Beneath This Man (43 page)

When she reaches our group, she stops, keeping her eyes on Jesse. The tension is tangible and I glance at Kate to find a heavy frown on her forehead as she looks at the woman stood silently in front of us. Then I’m suddenly standing and being positioned back on the stool, minus one Jesse beneath me.

‘Coral, do you want to come to my office?’ Jesse asks, way too soft and gently for my liking. She nods, and I can see her eyes brimming with tears. ‘Come on.’ He turns to me, offering an apologetic smile before leading her away with his hand placed at the bottom of her back, leaving me sat wondering what the hell is going on and mentally demanding him to remove his hand from her.

John gives him a nod as they pass at the bar entrance, and then proceeds to notify everyone that dinner will be served imminently. There is a bustle of bodies’ that make for the summer room, the women flicking me curious stares as they pass. I ignore them; I’m too busy wondering what Jesse is doing with the mystery woman.

The silence that has fallen in our little group is broken by Kate. ‘Who was that?’ She helps me down from my stool.

I glance at Drew and Sam, who both shrug denial of any knowledge, but I can tell by their sudden discomfort that they know exactly who Coral is. ‘I don’t know. I’ve never seen her before.’ I say on a frown, following the mass of people into the summer room. ‘Jesse seems to know her, though.’ I add dryly.

We find our table, and I’m beyond relieved to find myself sat with Kate, Sam, Drew and John. I’m not so pleased that Sarah is also with us, though. Another man, who I’ve not met, joins us. He’s introduced as Niles – a cute, floppy haired public schoolboy type, not the kind of man I would expect to find at The Manor at all. But what is The Manor’s type? 

The summer room has been completely emptied of sofas and occasional tables, and in their place are masses of round tables, seating between eight and ten people. I can’t even count them, I lose track at table thirty. The colour scheme is black and gold. I wonder if that’s an accident.

Candles are burning everywhere, enhancing the key ingredient; sensual. It was on Jesse’s specification for the extension and at the time, when I was oblivious to The Manor’s activities, it was a weird request, but now the descriptor it cropping up everywhere I look.

A band is set up in the corner, but it’s the four men with saxophones who are providing the music throughout dinner. The chair next to me is still empty and the one next to that has Sarah perched neatly on it. I’m guessing she arranged the seating plan and was most pissed off when she had no choice but to sit me on the other side of Jesse.

Where is he?

Kate picks up a gold, structured, satin bag and waves it in the air at me. They must be the gift bags. I decide that I’m not even going to look inside mine, and my decision is only reinforced when Kate shoves her nose in and then snaps the bag shut with wide blue eyes. Sam tries to snatch it from her, but she bats him away and he grumbles, grabbing the men’s black equivalent that’s positioned at his place setting. He does the same little rendition as Kate, but instead of a wide eyed, stunned look, he looks at Kate and grins from ear to ear, prompting her to make a grab for his bag. He pushes her away.

A starter of scallops is served, and I’m momentarily distracted from my speculating by the divine dish. The Manor really does do food very well.

‘So, Ava, I’m told you carried out the works at
Lusso
.’ Niles says across the table. ‘Quite a feat.’ He smiles, raising his glass to me.

‘It didn’t hurt the portfolio.’ I reply casually.

‘You’re modest.’ He laughs.

‘She’s good,’ Kate pipes up. ‘She’s working on the extension upstairs.’ Kate points her fork towards the ceiling of the summer room in the most unladylike manner.

‘I see. Is that how you met Jesse?’ Niles asks, a little surprised.

‘It is.’ I confirm politely but elaborate no further. I’m not comfortable talking about me and Jesse, especially with a stone faced Sarah within touching distance. Niles has also just reminded me that he is still nowhere to be seen. ‘What do you do?’ I ask to steer the conversation away from Jesse and my curious mind.

He puts his fork down and wipes his mouth with his napkin. ‘I supply Jesse’s stock.’ he says on a small smile.

I just about manage to stop myself from asking the most stupid question I ever would. He doesn’t supply food or drink to The Manor. No, Niles supplies other essentials – essentials for the top floors of The Manor. I nod my acknowledgment, not wanting to push that line of chat any further.

Sarah jumps into the gap of conversation, asking Niles how his recent trip to Amsterdam went. I’m thankful, even though I quickly turn my attention away from where that discussion is heading too.

