Beneath This Man (This Man 2)

‘You completely consume me, Ava. I can’t function without you. I’m totally addicted to you, baby.’ His voice is soft and unsure. My confident, domineering ex-playboy is nervous. ‘You own me. Marry me.’

I stare up in his painfully handsome face, still in complete shock. I didn’t see that coming, not in a million years. I only really decided last night that I would move in, although Jesse, in that crazy mind of his, had me moved in a week ago. He’s frantically chewing his lip and watching me as I try to figure out what is happening. I’m twenty six years old, he’s thirty seven. Why am I thinking about our age difference now? It’s never mattered before. What I should be more concerned about is his challenging ways. I’m not even going to consider that he will change if I agree to marry him. He’s never going to change, but that’s who he is, that is part of the man I love.

‘Okay.’ The whispered word falls out of my mouth without much thought at all. This is the natural progression for us. It may be a bit premature, but whether he asks me now or in a year, the answer will always be the same. ‘You’re my life.’ I add, just to reinforce my love for him. I want to be stuck to him forever, even with all of his challenging ways. I love him. I need him.

The stunned expression that was riddling my face has now made its way onto Jesse’s, and the cogs are spinning so fast I can see them beginning to smoke. ‘Yes?’ he asks quietly.

‘It’s instinctive.’ I shrug and then realise that I’m still handcuffed to the bed. ‘No sense f**k required. Can you let me go now?’

He flies into a panic and jumps up to retrieve the key from the bedside table, making quick work of undoing the cuffs. I grasp my wrists to rub some life back into them, but I’m soon disturbed when I’m dragged up from under him and completely engulfed in his body as he squeezes me to him. Did he think I would say no?

Holy f**king shit! I’ve just agreed to marry this controlling, neurotic ex-playboy and I’ve known him for a matter of weeks. Oh God, my parents are going to burst a blood vessel.

He falls back onto the bed, taking me with him and buries his face in my neck. He has a vice grip on me and I haven’t got the heart or inclination to tell him to ease up. I’m not going anywhere – not ever now.

‘I’m going to make you so happy.’ His voice is broken.

I wriggle a little to free myself, but he keeps his face exactly where it is. I work harder, prizing myself from him until I find his eyes. They’re glazed. ‘You already make me happy.’ I smooth his face and wipe my thumb under his eye, collecting a stray tear. ‘Why are you crying?’ I battle the quiver in my throat that has my own voice unsteady.

He shakes his head mildly and rubs frantic palms over his face. ‘See what you do to me?’ He reaches up to clasp my face and brings it down to his, resting his forehead on mine. ‘I can’t believe you’re in my life, I can’t believe you’re mine. You are so, so precious to me, baby.’ His eyes dart across my face and his hands smooth across my cheeks, as if ensuring I’m real.

‘You’re precious to me too.’ I say quietly. I hope he comprehends how precious. He’s everything…my complete world.

He smiles mildly. ‘Are we friends?’

‘Always.’ I return his smile.

‘Good, my work here is done,’ He rolls us over so he’s cradled between my thighs, and then slowly sinks into me. ‘Now, we have sleepy celebration sex.’ He reaches for the remote control and turns the music off. ‘I only want to hear you when you come for me.’ He drops his mouth and moans as I accept his lips and he grabs my hands, holding them above my head. He rears back and pushes forward.

‘That was a proposal f**k.’ I say around his mouth, and I feel him smile against my lips, but he doesn’t say anything, or reprimand me on my language. He just seeps in and out at the most dreamy pace, plunging deeply, swiveling his hips gently and pulling back.

My earlier blissful state is re-captured as the coils reload and prepare to release, his leisurely drives and grinding hips working their usual magic on my body.

He pulls back from my mouth, carrying on with his luscious thrusts. ‘You’ll be Mrs Ward.’ His minty breath heats my face as he gazes down at me.

‘I will.’ That will be strange.

‘You’ll be mine forever.’

‘I already am.’ That ship has long sailed.

He clenches his eyes shut as I feel the hints of his imminent orgasm thumping inside me, pushing my own climax forward. ‘I’m going to worship you every day for the rest of my life.’ He shoots forward. ‘Jesus!’

‘Oh God.’ I breathe, stiffening beneath him, my quivering core accelerating into fast, continuous pulsations.

He pumps forward again and again, kissing me desperately and growling on his forceful grinds, keeping my hands above my head as he plunges incessantly into me. He snaps on a yell and I wrap my legs around his hips, pulling him in closer, which pushes me into a free-fall of intense trembling as lightning attacks my whole body, leaving me panting and sweating underneath him. His head drops into my neck, his breathing erratic and shallow.

‘I can’t breathe,’ he says, releasing my hands. They immediately wrap around his warm, solid back and I liquefy under him. I feel his head lift, creeping up the side of my face until he finds my lips. ‘I crazy love you, baby. I’m glad we’re friends.’

I smile as he rolls us over and I’m astride his waist. I place my hands on his chest and he covers them with his as I lazily circle my hips on him. ‘I know you do. If I’m going to marry you, you have to answer some questions.’ I use an assertive voice that’s the equivalent to his dare to defy me tone. I don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a shot.