Beneath This Man (This Man Trilogy)(36)

He looks up when I walk in. ‘Ava, very good to see you again.’ His lightly accented voice is as smooth as ever.

‘And you, Mikael. You received the drafts?’ I nod at the boards as I set my bag down on one of the large, green leather couches.

‘Yes, but the problem is I love them all. You’re too good.’ He puts his hand out, and I take it.

‘I’m glad.’ I smile brightly while he shakes my hand gently.

He releases me and turns back towards the table. ‘I’m veering towards this one, though.’ He points to the cream and white scheme that I’m favouring myself.

‘That would be my choice too.’ I say cheerily. ‘I think it encapsulates your aspiration best.’

‘It does.’ he agrees, smiling warmly at me. ‘Take a seat, Ava. Would you like a drink?’

I perch on a sofa. ‘Water would be good, thank you.’

He signals to the waiter at the doorway before lowering himself onto the sofa next to me. ‘I apologise for the hold up on our meeting. Things didn’t go as swiftly as I planned back home.’

Oh. That would be his divorce then. I can’t imagine things would go smoothly when you are as rich as Mikael. His wife is probably trying to take him for every penny. Why else would it not be going smoothly? I don’t say anything, though. I suspect Ingrid shouldn’t have divulged as much as she did. I don’t want to get her sacked. I liked her.

‘It’s not a problem, really.’ I smile and return my eyes to the mood boards. ‘So, we’re swinging towards this one then?’ I place my hand on the cream and white scheme.

He shifts forward. ‘Yes, I like the simplicity and warmness. You are very clever. One would think it would come across insipid and cold, but it doesn’t at all.’

‘Thank you, It’s all about the fabrics and tones.’

He smiles, his blue eyes shimmering. ‘Yes, I guess it is.’



We spend a few hours discussing the time frames, schedules and budgets. He is really quite easy to be around, which is a huge relief after he invited me to dinner at our previous meeting. I was worried things would be awkward, but it’s not at all. He took my answer on the chin and has said no more.

‘It will all be sustainable material, yes?’ He runs his long finger over the drawings of a bespoke four-poster bed I have sketched.

‘Of course,’ I mentally thank Ingrid for the important piece of information that Mikael neglected to tell me previously. I indicate the other pieces of furniture I’ve drafted. ‘It’s all sustainable, as per you specification. I understand the forestry commission in Scandinavia is a serious business.’

‘It is,’ he laughs. ‘We all have to do our bit for the environment. We got some bad press after Lusso.’

My mind’s eye is flooded with an image of twelve superbikes and a petrol guzzling DBS. I bet Mikael drives a Hybrid Prius. ‘We do,’ I agree. He casts his eyes to mine, and I smile mildly. ‘Excuse me while I use the ladies’.’ I collect my bag and leave him.

I spend five minutes in the toilets refreshing my face and using the facilities. I’m pleased with how the meeting is progressing, and I’m eager to get back to the office to start working on the master design. I ruffle my hair, pinch my cheeks and exit the ladies’, walking across the lobby of the hotel and back to the snug.

As I enter, I nearly choke on thin air when I see Jesse stood next to Mikael, bold as bloody brass, looking over my designs.

What the fucking hell is he doing here?





Chapter 12




Oh, he’s gone too far this time. He’s going to trample my business meeting. Oh God, he is going to trample Mikael, and he doesn’t even know that he’s previously asked me to dinner.

I’m at a loss. I stand and watch them chat, all business like, while I try to figure out how to handle this. As per my usual reaction to Jesse’s wayward ways, I want to scream at him, but with Mikael here, that is out of the question.

As if he has sensed my presence – he always does – Jesse slowly turns to face me. I flash him a you’re-pushing-it look and slowly approach them.

‘Mikael,’ I say, muscling my way between them at the table. I feel Jesse tense from head to toe at my informal acknowledgment to my client. He can go and take a leap off the nearest cliff! The man deserves everything he gets. And he wants me to move in? He can forget it, and there will be no sense fucking to change my mind either.

Mikael smiles at me. I don’t miss the arched eyebrow. ‘Ava, let me introduce you. This is Jesse Ward. He bought the penthouse at Lusso. I was showing Mr Ward your designs. He’s as impressed as I am.’

