Stronger with You (With You Trilogy) (12 page)

I smiled at her and she gave me a tight-lipped, fake smile in reply.

“Girlfriend?” She withdrew slightly, obviously surprised.

“Yes, girlfriend,” Jason confirmed, his hands still wrapped around me possessively.

Shana eyed me suspiciously, her gaze travelling up and down my body as if she was inspecting a mouldy yoghurt at the back of the fridge. She didn’t comment further but her shock was evident on her face.

Sensing the discomfort in the air, Grayson stepped in. “You coming to the pub tonight, Shana?” He asked, stressing the word pub in an exaggerated English accent, which sounded odd rolling off his American tongue.

I giggled at him and he winked at me.

“Wouldn’t miss it. Are you going straight there?” She asked, her eyes flicking back to Jason briefly.

“I’ve gotta head back home and get changed, but I’ll be there in half an hour.”

“Yeah, we’ve got to swing back to Jamie’s as well. We’ll be there about the same time.”

“Okay, I’ll see you there,” she said, glancing back and forth between the guys and ignoring me.

***

Jason kept his hand on my back as he guided me through the pub to the table at the back where everyone else was sitting. I took a seat next to Jenks, and Jason asked me what I wanted to drink.

“Water please,” I blinked up at him.

Jason closed his eyes briefly before answering me. “Juice or pop, baby,” he apologised.

I clenched my teeth and took a second to calm myself before answering. This was part of Jason’s ‘fatten-Jamie-up’ plan. I wasn’t allowed to drink anything calorie free and it was driving me mad. I liked water. I didn’t drink it just to stay thin.

“Juice, please,” I grumbled.

He smiled and kissed me on the cheek. He knew I didn’t like it but I’d promised to let him help me for a couple of weeks and I knew how much it meant to him.

“Here you go, little squirrel,” Jason grinned, placing my juice down in front of me. He had a coke for himself.

“Thanks,” I beamed, accepting my juice.

“I ordered us some food,” he said, his eyes scanning my expression. He was probably worried I was about to complain again. I couldn’t blame him, I’d been complaining all week, but I’d been eating what I was told for the most part.

I nodded in response. I was a little tired from the running and not in the mood to argue, besides, I knew he was doing it for my sake.

“Hey, by the way,” I turned to him, slipping my hand up the front of his polo shirt. “Were you speaking another language with Hasim?”

“Yes,” he raised his eyebrow at me as though he was surprised I was asking.

“I didn’t know you were bilingual,” I frowned at him.

“I’m not,” he grinned. “I only speak a bit of Arabic.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t really important, but it was important to me.

“How come?” I asked, running my fingers through his happy trail.

He grinned at me and pulled my hand out of his shirt, giving me the knowing look that said I was being a naughty girl. I pouted playfully and settled for putting my hand on his knee.

“Believe it or not, I used to hate all things cardio,” he said, his voice a little quieter so only I would hear.

“Pfft!” I scoffed. I highly doubted it.

“It’s true,” he smiled his million dollar smile and my insides melted a bit. “I was only into martial arts and fighting. I hated the running and stuff at first.”

“Okay,” I urged him to continue, finding it hard to picture.

“I couldn’t run outside because I’d have to leave Benji on his own so I used the treadmill at the gym and he read his books and did his homework while I ran,” he continued. “I hate treadmills, they’re so mind numbingly boring. I tried listening to music and audio books but it didn’t help. Eventually, I started listening to linguaphones and language courses. It gave my brain something to do whilst my body was getting a work out,” he shrugged again.

“So you learnt Arabic?” I asked.

“And Swedish,” he nodded.

“Interesting mixture,” I laughed.

“Why, thank you,” he teased. “I’m glad you approve.”

I giggled at him and took a swig of my orange juice. “I feel like I should know this already,” I said sadly, looking up and studying his handsome face. Jason knew me better than anyone,
how much more is there about him that I don’t know?

“Sorry, baby,” he looked a little remorseful. “It never came up.”

“I need to know you better,” I said firmly.

“You know me well enough,” he said.

“I could never know you well enough,” I answered with a knowing grin.

“We’ve had this conversation before,” he smirked.