I look over at Kate, who tosses me a filthy look and then nods towards Sarah while cupping her breasts on a grin. I try not to smile, but I can’t help the corners of my mouth tweaking at her brashness. She is so unaffected by everything. I love her.

I finish my
Most Marvelous
and accept the glass of white that the waiter offers, taking an immediate sip and laughing when Drew stabs at his last scallop with his fork and it flies into the middle of the table. He gets rather mad with the slippery culprit as he tries to retrieve it, grumbling sulkily as he stabs at it, eventually giving up and grabbing it with his hand. He throws it on his plate in a mood, then glances up at the rest of the table who, with the exception of Sarah, are all delighting in his little performance. He relents and stands to bow, restoring his refined character. His fun, lighthearted performance is a mile away from the stand-offish Drew I know.

Starters are swiftly removed from the table and replaced with salmon and an array of colourful vegetables. I’m thankful dinner is relatively light. I couldn’t stomach much more and with Sarah sat next to me, my appetite is not improving. She hasn’t said one word to me during dinner and has not enquired as to Jesse’s whereabouts, so I assume that she knows. She advises the waiter to remove Jesse’s untouched starter and hold off on his main for the meantime. If Kate wasn’t here, I would be getting really cranky now.

‘You didn’t bring Victoria?’ Kate tosses the question at Drew and he catches it without an ounce of shock or surprise.

‘No, she’s sweet but hard work.’ He takes a swig of wine and sits back in his chair. ‘I’m happy exactly where I am at the moment.’ He raises his glass and everyone joins him, including me, even though I’m not particularly happy about where I am at the moment. Drew continues, ‘Anyway, she wouldn’t let me lay a hand on her without the lights off.’

I nearly spit my wine all over the table, then proceed to laugh – really hard.

‘I told you!’ Kate screeches, throwing a napkin over the table at me.

I grab it and start mopping up the wine dripping down my chin, still laughing.

Drew looks at me and Kate in turn, a smirk breaking the corners of his serious face. ‘You kind of need to see what you’re doing for what I had in mind.’

‘Stop!’ I howl, trying desperately to rein in my chuckles. I glance across at Sarah, and I’m met with a filthy glare. I ignore her and resist the killing temptation to smash her face into her salmon.

I sit bolt upright – as does Sarah – when I spot Jesse and the mystery woman emerging from the corridor that leads down to his office. John must catch our sharp reaction because he jumps up from the table and makes his way over. They have an exchange of quiet words before John takes over responsibility of the woman and leads her out of the summer room.  

Jesse looks across the room until he finds my eyes, and then starts making his way over. He’s stopped a dozen times by various men and women as he passes tables, but he doesn’t hang about for conversation. He just shakes hands with the men and leans down to kiss the women, smiling politely before searching me out again. Why can’t he shake the women’s hands as well? He eventually makes it to me and sits himself down, grabbing my knee under the table. Sam cheers his arrival and pours some water into Jesse’s wine glass, Kate frowns at me and Sarah drops all conversation with Niles in favour of Jesse.

He turns into me and gives me very sorry eyes. ‘Forgive me?’

‘Who was that?’ I ask quietly.

‘No one for you to be concerned about,’ He nods at my half empty plate. ‘How is the food?’

No one for me to be concerned about? Well, that just makes me all the more concerned, but is this really the time to be pushing this? ‘It’s good, you should eat.’ I say shortly, looking for a waiter, but I’m a bit slow on the uptake. It seems Sarah has taken care of that already. His salmon lands in front of him and he tucks in, keeping his palm firmly on my knee, chopping and forking with one hand. I’m prepared to leave this for now, this is not the time or the place, but I want to know what that was about.

When John returns and does his signature nod at Jesse, I throw him a curious stare which he catches and tramples all over by leaning in and lavishing me with his lips. I only half-heartedly return his kiss, fully aware that he’s trying to distract me again.

He pulls back, giving me an enquiring eye. ‘Are you holding back on me?’ he asks sharply.

‘Yes, are you?’ I toss back at him, unimpressed by his attitude towards my concern.

‘Hey,’ he grates, quite loudly, considering the close proximity of our company. ‘Who do you think you’re talking to?’ he asks on a scowl, his grip on my knee tightening.

I shake my head. ‘Let’s see what your reaction would be if a mystery man pulled me away from you for over an hour.’ I look him straight in the eye, noticing Sarah’s sly smile behind him. She can fuck off. I’m in no mood for her.

