‘I said I would do what I can.’ He starts chewing that bloody lip.
I was right. I don’t like the answer. What can he do? Helping her will only encourage her and fill her with hope that things could progress. I cock my head slightly. ‘Has this got anything to do with the police?’
He laughs a little. I don’t know why, it’s not funny. ‘Mike’s playing games. He advised the immigration police that half of my staff are illegal immigrants. It was cleared up quite quickly, no harm done. It was just a bit of an inconvenience.’
‘Why didn’t you just tell me all of this instead of letting my mind race?’
He frowns. ‘Why would I trouble you with that trivial shit?’
I can see his point, but nevertheless, I should know, especially if it involves another woman wanting my challenging man. I hold his eyes as he continues to circle his thumbs over the tops of my hands. ‘So, you took part in the threesome and that was it?’
‘Yes.’ He shifts, avoiding my eyes.
‘You’re lying to me.’ My teeth clench together. ‘That wasn’t it, was it?’
‘Not exactly, no.’ He shifts again, still avoiding my eyes. ‘Do we need to go on with this?’ he asks irritably. ‘She was under the wrong impression that I wanted more, I didn’t. End of.’
‘So you did have an affair with her?’
‘Yes! Okay, yes I did, but it was just sex, nothing more.’ His green eyes are fierce. ‘Now, let’s drop it.’
‘You told me once that you’ve never wanted to fuck a woman more than once, only me.’ I will never forget that comment, and as stupid as it undoubtedly sounds, given how many notches Jesse has tallied up on his bedpost because of it, I like the thought of him only having me more than once.
‘I never said I didn’t have a woman more than once. I said I’ve never wanted a woman more than once. It was a means to an end, that’s all. She offered it on a plate.’
‘So, you haven’t only fucked me more than once?’ I sound hurt. How ridiculous. He was a pleasure-seeking playboy before he met me. And now I’m delving into territory which is, without doubt, going to send my jealous mind into overdrive.
‘Ava, watch your mouth!’
‘No, not when we’re talking about you fucking other women! You’ve not just fucked me more than once, have you?’
He growls at me, and I scowl at him. ‘No, I’ve not.’ he admits, rubbing extra fast circles on my hands. ‘But you have to understand, none of them meant anything to me. I used them, treated them like objects. I’m not proud, but that’s just the way it was. They would take me whatever way I came, Ava. They all wanted more, but they certainly never expected it. Now, though, they’ve seen I can be a one woman man.’
I feel slightly nauseous. This conversation was a guaranteed stomach churning discussion. So how many of them can I expect to come seeking out my neurotic control freak? Mikael’s wife already has, and now Coral. ‘She’s still in love with you.’ I say quietly. That’s another reason why Coral was at The Manor last night. ‘She can’t have you.’ I say. ‘None of them can.’ I add, just so he’s aware that I know there’ll be more. I feel like I’m preparing for war.
His eyes soften and he half smiles. ‘She can’t, I told her that. None of them can. It’s all about you.’
‘I don’t want you helping Coral, either. It’s unfair for you to expect me to be okay with that.’
‘Ava, I can’t turn my back on her.’ He looks truly shocked by my demand. I’m a bit staggered. What? Has he suddenly grown a conscience?
‘Okay, I’ll keep working for Mikael.’ I have no idea why I just said that. How stupid of me. The look on his face has gone from soft and reassuring to black and hard. Will I ever learn?
‘You had better retract that statement.’ His chest is heaving beneath me and his jaw tenses to snapping point. That’s exactly how I feel about him helping Coral.
‘No.’ I blurt. I’m really pushing my luck.
‘Three,’ he begins.
‘Oh no you don’t!’ I go to climb off him, but his grip tightens on my hands, clenching down fiercely.
‘Two,’
‘No! You are not giving me the countdown on this! No way, Ward. You can take your zero and shove it up your fucking ARSE!’ I fight with his grip of me, getting angrier the harder he holds me.
‘MOUTH!’ He flips me over so I’m face down and he is blanketing me with his body. ‘One.’
‘Get lost!’ I’m not backing down on this.
