Beneath This Man (This Man Trilogy)

by Jodi Ellen Malpas

  Sliding his phone on the counter, I walk back into the living space and I’m instantly reminded of what had my brain in meltdown before the call from Coral. I stand with my arms hugging my body, looking at the mountain of shopping bags and boxes before me. I don’t know whether to be excited or furious. He disregards my opinions and wishes at every turn, with his neurotic, challenging ways, and now I fear I’m becoming neurotic and challenging as well. He brings out the worst in me, and I know damn well I bring out the worst in him. John said as much. Easygoing, laidback Jesse Ward? No such man exists. Well, he does, when I’m complying, I saw him last night, but its times like this I easily forget about that man.

  I kneel on the floor and gingerly poke one of the bags, peeking inside cautiously, like something could jump out and attack me. Huh? That wasn’t in my like pile. I pull out a silk, navy Calvin Klein dress. That was in my maybe pile. I open a box and find a Chloe, structured, cream and black dress. That was in the no pile. It was way over my set price threshold.

  Oh no. They’ve mixed it all up. I pull another bag towards me and find a pair of Diesel, baggy fitting jeans. Okay, they weren’t in any pile. I work my way through all of the bags and boxes, also finding lace underwear in every design and colour you could imagine.

  God only knows how long later, I’m sat in the middle of the floor, surrounded by a mass of clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. Every single item I tried on is here, except for the gown – all of the likes, the no’s, the maybes and a whole lot more that I didn’t try. I know there must be a mistake because even the slate Chloe dress is here, and Jesse would never have willingly bought that for me. I do love it, though.

  Oh God! I flop back onto the floor and gaze up at the high ceilings of the penthouse. This is just way too much; the gown, the necklace, the ring, and now all of this. I am completely overwhelmed and feeling a bit suffocated. I don’t want all of this stuff. I just want him, without the history, without the other women and without Mikael poking about.

  ‘Hey, baby.’ Jesse’s wet, handsome face appears, floating above me. ‘I’ve been waiting for you. What’s up?’ He pouts.

  I scoff and signal in the general direction of the designer jumble sale surrounding me. Can he not see it all? He looks around, completely unfazed by the piles and piles of women’s wear flanking me.

  ‘It arrived then?’ he says coolly. I make a dramatic display of throwing my arms back in exasperation, and he exhales to match my drama before lying down next to me. ‘Look at me.’ he orders softly. I turn my face to his and get an injection of his fresh, minty breath. ‘What’s the problem?’

  ‘This is too much.’ I complain. ‘I just want you.’

  He smiles, his eyes twinkling with pleasure. ‘I’m glad, but I’ve never had anyone to share my money with, Ava. Please humour me.’

  ‘People will think I’m marrying you for your money.’ I say it as it is. I’ve already encountered the accusation.

  ‘I couldn’t give a fuck what people think. It’s all about us.’ He twists onto his side and pulls at my hip so I’m mirroring him. ‘Now, shut up.’

  ‘You won’t have any money left if you spend like you did yesterday.’ I grumble quietly. If Zoe works on commission, she could probably retire after Jesse’s spending splurge yesterday.

  ‘Ava, I said shut up.’

  ‘Make me.’ I counter on a half-smile.

  And he does.

  He crowds me completely and eats me alive among half of Harrods women’s department.

  Chapter 26

  I walk into the bedroom after a fresh shower and shake my head at Jesse, who’s sprawled on his back across the bed wearing only his tight, white boxer shorts and making a damn effective point of letting me know he’s not happy. I sit myself in front of the floor length mirror and start drying my hair. We’ve spent all day carting the obscene amount of clothes and accessories up the stairs. I now have my own side of the colossal walk-in-wardrobe and a very happy man, until I started to get myself ready for my night out with Kate. His contented mood soon changed, but with Tom and Victoria catching up with us too and a whole pile of shit to land on Kate, I’m looking forward to it and Jesse has got to learn to share me.