“We have,” I nodded. “And I seem to remember you pinned me to the bed to try and get information out of me.”

“I did,” he gave me his cheeky grin.

“I might try pinning you to the bed and giving you the same treatment,” I threatened.

He leaned closer to me so he could whisper in my ear. “We both know that’s not going to happen.”

“Why not?” I pouted.

“Because if you did pin me down, it’d only be because I was letting you,” he answered, eyes sparkling mischievously.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, confused.

“Never mind, baby,” he chuckled. “Give it a try one day.”

I was about to start protesting but the waitress chose that exact moment to place our food in front of us and I had to drop our private conversation to eat my veggie burger.

“Jason! Pool?” Grayson shouted from the other end of the table once we were done eating.

Jason nodded down at him and turned to me. “Want to come and play?”

“I have to go to the bathroom, I’ll join you in a bit,” I smiled.

He kissed me before getting up to join Grayson and a few others at the pool table. I watched him grin as he talked to them and smiled to myself. Riddles aside, it was nice to learn something new about Jason. I knew he wasn’t good at opening himself up but considering how much time we spent together - and how intimate we’d been – I really ought to have known everything about him.
I want to know everything about him
.

I closed the cubicle door behind me and looked over to the sinks. I was surprised to see Shana there, touching up her thick coating of foundation. The way she was looking at me via the mirror told me she was waiting for me.

I looked up at her and smiled politely as I went to wash my hands.
This is awkward, what does she want?
I scrubbed my hands quickly and went to grab some paper towels to dry off but she stepped in front of me.

“So, you’re Jason’s girlfriend?” She sneered, looking down at me from the pedestal set by her ridiculously high heels. She was smiling but it wasn’t a kind smile. It was the sort of smile a predator had when it had its prey cornered and knew it was about to have dinner.

“I am,” I answered quietly.
Why did that sound so weak?
I hated myself for being intimidated by this woman.

She snorted with apparent amusement and walked around me as if she was inspecting a used car. I was offended but found my feet glued to the floor. She made me uneasy.

“I best get back,” I mumbled, forcing my feet to move me to the door.

She quickly stepped in front of me, standing uncomfortably close. Her large breasts could have functioned as a shelf for my chin. Her sickly sweet perfume permeated the air around us.

“I wonder,” she started, reaching back and pulling my hair bobble gently away from my head. “Why Jason’s even interested in you.”

“Excuse me?” My head snapped up and I reached out to reclaim my hair bobble, but she dropped it to the floor.

“You’re not his usual type,” she shrugged, running her fingers through my hair. It was more than creepy. I took a step back, straight into the wall, but she took a step closer, effectively trapping me.

“You’re not even close to Jason Reed’s type,” she said simply. It sounded more as though she was thinking aloud than talking to me, as though I was just an inanimate object in her presence.

I watched her eyes travel up and down my body again and registered the disgust on her face.

“How old are you anyway?” She sneered. “You don’t look old enough to be at university.”

I didn’t answer her, my temper was boiling. I couldn’t believe a complete stranger was talking to me like this.

“It doesn’t matter,” she shrugged, taking a step back. “He doesn’t love you, you’re just a play thing to him. He’ll be done with you soon and be back to playing with the grown-ups.”

I felt the grin on my face before I heard the laughter slip out of me. I shocked myself but the whole thing was more than laughable. Until that point, I’d pathetically allowed her to intimidate me but she’d revealed herself now. She was just jealous.

“Oh, he loves me,” I smiled, bending down to scoop up my hair bobble. “And he doesn’t have a type any more. I’m all he wants.”

She looked shocked and I took my moment of triumph, sweeping past her and exiting the bathrooms with my head held high.

I bet she was expecting the last comment to hurt me, but it was exactly what I needed to reinforce my resolution to stand up for myself. I knew Jason loved me. I knew that fact as strongly as I knew that I loved him. Nobody would go through what Jason went through with my brothers if they weren’t completely and utterly besotted.

I knew Jason had a history, I bet he even had a history with Shana, but I wasn’t going to let that affect us. Sure, it bothered me, but what’s done is done. Jason was with me now. That was all that mattered. She may have shared his body many moons ago but I was the only girl who had ever shared his mind and soul.

