Always with You (WIth You Trilogy) (30 page)

“Jamie,” Jason frowned.

“Xander’s already lectured me,” I sighed. “I know it was stupid. I should have stuck to populated areas at this time of night.”

“Or gone to the gym,” he mumbled disapprovingly, giving me his no nonsense, firm look.

“I know,” I pouted. “I’m sorry.”

“You are too adorable,” he sighed, kissing my pout away. “How come you called Xander?”

“I dunno,” I frowned, hoping he wasn’t offended. “Kinda forgot he wasn’t my bodyguard any more.”

Jason laughed. “
He was good at it.”

I realised he wasn’t offended at all and breathed a sigh of relief. I
liked Xander because he was good at his job, respected my brother, and he didn’t take any crap. Jason obviously shared my sentiment.

“But I’m the only one allowed to guard your body, right?” He wiggled his eyebrows at me in a comical fashion and I laughed.

“You can do anything you like to my body,” I replied, only half-joking.

“Damn straight,” he beamed, rewarding me with a heated kiss and groaning slightly when he pulled away. “This day just gets better and better.”

“Oh?” I asked curiously. “You’re having a good day?”

“Every day with you is a good day, little squirrel,” he answered fondly.

“Cheesy,” I smiled, kissing his cheek softy.

“Today was extra good, though,” he continued, ignoring my playful jibe.

“What happened?” I beamed, glad that Jason was so happy.

“My thesis supervisor came to talk to me today about my work.”

I shuffled in his lap so that I could give him my full attention. I could see this was important to him. With my nakedness forgotten, I wrapped my arms around his neck and listened.

“The University has been approached by quite a few multinationals interested in my work.”

“Wow,” I answered, slightly awed. I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant but it sounded impressive.

“The head of department apparently forwarded round my proposal and there were a few bites,” he continued.

“What does that mean?” I asked curiously.

“It means I have a few job offers for when I have my doctorate,” he smiled.

“Really?” I bounced excitedly. “That’s great, Jason. You must be so chuffed.”

“Sort of,” he shrugged. “Mostly it’s just nice to know that other people
are interested in my work.”

“That’s because you’re a genius,” I kissed him proudly. “Were there any offers you wanted to take up?”

“Not really,” he said, studying my face. It looked like he was chewing something over.

“What is it?” I frowned, stroking my palm over his slight stubble.

“The pay is insane. Far too many digits insane,” he explained.

“So?” I didn’t understand. He didn’t look happy about it all. It seemed like the sort of thing he should be happy about.

“If I accepted one of those jobs, I could take care of you. I could get you whatever you wanted.” He looked so serious, so genuine.

“I already have everything I ever wanted, Jason,” I admonished him slightly. “That shouldn’t have anything to do with which job you take. You should take a job that will make you happy.

“What if the job that makes me happy won’t let me take care of you the way I want?” He asked carefully.

“I take it back. You’re not a genius. You’re veering towards idiot,” I shook my head in disbelief and was rewarded by a slight smile on Jason’s part.

“No refunds,” he smirked. “You can’t send me back because you only just realised. That’s all on you.”

I laughed and cupped his face in both hands, making sure I had his full attention. “Jason Reed. I want you and o
nly you. I don’t need fancy cars, designer clothes, or a big house. I need you, oxygen, and possible instant noodles to survive. That is everything.”

“But-”

“But nothing,” I cut him off with a finger to the lips. “I want you to do what makes you happy.”

A broad grin broke out on his handsome face behind the finger I was still pressing to his soft lips. “You mean that?”

“Of course I mean that. Don’t make me call you an idiot again,” I warned him.

He pulled me tight to his chest, burying his face in my neck. His hot breath tickled my sensitive skin as he told me over and over again how much he loved me and how perfect I was. I pulled him up for a kiss when I sensed my ego was getting too large.

“Tell me about the job offers,” I smiled. I wanted to know which one of them he was interested in. It sounded like maybe it was the one that paid less but I honestly couldn’t have cared less. It wasn’t like I wanted to be rich and sleep every night on a mound of money. Happiness was enough for me. A roof over my head and the occasional meal would be nice too, but that didn’t require a lot of money.

“They’re all the same,” he shrugged.

I eyed him curiously, waiting for him to elaborate.

“Well, not the same. Obviously they’re different but I mean it’s all the same to me. I don’t want to work for any of them.”

