Beneath This Man(52)

'Don't.' I warn. I'm not being distracted by him anymore. He pouts and works his hands up to my shoulders, yanking me forward onto his mouth. 'I'm going to be late.' I argue feebly, trying to fight off the budding craving as he teases my lips with his.

'I want to make an appointment.' he says, licking my bottom lip, pushing his groin into my stomach.

'To f*ck me? No appointment necessary.' I quip, trying to pull away from him.

He growls and yanks me back. 'Mouth! I already told you, I don't need to make an appointment to f*ck you. I do that whenever and wherever I please.' He rubs his groin back into me, and it's now I know that I have to escape before I'm swallowed up again.

'I've got to go.' I duck out of his hold and hastily leave him in the shower, sulking like a schoolboy. He just had me, although I could go again too.

I brush my teeth and make my way into the bedroom, sitting myself in front of the floor length mirror with my make-up bag and hair dryer. I commence a fast blast dry, quickly pin it up and start applying my make-up.

Jesse walks out of the bathroom, gloriously naked and unashamed. I scowl at his naked back, dragging my eyes away to continue with my make-up. I'm being distracted.

Leaning forward, I sweep my mascara wand over my lashes and pull back to find Jesse standing to the side of me, leaning into the mirror. I look up and come face to face with the broad head of his semi-erect manhood. My eyes are fixed, absolutely delighted. My greedy stare travels up his naked body and finds him looking in the mirror, coaxing his hair to the side with some wax. He knows what he's doing.

I take a calming breath and return to my make-up, but then he makes a point of brushing against me, his firm leg sweeping lightly over my bare arm. I shudder and glance up to find a twitching lip as he tries to feign ignorance. The swine.

He looks down at me in the reflection of the mirror, his eyes swimming with all sorts of promises, and then he lowers himself behind me until he's sat cradling my body. He shifts forward, pushing his front into my back, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. I hold his gaze in the mirror.

'You're beautiful.' he says softly.

'You are too.' I reply, tensing slightly when I feel his hardness pushing into my lower back.

He fights a smile, knowing damn well what he's doing. 'Don't go to work.'

I knew this was coming. 'Please, don't.'

He pouts. 'Don't you want to fall into bed and let me pay special attention to you all day?'

I could think of nothing better, but if I relent on this, I'm fully aware that I'm setting a rod for my own back. He can't keep me to himself all of the time, although I know he doesn't think that his ambition is unreasonable. 'I have to work.' I say, clenching my eyes shut when he turns his lips into my ear.

'I have to have you.' He circles his tongue lightly in my ear.

Oh God, I need to escape now! 'Jesse, please.' I wriggle in his embrace.

He scowls at me in the mirror. 'Are you denying me?'

'No, I'm delaying you.' I reason, wriggling harder and turning myself around in his arms. I push him down to his back and lay on his front, pushing my lips onto his. His arms fall above his head as he moans around my kiss. 'I need to work, God.'

'Work me. I'll be a very grateful client.'

I pull back and smile. 'You mean to say that instead of busting a gut keeping clients happy with drawings, plans and schedules, I should just jump into bed with them?'

His eyes turn black. 'Don't say things like that, Ava.'

'It was a joke.' I laugh.

I'm flipped over and pinned under his body. 'Do you see me laughing? Don't say things that will make me crazy mad.'

'I'm sorry.' I blurt quickly. I need to cop on to his zero tolerance approach to lighthearted jokes that suggest me with another man.

He shakes his head and lifts himself from my body, strolling off to the wardrobe. I sit up and take the loss of distraction as an opportunity to concentrate on finishing my make-up. I've really upset him.

An unexpected and very unwelcome image of Jesse with another woman jumps into my head. I do my own little head shake. It's like my sub-conscience is giving me a taste of my own medicine. I screw my face up in disgust and throw my eyeliner into my make-up bag. It worked. I feel my flesh prickling with possessiveness.

After smothering myself in coco butter, I slip my lace underwear on and my red shift dress.