‘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?’