I studied him for a while longer, trying to work out what was going on in that beautiful head of his. He’d had over a year’s practice at reading my mind. I was still working on reading my control-loving, possessive alpha’s brain.

“You don’t want to work for anybody do you?” I asked as the pieces slot into place.

He blinked at me in surprise, as though he hadn’t expected me to say anything.

“You want to work for yourself.” I affirmed. It was logical. Jason liked control. He hadn’t been able to control his environment as a child and it had hurt him badly. He didn’t want to give anybody power over him again and I understood that.

“I want to start my own company,” he nodded, a slightly awed look in his eye.

“Then that’s what you’ll do,” I smiled. I’d do anything to help him meet his goals.

“The twins have a business degree between them, I’m sure they can give you a few pointers when you get started.” I never knew which one of them had which degree. I was pretty sure they switched places the whole time they were at university.

“Are you serious?” Jason arched
his brow at me.

I frowned. “Of course, I doubt they’d say no.”

“No, I mean, you seriously don’t mind if I start my own company?”

“Of course not,” I chuckled, tempted to call him out on his idiocy again.

“I won’t have much money for a while, Jamie. I don’t know how long it will take me to get set up.”

“Idiot,” I mumbled burying my face in his neck to kiss him.

“And we might have to live in a tiny box of an apartment,” he continued.

“Idiot,” I continued up to the spot behind his ear.

“I’ll be working really long hours.”

“Idiot,” I whispered, right in his ear.

“You really don’t mind?” He asked disbelievingly.

I opened my mouth to call him an idiot again but he silenced me this time.

“I get it, I get it,” he grinned. “I’m an idiot.”

I nodded, smiling against his finger.

“You know what though?” He prompted, cupping my face and bringing my lips close to his. “I’m an idiot that fucking loves you.”

Sunday
, 15th December 2013

Sneaking up on Danny in the kitchen, I
reached up and flicked the back of his ear.

“Ow! What the fuck?” He growled, spinning around and levelling me with a glare.

“Stop eating the biscuits, they’re for Christmas!” I glared back.

With the autumn term finally over, Jason, Adam, and I were back in Derby with my family and I’d been fully absorbed in the festive baking for the past week. Jason had become my kitchen assistant and I was loving getting to spend more time with him after a busy couple of months of academia.

“You flicked me,” Danny growled, pulling my thoughts back to the moment at hand and away from thoughts of my sexy kitchen helper.

“You ate my biscuits!” I returned
, not backing down.

“You can make more,” he grumbled, shuffling away from the biscuits and looking
appropriately chastised.

I grinned at him and moved to put the rest of the biscuits into a tub before the others demolished them. I’d become adept at finding hiding places for the Christmas baking over the years but they usually managed to find a few of them.

“Where you putting these ones, Jelly?” Matt smirked, eyes locked on the tub in my hands.

“In the cupboard under the stairs?” Rick chimed in. “It was kind of full down there so we made some space for you.”

I rolled my eyes with my back to them. I hadn’t expected the ones there to last very long. I was hoping that finding them would be enough to keep the scavengers from looking for the others.

“
Or in the glove box in my car?” Ian chuckled.

I cursed inwardly. I totally hadn’t expected them to find those ones. He didn’t drive the car, just tweaked and fiddled with it.

I sighed loudly and turned to face them all. They looked far too pleased with themselves. “You do realise that if you eat them all, I’m not going to bake any more.”

Matt scoffed. “Empty threats.”

I scowled at him and turned away again, determined to hide this set of biscuits somewhere they wouldn’t find them before Christmas.

“I’d offer our house for hiding,” Elise smiled, following me down the stairs to the den with Grace in her arms. “But they wouldn’t last five minutes with Karl around.”

“I know,” I sighed wistfully. “They’re hopeless, the lot of them.”

Elise watched me with a grin on her face as I moved all of the magazines out of the box on the floor and put the biscuits on the bottom before replacing the magazines. I raised a hopeful eyebrow at Elise, wondering if she’d approve of the hiding place and she shrugged her shoulders back. She was right, they’d probably find them but I’d worry about that later
.

“They sound like they’re really going at it,” Elise said, looking in the direction of the gym. We could hear what I assumed was Jason and Karl sparring behind the closed door.

Elise winked at me before making her way to the gym and I followed. I wasn’t about to miss out on hot and sweaty, semi-naked Jason, even if it meant risking seeing him getting beaten on.