“There you are, little squirrel,” Jason grinned, pulling me into him and kissing my forehead. “I need some of that luck you’re always giving Craig. I’m getting my ass kicked here.”

I giggled at that. “Craig doesn’t need my luck, he trains harder than anyone.”

“I don’t know,” Jason frowned. “He’s a little too good for that to be true.”

“I’ll tell him you said that,” I threatened. We both knew I wouldn’t.

“Bring it,” Jason grinned. “Just give me a couple of weeks to get back into fighting form.”

I shook my head at him with amusement.
I love playful Jason
. I stood by his side as he played. My luck clearly wasn’t that good because he still lost the game.

“You can’t be good at everything, Jason,” I smiled, consoling him as he came away from the table looking like a toddler who’d had his Lego stolen.

“Want a reminder of what I am good at?” He winked, pushing himself against me and grabbing my ass with both hands.

“Perv,” I teased, kissing the gap between his clavicles. “I’m more than aware of what you’re good at.”

He pouted adorably and I smiled sweetly up at him. “But you’re very welcome to remind me when we get home.”

“Let’s go then,” he urged, nudging me away from the pool table.

“Jason, you’re up!” Hasim shouted.

“You’re out of luck,” I teased, pushing back away from him.

“Tell me about it,” he grumbled, cupping my chin to kiss me again before returning to the pool table.

I watched him gleefully, enjoying the sight of his taught behind as he bent over to make a shot. He glanced back at me and caught me staring.

“Angling for a picture again?” He grinned and I blushed in response.

I ignored him and watched him make the shot, laughing when he missed completely. “Sorry,” I apologised, putting my hand over my mouth to stifle my giggles.

He sauntered over to me and wrapped his hands around my waist. “More of that and I’ll have to give you a good spanking when we get home,” he warned, his eyes dancing.

I gaped at him and he kissed my cheek with a smirk and got back to his game, leaving me alone with the clenching deep down in my stomach.

I was contemplating demanding Jason take me home right there and then when I saw Shana approaching with Lottie. Shana shot me a smug grin, apparently having recovered her composure since the bathroom incident.

“You best take a bit longer lining up that shot, Jason,” Shana cooed from the side, obviously appreciating his behind as much as I did.

Jason looked up and gave her a smile but I thought it looked a little forced. Shana, however, seemed satisfied.

“How was Canada, Shana?” Grayson asked.

“It was great, I’m almost sad to be back,” she fluttered her eyelashes.

“Almost?” Hasim grinned.

“The male stock is definitely better this side of the pond,” she cooed, her eyes flicking back to Jason as he stood up and let Hasim take his shot.

“Anything’s better than Canadians,” Grayson scoffed. “You’re all sorts of wrong though, girl. The all-American dream is standing right in front of you and I’ll give you a better ride than any stuck-up British beater.”

“What are you doing here then?” I teased him.

“Because, oh tiny one, Shana has a point,” he said, shooting Shana a cocky grin. “British girls are hot.”

“Don’t forget that most of them melt at your accent,” I beamed at him.

“And there’s that,” he laughed.

“Men,” I rolled my eyes at him.

“That’s enough of that,” Jason grinned, pulling Grayson away from me. “Go melt some other girl before I teach you a new use for this pool cue.”

“Jason,” I scolded him. “We were just kidding about.” I laughed as he wrapped his arm around me.

“Just marking you as my own, baby,” he said with a seductive smile.

I coughed slightly and looked into his eyes to see them burning back at me. We both knew what he was referring to and it was bringing heat to my cheeks.

“It’s been so long since I played,” Shana pouted, coming closer to Jason. “Mind showing me how?” She rested her hand on his arm. An act of over-familiarity that I didn’t like at all.

“Sorry, darlin’,” he shrugged, subtly pulling his arm away to put his hand in his pocket as he tightened his other arm around me. “I gotta get this one home. We have to be up early.”

I couldn’t deny that I was pleased with Jason’s response. I was also very pleased to see the look of disappointment on Shana’s face before she recovered her fake smile and recommenced fluttering her eyelashes.