Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas

‘You need to get this code changed.’ I mutter, punching in the developer code. He only has to notify security and they’ll see to it immediately.

He doesn’t say a word. Oh, he’s really working the silent treatment well. I look up, finding him staring at me, studying me closely, completely expressionless. I’m certain that he’s about to pounce and give me some sort of Jesse style fuck. Would he be fucking sense into me, or would it be a reminder fuck? Oh, it’ll probably be an apology fuck! My tipsy brain relishes the thought, but then the elevator doors open and he steps out before me, leaving me to follow behind. I’m shocked. I would have put my life on the certainty of being jumped. Oh well, we’re not in his apartment yet.

He opens the door and strolls in, without so much as looking at me. I’m left to shut the door behind me and follow him into the kitchen, where I find him grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. He takes a few swigs before thrusting it at me.

I don’t bother pushing it away. Last Saturday and the memory of my aching head when I came around is enough of a motive to accept his offering. I drink the water under his watchful eye, placing the empty bottle on the worktop when I’m finished.

‘Turn around.’ he orders.

Oh, here we go! A million fireworks light up inside me as I follow through on his command, turning away from him, my libido screaming, my skin is prickling. The feeling of his warm hands skating over my shoulders has me clenching my jaw and drawing steadying breaths. He grasps the zip of my dress and slowly pulls it down, making a point of sliding his hands down my sides as he drags it down my body, kneeling as he goes. My ankle is tapped and I step out of the pooling material, turning back to look down at him knelt before me.

He gazes up at me, slowly rising to his feet, dragging his nose up between my breasts until he reaches my throat. He breathes into my neck. Oh, yes, I’m mentally begging for him, as per usual.

Latching on with his lips, he nips and licks at my delicate flesh. My skin is burning for him to touch me, I want to grab him. But I know this will be done on his terms.

‘Do you want my mouth on you, Ava?’ he asks softly.

My breath catches in my throat as his voice vibrates against my ear. I sigh, long and breathy.

‘You need to say the word.’ He brushes his lips over my ear. My knees shake.

‘Yes.’ I gasp on an exhale.

‘Do you want me to fuck you, baby?’

‘Jesse.’ I jerk as he strokes between my thighs.

‘I know. You want me.’ He bites down on my ear lobe, the metal of my silver studs chinking against his teeth. I shudder, panting and desperate for him. But then he pulls away, leaving me standing a wanton mass of hormones in front of him. ‘Stay there.’ he orders firmly, walking away.

He’s still fully dressed in his suit as I watch him stride away from me and open a cupboard, taking something out. Chocolate spread? My pulse accelerates.

Calmly, he makes his way back over to me. I run my eyes down his lean physic, delighting in the stiff bulge at his groin. I wait, undemanding and tolerant of his leisurely pace. When he finally reaches me, he gets up close and personal with my face, breathing his hot, minty breath all over me as his lips skim my cheeks, my eyes, my chin, finally resting gently on my lips.

I hum in pure pleasure, opening my mouth, but he breaks our kiss and starts lowering himself down my body. A barrage of heat floods me, my short, sharp breaths becoming suppressed and ragged. Looking up at me as he descends, his nose grazes my lace knickers, triggering my hands to fly out and grab his shoulders for support. He gives me that knowing smile and starts rising again, pressing his body against mine on his way.

‘You’re so affected by me,’ he breathes in my ear.

I shiver, catching my breath. ‘Yes, I am.’

‘I know you are. It…really…fucking…turns…me…on.’ He steps away from me. What’s he doing? His hands come up, and I register him holding my dress in one. And in the other…a pair of scissors.

He wouldn’t? He calmly opens the scissors and sets them at the hem of my dress. Then, very slowly, he snips up the centre as I watch on a gape. It seems he bloody would. A five hundred pound dress? I can’t even locate the ability to stop him or shout at him. I’m utterly stunned.

Not content with having my five hundred pound, taboo dress in two pieces, he proceeds to calmly chop it up into a further few scraps before placing the mutilated material, calmly and precisely with zero emotion, on the island with the scissors. He turns back to face me.

I find my voice. ‘I can’t believe you just did that.’

‘Don’t play games with me, Ava.’ he warns, all calm and controlled. He slips his hands in his trouser pockets and regards me closely as I stand in front of him, unequivocally staggered. All fuzzy tipsiness has completely gone. I’m sound minded, steady and absolutely astounded by his demonstration of so called power.

‘You,’ I point my finger in his face, ‘are crazy!’

His lips form a straight line. ‘I fucking feel it. Get your arse to bed!’

What? Get my arse to bed? The man is way past unreasonable – he’s completely impossible. I feel my brow knit. If I spend any more time with this man, I’ll be having Botox before I’m twenty seven. ‘I’m not getting in bed with you!’ I kick my heels off and pivot, leaving the kitchen and my simmering control freak behind. With me in my underwear and my dress in a dozen pieces, I’m pretty much screwed.

I take the stairs, slamming my feet down, huffing all the way. I could scream! He’s a raving fucking nutjob! Barging into the bedroom, I spot my gym bag at the end of the bed, but I know there are no clothes in there. I found that out this morning when my dress was set out waiting for me. Well, I’m not staying in here. No fucking way!

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.