Beneath This Man (This Man Trilogy)(100)

‘What has Sarah got to do with this?’ He sounds really perplexed.

If he could see me, he would see a screwed up face of disbelief. He cannot be serious. I must not lose my head. ‘She hurt you.’

‘I asked her to.’

‘I asked Steve to.’ I counter calmly.

‘Yes, but Steve knew you were off limits, that you are mine. He crossed a clear line that I drew and not just with who he practiced his shit on, but also how he carried it out, although the former is my ultimate bone of contention.’ He bites my earlobe to make sure I know he means me. Who else? ‘He accepted a whip from someone he hadn’t met before and never even clarified the limits. You could have been mentally unstable for all he knew.’

‘I probably was at that specific moment.’ I mutter. ‘And anyway, you’re mine. You’re off limits too, you know.’

‘I know.’ he says softly. ‘I know, baby. Never again, but I think you’ve demonstrated your grievance with Sarah.’ he adds sarcastically.

I smile smugly. Yes, I have, but I still want her out on her arse. ‘So, you’re not getting rid of her?’ I ask, although, begrudgingly, I already know the answer to that question.

‘She’s an employee and a close friend. I can’t sack her for doing something I asked her to, Ava.’

I sigh heavily, blatantly wanting him to be aware that I’m not happy about this. A friend? A close friend? ‘She planned it, Jesse.’

‘What do you mean, she planned it?’

‘The text that I got from John.’

‘What text?’

‘The one she sent from John’s phone saying I should go to The Manor.’ I’m going to get nowhere with this, I know it.

‘You think Sarah lifted John’s phone and sent you a text?’

‘Yes!’

‘Don’t be daft!’

‘I’m not being daft!’ I screech. ‘I have it on my phone, I’ll show you.’

‘Ava, Sarah wouldn’t do that.’

Oh, please! She’s supposed to be his friend. He obviously doesn’t know her very well. I’ve had the pleasure of her for only a month-ish, and I worked her out within a second of meeting her. He is so thick skinned. ‘Do you think I imagined it?’

‘No, I’m thinking that you were drugged on Saturday night and maybe you’ve made a mistake.’ he says all soothingly. I don’t appreciate it. I didn’t bloody imagine it!

‘I’ll show you.’ I sound like a stroppy teenager. ‘She wants you.’

‘Well she can’t have me, she knows that. I belong to you.’ He presses his lips to the side of my face.

‘You do.’ I huff, pushing my cheek into his kiss.

This is a bit difficult. Jesse is right; he can’t dismiss her from his employment for doing something that he asked her to do, which absolutely stinks because I can’t imagine he would be of the same opinion if the boot was on the other foot. My only comfort is the knowledge that Jesse has absolutely no interest in her and of that, I am completely sure. I’m not going to burden him with my bitchy streak. I will reserve that for Sarah when necessary, and for all of the other women who are lacking any self-respect. Damage control will be tricky when there are so many of these bloody leeches. I’m pissed that he can’t see her for what she is.

‘Lean forward so I can bathe your back.’ He pushes me forward by my shoulders, and I reluctantly sit up. ‘I’ll be gentle.’

‘I like you rough.’ I say cheekily.

‘Ava, don’t say things like that when I’m in no position to violate you.’ he scorns me, and gently squeezes the sponge over my back. He drops tender kisses wherever he can between his delicate strokes, and I close my eyes dreamily. It’s so easy to forget the challenges when he’s like this. ‘Let’s get your hair washed.’

I let him bathe me, wash my hair and generally tend to my every bath time need before he wraps me in a towel and lays me on the bed. ‘This might be a bit cold.’ he says as he straddles my bum and squeezes some cream onto my back. My shoulder blades fly up and tense. ‘Shhhhh,’ he hushes me. ‘You won’t be doing this again, will you?’ he teases as he starts dabbing the cream in gently.

‘I will if you do.’ I grumble, burying my face in the pillow, sending a small prayer to God that he won’t.

He starts small, tender strokes across my back, getting me used to the friction before working the cream into the welts once I’ve relaxed a bit more. It’s not bad at all. The warm fluidity of his big hands gliding all over my back soon becomes hypnotising, and I’m more than aware of something hard and moist probing at my lower back. I smile to myself. He will never keep his hands off me for long, and I hope he doesn’t. But he’ll be wearing a condom.

