Her arms tense in my hold. If I didn’t have them secured to the bed, her fingers would be in her hair twiddling wildly. I have every right to be concerned about her night out. She’s no intention of abstaining, only from me, and that’s a kick in the teeth. “No more,” I command in vain, indulging myself again in her mouth, ignoring the faint edge of wine on her tongue and focusing on tasting only her. Lucky for me, she’s far more potent than wine. “I was hoping to find you in lace.” My fingers trace a blazing trail down her body and drift in between her legs.

“You would have ruined it.”

I slip my fingers inside of her, and she stiffens, gripping me fiercely. Oh, you want more, baby? Can’t get enough? Me neither. Suddenly, I’m very much the one in control, and maybe, just maybe, I might win this battle after all.

“Probably.” I would have torn that lace from her body without apology. “Don’t be wearing anything ridiculous either.” Alcohol, a sexy dress, her otherworldly beauty. It’s a recipe for disaster. I scoop my fingers wide, staring down at her, waiting for her to find the right answer.

“I won’t.” She tosses her head from side to side, and I smile, her clitoris vibrating against the pad of my thumb.

“Are you going to come, Ava?”

“Yes.” She becomes deranged, her legs tensing and kicking out, her eyes clouding. “Please!”

Got you, lady. I shrink the space between our faces, breathing across her skin, sweeping my fingers through her cruelly. “Hmm, that feel good, baby?”

“Oh God,” she chokes, trying to catch my mouth. “Jesse, please.”

“You want me?” I ask, pulling back. Denying her.

“Yes.”

I smile on the inside. “Do you want to please me, Ava?”

“Yes. Jesse, please!”

I give her one last feel of my thumb circling her buzzing nerves and then pull away, getting up off the bed.

“What are you doing?” she gasps.

Not a fucking clue. “You want me to finish the job?”

“Yes!”

Me too. But . . . “Don’t go out,” I order, watching as realization descends and the red of her cheeks turns from flushed to hopping mad.

“No!”

So I don’t win the battle after all. She’s so fucking stubborn. If it was me on the receiving end of that kind of performance from her, I would do absolutely anything she asked. Sign my life away. I need to fuck that irritating streak of defiance out of her. “My work here is done,” I whisper, regarding her closely as I kiss fresh air. She looks plain furious as I turn and walk away, pulling the door closed behind me harshly.

“I’ll sort myself out then!” The force of her yell hits me in the back as I take the stairs.