This Man

‘You’ll come to The Manor’s anniversary party.’

‘What? Like a social event?’

‘Yes, exactly like a social event.’

I’m glad he can’t see my face, because if he could, he would see a screwed up contortion of displeasure. So, now I’m between a rock and a hard place. I get out of going to The Manor today, but I’m negotiating delaying the chore, not completely avoiding it. And for a social event? I would rather boil my head!

‘When?’ I sound less enthused than I feel, and that’s saying something.

‘Two weeks today.’ He wraps his arms around the tops of my shoulders and nuzzles his face into my neck.

I should be dancing around the bathroom in joy. He wants to take me as a date. It doesn’t matter that it’s the posh hotel that he owns, he wants me there. But I’m not sure I’m prepared to spend the evening under the unfriendly, watchful eye of Sarah. And it’s a dead cert that she’ll be there.

‘You’ll come.’ He thrusts his tongue in my ear, swirls it around a few times and kisses under the hollow of my lobe, before thrusting it back in my ear.

I squirm under his hot tongue, my body slipping over his. ‘Stop!’ I shudder.

‘No.’ He squeezes me to him as I writher, water splashing everywhere. ‘Say you’ll come.’

‘No! Jesse!’ I laugh when his hand moves to my hip. ‘Stop!’

‘Please.’ he purrs in my ear.

I stop struggling. Please? Did I hear him right? I’m stunned on the spot. Jesse Ward said please? Okay, so he’s brokering a deal, and he said please. Well, on the bright side, at least I know he’s looking at least a few weeks into the future with me. If I had of spent all day at The Manor today, there’s not a shadow of a doubt that I would be attending The Manors anniversary party anyway. I should be grateful, I suppose.

‘Okay, I’ll come.’ I sigh, earning myself a super tight squeeze and an over-the-top nuzzle. I reach up and wrap my hands around his forearms. I’ve made him happy. And that, in turn, makes me very happy.

So, I’m going to be his date. That will please Sarah no end. Actually, I will go, and I’ll look forward to it too. He wants me there, and that has to signify something, doesn’t it? I can’t help the little satisfied smile playing at the corners of my mouth. I’m not usually the competitive type, but I really dislike Sarah and I really like Jesse, so it’s a no brainer really.

‘How many years?’ I ask.

‘What?’

‘The Manor’s anniversary, how many years is it?’

‘A few,’

I crane my neck around to get him in my line of sight, finding a completely blank expression. He’s giving nothing away. I shake my head, turning back around and letting him have his stupid age secret. I’m past caring now. I love him – nothing could change that.

‘I’ve never had a bath before.’ he says quietly.

‘Never?’

‘No, never, I’m a shower man. But I think I might be a bath man now.’

‘I love having a bath.’

‘Me too, but only if you’re in it with me,’ He squeezes me. ‘It’s a good job the designer of this place anticipated the need for a big one.’

I laugh. ‘I think she did well.’ Never in a million years did I anticipate enjoying a soak in it when I helped coordinate the crane lift of the damn thing. At the time, I was regretting being so extravagant, but now I’m reaping the benefits of the giant, bespoke tub, it was definitely a ball ache worth enduring.

‘I wonder if she ever considered being in it?’ he muses.

‘No, she didn’t.’

‘Well, I’m glad she is.’ He tugs at my ear lobe with his teeth as I feel his feet slide down my shins, rubbing across the tops of my feet above the bubbly water.

I close my eyes and rest my head against his chest. Perhaps I should ditch work and stay with him all day after all. In my sleepy bath time slumber, I decide that tub talk with Jesse is one of my new favourite pastimes. And I might even start running in the morning. Not crazy distances, but around the Royal Parks once or twice every other morning. I must remember to stretch.

‘You’re going to be late for work.’ he says softly in my ear. I pout to myself. I’m way too comfortable. ‘Just think…if you didn’t go to the office, we could stay longer.’ He kisses my temple and rises to get out, leaving me silently wishing I had of relented to his insistence on staying with him all day.

I give my own little private huff of disgust and grab the men’s shampoo. It looks like it’s going to be another bad hair day.

Chapter 31

I pad into the bedroom and find my cream, fitted dress spread out on the bed, with my nude heels and some fancy lace underwear that I don’t recognise. I frown to myself, picking up the unfamiliar bra and knickers set. He’s brought me underwear, and he’s brought me underwear in the right size? He really does think he can dictate my wardrobe.

I thread my fingers over the pretty, delicate lace in a soft cream colour. It’s beautiful, but a bit over the top for work. I start going through my gym bag to find an alternative, but there’s no underwear to be found and no other option in the clothes department either. In fact, there are no other clothes at all, the sly sod.

I resign myself to accepting my fate, getting myself ready and slipping into the underwear and dress that Jesse has decided I’m wearing today. I suppose I should be grateful that he’s not laid out my oversized, chunky knit jumper. I’m super relieved that he’s had the initiative to leave me a hairdryer, though. I apply my make-up, blow-dry my hair into a tousled, slightly messy mass, pile it up and make my way downstairs.