‘Why would you do that?’

‘She asked me to.’

‘She fell in love with you.’

His eyes widen a little at my conclusion. It’s obvious. He shifts uncomfortably beneath me. ‘I guess she did.’

Oh, this has opened a whole new can of further questions. I’m not so surprised that she fell in love with him. It’s her surprise visit to The Manor last night and the amount of time Jesse was in his office with her that I want to know about. ‘What did she want yesterday? You were gone for a long time.’

He takes a deep breath and pins me with determined eyes. ‘She left Mike…for me. I don’t know why. I never gave her any reason to believe I wanted her like that,’ He pauses momentarily to assess my reaction. I’m not sure how I feel. He still hasn’t told me why she was at The Manor. He sighs. ‘He’s thrown her out, took her car and seized her cards. She has nothing.’

‘She came to you for help?’ I ask.

‘Yes.’

‘And what did you say?’ I’m not sure I’m going to like the answer to this question.

‘I said I would do what I can.’ He starts chewing that bloody lip.

I was right. I don’t like the answer. What can he do? Helping her will only encourage her and fill her with hope that things could progress. I cock my head slightly. ‘Has this got anything to do with the police?’

He laughs a little. I don’t know why, it’s not funny. ‘Mike’s playing games. He advised the immigration police that half of my staff are illegal immigrants. It was cleared up quite quickly, no harm done. It was just a bit of an inconvenience.’

‘Why didn’t you just tell me all of this instead of letting my mind race?’

He frowns. ‘Why would I trouble you with that trivial shit?’

I can see his point, but nevertheless, I should know, especially if it involves another woman wanting my challenging man. I hold his eyes as he continues to circle his thumbs over the tops of my hands. ‘So, you took part in the threesome and that was it?’

‘Yes.’ He shifts, avoiding my eyes.

‘You’re lying to me.’ My teeth clench together. ‘That wasn’t it, was it?’

‘Not exactly, no.’ He shifts again, still avoiding my eyes. ‘Do we need to go on with this?’ he asks irritably. ‘She was under the wrong impression that I wanted more, I didn’t. End of.’

‘So you did have an affair with her?’

‘Yes! Okay, yes I did, but it was just sex, nothing more.’ His green eyes are fierce. ‘Now, let’s drop it.’

‘You told me once that you’ve never wanted to fuck a woman more than once, only me.’ I will never forget that comment, and as stupid as it undoubtedly sounds, given how many notches Jesse has tallied up on his bedpost because of it, I like the thought of him only having me more than once.

‘I never said I didn’t have a woman more than once. I said I’ve never wanted a woman more than once. It was a means to an end, that’s all. She offered it on a plate.’

‘So, you haven’t only fucked me more than once?’ I sound hurt. How ridiculous. He was a pleasure-seeking playboy before he met me. And now I’m delving into territory which is, without doubt, going to send my jealous mind into overdrive.

‘Ava, watch your mouth!’

‘No, not when we’re talking about you fucking other women! You’ve not just fucked me more than once, have you?’

He growls at me, and I scowl at him. ‘No, I’ve not.’ he admits, rubbing extra fast circles on my hands. ‘But you have to understand, none of them meant anything to me. I used them, treated them like objects. I’m not proud, but that’s just the way it was. They would take me whatever way I came, Ava. They all wanted more, but they certainly never expected it. Now, though, they’ve seen I can be a one woman man.’

 I feel slightly nauseous. This conversation was a guaranteed stomach churning discussion. So how many of them can I expect to come seeking out my neurotic control freak? Mikael’s wife already has, and now Coral. ‘She’s still in love with you.’ I say quietly. That’s another reason why Coral was at The Manor last night. ‘She can’t have you.’ I say. ‘None of them can.’ I add, just so he’s aware that I know there’ll be more. I feel like I’m preparing for war.

His eyes soften and he half smiles. ‘She can’t, I told her that. None of them can. It’s all about you.’