I wasn’t quite prepared for what I saw though. I’d expected to see Jason and Karl working together, and they were, but Jake was in the mix too. It looked like Jason and Jake were both attacking Karl and he was fending off their blows.

Karl’s face was locked in concentration as he worked to block, dodge, and evade the two of them. Jason was smirking and Jake’s brow was furrowed as he nipped in and out between the two of them and tried to catch Karl unawares.

“What are they doing?” I asked Adam who was sat watching and munching on a chocolate bar.

“I made the mistake of saying that all your brother’s macho bullshit would be useless if he got jumped by two guys in a bar,” Adam grinned.

“Macho
what?” Elise cut in, her nipple-twisting fingers twitching.

“He was joking, Elise,” I laughed.

“I was only winding him up,” Adam agreed. “But it’s chuffing awesome to watch.” His eyes followed the action on the mats excitedly.

I had to agree, Karl was holding his own even though it was two against one. They were only sparring but that didn’t mean Jason and Jake were taking it easy on him.

“’Tis a bit,” Elise agreed with a sly smile. “Look at Daddy go, Grace,” she cooed, lifting grace up and turning her round so that she was facing the action.

Karl let out a grunt as Jason caught his side with a roundhouse kick and Grace immediately began crying. The sound drew the attention of the three sweaty men and they looked to see what was happening.

I chucked towels in their general direction and Karl hastily dried off so that he could scoop up his daughter. His voice immediately became soft as he soothed her, rocking her back and forth in his arms.

I smiled happily, enjoying the softer side of
Karl. It was still taking some getting used to seeing him be so gentle in front of my brothers. Jake obviously agreed because he was looking at Karl like he had a screw loose.

“Hey, Jelly,” Jake grinned, an evil smirk on his face. “Come give your big brother a hug.”

I took one look at his overly sweaty torso and started backing away. “No, thanks.”

“Jelly,” he admonished. “That’s not very nice.” He began circling around, blocking my exit to the door. The evil look in his eye that I was so familiar with from our younger years was there but it was softer. It was more playful than hateful.

“Jake,” I warned, dodging behind Jason and using him as a human shield.

“Jelly,” he mocked, still moving closer.

I squealed and made a run for it, figuring I could make a circuit round the room and get back to the door but Jake had always been fast and he was already warmed up. He grabbed me just after I jumped a set of free weights and wrapped his gross, wet body around me.

I squeal
ed in protest. “Jake! You smell gross!”

“And you smell like biscuits,” he grinned back.

“Get off me,” I whined, sagging in surrender.

Jake sighed melodramatically. “I try to be a nice brother and give you a hug and this is the thanks I get.”

“Pfft,” I scoffed. “Thanks to you, I have to go shower and change.”

Jake winked and reclaimed his towel, not that he needed it now he’d wiped everything off on me. He looked happy though and it was nice to see so I wasn’t too mad at him. Although I’d rather not
have smelt like a sweaty man.

“Sorry, Jamie,” Jason grinned upon seeing me stomping in his direction. “Should I have stepped in?”

“No,” I laughed. “He was only messing.” I actually appreciated that he hadn’t. It meant he was relaxed enough around my brothers to let us mess around and he was beginning to trust that they wouldn’t really hurt me.

“You don’t want a hug from me either
, I take it?” He smiled, opening his arms up to me.

“Of course I do,” I laughed, catapulting myself into his arms. I was going to have to shower and change anyway. Besides, whilst Jake’s sweaty torso was repulsive to me, Jason’s would always be one of the sexiest sights on the planet. “None of you got hurt?” I asked, looking up to check his face for bruises or scuff marks.

“Nope,” he answered happily. “Was fun.”

Karl and Jake grunted in agreement and Karl handed Grace back to Elise so he could finish towelling off.

“She’s gonna need a bath now too,” Karl winked at Elise.

“So kind of you to offer,
darling,” Elise answered in an overly sweet voice. “Especially since it’s your fault.”

“It’s not my fault,” Karl pouted. Pouted. I don’t think I’d ever seen him pout
. “You’re the one who brought her down here.”

“Well she wouldn’t have been crying if you hadn’t gotten hit now, would she?” Elise quipped.

Karl sulked and relented. I found perverse enjoyment in watching Elise put Karl in his place. He quickly forgot his sulking when Grace grabbed onto his finger and gurgled contentedly.

