‘I can walk.’ I complain, but he ignores me, taking my keys from my hand when we reach the door and opening it himself before kicking it shut behind us. I wriggle and he places me on my feet, his hand wrapping around my waist, pulling me into him.

I’m lifted so my feet leave the ground and my lips meet his. I sigh, linking my arms around his neck, letting his tongue roll around my mouth slowly and calmly. I’m screwed if I even think I can resist him. I’m totally fucking screwed.

‘Thank you for the book.’ I say against his lips.

He leans back, gazing at me, his green eyes twinkling with pleasure. ‘You’re more than welcome.’ He drops a chaste kiss on my lips.

‘Thank you for saving me.’

He smiles that cheeky, roguish smile. ‘Anytime, baby.’

The front door flies open and Kate bowls in, larger than life, clocking us in our embrace.

‘Sorry.’ she mouths, hastily retreating upstairs to the flat.

Jesse laughs lightly and rolls his hips into me, unearthing a delightful drum deep in my stomach. My breath hitches as his forehead meets mine. He sighs long and hard, his minty breath invading my nose.

‘If we were alone, you would be against that wall and I would be fucking you stupid.’ He rolls again, dragging a whimper from me as the drumming moves into my core. I mentally curse Kate to Hell.

‘I can be quiet,’ I whisper. ‘Gag me if you must.’

He smirks. ‘Trust me, you’ll be screaming. No gag will stifle it.’ My body convulses. ‘Now, tomorrow,’ he says assertively. ‘I’d like to make an appointment.’

Huh? An appointment to fuck me? Hey, no appointment necessary!

He must catch my confusion because he starts laughing. ‘I want you back at The Manor so you can take the details you really need to start working on some designs.’

My mouth forms an O and he leans down, plunging his tongue in, attacking me with passion. I let him take me with everything he has, my knees buckling when he rolls those damn, delectable hips again.

He breaks away panting, his eyes clenched shut. ‘I don’t make appointments to fuck you, Ava. I’ll be doing that when I please.’

Oh, okay.

He seems to summon some sort of strength from somewhere before releasing me, leaving me to stand on my own. I feel abandoned and weak. He removes his hooded eyes from mine and glances up the stairs, and I know he’s cursing Kate for being home too. I can’t believe he’s just teased me with a few delicious thrusts, and now he’s going. I’ve gone from playing it cool, to mentally begging for it.

‘The Manor at noon.’ he states, reaching up and running his finger down my cheek. I nod. ‘Good girl.’ He smiles, pushes his lips against my forehead, turns and strides out.

I sag against the wall, trying to catch my breath.

‘Hey, has the Lord gone?’

I look up to see Kate hanging over the banister waving a bottle of wine. Oh, yes. That I need.

Chapter 15

The next morning, I land in the office with an almighty crash – quite literally. I’m sprawled across the wooden floor, surrounded by boxes, with Tom’s running towards me, horror plastered all over his baby face.

‘Oh God. Are you okay?’ He reaches down to help me up, brushing down my black, fitted skirt before beginning on my sleeveless blouse. ‘I’m so sorry. I was just moving them into storage.’ He flaps around me like a mother hen, babbling about health and safety and accident books.

‘Tom, I’m fine. Now, get your hands off my tits!’

He quickly withdraws his flapping hands from my breasts, giggling. ‘Oh, and what lovely breasts they are, Red Riding Hood!’

‘If you weren’t gay, I would have slapped you by now.’ I warn him.

‘Ah, but I am gay.’ he says proudly as he starts shifting boxes around.

‘What’s in the boxes?’

‘Samples, Sally took delivery of them. You would’ve thought she’d have put them in the cupboard. The girl’s useless.’ Tom moans. I scan the office and see Sally fighting with the photocopier. She really is in a world of her own.

‘Morning,’ I hear Victoria before I see her. ‘Tom, I’m never going out with you again.’ she hisses at him, perching herself on her chair.

I look to each of them in turn, waiting for an explanation, but it’s not forthcoming from either of them. ‘What’s going on?’ I ask. Tom shrugs guiltily as Victoria takes a long breath, ready to launch into an inch by inch account of her grievance.

‘He dumped me again!’ She narrows her eyes on Tom accusingly. I drop my bag by my desk and watch as Victoria fires all sorts of accusations at a very guilty looking Tom. ‘Don’t ask me to come out with you ever again,’ she spits, pointing her pen at him. ‘Friday, you cleared off with the scientist, and last night you didn’t even have the decency to go home with the same man!’

‘Tom!’ I gasp sarcastically. ‘I thought the scientist was your soul mate?’

‘He still might be,’ Tom defends himself in a high pitched voice. ‘I’m just sampling what’s on offer before I decide on what to invest in.’

Victoria scoffs and swivels her chair around, effectively blanking him out. I sit gingerly, wincing as my butt comes to rest on the soft, padded seat that feels more like iron. I get my phone from my bag and find a text from Kate.

Left early, didn’t want to wake u in case u were dreaming of all things Lord like ;-)

Baroque at 1? Have to be back for 2:30 xxx

Yes. And daydreams too. I start to text back a big, resounding NO to Kate’s lunch offer – I’m seeing a God – but then freeze mid-type. I’m supposed to be meeting Matt for lunch. I slump in my chair. My mind’s all over the place at the moment, and I’m not going to try and kid myself as to why that is. I sit drumming my nail on my front tooth, trying to work out how I can get around this. My conclusion? I can’t, so I text Kate first.

Sorry, busy busy busy. C u at home. Ax

I can’t believe I’m sat twiddling my hair as I text a lie. She would go loopy if she knew I had arranged to meet Matt. I recommence the drumming of my tooth, struggling to decide which man I’m going to be letting down. Matt sounded really low and said he wasn’t okay. Jesse wants me back at The Manor to commence design, with the possibility of some added extras. My thighs squeeze together at the prospect. I pick my phone up to call Matt.

‘Hey,’ he greets me, sounding happier than I thought he would. Probably not for long, though.

‘Hey, listen, something’s come up. Can we rearrange?’ I hold my breath, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip as I wait for his response, and yes, I’m twiddling my hair. I’m not even really lying. Something has come up.

‘Ava, please!’ he begs. I drop my lock of hair immediately. The sure, arrogant Matt’s gone again, being replaced with an uncertain, timid stranger. ‘I really need to see you.’

I slump back in my chair, completely defeated. How can I not go when he hits me with that? There must be something seriously wrong. ‘Sure,’ I sigh. ‘I’ll see you at Baroque.’