Total pages in book: 204
Estimated words: 193115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 966(@200wpm)___ 772(@250wpm)___ 644(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 193115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 966(@200wpm)___ 772(@250wpm)___ 644(@300wpm)
“No.”
Her arms tense in my hold. If I didn’t have them secured to the bed, her fingers would be in her hair twiddling wildly. I have every right to be concerned about her night out. She’s no intention of abstaining, only from me, and that’s a kick in the teeth. “No more,” I command in vain, indulging myself again in her mouth, ignoring the faint edge of wine on her tongue and focusing on tasting only her. Lucky for me, she’s far more potent than wine. “I was hoping to find you in lace.” My fingers trace a blazing trail down her body and drift in between her legs.
“You would have ruined it.”
I slip my fingers inside of her, and she stiffens, gripping me fiercely. Oh, you want more, baby? Can’t get enough? Me neither. Suddenly, I’m very much the one in control, and maybe, just maybe, I might win this battle after all.
“Probably.” I would have torn that lace from her body without apology. “Don’t be wearing anything ridiculous either.” Alcohol, a sexy dress, her otherworldly beauty. It’s a recipe for disaster. I scoop my fingers wide, staring down at her, waiting for her to find the right answer.
“I won’t.” She tosses her head from side to side, and I smile, her clitoris vibrating against the pad of my thumb.
“Are you going to come, Ava?”
“Yes.” She becomes deranged, her legs tensing and kicking out, her eyes clouding. “Please!”
Got you, lady. I shrink the space between our faces, breathing across her skin, sweeping my fingers through her cruelly. “Hmm, that feel good, baby?”
“Oh God,” she chokes, trying to catch my mouth. “Jesse, please.”
“You want me?” I ask, pulling back. Denying her.
“Yes.”
I smile on the inside. “Do you want to please me, Ava?”
“Yes. Jesse, please!”
I give her one last feel of my thumb circling her buzzing nerves and then pull away, getting up off the bed.
“What are you doing?” she gasps.
Not a fucking clue. “You want me to finish the job?”
“Yes!”
Me too. But . . . “Don’t go out,” I order, watching as realization descends and the red of her cheeks turns from flushed to hopping mad.
“No!”
So I don’t win the battle after all. She’s so fucking stubborn. If it was me on the receiving end of that kind of performance from her, I would do absolutely anything she asked. Sign my life away. I need to fuck that irritating streak of defiance out of her. “My work here is done,” I whisper, regarding her closely as I kiss fresh air. She looks plain furious as I turn and walk away, pulling the door closed behind me harshly.
“I’ll sort myself out then!” The force of her yell hits me in the back as I take the stairs.
“No, you won’t,” I whisper, leaving before I give in to my compulsion to physically restrain her.
“All right?” Sam asks when I reach the front door.
“Fine. What are you still doing here?”
“I thought you’d need some company while you stew for the next few hours.”
“Good,” I reply. “I do.”
“She’s in love with you, Jesse.”
“That won’t stop some young prick making a pass at her. Or her drinking. Or, apparently, her fighting me at every fucking turn.” I pass him, stalking to my car. “Where are we going?”
“Your place?”
“I’ll call Drew.” I reach for my phone.
“Don’t bother.”
I frown. “Why?’
“He’s taken that girl out. The one Ava works with.”
“The one who looks like she’s got a stick up her arse?”
“More like a tree trunk.” Sam stops me from getting in my car, his hand on my shoulder. I know what’s coming, so I get in first.
“I’ve asked her to the anniversary party,” I say, and his head retracts. “Therefore, I have to tell her about The Manor in the next two weeks.”
He nods. “You’re doing the right thing.”
“Am I?” I haven’t a clue what I’m doing these days.
Sam shrugs. “What else can you do?”
“Keep my secrets.”
He laughs. “The Manor is a pretty big fucking secret to keep.”
The Manor has nothing on the rest of the surprises I have in store for Ava.
Nothing.
* * *
Sam completely bypasses the fridge when we enter the kitchen, heading for the kettle and flicking it on. I roll my eyes at his back as he goes about making tea, plonking myself on a stool, spinning my phone in my grasp.
“Chill the fuck out, will you?” he says without turning away from the worktop.
My hand stills. “I’m fine.”
He laughs, squeezing the tea bags and dumping them in the bin. “Sure.”
I get up, restless, and start pacing the kitchen, glancing at my Rolex. She’ll be in a bar by now. Drinking. Being admired. “How’s Kate?” I ask out of nowhere. I need to distract myself or there’s a high possibility of me tracking Ava down and making sure she’s okay, and we all know that won’t go down very well.