Beneath This Man(129)

The heavy breath that travels the short distance between us and warms my back tells me my answer. 'Murderous,' he snarls.

As I thought. 'How would you feel listening to someone voice their opinions on my bedroom manner? Saying they were not going to give up trying to get me in bed.'

'Don't!'

I turn to find him watching me closely, his jaw ticking wildly. 'My work here is done.' I quip and make my way to the door. That sideboard looks heavy, but I don't get the opportunity to try and move it. Jesse steps in my way, halting my progress. I take a calming breath and look up at him. 'You should know, I'm not leaving, but only because I can't. I'm going out there and I'm going to have a drink, and tomorrow night I'm going out with Kate. And you are not going to stop me.'

'We'll see about that.' he fires confidently.

'Yes, we will.'

He starts chewing his lip, his eyes burning into mine. 'I can't change my past, Ava.'

'I know. And it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to forget about it either. Will you move the cabinet, please?'

'I love you.'

'Move the cabinet, please.'

'We need to make friends.' His face is deadpan, while my eyes have just widened.

'No!' I shout, disgusted by his intention to win me over with a quick f*ck.

He takes a step forward, and I take one back. 'I'll trample, Ava.' he warns calmly. I take another step back, watching as he regards me carefully. 'Are you going to deny me?' He arches a cautionary eyebrow, and I carry on stepping back until my backside is pushed up against the drinks cabinet and my hands are braced on the edge. If he gets his hands on me, I'm completely done for, and I want to stay mad. I need to stay mad. He's going to try and blind me with his touch again.

He reaches me and places his hands over mine. My face is level with his neck and jaw. I try to block off my sense of smell, but fail miserably. I know I won't be allowed to leave his office until he's happy that we're friends.

'Tomorrow, I'm going back to Kate's.' I say bravely. I need time to try and sort my unreasonable jealous frame of mind out. It would seem that Jesse Ward has brought out some rather nasty qualities in me too.

'You know that's never going to happen, Ava. But just you saying it makes me really f*cking mad.'

'I am.' I retort. I'm being stupidly daring, but I need him to know how much this is bothering me.

He bends so he's at my eyelevel. 'Crazy mad, Ava.' he warns softly. 'Look at me.' he breathes in my face.

I whimper slightly. 'No.' It'll be game over and one tally on Jesse's scoreboard if I do.

'I said, look at me.'

I shake my head faintly and he heaves a sigh.

'Three.' he starts clearly.

My eyes instinctively fly up to his, but not because he's started the countdown and I don't want him to reach zero. It's because I'm shocked. I've unwittingly complied with his command, and I'm now staring into dark green pools of lust.

'Kiss me.' he demands.

I purse my lips and shake my head, attempting to pull my arms free.

'Three.' he begins again and I freeze, my mouth dropping open in shock. He brushes his lips gently over mine. 'Two.'

This isn't fair. He could kiss me, but I know he won't. He wants me to submit and I'm desperately trying to resist, even though my treacherous body is screaming for him.

'One.' His lips meet mine again.

I snap my head away and wriggle under his hold, desperately fighting him off. 'No, you're not distracting me, Jesse.'

He shouts a frustrated yell and releases his grip, my hands flying up to his chest to push him away. We battle, my flailing hands beating him away from me as he tries to grab at my wrists.

'Ava!' he yells, securing me and spinning me around. I don't know why I'm doing this. I could never win, even though he is obviously handling me with care. 'Fucking stop it, you crazy woman!'

I ignore him, rage and adrenalin spiking my stamina to continue fighting him off.

'For f*ck sake!' he shouts, taking me down to the floor and securing me under his body. 'Pack it in!'

I heave under him, every muscle aching, my hammering heart jumping from my chest. I open my eyes, finding a perplexed look on his face. He doesn't know what to do with me. I'm losing complete control.

We stare at each other, both of us panting from the exertion of our physical battle. And then we both move forward fast, our mouths crashing together, our tongues dueling urgently.