  I finish my hair and turn the dryer off to hear heaving, huffing and puffing coming from the bed. He’s behaving like a schoolboy, so I ignore it and make my way into the bathroom to cream up and get my make-up on. I’m mid-mascara application when he walks in, all casual, and lies himself down on the chaise lounge with an almighty exhale of air, his lean body reclining coolly and his arms draping over his head, accentuating every fine muscle on his torso. I try to ignore him, but Jesse prancing around in a pair of white, tight Armani boxer shorts is very distracting. He’s doing it on purpose.

  I make a hasty retreat from the bathroom to find my underwear and something to wear. That could take some time, especially with Jesse’s critical eyes watching over me, but I don’t even make it to my newly appointed underwear drawer before I’m seized and slung onto the bed, minus one towel. I should have known; he’s going to trample me and mark me and send me out with his scent all over me. He’s done this before.

  I’m flipped over onto my hands and knees, and my legs spread as he grasps my waist, efficiently restraining me. ‘You won’t come.’ he growls as he plunges two fingers into me and starts scooping them around, stretching me and preparing me.

  The sudden invasion has me burying my face in the bedding to stifle my cry. He’s going to leave me pre-orgasm again, I know it.

  ‘This is for my pleasure, not yours.’ he grates firmly. He starts circling my entrance, and I moan into the bed in desolation. This is ultimate torture. He knows exactly what he’s doing. I stiffen all over in response to his touch.

  ‘Relax, Ava. I don’t want to hurt you.’ He pushes into me with his fingers, my natural instinct having me tensing my muscles in an attempt to prevent his invasion.

  I cry out.

  ‘Relax!’ he yells, and I will my body to obey his command, but it’s not having any of it. I’m fighting the inevitable that will be Jesse abandoning me before I explode. I don’t want to go out this evening full of pent up pressure in my groin. I want to be sated and relaxed and he can do that. The bloody arse! I feel him position himself at my opening.

  I whimper.

  ‘Damn it, Ava.’ His tone is full of aggravation ‘Stop fighting me.’

  ‘You’re going to desert me, aren’t you? You’re not going to see me through.’ I pant desperately.

  ‘That’s my call, baby.’ He slaps my backside. ‘Relax!’

  ‘I can’t!’ The sting radiates through me from his swift collide, and he yells in frustration at my non-conformity as he reaches underneath me to brush his fingers over my pulsing centre. ‘Ohhhhhhhh!’ I relax instantly as the connection of his heated touch blasts my senses and rockets me forward, flicking the switch that he has a direct link to. A sea of intense pleasure drowns me and I start a hasty build up towards a furious climax. I try and grab it and keep hold, but he withdraws his fingers. ‘No!’ I shout, completely frustrated.

  ‘Oh, yes.’ His fingers re-enter me, sweeping through me, his thumb skimming across the very tip of my clitoris, prompting me to push back in a desperate attempt to try and capture more friction. He pulls out, spreading the moisture up my crease.

  ‘No, Jesse!’ I feel his solid cock pushing against my opening. ‘Please!’

  ‘You love it, Ava.’ He advances, breaching me, slowly and controlled. ‘Oh, FUCK.’

  I could cry with infuriation and frustration, but it doesn’t stop me from pushing back, taking him all of the way. I know I’m not going to come, but I can’t help myself.

  He yells, grabs my waist, and then thunders forward, knocking every scrap of air from my lungs.

  ‘Oh, God!’ I scream as he fills me completely. He charges forward, giving me no time to adjust to him. He means business.

  ‘Oh, Ava.’ he pants, holding himself inside me. ‘You feel fuckin
g amazing, baby.’ He grinds himself against me on a long drawn out moan, and I concentrate on getting my ragged breaths under control. ‘Brace yourself on the headboard.’

  I take a deep breath and reach up to wrap my hands around one of the wooden planks, crying out as the change in position has him penetrating me deeper. He holds still as I follow through on his orders, running his palm down my spine gently. The fireworks crackling at my core are bordering painful.

  ‘Do you have a good grip?’

  ‘Yes!’ I spit shortly, earning myself a swift slap across my backside. I’m going to scream with frustration and he’s not even done with me yet. Why the hell am I not stopping this?

  I hear him suck in a sharp breath as he starts withdrawing from me, the fullness alleviating slightly, but then I’m thrust forward as he re-enters me on a punishing drive. I scream again.

