Dirty Bad Strangers (26 page)

“What are you suggesting?”

She leaned in close. “All I’m saying, Mr Redfern, is I think Miss Taylor would make a wonderful face for a
true love conquers all
campaign. Everyone loves a happy ever after, Mr Redfern. Everyone.” She smiled. “Even me.”

“You think the media would let us rest easy? I don’t want to drag Gemma through more of this crap, Caroline. She’s too good for that.”

“I’m sure we could work the media, but you would have to be prepared to sacrifice your house, or at least fight for it in court.”

The situation had never seemed clearer. “I don’t care about the house, April can have it.”

“Even better,” Caroline concluded. “Which strategy are we running with, Mr Redfern? I’ll action it as soon as you give the word.”

I think that was the first time I’d ever smiled in Gables’ offices. It felt good.

***

April was out at her own PR meeting, followed by some crappy cocktail party with Veronica Ashdown to lay the woe is me foundations, no doubt. I dragged the paperwork from the desk drawer, pleased to find all the little sticky notes still in place. It made it easy to whizz through and sign the lot of them. I dumped it in plain view on the kitchen worktop, and wandered around the house for the last time.

So many memories, most of them shit. It was difficult to feel any remorse at leaving, even taking into account the massive loss of capital.

I threw my clothes in a holdall, the ones I’d need, the picture of my dad, too. I bagged up toiletries and essential paperwork, my laptop as well. The rest could wait.

I took time for one more task before I packed the car. I logged into Twitter and Facebook, ignoring the billion notifications.

One simple status update said it all.

#SupportGemma
.

This time I didn’t stop at Steve’s to switch cars. My route was straight, determined. I nearly took out three huddled journalists as I swung the Range into Gemma’s yard. The headlights lit up their wide eyes, like ghosts, and I laughed at their horror, laughing harder at their scrabble to grab their camera gear. They snapped away as I slung my holdall over my shoulder, flashes lighting up the yard. I even gave them a wave as I pressed the intercom. No answer.

I stepped back to check the windows. The lights were on upstairs, I caught a flash of red curls by the kitchen sink, but they didn’t seem to linger.

“Gemma!”

She didn’t hear me, but the journalists did. They were already on their phones, spreading the news no doubt. I scrabbled around for a stone. It made one hell of a bang as it hit the window. Gemma’s face pressed to the glass, and I could see she was angry, even in the shadows. I waved, a proper football wave, arms above my head as she stared down into the yard. She pushed open the window with a creak.

“Jason?!”

She darted away and a buzz sounded, followed by the clicking of the lock. I gave the journalists one last smile before I left them outside, and it was a winner.

***

Gemma

I was in a daze, a crazy, ridiculous daze. I shot through the flat, arriving at the door in a blink and swinging the door wide, to watch my dirty bad stranger coming up the staircase. He had a smile, a huge smile, and a huge fucking holdall. Oh my God.

“Jason? I thought you were...”

This time there was no fence between us. He dropped his bag to the floor, taking my face in his hands as I stared up at him. His hands were cold against my burning cheeks.

“Change of plan, Gemma,” he said with a glint in eyes that were dark and brooding. “I’m yours, dirty girl. If you want me, that is.”

“You’re staying?!” Butterflies cartwheeled in my stomach. My breath hitched.

He took my hands, squeezed them gently. “If you’ll have me. I know you’re not keen on the domestic shit.”

“What about the house? And April?”

“I signed the house over. And I don’t give a shit about April. She’s screwed me for long enough. I’m out.”

I couldn’t stop grinning. “You’re free? Really free?”

“Really. And it feels so good, Gemma. I feel good … lighter. No more burdens.”

“But the press? Imagine what they’ll do when this gets out.”

“I know what they’ll do, Gemma, and they’ll have my blessing.”

His eyes, so dark, so knowing; and that smile so confident, as if he was savouring a personal victory. “What do you mean, Jason? Don’t you care?”

“More than ever.” He stepped back to the landing and stared down into the dark yard, and when he shouted to the paparazzi and invited them up, my legs started shaking. He came back inside and pressed the buzzer to let them in.
I made to back away but he held out a hand. “Don’t hide away, Gemma. I want the world to see.”

My heart was racing as footsteps ran up the stairs. He stepped back to my side, held my hand.

“Jason, what the …”

But it was too late for objections. Three grinning paps, wrapped in big coats and woolly hats, cameras poised. The one in the middle with hair as red as mine and a thick beard to match smiled right at me. “Miss Taylor, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Malcolm. You can call me Malc.”

Jason held up a hand. “Guys. I’ll make this quick. I’d like you to meet my girl, Gemma Taylor.”

“Your girl? What about your wife, Mr Redfern?” ginger Malc said.

His girl?
Holy shit. I was shaking all over. Jason must have felt it because he let go of my hand and brought his arm around my shoulders, hugging me to him. “If she’ll have me, that is.”

