‘Relax.’ I laugh, pushing him back against the couch. The urge to cuddle him overwhelms my teasing streak when I see his concerned frown wriggle its way onto his brow. God love this man. That bottom lip is being nibbled away, as he watches my hand move slowly towards the jar and my finger disappear with the depths of creamy goo. I actually grimace as my finger squelches back out, and I know my nose has just wrinkled in disgust at the sight of a huge dollop all over my index finger.

‘Don’t tease me with it, baby.’ His eyes are fixated on my coated finger, and they follow my trail as I bring the gloop down and wipe it all over my nipple. It’s freezing cold, and disgusting, but the look of thorough exhilaration that has just landed on my rogue’s face is enough of an incentive to battle forward.

His eyes flick to mine. ‘Oops.’ I grin as his head leisurely creeps forward, all slow and casual, which is absurd because I know he’s dying to clean it all off, and not just because he wants my breast in his mouth.

The hum of happiness has me giggling and writhing under his hot tongue. ‘Holy fucking shit.’ He laps away, making a completely over-the-top spectacle of demolishing my breast with his tongue before flopping back and licking his lips. ‘I didn’t think it could taste any better. More.’

I’m grinning like an idiot as I delve back into the peanut butter. I hold my finger up. ‘Would sir like the right breast or the left breast?’

His face is truly torn as he swings his eyes from one breast to the other. ‘I don’t have time to waste. Slap it on both.’

I laugh, but follow through on his urgent order, and he’s on me again before I’ve barely removed my finger from the smothering of the first breast. ‘Unravel you boxers, God.’ My nose falls into his hair as he ravishes me and bites my nipple for my cheek. ‘Ouch!’

‘Sarcasm, lady.’

‘Tasty?’

‘I’m never eating it any other way again, so now you do have to quit work because I need you to be available to lick when I please.’ He surfaces with a smear on his nose, and I home right in to suck it off. ‘I thought you hated peanut butter?’

‘I do, but I love your nose.’ I kiss the end and resume my position. ‘Will you do something for me?’

His facial expression changes considerably. He’s all wary again, but I’m not hiding anything this time, only a plea, which he’ll soon hear. He relaxes a little and strokes up the sides of my body. ‘What do you want, baby?’

‘I want you to say yes before I ask.’ I demand quietly and very unreasonably, but we’ve broached this before, and I got nowhere.

‘You’ve been trying to butter me up.’ His lips tip at the edge, and I screw my face up in irritation, placing the jar beside us.

‘That’s a crap joke.’

‘Pick the jar back up, lady.’ He’s not grinning anymore. ‘We’re not done yet.’

I roll my eyes and re-dunk and re-smear. ‘Happy?’

‘Ecstatic.’ My nipple is clean in no time at all. ‘Now, tell me what you want.’

‘You have to say yes.’ I press, with absolutely no faith in my strategy. Even if he does say yes, he’ll soon retract it if he wants to.

‘Ava,’ he sighs. ‘I’m not agreeing to anything without knowing what I’m agreeing to. End of.’

I pout. ‘Please.’ I drag the word out and slide my freshly coated finger into his mouth.

‘You’re adorable when you sulk.’ he mumbles. ‘Just tell me.’

‘I want you to revoke Sam and Kate’s memberships to The Manor.’ I blurt it all out quickly and hold my breath. I’m desperate for Jesse to help me out here. I know Sam and Kate seem to have hit a significant point in their relationship, and I hope they talk, but without the temptation of The Manor, they stand a far better chance. I brace myself for his none of our business speech, but it doesn’t come. Nothing comes, actually. He doesn’t scoff, and he doesn’t refuse. He’s just looking at me on a small smile.

‘Okay,’ he shrugs and dives into the jar with his own finger, spreading it on my breast.

‘What?’ I know I’m displaying a look of complete confusion, which is absolutely fine because I’m really confused. I didn’t even need to morph into temptress.

‘I said okay.’ He’s on my breast again, while my eyes are looking down at the back of his head.

‘It is?’ I should be showing my appreciation, not questioning him on his reasonableness.

His perfect smiling face appears in my line of sight, and his palms surround my cheeks. ‘Sam already cancelled.’

I gasp. ‘I thought you were finally doing as you’re told.’ I should’ve known, but my disgruntled state doesn’t detract from the happy knowledge that they will be pursuing a conventional relationship. I’m delighted.

Jesse is standing and laying us back down on the sofa in an instant. ‘I always do as I’m told. Come here.’ The jar is taken from my hand and placed on the floor beside the couch, and then I’m pulled down to his chest. ‘Snuggles.’ he exhales contentedly.

I snort in disbelief before nuzzling myself right up into his neck and resuming my usual skimming of his scar with my fingertip.

‘Are you warm enough?’ he asks, snaking his legs with mine and completely engulfing me with his strong arms.

‘Hmmm.’ I sigh and close my eyes, relishing in every element of his loveliness—his scent, his touch, his heartbeat and his body beneath mine.

I love Central Jesse Cloud Nine more and more each time I’m here.

Chapter 30

My sweet dreams are interrupted by coughing. I think it’s coughing. It sounds like coughing, but neither my brain nor my body are ready to greet the day yet, so I dismiss the raspy choke and push myself further into the hardness underneath me.

There it is again, and it’s becoming hard to ignore. In fact, it’s irritating the hell out of me. Peeling one eye open, the first thing I see is Jesse’s serene beauty. My irritation subsides, and I reach up to catch a feel of day number three of no shaving.

There’s that cough again. I think nothing of turning to locate the source of the noise, exposing a full on frontal of nakedness to… Cathy.

‘Oh shit!’ I splatter myself back on my front against Jesse’s chest, the abrupt movement stirring him. ‘Jesse!’ I whisper, like she won’t hear me. ‘Jesse, wake up!’

He’s smiling before his eyes open and his wandering hands cup both my bum cheeks and squeeze in acknowledgment to my voice. ‘If I open my eyes, I’m going to see big chocolate, fuck me ones, aren’t I?’ His voice is all deep and husky and coupled with those words would usually have my stomach clenching with sexual anticipation. But not this morning.

‘No, you’re going to see big, wide, disturbed ones.’ I whisper. ‘Open your eyes.’

He does. He reveals his greens on a furrowed brow and looks over my shoulder when I cock my head. ‘Oh,’ Now his eyes are all wide and distressed. ‘Morning, Cathy.’

‘You too love birds need to buy some pyjamas.’ Cathy’s amused tone makes me cringe further. ‘Or at least keep your underwear on. I’ll be in the kitchen preparing breakfast.’