‘That’s nice,’ I say without even acknowledging Jesse, turning my back on him to face my client instead. ‘Should we diarise our next meeting now?’ I feel ice cold air emanate from Jesse.

‘Yes, that would be good,’ Mikael says. ‘Does Friday afternoon suit? We can meet at Life and get a rough idea on quantities. Maybe I could buy you lunch?’ His eyebrows rise suggestively and while I know I shouldn’t be encouraging this sort of behaviour, I just can’t help myself.

‘Friday afternoon suits me fine and lunch would be lovely.’ I smile, but then feel Jesse’s warm, minty breath on the back of my neck. He’s standing pretty damn close for someone who supposedly doesn’t know me.

‘I’m sorry to interrupt,’ Jesse pipes up.

I freeze. Oh God, please don’t trample.

He grasps my shoulders, and I watch as Mikael frowns in confusion. He slowly turns me around until my stunned face is looking up at him. ‘Baby, have you forgotten that I’m taking you shopping?’

Oh fucking hell!

He really doesn’t have any regard or shame. He’s going to get me sacked. Mikael is going to be calling Patrick to complain, then Patrick is going find out about Jesse and I’m going to get sacked! I can’t even muster up the strength to fire him a disgusted look.

He is looking down at my dumbstruck face, his eyes twinkling. I have no idea what to do here.

‘I didn’t realise you knew each other.’ Mikael says in utter confusion.

He’s just introduced us and neither one of us informed him that we were already acquainted. Well, much more than acquainted. We are so much more than acquainted. He just called me baby, and he’s holding my shoulders firmly, and not in a professional capacity, whatsoever.

Jesse knocks Mikael out with a killer smile. ‘I was in the area and I knew the love of my life was here,’ he shrugs. ‘I thought I would slip in and get my fix. I’m not going to see her for another four hours.’ He bends down and brushes his lips over my ear. I’m totally speechless. ‘I missed you.’ he whispers.

Missed me? He left me a couple of hours ago. He’s trampling better than ever before. I want to thrust my leg forward and prompt him to piss all over it. The man is impossible, and I have just landed right on my arse after being shoved off Central Jesse Cloud Nine.

He turns me around so I’m facing Mikael and pulls my back to his chest, wrapping his arm around the tops of my shoulders and kissing my temple. This is so unprofessional. I want to die on the spot. I look up at Mikael and find him observing Jesse’s little trampling session thoughtfully.

‘I’m sorry, when you mentioned you were here to meet your girlfriend, I didn’t realise you were referring to Ava.’ Mikael says coolly.

‘Yes, isn’t she beautiful?’ He presses his lips to my temple again and inhales in my hair. ‘And all mine.’ he adds quietly, but loud enough for Mikael to hear.

I feel my face getting hotter by the second, my eyes darting everywhere except in Mikael’s direction. Is he trying to eliminate Mikael? He’s a client, not a threat. Not that Jesse knows of, anyway. God help me if he finds out about my dinner invitation.

My eyes land briefly on Mikael. He’s watching me carefully. I feel so uncomfortable.

‘Mr Ward, if I had an Ava, I’ve no doubt I would do exactly the same.’ He flashes me a smile, and I feel my face burning up further. ‘Perhaps Monday would be more suitable?’

I find my voice. ‘Of course, Monday will be fine.’ I try to subtly wriggle free of Jesse, but he has a firm hold of me, and I know that even the whole British army would struggle to prize me from his arms.

Mikael puts his hand out to me. ‘I’ll call you to arrange a time once I’ve checked my diary.’

I take his offering. I’m ending an important business meeting with a very important client and I’m completely coated in my neurotic, possessive control freak. I’m mortified. ‘I look forward to it.’ I say enthusiastically, earning myself a sharp little nudge in my back.

Is he winding me up?

Mikael exits the snug, and I notice him glancing over his shoulder as he leaves. I just about capture the thoughtful look on his pale face, and I can’t help but think that Jesse has just set a challenge for him. I could collapse with exasperation. I’m glad Jesse is behind me because he is the only thing holding me up.

I relax against him on a long sigh. ‘I can’t believe you just did that,’ I say quietly as I stare at nothing in particular. ‘You’ve just trampled my most important client.’