I’m massaged until all of the tightness has been rubbed away and my back feels something closer to normalcy.

‘Hello?’

Both of our heads snap up at the sound of Cathy’s voice drifting into the room.

‘Shit!’ Jesse curses, jumping up from my body. ‘I forgot to call Cathy.’ He disappears into the wardrobe and reappears in some jeans and a pale blue t-shirt. ‘Up you get.’ He grasps my waist and pulls me from the mattress. ‘I need to feed you.’

‘I’m not hungry.’

‘You will eat. Your stomach must be completely empty after you released the contents of it all over my office floor.’

I cringe. ‘I’m sorry.’ I wonder who got the pleasure of clearing that up. Sarah, I hope.

‘Don’t be sorry. Get some clothes on. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.’ He kisses me chastely and leaves me to sort myself out.

I roll my shoulders. His magic hands really are quite magic. I feel heaps better. I set about drying my hair and throwing my old soft, ripped jeans on and a white oversized t-shirt that won’t grip my back too much before making my way downstairs.



‘Good morning, Ava.’ Cathy smiles kindly as she looks up from loading the dishwasher.

I lift myself up on the stool next to Jesse and he leans over to inhale my freshly washed hair. ‘Hi, Cathy, how are you?’ I beat him away, and he growls at me before wiping a blob of peanut butter across my bottom lip. My tongue automatically sets about clearing it away. ‘Oh, God!’ I screw my face up in distaste and he laughs before pulling me closer and licking it away for me.

‘Yum.’ He smiles and plants a wet peanut butter flavoured kiss on my lips. I wipe my mouth and return my attention back to Cathy, finding her regarding our little exchange with a small smile on her thin lips. I blush profusely.

‘I’m very well, Ava. Would you like some breakfast? Salmon?’

‘Oh, yes please.’ I say gratefully and she nods her head, wipes her hands on her crisp, white apron and heads for the fridge. I glance around the kitchen and see all of my mess has been cleared up.

‘We have some news, Cathy.’ Jesse chirps up.

We do?

He’s surely not going to be advising her of the last few days’ events? I turn a frown on him, but he ignores me. ‘Ava will soon be Mrs Ward.’

My mouth falls open, but he still ignores me. Blimey Christ. I’d forgotten about that. How could I?

‘Oh, how wonderful!’ Cathy places the eggs and salmon on the island and makes her way around to clench me into a tight squeeze. ‘Oh, I’m so happy.’ she sings in my ear. I clench my teeth as she makes a meal of rubbing my back while I’m still sat on the stool. She pulls back and wraps her palms around my face. ‘I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. He’s a good boy.’ She lands a sloppy kiss on my cheek and releases me. ‘Come here, you.’ She takes Jesse in an equally enthusiastic hug and he accepts willingly, with no sign of a hiss or wince. He looks at me over Cathy’s shoulder as I gape at him.

After the events of last night, I had – quite mistakenly, it would seem – assumed that matter was up for review. My ring has disappeared from my finger and when he asked me if I would still marry him, I had said I couldn’t. Don’t we need to figure out the boat load of shit that has developed over the weekend? Our insecurities, Sarah, Coral, Mikael…

He has completely disregarded me. I’ve not even spoken to my parents yet. If I am marrying this challenging arse, then they should know first.

‘My boy is finally settling down.’ Cathy squeezes his cheeks and lands him with a kiss to match my own. She is behaving like a proud mother. It makes me wonder about the history of Cathy and Jesse’s relationship. It seems to be more than an employee/employer concern. She releases Jesse from her slightly wrinkled hands and pulls her apron up to wipe her eyes on a sniffle. She’s crying?

‘Cathy, stop that!’ Jesse admonishes her.

‘I’m sorry.’ She composes herself and returns to preparing breakfast with a wide smile on her face. ‘So, where and when?’

I cringe and reach over for the coffee pot. This is where the fireworks might start flying.

‘Next month at The Manor.’ Jesse informs her confidently.

I clank the coffee pot against the side of the mug and then swing me eyes onto Jesse. ‘Really?’ I am not getting married at The Manor! Is he winding me up? Oh God, I’ve come over all sweaty at the thought of my parents roaming around the building and grounds. Would they work it out?