‘Zero, baby.’ His fingers move straight to my hip and dig right in…hard.
I scream, being tossed into hell by his unrelenting digs. Oh, he’s really going for it and my bladder suddenly feels like a punch balloon. ‘Okay! Okay, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!’ I can’t bear it.
He stops immediately, and I’m spun over, his body pinning me to the bed. ‘Kiss me.’ he orders, leaning down a little so his lips hover over mine.
I lift my head and kiss the life out of him as he hums into my mouth, a throaty sound of pure satisfaction. I’m mad. I’m mad with him for making it sound like Coral is of no concern. I’m mad because he’s agreed to help her. I’m mad because she’s in love with him. I’m mad because there are other women who love him too and I’m mad with myself for relenting to his orders.
He bites my lip and drags it through his teeth. ‘Just you, Ava. I love you.’
‘Just me.’
‘Good girl.’ He blesses me with a smile – my smile. ‘I’ve fucked you, and now I need to feed you.’
I want to correct him. In actual fact, he handcuffed me to the bed, masturbated all over me, come in my mouth and demanded I marry him. ‘Is Cathy coming in?’ I ask.
‘No, weekends are her own. Up you get.’ He grips my arms and pulls me up before getting off the bed and collecting up the contents of the gift bag, shoving it back in the gold satin bag.
I watch as he disappears into the wardrobe and comes out moments later wearing my favourite green checked pajama pants, no top. I lay back and admire him.
‘Are you going to lie there all day?’
I flick my eyes up to find him looking down at me. He crosses his arms over his chest and his muscles flex. My tongue takes a happy little trip across my bottom lip. ‘You promised a lie in.’ I remind him.
He saunters over and grasps my ankle, yanking me to the edge of the bed. He braces himself on his rigid arms, fists buried into the mattress on either side of my head. He breathes in my face. ‘Tell me we’re friends.’
‘We’re friends.’ I whisper. I thought we had established that?
‘Tell me you love me.’ He brushes his nose over mine.
‘I love you.’
His green eyes twinkle and a smile tickles his lips. ‘Tell me you’ll marry me.’
‘I’ll marry you.’
‘And I can’t wait. Kiss me.’ His husky tone is making my head spin. I throw my hands around his neck and land him with an adoring kiss. I feel his smile under my lips as he rises from the bed with my arms wrapped around him, my thighs finding his hips and curling around. I keep my kiss up as he walks me into the bathroom and uses a free hand to peel my legs from around him. I grumble in disgust, and he laughs. ‘You brush your teeth, I’ll start breakfast.’ He reaches behind his neck and peels my arms away.
‘Do I need to brush my teeth?’ I ask, a little injured.
‘No, I just thought that maybe you would like to.’ He turns me around in the mirror and drops a kiss on my shoulder, before slapping my arse and stalking out of the bathroom.
So, I’m getting married then? I need to speak to my parents and soon. I’m really not looking forward to that conversation. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My dark hair is a mass of ruffled waves, my eyes bright, lips pink and cheeks flushed. I look well.
I absentmindedly grab my toothbrush and slap some paste on it while considering how well I feel too. I’ve never felt so refreshed and alive and there is only one reason why that is and it’s called Mr Challenging. Bloody hell, Kate’s going to have kittens, and I can’t even begin to think what my parents are going to make of all this. After Matt, Mum told me not to get swallowed up by the first man who showed me a bit of attention. I can’t imagine she’s going to be delighted that, in actual fact, I’m marrying the first man who’s paid me a bit of attention. This most definitely needs approaching with caution.
I lift my toothbrush up to my mouth and start brushing happily, flicking a stray tendril of hair from my face with my spare hand. Something catches my immediate attention.
What the fucking hell is that?
Chapter 25
I spit toothpaste all over the mirror on a shocked gasp, the toothbrush clattering into the sink. I stare down at my left hand, which suddenly feels like lead, and clench the edge of the vanity unit to steady myself. I blink a few times and shake my head, like it might go away, like it’s a hallucination or something. But no, I’m face to face and being blinded by a dirty great big diamond, sitting loud and proud on my ring finger.