Total pages in book: 204
Estimated words: 193115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 966(@200wpm)___ 772(@250wpm)___ 644(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 193115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 966(@200wpm)___ 772(@250wpm)___ 644(@300wpm)
“Are you working today?” she asks, and I grimace.
“No, not much goes on at The Manor during the day,” I say, wiping away yet more annoyance and flipping her a cheeky wink. I don’t know where the fuck that came from. Why the fuck am I winking? Probably to stop myself from growling. I don’t want to go to The Manor. I want to spend the day with her.
I open the door and find the removal men outside. “Mr. Ward?”
I walk Ava past them. “The boxes in the spare room go first. My housekeeper will be here shortly to assist with the rest. Be careful with the ski and bike equipment.”
“You have a housekeeper?” Ava asks.
“She’s the only woman I couldn’t live without.” Literally. “She’s off to Ireland next week to visit her family. It’ll all fall apart then.”
“Fall apart how?” she asks, and I throw a smile back at her.
“I’m not the most domesticated man in the world.” Will that be another reason to add to her list of reasons to repel me? Does she want a house-trained bloke who will cook, clean, and iron? I laugh to myself. Every modern woman wants that. But surely bedroom skills trump domestic skills? And if it doesn’t, it should. Because I’m a master of former, and I’m pretty fucking certain Ava will agree. “I’m better at sex,” I mutter to myself, returning my attention forward.
I help her into the passenger seat and put her bags in the boot before jumping in beside her. “Sure I can’t convince you to spend the day with me?” I dazzle her with an irresistible smile, reaching for her knee and gently caressing it.
“I’m sure,” she says slowly, narrowing her eyes, taking my hand and removing it.
I scowl playfully, but deep down it’s a thorough, pissed-off scowl.
Stubborn.
* * *
When we pull up outside Lusso, I get out and breathe in the clear air, looking up the front of the building. I’ve got a good feeling about this place. I get Ava’s bags out, passing her purse before I load the others in her Mini, all the while my mind spinning with potential ideas to change her mind. I don’t know when I’m going to see her again, and I have a horrible feeling she’ll keep me hanging. I turn and find her attention on her phone, and I sink my teeth into my lip, thinking. What to do, what to do?
She looks up. Stills. Takes me in. Then visibly shakes herself out of her awestruck state. God, she’s infuriating. She opens the door of her Mini and slips in, but before she can pull the door closed, I’m crouched beside her.
“I’ll take you for lunch,” I declare surely, mentally daring her to refuse. Just lunch. A few hours to break up my day.
“I told you, I’ve got stacks to get done.”
Fuck’s sake. “Dinner then,” I try.
“I’ll ring you later.”
Everything in me sags, most of all my heart. What point is she trying to prove here, other than she’s a defiant pain in the fucking arse? I know she wants to see me. “Are you refusing me?” Yes, Ward, didn’t you hear her?
“No, I’ll call you later.”
I reach for her thigh, a tactical move, and then lean in and kiss her into oblivion. Another tactical move. “Make sure you do,” I order, rising, leaving her dazed, and walking away, smiling to myself. I can feel her desire smacking me in the back as I go. “Have a good day, dear,” I say to myself.
“How old are you, Jesse?”
My smile drops. Are we really going to do this again? After last night, she’s still thinking about that? I pout, turning, but I keep moving, walking backward. “Twenty-four,” I call.
She noticeably sags. “How many times have I got to ask before we get to your real age?”
I’m not cocky enough to be insulted. Clearly, I’m not twenty-four. “Quite a few, lady,” I say, flashing a cheeky grin as I turn and stride away. Quite a few. She’ll keep asking, but how long can I evade?
I jump in my car and roar off, mentally planning my day. It needs to pass quickly so I can call her tomorrow. That’s if she doesn’t call me first. Will she call me first?
My phone rings and I sigh. Back to real life. “Sarah.”
“Where did you disappear to last night?”
Like she needs to ask. “I spent the night with Ava.” I don’t beat around the bush. She’ll see the spring in my step when I get to The Manor anyway.
“Oh,” she breathes, and I frown as I cruise down The Embankment. She is surprised? “Jesse . . .”
“Don’t do it, Sarah,” I warn, my tone automatically deadly. Talk about a drastic change in mood. Not only am I being deprived of Ava for a guaranteed twenty-four hours, but I also have to deal with endless shit that makes me feel like shit—while being deprived of the one thing that doesn’t make me feel like fucking shit. My fists clench around the steering wheel. “I’ll be there soon.” I hang up and put my foot down, blowing out my annoyance.