He gives me a quick scan over with his enquiring eyes, pursing his lips. ‘Your friends?’

‘Oh, Kate’s a wine, vodka and tonic for Victoria and a pina colada for Tom.’

His eyes widen. ‘Tom?’

I smile. ‘Gayboy, you’ve met him.’

Realisation dawns on his handsome face. He shakes his head in dismay, releasing me and turning back to the barman, who’s waiting patiently for Jesse to order the drinks.

Kate and Tom approach us, laughing and eyeing me up. I flash Kate a filthy look, but she just points her finger at her own chest in a moi gesture.

‘Jesse ordered your drinks.’ I inform them, while keeping my accusing scowl fixed right on Kate. She ignores me.

‘Oh…a God and a gentleman,’ Tom gushes, blatantly eyeing up Jesse’s arse. I don’t blame him; it is a very attractive jean clad arse.

Jesse presents the drinks to Kate and Tom, and I watch in stunned silence as Kate leans in to give Jesse a kiss on his cheek. What is wrong with that woman? I’m even more shocked when Jesse smiles brightly at her before whispering something in her ear. What’s going on?

She turns, winks at me and leads Tom back to the dance floor as Jesse hands me my wine, opening a bottle of water for himself. He slips his free arm around my waist to pull me close. I look up at him questioningly. What was that? Are they working in cahoots?

‘Hey, my man,’ Sam comes barrelling over with Drew, both taking the beers that Jesse hands them. ‘Ava, where’s the love?’ He leans down so I can peck his cheek, flashing me his cute dimple as he does. He’s cheeky, sweet and terribly good looking, but given Victoria’s revelation, I need to be wary on Kate’s behalf. Drew holds his bottle up as his hello, ever the shrewd, standoffish one.

I smile and lean up to Jesse’s ear. ‘I’m going to join the others.’ He’s with his mates and this is supposed to be a girly night out – Tom doesn’t count. He turns his face into my neck and steals a cheeky nuzzle, taking full advantage of my position.

‘I’ll be watching.’ he warns in my ear, nipping my lobe and slapping my backside. The soreness has abated, but there’s still evidence of my tumble around in the back of Margo. I pull away and pout playfully, earning me a huge smile and a wink. Is he watching for possible Cockneys, or is he watching me?

Leaving him at the bar, I find the others on the dance floor, all happily lapping up the music and drinks. I laugh at Tom, who’s in a world of his own, and as Justin Timberlake’s Lovestoned comes through the speakers, I’m welcomed to the dance floor with gasps and whoops. In my semi-drunken state, I stupidly down my wine and discard my glass on the designated drinks ledge. If there was ever a track to pull me out of my despair, even if it’s just for a few moments, it would be this one. The timing is impeccable. All bags are thrown, unceremoniously, into the middle, Justin shouts “Hey” and the crowd is thrown into a delirious frenzy.

I’m happily enjoying some moves and laughs with Kate, when I’m grabbed by the waist and spun around. I find Sam grinning at me and nodding over my shoulder.

‘Here he comes. I hope you’re ready for this.’ he says.

‘What?’ I shout over the music.

Sam’s grin widens, displaying his dimple at its deepest. ‘He thinks he owns JT.’

I have no idea what he’s talking about. He clasps my shoulders, rotating me on the floor, and I spot Jesse striding towards me. I’m suddenly worried that he’s going to cause a scene and drag me from the floor. For what, I don’t know, but he’s famous for flinging me over his shoulder as he pleases.

I watch him nearing, slowing my movements down as I concentrate on his approach. I’m not sure what to make of this. His expression is dark and hungry, and I’m completely engrossed by his tall, lean body getting closer. That bloody gait does serious things to me. By the time he’s stood before me, as close as he can get but without touching me, I’ve stopped moving completely. My breathing is heavy. He snakes his arm around my waist and hauls me up to his body, prompting my hands to fly up and grasp his flexing biceps as he rests his forehead against mine.

‘You’re going to get a lot of men dropped if you keep dancing like that. You like a bit of JT?’

‘Yes.’ I breathe.

He smiles that delicious, melt worthy smile, reserved only for women. ‘Me too,’ He drops a kiss on my lips, then, to my utter shock, he grasps my hand and flings me out on a spin before yanking me back into his arms. He’s not going to dance, surely? ‘And it’s the extended version.’

Is it? What does that mean? I look at Sam, who rolls his eyes on a shrug, then back to Jesse, who has the biggest self-assured smirk on his face. He is going to dance. Well, this should be interesting.

I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’ve drank my own body weight in wine, or if it’s Jesse’s cock sure demeanour – it’s probably the former – but whichever, it’s got me performing an indecent shimmy down Jesse’s body, while my palms drag, damn right obscenely, from his chest, all the way down to his thighs. There I am, squatting in front of him with my palms partly spanning the front of his magnificent thighs, looking up at the most handsome man I’ve ever laid my eyes on. My dress is probably riding up my bum cheeks in the crudest fashion, but I’m oblivious. All of my attention is on the God like creature staring down at me, with a filthy, promising look on his face. I smile boldly, making a point of smoothing my palms closer to his groin area, before slowly pushing myself up his body, ensuring maximum contact between us. As my face passes his groin, I run my nose up the fly of his jeans, feeling him shudder and jerk before he reaches down, grabs my arms and hauls me up the rest of the way. My heart is hammering as he breathes in my ear – long, hot, heavy breaths.

‘I should bend you over here and fuck you until you scream. That dress is absurd.’

I don’t have time to say, yes, please! I’m spun out, and I watch as Jesse makes a mockery of Mister JT himself. I’m completely astonished at what’s unfolding before me. Jesse Ward can dance - and dance well.

How old is he?

He moves around me, his rhythm flawless, drawing the attention of many delighted women. I snatch quick glances at the others, all sharing in Jesse’s delight, and I laugh. I laugh at the sexy, confident, fluid movements that have come as such a pleasant surprise. This man doesn’t only have moves in the bedroom. Does he do anything badly? Leaning into me, he gives me a teasing circle of his hips before he sends me on a full three sixty spin under his arm, pulling me back into his chest and thrusting his hips into my lower stomach. His erection is still evident. I cheekily reach down to stroke his jean clad crotch, raising my eyebrows when he shakes his head in warning. Clearly, his boldness is rubbing off on me.

He proceeds to lower himself down my body, grinning as he clasps my hips and I jerk. I look at him watching me as he drifts down, landing on his knees in front of me, and moving his glorious hips in time to the beat.

I’m being flung around the dance floor, worshipped and adored. All of his attention is on me and me alone, and nothing or no one else exists, just me and him. I like it. I love that he has no misgivings; he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. He’s confident, masculine and unashamed. It’s refreshing, and I’m not ignorant to the fact that I’m falling. I’m falling really hard for this man. And I don’t think there’s much I can do about it, especially when he won’t let me walk away. Do I even want to?