Beneath This Man (This Man 2)

I pop my head back in. ‘You do, but I need you. So could you please be naked and waiting?’

‘You need me?’ he asks, a triumphant look on his face.

‘Always. See you at yours.’ I shut the door, hearing him yell OURS as I walk off.

I’m suddenly aware of eyes drilling into me, and I turn to find the valet with the biggest grin on his face. I blush profusely and scuttle up the steps into the hotel. I am thoroughly contented and bronzing nicely on Central Jesse Cloud Nine.

I rummage through my bag when I hear my text chime.

It’s Jesse.

I miss you, I love you, I need you too Jx

I laugh. How did he do that so quickly? He only left me three seconds ago. I toss my phone in my bag and skip through the foyer of the Royal Park.

I’m shown to the same snug where Mikael and I last met, and Mikael is already waiting for me. He has the mood boards laid out on the table and is studying them. He looks more casual today, his suit jacket removed, his tie loose, but his pale blonde hair still perfectly styled.

He looks up when I walk in. ‘Ava, very good to see you again.’ His lightly accented voice is as smooth as ever.

‘And you, Mikael. You received the drafts?’ I nod at the boards as I set my bag down on one of the large, green leather couches.

‘Yes, but the problem is I love them all. You’re too good.’ He puts his hand out, and I take it.

‘I’m glad.’ I smile brightly while he shakes my hand gently.

He releases me and turns back towards the table. ‘I’m veering towards this one, though.’ He points to the cream and white scheme that I’m favouring myself.

‘That would be my choice too.’ I say cheerily. ‘I think it encapsulates your aspiration best.’

‘It does.’ he agrees, smiling warmly at me. ‘Take a seat, Ava. Would you like a drink?’

I perch on a sofa. ‘Water would be good, thank you.’

He signals to the waiter at the doorway before lowering himself onto the sofa next to me. ‘I apologise for the hold up on our meeting. Things didn’t go as swiftly as I planned back home.’

Oh. That would be his divorce then. I can’t imagine things would go smoothly when you are as rich as Mikael. His wife is probably trying to take him for every penny. Why else would it not be going smoothly? I don’t say anything, though. I suspect Ingrid shouldn’t have divulged as much as she did. I don’t want to get her sacked. I liked her.

‘It’s not a problem, really.’ I smile and return my eyes to the mood boards. ‘So, we’re swinging towards this one then?’ I place my hand on the cream and white scheme.

He shifts forward. ‘Yes, I like the simplicity and warmness. You are very clever. One would think it would come across insipid and cold, but it doesn’t at all.’

‘Thank you, It’s all about the fabrics and tones.’

He smiles, his blue eyes shimmering. ‘Yes, I guess it is.’

We spend a few hours discussing the time frames, schedules and budgets. He is really quite easy to be around, which is a huge relief after he invited me to dinner at our previous meeting. I was worried things would be awkward, but it’s not at all. He took my answer on the chin and has said no more.

‘It will all be sustainable material, yes?’ He runs his long finger over the drawings of a bespoke four-poster bed I have sketched.

‘Of course,’ I mentally thank Ingrid for the important piece of information that Mikael neglected to tell me previously. I indicate the other pieces of furniture I’ve drafted. ‘It’s all sustainable, as per you specification. I understand the forestry commission in Scandinavia is a serious business.’

‘It is,’ he laughs. ‘We all have to do our bit for the environment. We got some bad press after Lusso.’

My mind’s eye is flooded with an image of twelve superbikes and a petrol guzzling DBS. I bet Mikael drives a Hybrid Prius. ‘We do,’ I agree. He casts his eyes to mine, and I smile mildly. ‘Excuse me while I use the ladies’.’ I collect my bag and leave him.

I spend five minutes in the toilets refreshing my face and using the facilities. I’m pleased with how the meeting is progressing, and I’m eager to get back to the office to start working on the master design. I ruffle my hair, pinch my cheeks and exit the ladies’, walking across the lobby of the hotel and back to the snug.

As I enter, I nearly choke on thin air when I see Jesse stood next to Mikael, bold as bloody brass, looking over my designs.

What the f**king hell is he doing here?

Chapter 12

Oh, he’s gone too far this time. He’s going to trample my business meeting. Oh God, he is going to trample Mikael, and he doesn’t even know that he’s previously asked me to dinner.

I’m at a loss. I stand and watch them chat, all business like, while I try to figure out how to handle this. As per my usual reaction to Jesse’s wayward ways, I want to scream at him, but with Mikael here, that is out of the question.

As if he has sensed my presence – he always does – Jesse slowly turns to face me. I flash him a you’re-pushing-it look and slowly approach them.

‘Mikael,’ I say, muscling my way between them at the table. I feel Jesse tense from head to toe at my informal acknowledgment to my client. He can go and take a leap off the nearest cliff! The man deserves everything he gets. And he wants me to move in? He can forget it, and there will be no sense f**king to change my mind either.

Mikael smiles at me. I don’t miss the arched eyebrow. ‘Ava, let me introduce you. This is Jesse Ward. He bought the penthouse at Lusso. I was showing Mr Ward your designs. He’s as impressed as I am.’