‘I don’t want you helping Coral, either. It’s unfair for you to expect me to be okay with that.’

‘Ava, I can’t turn my back on her.’ He looks truly shocked by my demand. I’m a bit staggered. What? Has he suddenly grown a conscience?

‘Okay, I’ll keep working for Mikael.’ I have no idea why I just said that. How stupid of me. The look on his face has gone from soft and reassuring to black and hard. Will I ever learn?

‘You had better retract that statement.’ His chest is heaving beneath me and his jaw tenses to snapping point. That’s exactly how I feel about him helping Coral.

‘No.’ I blurt. I’m really pushing my luck.

‘Three,’ he begins.

‘Oh no you don’t!’ I go to climb off him, but his grip tightens on my hands, clenching down fiercely.

‘Two,’

‘No! You are not giving me the countdown on this! No way, Ward. You can take your zero and shove it up your fucking ARSE!’ I fight with his grip of me, getting angrier the harder he holds me.

‘MOUTH!’ He flips me over so I’m face down and he is blanketing me with his body. ‘One.’

‘Get lost!’ I’m not backing down on this.

‘Zero, baby.’ His fingers move straight to my hip and dig right in…hard.

I scream, being tossed into hell by his unrelenting digs. Oh, he’s really going for it and my bladder suddenly feels like a punch balloon. ‘Okay! Okay, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!’ I can’t bear it.

He stops immediately, and I’m spun over, his body pinning me to the bed. ‘Kiss me.’ he orders, leaning down a little so his lips hover over mine.

I lift my head and kiss the life out of him as he hums into my mouth, a throaty sound of pure satisfaction. I’m mad. I’m mad with him for making it sound like Coral is of no concern. I’m mad because he’s agreed to help her. I’m mad because she’s in love with him. I’m mad because there are other women who love him too and I’m mad with myself for relenting to his orders.

He bites my lip and drags it through his teeth. ‘Just you, Ava. I love you.’

‘Just me.’

‘Good girl.’ He blesses me with a smile – my smile. ‘I’ve fucked you, and now I need to feed you.’

I want to correct him. In actual fact, he handcuffed me to the bed, masturbated all over me, come in my mouth and demanded I marry him. ‘Is Cathy coming in?’ I ask.

‘No, weekends are her own. Up you get.’ He grips my arms and pulls me up before getting off the bed and collecting up the contents of the gift bag, shoving it back in the gold satin bag.

I watch as he disappears into the wardrobe and comes out moments later wearing my favourite green checked pajama pants, no top. I lay back and admire him.

‘Are you going to lie there all day?’

I flick my eyes up to find him looking down at me. He crosses his arms over his chest and his muscles flex. My tongue takes a happy little trip across my bottom lip. ‘You promised a lie in.’ I remind him.

He saunters over and grasps my ankle, yanking me to the edge of the bed. He braces himself on his rigid arms, fists buried into the mattress on either side of my head. He breathes in my face. ‘Tell me we’re friends.’

‘We’re friends.’ I whisper. I thought we had established that?

‘Tell me you love me.’ He brushes his nose over mine.

‘I love you.’

His green eyes twinkle and a smile tickles his lips. ‘Tell me you’ll marry me.’

‘I’ll marry you.’

‘And I can’t wait. Kiss me.’ His husky tone is making my head spin. I throw my hands around his neck and land him with an adoring kiss. I feel his smile under my lips as he rises from the bed with my arms wrapped around him, my thighs finding his hips and curling around. I keep my kiss up as he walks me into the bathroom and uses a free hand to peel my legs from around him. I grumble in disgust, and he laughs. ‘You brush your teeth, I’ll start breakfast.’ He reaches behind his neck and peels my arms away.

‘Do I need to brush my teeth?’ I ask, a little injured.

‘No, I just thought that maybe you would like to.’ He turns me around in the mirror and drops a kiss on my shoulder, before slapping my arse and stalking out of the bathroom.