“And your wife, Mr Redfern?” Malc pushed.

“We’ll be getting a divorce. She can have the house as compensation. All I want is Gemma Taylor. My beautiful girl.”

I could have fainted. The paps all gasped at once, raised their cameras, and the flashes went off like a disco. I was smiling, though. Definitely smiling.

“Thank you, Mr Redfern, and thank you, Gemma Taylor,” ginger Malc said after Jason held up a hand once more and the flashes stopped.

All three wished us luck before they galloped off into the night. In my mind I saw the papers reeling hot off the press. “Jesus, Jason, what the hell have you done?”

He pushed the door and it swung shut with a click. “Just told the truth,” he said, taking me in his arms.

A cough from the kitchen doorway made me jump. Tessa – Shit! I’d forgotten all about Tessa.

“Tessa, meet Jason – Jason this my good friend, Tessa.”

“No introductions necessary,” she said. “I watched your game the other week. My first one.” She cast her eyes to the holdall on the floor. “I guess you’re staying?”

Jason looked awkward, strangely self-conscious. “If that’s ok?”

“If you can get Gemma smiling again you can stay as long as you want.”

“I promise you, she’ll be smiling again,” Jason said.

“Great,” Tessa said, “then I’ll leave you to it. I have to nip out for a while.” She took her coat from the back of the kitchen chair, shrugged it on. I’ll be a few hours.”

“Tessa, you don’t have to,” I said. “Honestly.”

She smirked. “Nah, it’s ok. I think you guys deserve a little alone time. I’ve got some research to do, knock yourselves out.”

She flashed us both a winning smile and was out of the door in a jiffy.

“You have an ace friend,” Jason said, his lips heading for mine.

“She’s the best.”

He kissed me.

“Jason, what did you mean, what you said to the paps, about telling the truth.”

He sighed, seemed to collect himself. “I’ve learned a lot, Gemma. And I have you to thank for that. From now on there’ll be no more smoke and mirrors. No more putting on a show. No more pleasing the sponsors or keeping up appearances. Only the truth.”

“Which is?”

His arms came around me, pulled me to him, my breasts tight to his chest. “Which is whatever it is.”

“That’s a riddle.”

“It’s no riddle. You and me, Gemma. We fit. You make me stronger, better, happier. And I hope I can return the same to you; hope we can … you know, be happy, enjoy life, together.”

“And the truth is to face up to it, whatever the consequences?”

“Something like that.” He brushed a hand through my hair, brought my face to his, kissed me again. “I’m sorry, Gemma. Sorry for all the shit you’ve been through.”

I slipped a hand through his open shirt, felt his heart beating strong and steady against my fingers. “It’s going to be all right, isn’t it?”

“Yes it is,” he said.

I relaxed into him, held the moment, felt his warmth flowing into me as he kissed my hair.

“Jason?”

“Yeah?”

“We have a few hours. Alone.” I looked up at his beautiful face. Eyes dark but alive. Lips full and wanting. “Shall we?”

“I want you,” he said. “I want my dirty girl.” His hands were in my hair, his lips against mine, his tongue probing and hot. Hot and hungry.

He smiled as he pulled away, and I was grinning, almost laughing, and we stared at each other for a century or more, at least that’s how it felt.

I grabbed his belt, pulling him toward the bedroom. “I want to wake up with you...” I breathed.

“Me too,” he said.

“I want to eat dinner with you...”

“I want to eat
you
,” he said.

“I
want
you to eat me,” I heeled the bedroom door and dragged him inside.

Oh shit.
The ache, the warm glow between my legs. My hands scrabbled under his shirt, grappling for his flesh. His mouth was so hot, so fucking wet, his tongue chasing mine in a horny game of fucking tag. His hands grabbed at my ass, squeezed hard, kneading soft flesh until I squirmed.
Oh fuck.
My fingers wrestled at his belt, eyes wide open as he took my bottom lip between his teeth. I moaned as he nipped me.

He picked me up and slammed me on the bed so hard it took my breath away. He pulled at my clothes until I was naked, a tumble of curls and goose pimples.

He moaned in my ear. “Don’t think things are any different, dirty girl. The games just get dirtier from here on in.”

“I hope that’s a promise.”

“It’s a promise.”

I smiled up at him. “Now I have my eyes, I want to use them. Strip for me. I want to see you.”

“And what gorgeous eyes they are. You are beautiful, my dirty girl.” He stood at the side of the bed, and I slid my fingers between my thighs as he unbuttoned his shirt. His body, oh my God, his body. He was ripped, a wall of solid muscle, perfectly toned, and his tattoos, dark sketches of icons, beautiful faces, and rosaries... I stared at him, legs falling open as I rubbed at my clit.

“Yes...” I whispered. “You’re gorgeous, Jason... so gorgeous...”

