Beneath This Man

She laughs. ‘Shall I pick you up at six from your office?’

Yes, let’s get this conversation out of the way before Jesse gets here. ‘Is that all right?’ I know it will be, but after her reprimand on telephone manners, I feel like I should make the effort.

‘Sure it is. Have you spoken to Matt?’

‘Yeah, he’s expecting me, but Jesse doesn’t know I’m going and it has to stay that way.’ I say warningly. Kate raises her eyebrows but says nothing. ‘He’ll trample.’ I shrug. I think that wine has gone straight to my head. I feel woozy. ‘How’s Sam?’ I ask.

‘He’ll be here soon. I thought, as you had landed Jesse on me this morning, I would see if he wanted to join us too.’ She says it like Jesse joining us is the only reason for her inviting Sam. I know different.

‘Hey, do you know what’s happened with Victoria and Drew?’ I ask eagerly. Kate must know something.

Her eyes widen. ‘Oh, you won’t believe it!’

‘What?’ I sit forward, completely rapt with the obvious sign of dirt to dish.

‘Drew asked her to go to The Manor. Little prissy was not impressed!’ Kate is delighted, but I’m suddenly filled with dread.

If Victoria knows about The Manor, does that mean she knows who owns The Manor? Did Drew tell her everything? Has she done the math? Oh good God, I pray not. She isn’t the most clued up of girls, but if she has worked it out, then there would be no doubt that she has told Tom. This is getting beyond tricky. Tom hasn’t mentioned it, though, and that would be one big, juicy discovery for Tom to get his teeth into. Maybe she is stupid. I hope so because the last thing I need is Tom and Victoria on my case and spouting off around the office.

‘What do you want to eat?’ Kate asks, snapping me from my worrying thoughts.

‘I’ll have a BLT on granary, please.’

‘What about Jesse?’

I frown to myself. I have absolutely no idea. I don’t even know what any of his favourite foods are. ‘Ask if they have peanut butter.’ I shrug.

‘Peanut butter?’ She screws her face up in distaste. I’m with her there. ‘Oh, here he is.’ Kate tips her glass in the direction of the door, and I turn to look. I sigh in appreciation, as does Kate when Sam follows in behind him with Drew. She’s playing her feelings for Sam down, I know she is.

Jesse plants a chaste kiss on my cheek, and then pulls over a chair from another table for himself. He sits down next to me, slightly facing me, resting his hand on my knee. The warmth of his palm spreads up my leg, smacking me straight between the thighs. He does me no favours when he slowly strokes and squeezes, strokes and squeezes.

‘You took my car keys.’ I narrow accusing eyes on him.

‘Everyone okay?’ he asks, ignoring me and starting to circle his thumb on the inside of my thigh. I glance at him, finding he’s smiling, knowing damn well what he’s doing. I try and pull my leg away but he has none of it. He flips me a little scowl and an extra squeeze, his way for saying; whenever and wherever.

‘I’m good.’ Kate chirps. Yes, she’s good now Sam’s here. ‘I’m ordering. What’s everyone having?’ She gets up.

Everyone throws their order at her and she disappears to the bar, leaving me with the men.

Jesse leans into me. ‘You’ve had a drink.’

I tense. ‘It was an accident.’ I blurt.

‘I don’t mind you having a drink if I’m with you, Ava.’ He turns his attention back to the boys. He doesn’t mind? I shake my head to myself.

I sit happily and watch Jesse be completely normal with Drew and Sam, talking about sports, mostly extreme, and generally carrying on like any normal man would. This is easygoing Jesse. He laughs with them, his eyes twinkling, keeping his hand exactly where it is. I smile to myself. It’s a pleasure to see, and then he glances over at me and winks, and I want to straddle his hips and eat him alive.

‘So, how is Victoria?’ Kate chucks the question at Drew casually as she takes her seat back up, and everyone looks at him. She is such a shit stirrer.

‘Don’t ask.’ He takes a swig from his bottle of beer. I notice no one else seems to be uneasy about the whole alcohol presence. Am I handling this all wrong? ‘She’s sweet, but God, she’s got to lighten up.’ he adds.

I recoil in my chair. Drew’s lightening up comment is a bit harsh, especially if he’s hit her with an invitation to The Manor. He can’t knock her for being skeptical. ‘Why did you ask her to go?’ I blurt the question before my brain engages. Isn’t it obvious why he asked her? Jesse gives me a sideway glance, and I feel my face burning up.

Drew shrugs. ‘It’s who I am, it’s what I like.’

‘Amen.’ Sam says and raises his bottle.

My eyes bulge slightly at his openness with Kate’s presence, then I notice Kate stiffen slightly. I look at her questioningly, but she pretends she hasn’t seen me and chinks Sam’s bottle with her glass. Sam grins at her and my eyes widen further. She’s had some action at The Manor!

Holy f**king shit!

I glare at her, but she still refuses to look at me. Does Jesse know this?

‘Anyway,’ Drew continues, ‘I’ve got to make the most of it. Get to thirty five and it’s a slippery slope down to a saggy arse and man boobs. I’ll think about a woman who loves me for me and not for my body when I need to.’

I feel Jesse tense next to me, and I look at him, but he’s refusing to look at me too. He’s thirty seven, but there’s most certainly no saggy arse or man boobs on him. I shift my legs and cross one over the other, prompting him to tighten his grip. Out the corner of my eye, I see his lips form a straight line.