  ‘Brace your arms, Ava!’ He repeats the delectable move, and I stiffen my arms and rest my sweating forehead on my forearm.

  ‘Jesse, please.’ I beg.

  ‘It’s feels good, doesn’t it?’ he asks, his voice carnal and hungry.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘You love me taking you hard, don’t you, Ava?’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘I know you do,’ He shifts his grip from my hips and hooks his hands over my shoulders before he crashes forward again and again, yelling in fulfilment each and every time. He reaches under me and glides over my quivering clit with his fingers.

  I scream and sink my teeth into my arm in desperation as my head starts to spin with a mixture of incredible pleasure and sharp stabbing pains. I can feel my climax approaching, and in a fraught attempt to seize it, I push back against him on each of his incessant blows.

  ‘Oh, no you don’t.’ he growls, removing his fingers and withdrawing his cock.

  I cry out in anger as he yanks my hands from the headboard and spins me around, pushing me down on the bed. He straddles my stomach, trapping my arms by my side with his knees and starts lashing his fist back and forth over his pulsing cock. I close my eyes.

  ‘Open your eyes, Ava!’ he shouts and grabs my hipbone, prompting me to scream and buck under him.

  ‘You’re a bastard!’ I throw him my evilest look. ‘I’m going to get so drunk tonight!’

  ‘No, you’re not.’ He continues working himself over me as I watch, his eyes hooded and dark, his strained neck muscles bulging. I press my lips together. I will not be opening my mouth!

  He falls forward, bracing his free hand on the bed and spills himself all over my breasts on a loud yell that resounds around the whole bedroom. He pants above me, slowing his strokes as I wriggle futilely. My breasts are coated in his warn cum, my hair is all over the place, my make-up probably needs re-doing and I’m fit to burst with the immense pressure in my groin. I am not a happy girl.

  ‘Do you want to come?’ he asks, looking down at me, sweat coating his forehead.

  ‘I’m going out!’ I bark, just to make it clear that I am not bargaining with him on this. No way!

  ‘Stubborn woman.’ He reaches down and wipes his palm all over my chest, spreading himself over every square inch of my torso. ‘My work here is done,’ he says on a half-smile, before leaning down and pressing his lips hard on mine.

  My lips part involuntarily and I soak up the greedy lashes of his tongue, moaning, begging for more, but then he pulls back and I thrash my head from side to side, flipping myself onto my front. I hear him laugh, and then he slaps my arse hard before he gets off the bed. ‘Don’t shower.’

  ‘I’ve not got time!’ I yell to his back as he rearranges his boxers on his way out. I shout and thrash myself about on the bed for a few moments. I don’t know what this is going to achieve, apart from messing my hair up some more and smudging my make-up further. I can’t believe he did that. What am I talking about? Of course I can believe it. This man is beyond unreasonable and challenging.

  Right! I jump off the bed and set about sorting myself out. My blow dried waves are now more of a tousled array of brunette and my cheeks are flushed. I look well and truly fucked, which is ironic because I’m not. Not in the satisfying sense, anyway. I clench my thighs together on a groan and grab a wash cloth to wipe the remnants of Jesse from my chest. There is no wiping away the huge love bite on my boob. There will be no low cut anything for me tonight and not just because of the bruise on my chest.

  Control freak!

  After refreshing my make-up and getting dressed, I walk down the stairs as quietly as possible. I’m heading straight out that door and with any luck, it will be a while before he notices I’m gone. He is nowhere to be seen as I scan the vastness of the penthouse, so I tiptoe to the kitchen and poke my head around the archway. Where is he?

  ‘You’re not fucking wearing that!’

  My legs instantly kick into gear at the sound of that fierce voice and I dash for the door, slamming it behind me to hinder his pursuit while praying the elevator is open. I thank all that is holy and dive in the lift, punching the code in frantically. The doors shut just as I see Jesse’s raging face appear through the tiny gape. I give him a cheeky wave and turn to look at myself in the mirror.

  Okay, so the grey Chloe number is a bit on the racy side, but my legs look incredible, even if I do say so myself. He asked for this.