He turned away enough that I could see the tattoos continue over his shoulders in a swirl of dragon claws and tendrils. His back was sculpted, flesh tight and hard, and his arms... he had fucking gorgeous arms...

“Does this match the fantasy?” he asked.

“It surpasses the fantasy...”

He loosened his belt, dropping his jeans just enough to reveal the dented V of his hips. Sweet fucking Jesus.

“More...” I hissed. “Show me...”

He kicked off his shoes and socks, then dropped his jeans to the floor, his boxers too. His cock was a weapon, meaty and veiny with a thick nest of hair at the base. He stroked himself as I watched, the swollen head of his dick high on his belly.

“No wonder I could feel that...” I moaned.

“You’ll feel it again real fucking soon, dirty girl.”

His legs were rock solid, every muscle defined. Footballers’ legs. He turned for me and my mouth watered at the perfect tight curves of his ass. “Spread them,” I whispered. “I want to see your asshole, Jason, I want to taste you.”

He raised an eyebrow, smiled at me. “Dirty girl. It’s no wonder I fell for you.”

I held myself up on my elbows as he turned his back to me, my heart thumping against my breasts. He placed his hands on his perfect cheeks and pulled them apart. Oh, God. A gorgeous dark ring, dark hair mapping a path to his balls. He was fucking beautiful.

He turned back around and knelt on the bed beside me, close enough to slap his cock against my nipple. “I want to fuck your sweet tits, dirty girl.”

I moved away with a tut, reaching under the bed to grab the shackles. “May I?”

He laughed. “You want to tie me up?”

“Yes please... a one-off... maybe... I just want you, however I want you...”

He held out his wrists. I loved the way the leather cuffed his skin so tight. He lay back on the bed, staring up at my tits as I fastened him to the headboard. He was mine, all mine.

“Sit on my face, Gemma, I want your juicy cunt all over my mouth.”

“Soon,” I whispered. I straddled his perfect fucking body, pressing his cock tight to his stomach with my pubic bone. I rocked in gentle motions, loving his stiffness against me. My hands were all over him, kneading solid flesh. “Open wide,” I rasped, leaning forward to aim a nipple at his hungry mouth. He sucked it in, eyes wide open as he moaned. “More,” I hissed. “Take more.”

He opened wider, sucking in as much of my tit as he could and all the while I teased his dick with my pussy lips, touching against it, sliding back and forth. His scent was incredible, musky but citrus fresh and oh so fucking horny. It hit me in the temples, making me dizzy. He smelled so fucking good.

“Harder,” I groaned. “Suck me, Jason, fucking suck me.”

He let go, took a gasp of breath, then moved to my other nipple, sucking it in hard. I loved the noises his mouth made, loved the sound of his chains jangling.

I pulled away and he growled as I shuffled my way up his body, bracing myself against the headboard as I lowered my hot, wet pussy onto his open mouth. His tongue wriggled and squirmed, and I twitched on top of him as he slurped at my juices.

“Oh fuck, Jason, yes, yes. yes!”

His mouth was magic, humming and slurping and nipping as I rode his face. My generous thighs pinned his head tight, no escape, not that he seemed to want one. I let him take a breath, raising myself from his face just enough. He used the opportunity.

“Ride my fucking cock, dirty girl. Ride it fucking hard. I want to see your gorgeous juicy slit take me all the way in. You want that, don’t you? Fuck me, dirty girl! Fuck me!”

I arched my back. “Yes...”

“I want you to ride me fucking dry, Gemma. I want to feel you push all the way onto me. I want to feel your tight little hole sliding up and down on my cock.”

I eased myself onto his meaty prick, letting out a moan as he pushed his ass from the bed and slid all the way inside. “Fuck, that’s deep.”

“Work that pussy, Gemma. I want your fingers in there with me.”

“Fingers!?”

“Yes,” he grunted. “Let me feel those fingers, Gemma, I want them inside.”

I could barely reach, managing just one finger alongside his fat dick. It burned, stretched tight. “Good girl, look at me.”

I stared at his face, eyes glazed. “Yes...”

“Slide another finger in that tight, wet cunt and come for me. I don’t care if it hurts, dirty girl, I want you to take it and I want you to come for me.”

“Oh God, Jason...”

“Do it, Gemma...” I groaned as I pushed another finger in, it hurt... but it felt so fucking hot. I wriggled on him, fingers pressing against his cock as it pulsed inside me. “Come on, dirty girl. Let me watch you come.”

I worked my fingers harder, crying out as a knuckle pushed against the perfect spot. Wet noises from between my thighs, but it was all so fucking horny.

I circled my clit with my free hand, spiralling towards the edge. “God, yes... please, Jason, don’t stop...”

“I’m not going anywhere, dirty girl, the night is young.”

I shuddered as I came, clamping his cock tight inside. He begged me for my tits, and I smothered him as I came down, loving the way he suckled on my nipples.