So, I’m getting married then? I need to speak to my parents and soon. I’m really not looking forward to that conversation. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My dark hair is a mass of ruffled waves, my eyes bright, lips pink and cheeks flushed. I look well.

I absentmindedly grab my toothbrush and slap some paste on it while considering how well I feel too. I’ve never felt so refreshed and alive and there is only one reason why that is and it’s called Mr Challenging. Bloody hell, Kate’s going to have kittens, and I can’t even begin to think what my parents are going to make of all this. After Matt, Mum told me not to get swallowed up by the first man who showed me a bit of attention. I can’t imagine she’s going to be delighted that, in actual fact, I’m marrying the first man who’s paid me a bit of attention. This most definitely needs approaching with caution.

I lift my toothbrush up to my mouth and start brushing happily, flicking a stray tendril of hair from my face with my spare hand. Something catches my immediate attention.

What the fucking hell is that?

Chapter 25

I spit toothpaste all over the mirror on a shocked gasp, the toothbrush clattering into the sink. I stare down at my left hand, which suddenly feels like lead, and clench the edge of the vanity unit to steady myself. I blink a few times and shake my head, like it might go away, like it’s a hallucination or something. But no, I’m face to face and being blinded by a dirty great big diamond, sitting loud and proud on my ring finger.

‘Jesse!’ I screech, and then start feeling my way along the edge of the vanity unit until I’m close enough to the chaise lounge to stagger and collapse onto it. My head goes between my legs as I try to control my breathing and my sprinting heart. I think I’m going to pass out.

I hear him fly through the bathroom door, but I can’t persuade my heavy head to lift from between my legs. ‘Ava, baby. What’s wrong?’ His voice is freaked as he collapses to his knees in front of me, spreading his hands on my thighs.

I can’t speak. There’s a lump in my throat the size of the diamond that’s weighing my left hand down.

‘Ava, God help me! What’s happened?’ He gently pulls my head up and searches out my eyes. His are flooded with despair while mine are flooded with tears. I don’t know why, I’ve said yes, but the sudden appearance of this ring on my finger has sent the gargantuan reality crashing down around me. ‘Please! Tell me.’ he pleads desperately.

I swallow in an attempt to spit some words out, but it’s not working, so I resort to holding my hand up. Oh, God it feels so heavy.

I watch through glazed eyes as his frown line jumps into position and he flicks his confused eyes from mine to my hand. ‘You found it then?’ he says dryly. ‘You took your bloody time. Jesus, Ava. I had a thousand heart attacks.’ He takes my hand and presses his lips to the top of it, right next to my new friend. ‘Do you like it?’

‘Oh God!’ I cry incredulously. I’m not even going to ask how much it cost. This is too much responsibility. A rush of breath escapes my lips as I quickly lift my hand up to my chest in search of my other friend.

‘It’s in the safe.’ He grabs my hand and pulls it down to join my other in my naked lap. I sag in relief as he rubs his thumbs over the tops of my hands and smiles. ‘Tell me, do you like it?’

‘You know I do.’ I look down at the ring. It’s platinum, without a doubt, the flat band loaded with a dazzling square cut diamond. I feel hot. ‘Wait there a minute.’ I look up at him. I know my brow is wrinkled in confusion. I might need that botox voucher after all. ‘When did you put this on my finger?’

His lips form a straight line. ‘Right after I cuffed you.’

My eyes widen. ‘That’s rather confident of you.’

He shrugs. ‘A man can be optimistic.’

Is he for real? ‘You call it optimistic. I call it pig headedness.’

He grins. ‘You can call it whatever the fuck you like. She said yes.’ He dives on me and tackles my naked body down to the cold, hard bathroom floor, rolling me onto my back and burying his face between my boobs. I laugh as he ravishes me.

‘Stop!’

‘No!’ He bites my boob and sucks it into his mouth. ‘I’m marking you.’ he mumbles around my flesh. Even if I could stop him, I wouldn’t. He’s the only one who will see me. I let him do his thing and thread my fingers through his hair, gaping again when my eyes fall on the ring. I can’t believe he put it on before he asked me, the arrogant arse. How did I not notice it?

