I wait for the water to get halfway up and then turn off the taps before I make my way back into the bedroom, finding her spread-eagled on the bed. I dip and get close to her ear. “Bath’s ready,” I whisper, gathering her into my arms. She doesn’t fight me. It’s an encouraging sign.

“You were serious, weren’t you?” she says as I set her down by the bath, taking the bottom of her running top.

“I was serious about what?” Her accusing eyes disappear for a split second when I pull the vest over her head, but they’re soon back, and even more accusing. I’m serious about a lot of things when it comes to Ava. Her question is far too broad.

“About not sharing me.”

Oh, that. “Yes.” Deadly serious.

“What about my other clients?” she asks, studying me as I continue to strip her down. There’s only one other client who is of particular interest to me, but by singling him out, I’ll raise questions I don’t want to answer. So I’ll be comprehensive. For now.

“I said I don’t want to share you.” I lower to my haunches, taking her shorts with me, and she lifts a foot in turn for me to remove them.

She makes no attempt to get in the tub, still drilling holes into me as I rise. This doesn’t bode well. Her breathing is no longer strained, and that’s leaving space for vigor.

“I don’t need to be at The Manor to collate designs, Jesse,” she says as I pick her up and put her in the bath.

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t,” she argues as I strip, looking at me in the way she does when she’s set for a win. Which means I’ll lose. I’m not in a losing mood today.

She shifts forward in the tub, and I slip in behind her, settling back and positioning her just so, her back to my front. It’s quite incredible really. We’re kind of having a disagreement and yet we both still need to be touching each other. “If I let you go to the office,” I say quietly, choosing my words very carefully, “you have to do something for me.”

“Okay. What?”

My eyebrows jump up at her easy acceptance. Then I’m quickly and silently pointing out to myself that she doesn’t yet know what the condition is. It also reminds me she doesn’t know what The Manor is. But she will. That’s the point. It’ll set things in motion. Give me a timeframe to work to. “You’ll come to The Manor’s anniversary party.”

She tenses. “What? Like a social event?”