This Man Confessed - Malpas Jodi Ellen. Страница 101

‘Ava,’ he warns weakly, stepping back, but that just means he gets a full-on stroke of my hand down the length. He hisses and his palms lift to cover his face. I’ve got him. He rubs his cheeks in a gesture that suggests it might restore some control. ‘If I don’t take you now, my cock is going to be aching all day long.’

‘Take me.’ I say quietly, remembering the words so well. I step forward to close the gap he’s made, and his palms come down, his face full of recognition.

‘Oh, I will.’ he replies, picking me up and placing me on the vanity unit. ‘You can’t escape now.’

‘I don’t want to.’

‘Good.’ He leans in and kisses me sweetly. ‘I like your dress.’

‘I’m not wearing one, so we can’t lose it.’

He smiling around my lips, and I open my eyes, finding bright green pools of sincere happiness. ‘Fond memories?’ he asks.

‘Very. Can you pin me against the wall now?’ I can’t go to work with this relentless buzzing between my thighs. He needs to relieve me of the pressure that’s building in my groin. I’ve always found him irresistible, but this incessant need to constantly have him is taking my life over. I’m late for work, I couldn’t give a shit, and I know he won’t either.

On the launch night of Lusso, it was a jangling of the door handle that whipped our heads to the side in shock. This time it’s Cathy’s distressed shouting. My back straightens, and I’m snapped right out of my wanton condition.

Jesse has disappeared before my eyes and I’m sitting in the bathroom, still on the unit, wondering what on earth is going on. I quickly jump down and run into the walk-in-wardrobe, grabbing the first shirt that I can find, before sprinting over to the chest to retrieve some knickers, while shoving my arms in the sleeves. I button the shirt on my way, in too much of a hurry to hang about. I’m halfway down the stairs when the front door comes into view. Jesse, in just his white boxers, is removing Cathy from the doorway, where she’s doing a good job of keeping whoever is on the other side out.

‘I thought it was Clive,’ she wheezes, clearly exhausted from her battle.

‘Cathy, I’ll deal with it,’ He places her to the side and gives her arm a reassuring rub as she straightens her apron and hair.

‘Who the hell does she think she is?’ she spits nastily. I’ve never seen Cathy cross before.

‘Cathy,’ Jesse placates her gently, ‘Please, go and sort out some breakfast for Ava.’ He’s whispering as he effortlessly holds the door shut, like he doesn’t want me to hear him, but the persistent banging from the other side is letting him down.

I look on as Cathy marches off, hissing and spitting to herself, and then my eyes fall on Jesse as I land at the bottom of the stairs. He’s spotted me, and the wary look all over his face instantly has me on edge. ‘What’s going on?’ I ask.

‘Nothing, baby’ He tries to smile but fails miserably. He’s all jittery. It doesn’t sit well. ‘Cathy’s making your breakfast. Go.’

‘I’m not hungry.’ I reply flatly, staring him down.

‘Ava, you didn’t eat last night. Go and have some breakfast.’ His tone is altering to impatient by the second and all the while, the banging continues.

I can’t believe he is being all concerned and honestly thinks that his demand for me to eat is going to pull me away from the mystery behind the door. ‘I said I’m not hungry.’ I stand firm, my eyes burning red rings of furious fire into his greens. I feel really mad.

The door jolts, and Jesse lets out a frustrated growl, his jaw ticking wildly as his looks up to the heavens for strength. I would like to think that it’s the tenacious idiot hammering on the penthouse door who’s causing his mounting anger, but I know it’s me. ‘Ava, why the fuck can’t you do what you’re told?’ His head drops, and I know instantly he means business. ‘Go. And. Get. Your. Breakfast.’ He speaks each word slowly and concisely, but I mean business, too.

‘No,’ I steam forward, not in the least bit bothered by my half naked body, and grasp the door handle. ‘Let go.’ I pull, for what use it is, which is none at all. ‘Jesse, open the fucking door!’

‘Watch your…’

‘Fuck off!’ I snap, yanking at the door like a deranged, hormone pumped pregnant woman.

‘Ava!’ He holds it in place as I fight pointlessly to pull it open. I’ll never win, but I’m not backing down. No way.

But then we both freeze in place when a voice interrupts our spitting match, and it’s neither of ours. If I was a little cranky before, I’ve just been catapulted into the realms of psychotic. There will be no need for him to open this door because at any moment, I’m going to be flying around this apartment like the Tasmanian Devil himself, and I’ll smash it down.

I look up at him with clenched teeth. He visibly sags. ‘What the hell is she doing here?’ I use his lapse in concentration and his defeated hold to my advantage and pull the door open, coming face to face with Coral. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ I hiss, looking her up and down in utter contempt. Her hair is tied up today, her short black bob giving her a pathetic excuse for a ponytail, such a bitchy thought, but it’s going to be the first of many. I can feel it, and they might not just be thoughts.

She blanks me completely and looks straight at my bare chested God. Why the hell didn’t he put some jeans and a t-shirt on? ‘I need to speak to you.’ She sounds determined. ‘Alone.’ she adds, flicking an impertinent look at me. Her fortitude will be of zero help. She’ll have to rip him from my dying hands before I leave them alone.

‘You’ve got more chance of having tea with the Queen,’ I snarl. My fury is building by the second, and I absolutely cannot control it. ‘What do you want?’ I feel Jesse’s hand rest lightly on the small of my shirt covered back. It’s a silent demand to calm myself down. It’ll never work. The more I look at this impudent hussy, the angrier I’m getting, if that’s possible. I feel like a pressure cooker, set to explode. ‘I asked you a question.’

‘Ava,’ Jesse’s calming voice just infuriates me further. ‘Calm yourself down, baby.’ His palm slides around to my front to hold my tummy. He’s worried about my blood pressure, the anxious fool. My blood pressure should be the least of his worries. Blood spilt, that’s what he should be concerned about.

‘I’m calm,’ I’m clearly not. ‘I won’t ask you again.’ I push Jesse’s hand away from my stomach, but he doesn’t let me get away with it. He pulls me back so I’m slightly behind him, and then holds his arm out to the side in silent warning. It won’t work, but he starts speaking before I can wrestle his arm out of my way.

‘Coral, I’ve told you before. It’s never going to happen.’ His tone is tinged with anger, but after my little performance, I can’t be sure if it’s for my benefit or Coral’s. ‘You need to fuck off and find someone else to stalk.’

I’m mentally cheering him on, even though I’m sure that I’m in for it when she concedes and clears off. I must look ridiculous in Jesse’s shirt, my hair a wild mass of chocolate waves, yesterday’s make-up on and being held back by my virtually naked husband.

Coral’s eyes cross from Jesse’s to mine a few times before she settles her smug stare on my God again. I don’t like that look. It’s bold, and I’m sure her next words will be, too. She’s going nowhere until she’s said what she came to say, and I’m annoyingly curious of what that is exactly. ‘Have it your way.’ She shrugs nonchalantly and holds a piece of paper out to Jesse.

‘What the fuck is that?’ he barks intolerantly.

‘Take a look for yourself.’ She flaps the paper, encouraging Jesse to take it. I can’t help it; my neck is craning to try and see for myself, but his arm pushes me back again.

He snatches it, and I watch as his head drops to look, then I look at Coral, who is performing the best sly smirk I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. What’s her game? My eyes are on Jesse’s back, which is stiff as a board, his muscles protruding, indicating his tension.