‘You went out like a light. I was happy to have you tucked into my side, so I let you be. You’re sleeping for England, baby.’
At that comment, I yawn and stretch my arms over my head. ‘What time is it?’ Just as the words leave my lips, I hear the front door open and shut, and then the cheerful calling of Cathy. If Cathy’s here, then it’s got to be eight o’clock-ish, and I’m stark bollock naked! I jump up. ‘I’m naked!’
He smirks and steps down from the treadmill. ‘So you are.’ he laughs, walking over to me. ‘Whatever will Cathy think?’
I do a quick scan of the gym, looking for a towel or anything to conceal my naked form so I can escape upstairs with my dignity still intact. I laugh to myself. I lost my dignity the morning Cathy walked in on us both naked. My eyes land on the towel in Jesse’s hand, and I quickly snatch it from his grasp to flap it out.
‘I don’t think that’ll quite cover it.’ he muses smugly.
He’s right. It’s little more than a face cloth. ‘Help me.’ I lift pleading eyes to him and find a soft smile.
‘Come here.’ He opens his arms, and I walk right into them, lifting myself up in my usual chimp-ish manner. His damp skin is slippery and smells delicious.
Walking to the gym door, he opens it and sticks his head out. ‘Cathy?’ he calls.
‘Yes, boy?’
‘Where are you?’
‘In the kitchen.’
With that confirmation, he slips out and takes the stairs quickly. I watch over his shoulder as we rise, praying that Cathy doesn’t come to investigate his questioning. She doesn’t. I make it to the safety of the master-suite with my dignity still whole.
‘There.’ he places me on my feet and drops a kiss on my forehead.
‘What time is it?’
‘Ten to eight.’
I roll my eyes and point an accusing glare at him. ‘Why didn’t you wake me?’ I walk off to the bathroom.
‘You needed to sleep.’
‘Not for fifteen hours.’ I flip the shower on and step straight into the water, not bothering to wait for it to warm. I need waking up. I make quick work of wetting my hair and slapping some shampoo in my palms.
He’s standing on the other side of the glass removing his running shoes. ‘You obviously do need it.’ he mumbles.
I rinse my hair, condition, and then slip past him, ignoring more grumbles as he steps in. It takes me tens minute flat to dry my hair, apply my make-up and get dressed, and I’m on my way downstairs before Jesse.
‘Morning, Cathy,’ I take my phone off the charger and slip it in my bag.
‘Ava, you look a little brighter.’ Cathy dries her hands on the front of her apron and does a little assessment of me. ‘Yes, much brighter.’
‘I feel it,’ I laugh.
‘What would you like for breakfast?’
‘Oh, I’m late, Cathy. I’ll grab something at work.’ I throw my bag over my shoulder.
‘You’ll eat!’ Jesse’s stern, take no shit voice hits me from behind, and I turn to find a scowl fixed to his face as he fastens his tie. ‘She’ll have a bagel, Cathy.’ His suit-clad perfection reaches me and lifts me to a stool. ‘With eggs.’ He seems to consider something for a second. ‘Actually, no eggs.’
My eyes widen, and I quickly remove myself from the barstool, looking across at Jesse’s confused housekeeper. ‘Cathy, thank you, but I’ll eat at work.’ I walk out of the kitchen, leaving Jesse with his jaw slightly gaping.
‘Hey!’ His shocked voice reaches me as I slam the penthouse door behind me. No run. I will eat. No eggs. My contentment was short lived. I stab at the elevator keypad, but it doesn’t open, so I re-stab, getting myself more and more worked up. ‘No eggs?’ I yell at the row of numbers when the door still doesn’t shift.
‘You okay?’
I swing around and find my neurotic control freak with his hands draped loosely in his trouser pockets, watching me lose my temper with the innocent keypad. ‘I can eat eggs!’ I yell at him. ‘What’s the new code?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘You heard.’ I bash the pad with the side of my fist.
‘Yes, I heard. But I’m giving you a chance to retract that tone.’ He’s completely straight faced and unaffected by my little outburst, while my eyes have just bulged at his insolence. Giving me a chance to retract it?
I walk up to him, calm and composed, and reach up on my tiptoes so I’m as near as possible to his nauseatingly splendid face—the one I want to smash in at this particular moment in time. ‘Fuck… off.’ I breathe on him before stomping off towards the stairwell, praying he hasn’t took the initiative to change the code on this door yet. He hasn’t. I smile smugly as I push my way through. Thirteen floors is going to kill me, but I start tackling them anyway, thanking the stair God’s that I’m going down them and not up.
By floor seven, I’ve removed my heels and by floor four, I have to stop and take a breather. I’m hot, sweaty and I feel sick. ‘Fucking man.’ I grumble, taking a deep breath and carrying on my way. I push my way through the fire door and walk straight into that chest, before being pushed back into the stairwell. I don’t even try to battle free from his grasp. I’m absolutely beat.
I’m lifted from my feet and held in place against the concrete wall. I’m damp with sweat and panting heavy, exhausted breaths in his face after pounding the stairs down to the foyer, while Jesse is breathing steady, calm streams of air after taking the luxurious elevators from the top of Lusso.