‘Sam, don’t fucking move!’ he yells. I’m scooped up and bundled through the door at breakneck speed, hearing Sam laughing as Jesse jogs up the stairs with me in his arms, muttering about ripping prying eyes out. I’m tossed on the bed. ‘Get dressed, we’re going out.’

I snap my head up. I’m not going to The Manor. I get up from the bed, minus one towel, and go to my dressing table. ‘Where?’

His gaze travels down my naked form. ‘Well, it occurred to me when I was out running that I’ve not taken you for dinner yet. You have the most incredible legs. Get dressed.’ He nods at my wardrobe.

If he means dinner at The Manor, then I’m not game. I’ll avoid that place at all costs if she’s there. And the chances are – now I’ve established that she works for him – she will be.

‘Where?’ I ask again as I start rubbing coco butter into my legs.

‘A little Italian place I know. Now, get dressed before I collect on my debt.’

I stand, slowly massaging my cream in. ‘Debt?’

His eyebrows rise. ‘You owe me.’

‘I do?’ I frown, but I know exactly what he’s talking about.

‘Oh, you do. I’ll wait outside at the risk of cashing in sooner,’ He gives me his roguish grin. ‘I wouldn’t want you to think this was all about sex.’ He leaves me with that little comment before stalking out.

Oh, it’s not all about the sex? Those few words have just made my day. Maybe tonight I’ll find out what goes on in that beautiful, complex mind of his. I’m suddenly filled of hope.

After much deliberation on what to wear – I’m shocked the decision hasn’t been made for me – I settle on my beige capri pants, a nude, silk shirt and cream ballet pumps. I make sure I put my coral lace underwear on – he loves me in lace. I rough my hair up and smoke my eyes out. Nude gloss finishes me off.

I walk onto the landing, finding an irritable Jesse pacing up and down. I frown. ‘I didn’t take that long.’

He looks up, giving me his glorious smile, reserved only for women, and I’m reassured again. As I approach him, he looks me up and down with satisfaction, and as soon as I’m close enough, he yanks me into his muscled body.

‘You’re impossibly beautiful.’ he breathes in my hair.

‘So are you. Where’s Sam?’

‘Kate’s giving him a tour of the van.’

Oh, I almost forgot about Margo Junior. I pull back, giving him a suspicious glare. ‘You brought Kate a van?’

He smirks. ‘Are you jealous?’

What? ‘No!’

His face straightens. ‘Yes, I brought the van.’

‘Why?’ Doesn’t he think it’s a bit weird? Is he trying to buy my friend so she overlooks his unreasonable behavior?

‘Because, Ava, I don’t want you being tossed about in that shed on wheels, that’s why. And I don’t have to explain myself to you.’ he huffs, standing back from me with his arms folded across his chest.

I actually laugh. ‘You brought my best friend a van so I won’t get injured holding a cake up?’ Oh, this is laughable.

He scowls at me good and proper. ‘Like I said, I don’t have to explain myself to you. Let’s go.’ He grabs my hand, leading me down to the car.

‘You made Sally’s day today.’ I say, virtually jogging to keep up with his long strides.

‘Who’s Sally?’

‘The waif like creature in my office,’ I remind him, while considering if his lack of memory is an indication of his age too.

‘Oh, has she forgiven me?’

‘Undoubtedly,’ I mutter.

Kate spots us and launches herself at Jesse. ‘Thank you!’ She sings it repeatedly in his face.

Jesse holds on to her with his one free arm as she continues to screech excitedly in his ear. I roll my eyes at her, spotting Sam shaking his head. I’m comforted by the fact that Sam seems to find this all a bit over the top too.

‘It’s for my benefit, Kate, not yours.’ he says.

She releases him. ‘I know!’ She grins, turning her bright blues onto me and mouthing, ‘I love him!’

‘Hey! Where’s the love?’ Sam calls. She skips off to throw her arms around Sam.

I roll my eyes. I’m surrounded by crazy people.

 

We pull up outside a small Italian restaurant in the West End. I get out of the car, and Jesse comes to collect me, grabbing my hand and pulling me into, what can only be described as, a sitting room. Dimly lit and with Italian paraphernalia in every nook and cranny, it’s like I’ve stepped back in time to the eighties in Italy.

‘Sir Jesse, how very good it is to see you.’ A small Italian man approaches. He has a naturally happy face.

Jesse clasps his hand. ‘Luigi, good to see you too,’

‘Come, come.’ Luigi gestures us further into the room.

He settles us at a little table in the corner. The table cloth is cream and embroidered with the Italia Turrita. It’s very pretty.

‘Luigi, this is Ava.’ Jesse introduces us.

Luigi bows at me. ‘Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful lady, yes?’ I’m a bit embarrassed by his forwardness. ‘What would Sir Jesse like?’

‘May I?’ Jesse asks, nodding at the menu.

He’s asking me? ‘You usually do.’ I mutter. His eyebrow arches as he puffs his lips slightly, in a don’t-push-it gesture. I let him get on with it. He obviously knows what’s good on the menu.

‘Okay, Luigi. We’ll have two of the fettuccine, with yellow squash, parmesan and lemon cream sauce, a bottle of the Famiglia Anselma Barolo 2000, and some water. You got that?’

Luigi scribbles frantically on his pad, backing away. ‘Yes, yes, Sir Jesse. I go now.’

Jesse smiles fondly. ‘Thank you, Luigi.’

I gaze around the cluttered restaurant. ‘Now, this is what you call Italian shit.’ I murmur thoughtfully. I find a smiling face around a chewed lip when my eyes reach Jesse. ‘You come here often?’ I ask.

His smile broadens into knee trembling territory. ‘Are you trying to chat me up?’

‘Of course,’ I smile as he shifts in his chair.

‘Mario, the head barman at The Manor, insisted I try it, so I did. Luigi’s his brother.’

‘Luigi and Mario?’ I snort, rather rudely. Jesse raises his eyebrows at me. ‘I’m sorry, that’s really tickled me!’

‘I can see that.’ He frowns as Luigi returns with the drinks. Jesse pours me some wine and himself some water.

‘You didn’t get a whole bottle for me?’ I blurt. ‘Are you not having any?’ Christ, I’ll be on my back.

‘No, I’m driving.’

‘And I’m allowed?’

His lips press into a straight line, but I can see he’s trying to suppress a smile at my cheekiness. ‘You may.’

I grin, picking up my glass and sipping carefully as he watches me. It’s lovely.

As I look over the table at the beautiful, neurotic man, who has fucked my plans right up, my brain is suddenly bombarded with questions.

‘I want to know how old you are.’ I state confidently. This whole age thing is really quite stupid.

He circles the rim of his glass with the tip of his finger as he watches me. ‘Twenty eight. Tell me about your family.’

Huh? Oh, no, no, no! ‘I asked first.’

‘And I answered. Tell me about your family.’

I shake my head in despair and resign myself to the fact that I’m in love with a man of an age I don’t know and, quite possibly, never will do.

‘They retired to Newquay a few years back,’ I sigh, ‘Dad ran a construction firm, Mum was a house wife. My Dad had a heart attack scare so they took early retirement to Cornwall. My brother is living the dream in Australia.’ That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. ‘Why do you not speak to your parents?’ I ask. I know I’m on dodgy ground here, especially after his last response to that very question.

I watch carefully, almost apprehensively, for his reaction. I’m more than shocked when he takes a sip of water, then launches into his answer. ‘They live in Marbella. My sister’s there too. I’ve not spoken to them for years. They didn’t approve when Carmichael left me The Manor and all of his estate.’