His eyes soften, his tense jaw easing up a bit. He releases his grip of my knee and strokes up to the juncture of my thighs. I tense. He knows what he’s doing. ‘Ava, please don’t say things that will make me crazy mad.’ His voice has softened, but I can still detect the slight anger in his tone. ‘I’ve told you not to worry so you shouldn’t. End of.’

‘Stop kissing all of the women.’ I turn back towards the table, ignoring his hot touch through my dress. I’m simmering on the inside with possessiveness. I’m getting as bad as him, and this conversation is going to get us nowhere – not here and now
, anyway.

Chapter 21

When dessert and coffee has been served and my cheeks hurt from Kate and Sam antics at the table, John stands and announces, in his usual booming voice, that everyone should clear the room so it can be emptied of tables, ready for the band.

Jesse stands and helps me up from my chair, making a meal of showering me with attention, which I petulantly brush off. He’s trying his hardest to distract me from my sulks. I’m stopped from walking away from the table when he grabs my elbow and whirls me around so we’re front on front.

He burns a hole into me with pools of green displeasure. ‘Are you going to behave like a spoilt brat for the rest of the evening, or have I got to take you upstairs and fuck some sense into you?’

I recoil at his animosity as he looks past me and smiles, obviously acknowledging someone who is behind me. He returns his eyes to mine, his smile disappearing instantly. I’m stunned by his reaction to my grievance. He reaches around me and places a firm palm on my bum, pushing me into his groin and circling those damn hips, hard and slow. I curse my treacherous body for tensing, and my hands for instinctively flying up to grab his shoulders.  

He leans into my ear. ‘Do you feel that?’ He grinds hard again.

I lose the battle to restrain my moan of pleasure. I do not want to be getting horny here because there is not a chance in hell I’m going to let him take me while we’re in this place. Not ever.

‘Answer the question, Ava.’ He clamps onto my earlobe and drags it through his teeth.

My grip of his shoulders tightens. ‘I feel it.’ My voice is broken and low.

‘Good. It’s yours. All of it.’ He pushes harder, further into me. ‘So stop with the fucking sulks. Do you understand me?’

‘Yes.’ I exhale into his shoulder.

He releases me and stands back, raising expectant eyebrows at me. I nod, trying to gather myself together. Will he always have this influence on me? I’m trembling and seriously rethinking my vow to avoid sex at The Manor. I could, quite easily, drag him upstairs to one of the private suites and let him eat me alive.

I glance past him and catch the viper glare of Sarah, and in a pathetic stamp of ownership, I put myself into Jesse’s chest again and look up at him with sorry eyes.

He gives an approving nod of his head and leans down to rest his lips on mine. ‘That’s better.’ he says into my mouth. He turns me around and starts guiding me out of the summer room. ‘I’m struggling to deal with all of the admiring stares you’re attracting.’ he says, placing his hand firmly at my lower back.

I scoff. He has to be joking. I’m surrounded by women, who all, for absolutely sure, want me gone. I’m severely gatecrashing their party. ‘You’re attracting quite a bit of attention yourself.’ I muse, just as we pass an attractive brunette.

She smiles brightly at Jesse and strokes his arm. ‘Jesse, you’re looking as delicious as ever.’ she gushes.

I can’t help the small shocked burst of laughter that flies from my mouth. She’s got some front, and I’m hugely offended that she clearly thinks I’ll just take her brazen flirting without so much as a word. I’m about to stop and put her in her place, but Jesse pushes me on, preventing me from following through on my intent. I’m shocked by the shameless hussy.

‘Natasha, you are an intolerable flirt as ever.’ Jesse retorts wryly, draping his arm over my shoulder and landing me with a chaste kiss, obviously sensing my irritation. She smiles slyly and narrows slutty, easy eyes on me.

Has he slept with her too? I feel my new found possessiveness simmering steadily inside me. I can’t imagine that I’m going to be spending much time here if this is the response I’m going to be getting whenever I do. Not that I particularly want to be here, but with it being Jesse’s place of work, it would be handy if I could come here and feel comfortable and not feel like I’m stepping on a million attractive women’s toes. And that’s another point; does Jesse only offer membership to women who are of an eight or above on the good looks scale? Retirement is looking more likely as time goes on. I want to spend every second stuck to Jesse so I can slap down these brazen, desperate tarts. I’m mentally trampling again.