Beneath This Man (This Man, #2)(59)

I gasp at his crass words, spoken with no concern in the middle of the Ritz restaurant. Oh God, what must Big John think of me? I hope he laughed. He seems to find Jesse’s reactions and behaviour towards me quite amusing.

The waiter places our coffees down and we both nod a thank you before he backs away again.

I pick up my fancy – probably solid – silver spoon and start slowly stirring my coffee. ‘You have had quite an action packed morning.’ I say quietly. Of all the things I could have said? I glance up nervously and find him fighting a grin from his face. It makes me feel so much better. He wants to laugh, but he wants to be angry with me too.

He sighs. ‘Ava, don’t ever do that to me again.’

I disintegrate on my yellow throne. ‘You were crazy mad.’ I breathe on a long, relieved exhale.

‘I was way, way past crazy mad, Ava.’ He reaches up and starts circling his temples, as if trying to rid himself of the memory.

‘Why?’

He pauses mid-rub. ‘Because I couldn’t get to you,’ He says it like I’m stupid. He must catch my look of confusion because he moves his fingers to his forehead and rests his elbows on the table. ‘The thought of not being able to reach you actually made me panic.’

What?

‘I was in the room!’ I blurt a bit too loudly. I take a quick glance around to make sure I’ve not drawn any attention from the posh clientele.

He scowls at me. ‘You weren’t in the room when you left!’

I lean across the table. ‘I left because you threatened me.’ This is most definitely not a conversation for the plushness of The Ritz.

‘Well, that’s because you made me crazy mad.’ He widens his eyes at me. ‘When did you get those handcuffs?’ he asks accusingly as his palms hit the table, the bang silencing the other diners surrounding us.

I sit back in my throne and wait for them to continue with their conversation. ‘When I left work yesterday. You kind of pissed all over my plan with your retribution f*ck.’ I grumble moodily.

‘Watch your mouth. I pissed on your plan?’ he asks incredulously. ‘Ava, let me tell you, nowhere in my plan was it written that you would have me restrained and at your mercy. So, it is you who pissed all over my plan.’

We both cease all speaking of plans, retribution f*cks and handcuffs when the waiter approaches with our food. He places it in front of me first and then Jesse, swiveling the plates around so the presentation – which looks more like art – is at its best position for us to admire before we attack it with our knife and fork. I smile my thanks.

‘Is that all, Sir?’ The waiter asks Jesse.

‘Yes, thank you.’

The waiter removes himself from the table and leaves us to resume our inappropriate conversation.

I sink my knife into my dish. It looks too good to eat. ‘You should know your temptress is extremely pleased with herself.’ I say thoughtfully as I wrap my lips around the most delicious piece of granary toast, topped with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce.

‘I bet she is.’ He raises his eyebrows. ‘Does she know how crazy in love with her I am?’

I melt on a sigh. I’m in The Ritz, eating the most incredible food and I’m looking across the table at the most devastatingly handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on – my devastatingly handsome man. All mine. I am back to basking in the sun on Central Jesse Cloud Nine. ‘I think she does.’ I confirm.

He turns his attention back to his dish. ‘She had better not just think.’ he says sternly.

‘She knows.’

‘Good.’

‘What’s the problem, anyway?’ I ask. ‘Thirty seven is nothing.’

His eyes flick to mine. He looks almost embarrassed. ‘I don’t know. You’re in your mid-twenties and I’m in my mid to late-thirties.’

‘So?’ I watch him closely. He really does have a complex about his age. ‘It bothers you more than it does me.’

‘Maybe.’ He fights a smile from his lips. I can see he is relieved at my lack of concern. I shake my head, returning to my dish. My arrogant playboy has an insecurity, but I love him all the more for it.

We eat in a comfortable silence, the waiter checking if everything is to our satisfaction at regular intervals. How could it not be? When we’re done, he clears our plates swiftly and Jesse asks for the bill.

‘So, when are we going dress shopping then?’ he asks before taking a sip of his coffee.

I let out an exasperated breath. I’d forgot about that. I know if I defy him on this, I’ll be promptly ejected from Central Jesse Cloud Nine. I shrug. ‘You don’t have to come.’ I can shoot to House of Fraser anytime on my travels.

‘I want to come and anyway, I owe you a dress, remember?’ He smirks, and I’m swiftly reminded of the dress massacre. He only wants to come so he can make an appropriate selection, and that means I’ll probably be wearing ski pants and a roll neck jumper.

‘Friday lunch?’ I try, failing miserably to sound upbeat.

His frown line jumps into position. ‘That’s cutting it a bit fine, isn’t it?’

‘I’ll find something.’ I finish the most scrumptious coffee I’ve ever had.

‘Put me in your diary for Friday afternoon…all afternoon.’