Beneath This Man - Malpas Jodi Ellen - Страница 73

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I take a few calming breaths, grab my clutch and roll my shoulders back. It’s no good. I’m stupidly nervous. I’ve got to face all the members of The Manor, and I’m really not looking forward to it. Those women have made it clear that I’m a gatecrasher. I can’t imagine their opinion will change just because I’m wearing a couture gown or because I’m officially Jesse’s girlfriend. Girlfriend? Well, that just sounds stupid, but what else would he call me? And he seems a bit mature to be labeled my boyfriend. It just doesn’t sound right.

Okay. I gather the bottom of my gown up a little and admire my shoes before I make my way to the bedroom door and to the top of the stairs.

As the huge open plan area comes into view, I hear the low mesmerising tones of The Moody Blues, Nights in White Satin falling over me from all of the integrated speakers. I smile to myself, and then I see him.

I halt in my tracks at the top step and try to catch my breath. It’s like seeing him for the first time all over again. He looks devastating in his black suit, crisp white shirt and black tie. He’s freshly shaved so I can see him in all of his loveliness and his hair has been persuaded to the side with some wax. Oh God, I’m going to be doing some serious trampling tonight.

He hasn’t seen me yet. He’s pacing slowly, hands in his trouser pockets, watching his feet. He’s nervous. My confident, cocky, conceited ex-playboy is nervous?

I watch in silence as he sits down, clasping his hands together, circling his thumbs briefly, before getting up and commencing pacing. I smile to myself and like he has sensed I’m nearby, his head snaps up to me and I get a full frontal impact of my stunning man in all of his glory. My breath hitches and I clasp the handrail on the stairs to steady myself.

His eyes widen a touch. ‘Oh, Jesus.’ he mouths, and I shift on my heels under his intense gaze. Our eyes lock and he starts walking slowly towards the stairs. I would start down to meet him, but my stupid legs are frozen firmly in place and no amount of mental encouragement is convincing them to move. He might need to carry me down the stairs.

He takes the steps, all the time keeping his eyes firmly set on mine, and when he reaches me, he holds his hand out on a small smile. I take a deep breath and grasp my dress, placing my hand in his and letting him lead me down the stairs, my legs more solid now that he has hold of me.

When we reach the bottom, he stops and turns to face me, running his eyes up and down my lace clad body. He takes a slow walk around to my back, and I clench my eyes shut, praying that I’ve not made a mammoth error with my brave choice of a plunged back. I hear him inhale sharply, and then his warm fingertip meeting with the nape of my neck. He trails a slow, languid path down the centre on my spine, setting off a flurry of pins and needles all over my bare flesh. He finishes at the base of my spine and then there is the unmistakable heat of his mouth on my skin as he drops a kiss on the centre of my back. I physically relax under the warmth of his lips. He would have disintegrated by now if he was going to.

He slowly makes his way back around to my front and locates my eyes. ‘I can’t find my breath.’ he murmurs, snaking his hand around my waist and pulling me into him, taking my mouth tenderly, like I’ve become as delicate as the lace encasing me.

I’m so relieved, and all knots and nerves have been chased away. All I have to worry about now are the endless women who’ll be humiliating themselves at his feet. He pulls away and pushes his hips into my lower stomach, the evidence of a raging erection clear and present. He would never make me undress – not now, surely?

‘I really like your dress.’ he says on a small smile. ‘You didn’t try this one. I would have remembered this one.’ He looks down at the dress in awe.

‘Always in lace.’ I repeat his words, and his eyes fly back up to mine.

‘You chose this dress for me?’ he asks softly.

I nod mildly as he steps back and puts his hands back in his pockets. He starts chewing that lip, the cogs whirling around as he nods knowingly…approvingly.

His eyes climb back up my body to reach mine. ‘Like I chose this for you?’ He pulls his hand from his pocket and I see a delicate, platinum layered chain hanging from his finger.

I nearly choke on my own tongue as my eyes take in the piece of fine jewellery. I saw it in a glass cabinet as I passed through the jewellery department with Zoe this morning. She pointed it out and it had me spellbound immediately, displayed all on its own, with layers of delicate linked platinum and a chunky square cut diamond suspended on the end. I nearly had heart failure when I read the small piece of card detailing the price that was displayed next to it.

My eyes jump to his. ‘Jesse, that necklace was sixty grand!’ I splutter. I won’t ever forget. I counted the zeros repeatedly.

Oh God!

I start to get really hot all of a sudden as I flick my eyes from Jesse’s to the swinging diamond that’s still dangling from his finger. He smiles and walks around to the back of me, gathering my hair and placing it over my shoulder. My heart is performing jumping jacks in my chest as he brings the necklace over my head and it rests on my breast bone. It feels like a huge burden on my chest. I’m starting to shake.

His hands skim my back as he fastens the clasp and then he slides his palms onto my shoulders and rests his lips on the nape of my neck. ‘You like?’ he whispers in my ear.

‘You know I do, but…’ I reach up and feel the diamond, then instantly want to get a velvet cloth and polish my finger print from it. ‘Did Zoe tell you?’ I feel sick. I know she is technically in sales, but to tell Jesse that I was completely rapt by an obscenely expensive diamond necklace is taking advantage. Sixty thousand pounds? Oh, heck!

‘No, I asked Zoe to show it to you.’ He turns me around in his arms and runs his fingertips over the necklace and down the centre of my chest. ‘You are crazy beautiful.’ He kisses my lips softly.

He asked her? I laugh a nervous laugh. ‘Are you talking to me or the diamond?’

‘It’s all about you,’ he says on a raised brow. ‘As it always will be.’

My laughter abates instantly. ‘Jesse, what if I lose it, what if…’ I’m silenced by his lips.

‘Ava, shut up.’ He replaces my hair down my back. ‘It’s insured and it’s a gift from me. If you don’t wear it, I’ll be crazy mad. Understand?’

His tone suggests I’m not to argue with him on this, but I’m completely overwhelmed and even more nervous than before, now this necklace has been introduced to this evening’s party. I won’t be getting on the underground or walking the streets late at night anymore, that’s for sure – not with this thing hanging around my neck. Mind you, I doubt I would be doing that much, anyway. Not if Jesse has his own way, which he probably will.

I take a deep breath and rest my hands on his chest. ‘I really don’t know what to say.’ My voice is slightly shaky, matching my body.

‘You could say you love it.’ His lips tip at the corner. ‘You could say thank you.’

‘I do love it. Thank you.’ I reach up and kiss him.

‘You are more than welcome, baby. It’s not as beautiful as you, though. Nothing is.’ He takes my hands from his chest. ‘My work here is done. Come on, you’ve made your God late.’ He leads me to the front door and flicks the music off before grabbing his keys and taking us out to the elevator. I notice that the glass has been fixed.

The doors open, we step inside and I watch him punch in the code before standing back. He glances down at me and winks.

‘You’re crazy handsome,’ I say wistfully, reaching up and dragging my thumb across his bottom lip to wipe the remnants of my lipstick away. ‘And all mine.’

He grabs my hand and kisses the tip of my finger. ‘Just yours, baby.’

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