‘No. You make me crazy.’
‘You make yourself crazy. I’m going to work tomorrow and you are going to let me, and you’re not going to make a fuss of it. You promised.’
I feel his mouth at my ear again, and I use every modicum of strength to restrain my moan. ‘But you promised to obey me. I think marriage vows over-ride any promises that were made before.’ He pushes himself up against my bum. ‘Does someone need some sense f**ked into them?’
I jerk, sending water swishing around us. I’d love some sense f**ked into me, but I still won’t relent. ‘You also promised to stop f**king sense into me because it was agreed that all of the sense only makes sense to you.’ I’m beginning to wish we’d never made that agreement. Sense f**king equals hard f**king.
‘Love, honour and obey.’ he whispers, and my face naturally turns into that low, husky voice, my lips finding his. ‘That makes sense, doesn’t it?’
‘No,’ I breathe. ‘Hardly anything you demand makes sense.’
‘We make sense.’ He swamps me with his mouth. ‘Tell me we make sense.’
‘We make sense.’
‘Good girl. Sit up so I can bathe you.’ He drops my lips, leaving me feeling deserted, and pushes me forward in front of him. ‘We’ll have breakfast with your family, then I’m taking you home. Deal?’
‘Deal.’ I agree. I can’t wait to go home but I absolutely can wait to go downstairs and face Kate and Dan. Stupid, stupid Kate. I’m not even going to try and work out what the hell she’s thinking, and I suspect she doesn’t even know herself. Will she even remember? She was pretty pissed. And Sam. I inwardly groan. How am I going to face Sam knowing this?
‘What are you thinking about?’ Jesse asks, pulling me back to the here and now.
‘Kate.’ I answer immediately. ‘I’m thinking about Kate and Sam.’
‘I’ve told you A…’
‘Don’t tell me it’s none of my business, Jesse.’ I cut him off completely. ‘She’s my best friend. I feel like I’m watching a car crash in slow motion. I need to stop it.’
‘No, you need to mind your own business, Ava.’ he scorns me harshly. ‘You’re done.’ He places the sponge on the edge of the bath and rises behind me, stepping out and grabbing a towel. ‘Wash your hair.’ He rubs himself down and wraps the towel around his waist. ‘Maybe you could show as much concern for a little detail in our relationship that needs addressing.’ He drills holes into me with an expectant look, and I immediately forget all issues relating to Sam and Kate, but I don’t embrace his new-found talent for talking. Instead, I slide down the bath and immerse myself in the bubbly water. I’m still not ready, and I notice that his new talking ability is only used on subjects of his choice.
I’m not looking at him, but I know he’s just rolled his eyes. He can roll his eyes all he likes. I’m dealing with this in my own way. And that way is to wedge my head as far underground as I can get it.
* * *
We walk into restaurant of The Manor hand in hand and are immediately greeted by loud clapping and cheering. The first things I notice, apart from the noise, is Kate’s obvious hangover, and across the room, Dan’s glacial glare, pointed right at Jesse.
My husband either notices neither or ignores them both, because he scoops me right up and strides through the tables, places me neatly on a chair opposite my mum and dad, then takes one up next to me.
‘Darling!’ My mum’s excited shriek hammers at my ears. ‘What a wonderful day it was, despite a certain difficult man.’ She glares across the table at Jesse.
‘Good morning, Elizabeth.’ Jesse beams at my mum, and she rolls her eyes, but I can tell she’s restraining a fond smile. ‘How are you, Joseph?’
My dad nods while carving through a sausage. ‘Very well. Did you two enjoy your day?’
‘We did, thank you. Are you being looked after?’ Jesse casts his eyes around the restaurant, obviously checking that the staff is seeing to the remaining guests.
‘Too well.’ Dad laughs. ‘We’ll be hitting the road after breakfast, so I’ll take this opportunity to thank you for your hospitality. It really was a special day.’
I smile at my dad and his graciousness, his manners never failing him. I’m glad they enjoyed themselves. ‘Is Dan going back with you?’ I ask, trying to sound casual.
‘Oh no, has he not told you?’ mum asks.
Jesse butters some toast and takes my hand, placing the bread in my grasp and nodding at it, his silent instruction to eat. ‘Told me what.’ I ask before wrapping my lips around the edge.
‘He’s staying in London for a while.’ Mum starts cutting the fat off my dad’s bacon, and I cough.
‘He’s what?’
‘Staying in London, darling.’
I swing my eyes across the room to where Dan is sitting with aunty Angela, but clearly not listening to her babbling. No, his full attention is on Kate. ‘Why?’ I ask. ‘I thought he has the surf school to expand.’ This is bad news. I drop my toast on my plate and Jesse immediately picks it up and puts it back in my hand.
‘He says there’s no rush, and I’m not complaining.’ Mum accepts a coffee from Pete, and then he places one in front of me, too.
‘No chocolate and no sugar,’ he confirms.
I look up at him and smile fondly. ‘Thank you, Pete’ I place my toact back on my plate and Jesse immediately picks it up again.