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.
'I like your dress.'
I swing around and my eyes are assaulted by a devastatingly handsome, navy suited beast. I sigh in appreciation. He is just too bloody perfect and he's not shaved. I swoon on the spot. He looks like he's got over his little strop.
'I like your suit.' I counter.
He grins and finishes straightening his grey tie before pulling the collar of his white shirt down. If I was any other woman and I found out about The Manor and the God who owned it, I would join too.
I'm being distracted again. I throw my bag on the bed, retrieve my phone, sweep some gloss across my lips and grab my shoes, all under his watchful eye. I have another futile rummage through my bag for my pills, but I know I'm searching in vain.