Page 28 of An Angel's Share
“Do you need me, Rua?”
His eyes dilate as I shift my legs and more of my skin is on view. He licks his lips, and I’m sure I just had a mini orgasm. My thighs are clenching together, they have a mindof their own. Or they’re hypnotised by him. But someone is in control, and it certainly isn’t me.
He grins as he bends forwards, inhaling a deep breath up my neck. He hasn’t touched me yet, but I still groan out as if he’s pushed his celebrity cock inside me.
“Fuck woman, I want?—”
“Morning.” Mammy pushes open the door and stops dead when she sees Jonno at my bedside. “What’s all this?” she asks sharply.
“Breakfast,” states Jonno with total disinterest.
I look up and see the blank expression is back on his face. Jesus, he’s really good. A minute ago he looked like he wanted to devour me, now he looks at me like I’m a mouldy crust left on a plate.
“Everyone was busy, but I was up early, so I brought up the tray,” he explains, stepping away from the bed. It’s as if someone turned off the sun. I know I look like a lost puppy, but he’s captured Mammy’s attention, so she doesn’t see my face. “Can I escort you to breakfast, Mae?”
He tips his head coquettishly at Mammy, who giggles. Yes, actually giggles like a schoolgirl. My mouth drops open as he spins around and goes to take her arm, leaning his body towards her and batting his long black eye lashes at her. The total flirt. And Mammy is lapping it up.
As he guides Mammy out of the room in front of him, he looks back over his shoulder and mouths, “No knickers.” Grinning like a hungry wolf, he leaves.
I’m not going to survive him.
I just need to get through today with my knickers on and not in a twist. No knickers in the daytime. He’s lost the plot. But I smile as I think about it. Could I really do it? Jesus, I’d be so turned on. It’s turning me on just thinking about him thinking about me.
Stop thinking! No—knickers on, all the way. Big ugly granny pants. Ahhh the comfort that covers my bump. Pfft. No knickers indeed.
I goabout getting myself ready for the day. It’s so hot at the minute as we go towards the end of August. The sun rises early, and by midday it’s sweltering. I can’t believe I’m moaning about it. Hot days are so few and far between, but we’re never satisfied. Rain, sun, cold or heat. We always want something else.
My cotton summer dresses are a godsend. I’m cool and stylish, trainers and flip-flops my go-to. Mammy has not grasped the trainers with dresses vibe yet and rolls her eyes every time I stride in with my comfortable shoes on my feet. She’s lucky I have not moved onto my favourite flip-flops yet today, but they’re coming.
I’ve already set out my business in my head and gotten the plan for the café onto paper. To be honest, the blueprint is already there. It just needs updating and new life breathing into it. But I need Christy on board, and intend to woo her later in the day.
Beavering away all morning, the time flies by. My baby, the best alarm clock ever, tells me it’s time for lunch.
I head into the dining room to see it’s full of senior managers and their families. My blood pressure simmers as I watch them eatO’Clerysprofits. Fixing a placid expression on my face, I smile through their lunch. The devil in me urges them to enjoy it like it’s The Last Supper. Your lunch days are numbered, boys. But I smile at everyone and join in on the compliments, ensuring the chef the family pays for is praised to high heaven.
Lunchtime over for the majority of the senior managers, Jonno comes in with Marshall. Marshall picks at the leftovers while Jonno piles pasta onto his plate. He sits next to me, grinning and asking if I’ve had a productive morning, and listens intently to my answers, asking questions about the company, my project, and my thoughts on improvement. He’s so attentive, so interested in me and everything O’Clery.
Marshall takes out his lunch to go find Daddy, bidding me farewell for the afternoon. “We’re off to look at a new horse. But don’t tell your mother. Or Maggie,” he adds as an afterthought, grinning at me and tapping his nose. He and Daddy are incorrigible. I thinkO’Cleryswould have been a lot more fun for Daddy if Marshall would have stayed in Ireland.
Jonno snorts out a laugh as Marshall leaves. “Speaking of horses, I’ve been to the old stables this morning. Looking to see if you could use it for an extension of the café. Maybe an event space. Corporate days, that sort of thing. It’s an amazing collection of buildings, ripe for development.” His face is deadpan as he tells me, strictly business.
I turn to speak to him, when three of the women from the office staff come into the dining room, clearly intending to have lunch. My head swivels round, taking them in. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are we feeding the office staff as well now? And not even senior staff. These three I’m sure are account reps, and maybe personal assistants. But I’m not even sure.
Jonno sees my face and grins. He can see I’m gobsmacked. What the hell has it come to? Not that I begrudge anyone a meal, but this is so out of hand it’s unreal.
To be honest, the women look absolutely shocked atseeing me, and also a little bit guilty. They force smiles and go sit at the other end of the table from Jonno and I.
“Not long now, Rua, and you can dump this lot,” he says quietly, nodding his head towards the three women scoffing my food down. “Shall I tell you what I found in the old stables?”
I’m distracted by the women all chatting about how quiet the business is, how little work there is, and what sites they’re busy trawling for clothes instead of trying to make money forO’Clerys. I’m totally earwigging as I feel his hand touch my knee. I don’t react, thinking he’s trying to get my attention. But then it moves higher.
What the hell is he doing? He’s started describing the bricks, but his voice has changed. It’s lower, more husky. My attention is all over the place. My head on a pivot, down at his hand, up at the women talking. I feel his hand move up the inside of my thigh.
“I like to be very thorough in my examinations.” His voice starts to win out in the competition for my attention. Honey on chocolate, the flow like golden lava. “I especially like to make sure everything is as I expect it to be.”
He’s carrying on eating, whereas I have frozen. No way is he going to check if I’m wearing knickers.
I glance over at him sharply. “I think you’ll find things exactly as they should be. Things in place, the traditional methods are always the best. No drafts,” I state cockily.