Distracted…challenged.

‘There.’ He kisses his mark chastely. ‘Now we match.’

I look down at the perfect circle he has made on my breast and then to Jesse, who’s studying his handiwork with satisfaction. ‘Happy?’ I ask.

‘I am. You?’

‘Delighted.’

‘Good, my work here is done. Next job; feed my temptress. Up you get.’ He pulls me up to my feet. ‘Are you coming down anytime soon?’

‘I’ll be five minutes-ish.’

‘Ish.’ he mouths and leans in to bite my ear. ‘Be quick.’ He slaps my bum and leaves me again.

A huge smile spreads across my flushed face. I said yes. I have absolutely no doubts, none at all. I belong with Jesse, it just is. How crazy.

I resume teeth brushing duties, have a quick shower and shave before grabbing his dress shirt from the floor and putting it on with some jersey shorts. I cross the landing and remember the post that I’ve still not given to Jesse. Taking a quick detour to the cream room, I grab the post from the unit before taking the stairs, ignoring the fact that I have been away from him for twenty minutes-ish and I miss him already.

I find him in the kitchen with his finger in a jar of peanut butter while he looks intently at the screen of his laptop. I perform my usual look of disgust at the jar of peanut butter and my usual swoon at this beautiful man, before sitting myself on the stool opposite him.

‘Here, I forgot to give you these.’ I hand him the post and pour myself some orange juice.

‘You open them.’

I spot my car keys on the worktop. ‘My car’s back?’

‘John dropped it off.’ he says, continuing to study whatever he has on the screen of his computer. I smile to myself and the image of Big John driving my little Mini. ‘Are you religious?’ he asks casually.

I frown into my juice. ‘No.’

‘Me either. Do you have any preference on dates?’

‘What for?’ I ask. I sound confused, which is fine because I am.

He looks up at me with a heavy frown. ‘Is there any particular date you would like to become Mrs Ava Ward?’

Oh? ‘I don’t know,’ I shrug. ‘Next year, the year after.’ I grab some toast and start buttering. He only asked me half an hour ago. I need a chance to wake up properly. There is plenty of time for all of that, and I need to speak to my parents, for a start.

He drops his jar of peanut butter on the marble island, making me jump. ‘Next year?’ he exclaims, with a look of pure disgust.

‘Okay, the year after.’ Next year is a bit soon, I suppose. I cut my toast in half and wrap my teeth around a corner.

‘The year after?’ he blurts.

I look at him and find his handsome face contorted in total disbelief. I really don’t mind. The year after that then, it’s no bother to me. I shrug and carry on chewing my toast.

His expression morphs into a scowl. ‘We get married next month.’ He picks up his jar and shoves his finger in aggressively. ‘Next fucking year.’ he mutters, shaking his head.

I nearly choke on my toast, and then chew frantically to rid my mouth of it. Next month? Is he mad? ‘Jesse, I can’t marry you next month!’

‘Yes you can and you will.’ he snaps without looking at me.

I withdraw slightly. I’ve not even told my Mum and Dad that I’m living with him, let alone marrying him. I need time. ‘No, I can’t.’ I half laugh. He has to be joking.

His fierce eyes fly to mine and he smacks his jar down. It makes me jump again. ‘Excuse me?’ he says, his voice genuinely shocked.

‘Jesse, my parents don’t even really know about you. You can’t expect me to call them up and break this sort of news down the phone.’ I silently beg for him to be reasonable. I’ve seen that face plenty of times and it always suggests that he’s not budging.

‘We’ll go and see them. I’m not pussy footing around, Ava.’

I take a nervous sip of my orange juice while he drills displeased eyes into me. The thought of introducing Jesse to my parents fills me with dread, and what do I tell them he does for a living? His suggestion of telling them that he owns a hotel won’t wash forever.