This Man (Page 108)

‘What the f**k are you talking about?’ he shouts. ‘And watch your mouth!’

‘You,’ I start accusingly, ‘have not paid your bill, and now I’m supposed to be giving you a polite reminder. I was forced to give some spiel about you being away.’ Could a full on kiss be considered a polite reminder? Jesse would probably think so.

‘Consider me reminded. Now, get your arse here.’

Oh, if looks could kill. ‘No!’ I say incredulously. He really doesn’t like being defied. I’m not risking my job security, just so I don’t upset Mr Control Freak here.

He looks at me in complete disbelief, dismounting his bike in the most spectacular fashion, his jeans stretching tightly over his magnificent thighs. I shift on my feet. I’m way too affected by this man.

He glares at me. ‘Three,’

I gape. He wouldn’t? Not in the middle of Berkeley Square. It would look like I’m being abducted, raped and murdered all at once! Obviously, I know different, but it won’t look good to an outsider, and I hate to think what Jesse is capable of if someone tries to pull him off me.

His lips spread into a straight line of displeasure, while he drills holes into me with his hard stare. ‘Two,’ he grates through gritted teeth.

Think, think, think. I huff. ‘Oh, I’m not getting into a row with you in the middle of Berkeley Square. You’re a child sometimes!’ I pivot and start walking away. I don’t know why I’m doing this, he’s like an unexploded bomb, but I’ve got to hold my own here. He’s being stupidly unreasonable, and I’m putting my foot down. I feel him close behind me as I stalk towards Bond Street, but I charge on. There’s a cute boutique up here. I’ll escape in there.

‘One!’ he yells.

I carry on walking. ‘Fuck off! You’re being unreasonable and unfair.’ I know I’m pushing my luck now, swearing and disobeying, but I’m that mad!

‘MOUTH! What’s so unreasonable about wanting to kiss you?’

Good grief. Is he that self-absorbed? ‘You know damn well what’s unreasonable about it. And it’s unfair because you’re trying to make me feel shitty about it.’ I enter the store, leaving him pacing up and down on the pavement, looking through the window every now and then. I knew he wouldn’t come in. I’m not oblivious to the fact that he looks raging mad and I have to leave the shop at some point, but I need a few moments alone to collect myself. I start mooching about.

An overdressed, over made up girl approaches me. ‘Can I help you?’

‘I’m just browsing, thanks.’

‘This section is all new season stock,’ She runs her arm along a suspended rail of dresses. ‘We have some beautiful dresses. Please, just ask if you need another size.’ She smiles.

‘Thank you.’

I start cruising through the rails, spotting some truly gorgeous dresses – albeit stupid prices, but gorgeous nevertheless. I pick up a fitted, cream silk, sleeveless affair. It’s shorter than I usually wear, but lovely.

‘You’re not wearing that!’

I snap my head up and see Jesse stood in the doorway, looking at the dress like it could spit poison. Oh, how embarrassing! The sales assistant looks wide eyed at Jesse and back to me. I half smile at her. I’m horrified. Who the bloody hell does he think he is? I throw him my dirtiest look, mouth f**k off and watch as the proverbial steam fires out of his ears.

I turn to the assistant. ‘Have you anything shorter.’ I ask sweetly.

‘Ava!’ he barks. ‘Don’t push me.’

I ignore him, keeping my eyes on the assistant expectantly. The poor girl looks like she could have a panic attack, her gaze flicking, very nervously, from me to Jesse and back again.

‘No, I don’t think so.’ she says quietly.

Okay, now I’m feeling sorry for her. I shouldn’t be dragging her into this pathetic disagreement over a dress. ‘Okay, I’ll take this one.’ I smile, handing her the dress.

She looks at me, then at Jesse. ‘Urh…is this the correct size for you?’

‘It’s a ten?’ I ask. I can literally feel the shop shaking under his wrath.

‘It is, but I would recommend that you try it on, we don’t offer refunds.’ she advises me.

Well, I was going to risk it not fitting, but at that price, maybe not. She shows me to a changing room, hanging the dress on a fancy hook for me.

‘Just call if you require any help.’ She smiles, pulling the velvet curtain across, leaving me and the dress alone.

I’m being as pathetic as Jesse by doing this; I’m purposely pushing him. We’re talking about the man who made me sleep in a winter jumper in the middle of spring because another male was in the flat. Is this necessary? I decide it is – he can’t behave like this.

I fight my way into the dress, struggling with the zipper where it meets the seam on the bust line. I’m not giving up. I know if I can just get it over that line of stitching, it’ll be just fine. I smooth down the front of the dress. It feels lovely.

Pulling the curtain across, I stand back from the floor length mirror to take a good look. Wow! This dress really does it for me. It compliments my olive skin and dark hair perfectly.

‘Oh, Jesus, Mary and Joseph!’

I swivel, finding Jesse gripping his hair, pacing up and down. He looks like he’s been Taser gunned. He stops, looks at me, opens his mouth, snaps it shut and starts with the pacing again. I’m quite amused.

He stops stalking and looks at me, all wide eyed and traumatised. ‘You’re not…you…you can’t…Ava…baby…oh, I can’t look at you!’ He walks out adjusting his groin, muttering some crap about an intolerable female and heart attacks. Then I’m alone with the dress again.