Karl and Elise made their way back upstairs, leaving me with the others. Jason wrapped his arm round my waist and pulled me into his side whilst he guzzled down a bottle of water.

“What time is Craig getting back?” Adam prompted, chucking another bottle in Jake’s direction.

Jake caug
ht it in one hand and grinned cockily. “’Bout eight tonight.”

“Awesome,” Adam grinned, lifting himself up to sit on the edge of the worktop.

“How come?” I asked.

“He’s taking me and Jake out tonight,” Adam’s grin broadened.

“Why am I not invited?” Jason feigned hurt.

“You’re welcome to come but my sister might chop of
f your meat and potatoes,” Jake answered, looking far too pleased at the prospect.

“Why
? Where are you going?” I asked curiously.

“Cage girls are having a party, invite only,” Adam answered
with excited eyes.

I groaned in distaste, wishing I could scrub my brain clean of the mental images. I wrinkled my nose and Jason laughed, brushing over my nose with his finger.

“Craig wanted to go?” Jason asked, looking surprised.

“Not immediately,” Adam flashed his boy next door smile. “But we convinced him.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to face Jason. I didn’t love the idea of him going but I didn’t want to be the kind of girlfriend that told him what he could and couldn’t do. He made a conscious effort not to boss me around too much and I owed him the same.

“Do you want to go?” I asked anxiously. “I won’t be mad I promise,” I added, looking intently at his tattoo. “If you want to go and watch girls with big boobs, long legs, and tiny bikinis flounce around get drunk and throw themselves all over you then who am I to complain,” I mumbled under my breath. I bit my lip and winced guiltily, I wasn’t doing a very good job of being neutral about
it.

Jason just laughed an
d cupped my face in both hands. He brushed his lips against my forehead and pressed kisses to the small frown I’d developed between my eyebrows.

“Little squirrel,” he chuckled. “I have absolutely no interest in seeing that,” he reassured me. “However, if you want to slip on a bikini and prance around for me, I’d definitely let you throw yourself at me.”

“Dude!” Jake protested.

Adam just chuckled and I leant up on my tiptoes to kiss
Jason appreciatively. I loved the fact that I knew he meant his words.

When I’d showered and changed into clothes
that didn’t smell like sweaty men, I found Adam in the lounge watching ‘The Simpsons’.

“Hey,
shorty,” Adam grinned, gesturing for me to sit next to him. “Where’s your hip attachment?”

I laughed. “The twins stole him away from me.”

“Do I want to know what for?” He cocked his head.

“They’ve gone to pick up the tree and do some Christmas shopping,” I explained.

“Ah,” he nodded. “Then I get you all to myself.”

“Sucks to be you,” I teased and he winked.

He fit in so well with my family and it was great. He kept the twins happy and even Matt seemed to like him and he was usually perpetually grumpy. He got on great with everyone in my life because, to be honest, it was hard not to like him. When we went round to Alex’ house, his Mum fussed over him the whole time. It was adorable seeing him blush from the attention and I think Alex was just happy not to be her only victim.

“Hey, Adam?” I prompted, watching him brush his hair out of his eyes.

“Yeah?” He replied absently, only half listening because his eyes were focussed on the television.

I smiled softly at his zombie-like expression. “How come you never hit on me?”

He laughed and his head whipped round, giving me his full attention. “Are you serious?”

I nodded shyly, my cheeks burning. I just needed to know.

“You’re asking me within earshot of your brothers? Are you trying to get me killed?” He grinned.

“No, I was just curious,” I smiled bashfully.

“Alright,” he sighed, shifting so that we were sat cross-legged and facing each other. “So, remember the first day we moved in?”

I nodded. The twins and Craig had helped me and, if I remembered rightly, the twins had given all my male flatmates a “friendly warning” about keeping away from me.

“The twins made it quite clear that you were off limits,” he continued, smirking slightly. “But that just made you a challenge.”

I rolled my eyes at him. He was like a child being told he couldn’t have something only to
realise he really wanted it and throw a temper tantrum.

“So, I came to see you that night.”

“You did,” I frowned in confusion because all we’d done was chat and watch a film. I’d seen him work his magic on girls and he could usually get them naked within a few hours of meeting. He must not have tried very hard.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “
I figured my luck was in because – and I’m sure you’ve figured this out by now – you’re crazy hot!”