tips her glass in the direction of the door, and I turn to look. I sigh in appreciation, as does Kate when Sam follows in behind him with Drew. She's playing her feelings for Sam down, I know she is.
Jesse plants a chaste kiss on my cheek, and then pulls over a chair from another table for himself. He sits down next to me, slightly facing me, resting his hand on my knee. The warmth of his palm spreads up my leg, smacking me straight between the thighs. He does me no favours when he slowly strokes and squeezes, strokes and squeezes.
'You took my car keys.' I narrow accusing eyes on him.
'Everyone okay?' he asks, ignoring me and starting to circle his thumb on the inside of my thigh. I glance at him, finding he's smiling, knowing damn well what he's doing. I try and pull my leg away but he has none of it. He flips me a little scowl and an extra squeeze, his way for saying; whenever and wherever.
'I'm good.' Kate chirps. Yes, she's good now Sam's here. 'I'm ordering. What's everyone having?' She gets up.
Everyone throws their order at her and she disappears to the bar, leaving me with the men.
Jesse leans into me. 'You've had a drink.'
I tense. 'It was an accident.' I blurt.
'I don't mind you having a drink if I'm with you, Ava.' He turns his attention back to the boys. He doesn't mind? I shake my head to myself.
I sit happily and watch Jesse be completely normal with Drew and Sam, talking about sports, mostly extreme, and generally carrying on like any normal man would. This is easygoing Jesse. He laughs with them, his eyes twinkling, keeping his hand exactly where it is. I smile to myself. It's a pleasure to see, and then he glances over at me and winks, and I want to straddle his hips and eat him alive.
'So, how is Victoria?' Kate chucks the question at Drew casually as she takes her seat back up, and everyone looks at him. She is such a shit stirrer.
'Don't ask.' He takes a swig from his bottle of beer. I notice no one else seems to be uneasy about the whole alcohol presence. Am I handling this all wrong? 'She's sweet, but God, she's got to lighten up.' he adds.
I recoil in my chair. Drew's lightening up comment is a bit harsh, especially if he's hit her with an invitation to The Manor. He can't knock her for being skeptical. 'Why did you ask her to go?' I blurt the question before my brain engages. Isn't it obvious why he asked her? Jesse gives me a sideway glance, and I feel my face burning up.
Drew shrugs. 'It's who I am, it's what I like.'
'Amen.' Sam says and raises his bottle.
My eyes bulge slightly at his openness with Kate's presence, then I notice Kate stiffen slightly. I look at her questioningly, but she pretends she hasn't seen me and chinks Sam's bottle with her glass. Sam grins at her and my eyes widen further. She's had some action at The Manor!
Holy fucking shit!
I glare at her, but she still refuses to look at me. Does Jesse know this?
'Anyway,' Drew continues, 'I've got to make the most of it. Get to thirty five and it's a slippery slope down to a saggy arse and man boobs. I'll think about a woman who loves me for me and not for my body when I need to.'
I feel Jesse tense next to me, and I look at him, but he's refusing to look at me too. He's thirty seven, but there's most certainly no saggy arse or man boobs on him. I shift my legs and cross one over the other, prompting him to tighten his grip. Out the corner of my eye, I see his lips form a straight line.
'Well, I've only got nine years left, so I'd better get my fill.' Kate says sardonically.
My jaw drops. I can't believe she has just openly said that. My eyes are wide, my mouth gaping. It's obvious I'm shocked. I'm sat around a table in a normal bar, in normal London, with normal people and they're all talking about The Manor likes it's a perfectly regular set-up. No, not normal people. How can they be? These three men have all dabbled and now Kate has been dragged to the dark side too. I need more wine. What the fuck is going on?