  The elevator door opens and I scurry across the marble floor, searching for my keys as I go. He’s got to get some clothes on and wait for the elevator to get back up to the penthouse, so I should be fine.

  ‘Hi, Clive!’ I sing, running past him and emerging into the evening air. I fire my key fob at my car and run across the car park.

  I hear him before I see him. I turn and watch as he flies out the foyer of Lusso, looking like the Devil himself. I clench my lips shut to suppress my laugh. He looks homicidal. He tears towards me, barefoot and gloriously naked, except for his fine, tight boxer shorts. I stay where I am. I knew I wouldn’t be going out in this dress, whether he caught me here or at the bar, I was always going to be hauled home in disgrace and dressed in something more suitable by Jesse’s standards.

  He grabs me and flings me up onto his shoulder, reaching up to hold the hem of my dress down before taking me straight back into Lusso. ‘It’s just my fucking luck that I go and fall crazy in love with most impossible woman in the fucking world. Evening, Clive.’

  ‘Mr Ward,’ Clive nods without paying much attention to us. ‘Hello, Ava.’

  ‘Hi Clive!’ I sing through my laughter. Jesse gets in the elevator and punches the code in while muttering under his breath.

  ‘Have you still not got that code changed?’ I smooth my palm down his back and into the seam of his boxers, giving him a little squeeze.

  ‘Shut up, Ava.’ he spits.

  ‘Are we friends?’

  ‘No!’ he slaps my arse hard and I yelp. ‘Don’t fuck with me, beautiful girl. You should know by now, I always win.’

  ‘I know. I love you.’

  ‘I love you too, but you’re a fucking pain in the arse.’

  We pull up outside Kate’s super late after I gained Jesse’s approval on a blush Ponte dress and matching heels, but I very nearly got handcuffed to the bed again when he saw my engagement ring on the bedside table. I completely forgot about it, but Jesse made sure it made it onto my finger. I managed to convince him to leave the necklace in the safe, though. I’m not comfortable with this dirty great big rock sat on my finger as it is. The necklace added to the equation will tip me over the edge of nervousness.

  Kate comes barreling out of her house and Jesse gets out, letting her in the back of the car. ‘Wow! I like this better than the Porsche.’ she says as she gets comfortable in the back. ‘Don’t tell Samuel I said that. Come on then, let’s have a look.’

  ‘What?’ I shift in my seat so I can see my fiery friend.

  She freezes and throws the back of Jesse’s head a fearful look. ‘Oh shit!’

  ‘It’s fine.’ Jesse assures her.

  I gape at
him. ‘She knew?’

  ‘I needed one of your rings to make sure the size was right.’ He shrugs and keeps his attention on the road. I hear Kate sigh in relief.

  ‘You knew?’ I fire at her accusingly.

  ‘Yep. Was it romantic? Show me.’ She gestures for me to pass her my hand.

  I actually laugh – really hard. Jesse looks at me out the corner of his eye, his lips pressed into a straight line as he weaves in and out of the traffic. ‘Yeah, it was romantic.’ I snort. If you call handcuffs and being forced to swallow romantic. I thrust my hand at her.

  ‘Fucking hell!’ She grabs my hand with both of hers and gets up close and personal with the diamond. ‘That is some serious special. So, when’s the wedding?’ She drops my hand and fishes around in her bag, pulling out her compact mirror. ‘Shit, Ava. Have you told your Mum and Dad?’

  Kate has just innocently hit on two very sore subjects. We will be discussing the date of the wedding like grownups soon, and as for my parents? Well, I’m still stumped there. ‘Don’t know and no.’ I answer.

  Jesse shifts in his seat and flicks me a displeased stare. I ignore it. I’m not getting into this now. I turn back around in my seat to face Kate. ‘Did you enjoy your evening?’ I ask sweetly.

  ‘Yes it was fab.’ She brushes my question off and keeps her eyes in her mirror.

  ‘What time did you wrap up?’ I push.

  ‘I can’t remember.’ She pouts in the mirror and then flicks her big blues to me. ‘Is there a point to this line of enquiry?’