Stronger with You (With You Trilogy) (24 page)

Craig nodded and looked pretty pleased with himself. That was the closest to a compliment you could get from Ian and they were almost as few and far between as hearing him say please.

Ian clapped his hands and beckoned my brothers around. “We’re gonna play a game,” he grinned, looking down at me and winking. “First one to get Jelly to speak gets the last of the Ben & Jerry’s.”

My brothers all frowned and looked at Ian, trying to figure out if he was serious. Ice cream was a serious matter in the Carter household.

“That would be your cue to run and hide, Jelly,” Ian grinned at me.

I felt my eyes widen as I absorbed his words.
Run
. I sprinted out the door and up the stairs and heard my brothers thundering after me. I made for the kitchen and ducked in behind the island.

The twins found me first, I tried to put the island between us but they approached me from either side. They were both grinning and I giggled before I took a few steps back.

“We want that ice cream, Jelly,” Rick stage whispered.

I contemplated speaking straight away just to get away but they looked like they were having fun so I played along. I shook my head and tried to bolt between them. They caught me and lifted me up off the ground. Danny held my arms above my head and Rick tickled me relentlessly.

I didn’t think that was particularly smart of them; I was giggling so hard that I couldn’t have spoken if I wanted to. They clearly realised their mistake because they let me go and took a step back. I ran past them, still giggling but I didn’t make it far.

“My turn,” Craig grabbed me.

I shook my head at him and pursed my lips. He looked playful but determined, which was good. Playful was better than angry. He held me by the shoulders and looked at me pensively.

“Alright, Jelly,” he grinned, squatting down to eye level. “Keep quiet if I’m your favourite brother.”

I blinked up at him. That was cruel. If I hadn’t already broken my vow of silence then he’d have put me in a difficult spot.

“I don’t have favourites,” I grinned at him.

Craig grinned victoriously and kissed me on the forehead before he bolted to the freezer to claim his prize.

“Really, Jelly?” Danny moaned. “You let him have it?” He looked a little disappointed but he was smiling regardless.

“Not so fast, Craig,” Ian shook his head.

“She talked,” Craig frowned, already spooning the last half of the tub into a bowl.

“She did,” Ian nodded. “But that wasn’t the game.” He grinned a wicked smile and guided Craig away from the ice cream.

“I got her to speak!” Craig frowned, eyeing the ice cream hungrily.

“Jelly,” Ian turned to me. “Who did you speak to first?”

I quickly cottoned on.
That was cruel!
He was just teasing them. I glanced at Craig guiltily and used my hands to sign that I was sorry.

“You,” I answered Ian.

The twins burst into laughter and Craig looked dejected. He didn’t dare argue though, he just scowled and sat down on the island and watched Ian eat his ice cream.

“We’re glad to have you back, Jelly,” Danny grinned, picking me up for a hug.

“We like your squeaky voice for the most part,” Rick teased, messing up my hair

“Squeaky?” I frowned. “My voice isn’t squeaky.”

“How would we know? It’s been so long. We’d forgotten what you sounded like,” Danny grinned, setting me down on the stool next to Ian.

Ian put his arm round my shoulders and gave me a spoonful of his ice cream, which was about on par with giving away a car for him. Carter males didn’t share food.

I sat contentedly grinning at my brothers, the day had started badly and I knew there was still a little awkwardness in the air – the flowers in front of me were evidence of that – but at least they were all smiling and none of them, Jake aside, seemed to be mad at me for the moment.

Chapter 19

Sunday, 28th January 2013

I bit my lip nervously and I knew Jason was watching me. He’d already stripped down and was lounging on his bed completely naked. Normally, his nudity would give me cause to forget everything and anything except for his body. Not now though because I knew that very soon the playful, lust-filled glimmer would disappear from his eyes and he’d be angry.

“Jason,” I prompted anxiously.

“Jamie,” he grinned, sitting up and leaning back on the bed, his weight on his arms behind him.

“Please don’t get mad, okay?” I said gently.

“Why would I be mad, baby?” He frowned, leaning forwards and taking my hand in his.

I was still wearing Ian’s jumper and it came down over my wrists.
Might as well get it over with
. I pulled the sleeves of the hoody up and showed him my wrists. His face turned into an angry scowl as his eyes scanned over the bruising.

“They didn’t hurt me,” I assured him, my voice rushed. “I bruise really easily.”

“Who was it?” He asked, his voice highly controlled as he turned my hands over in his and inspected the damage.

“Ian,” I winced. “But he was only trying to hold me still.”

“Jesus Christ,” Jason sighed, letting my hands go and running his hands over his face and through his hair. “I’m guessing there’s more?”

I nodded sadly. I didn’t really want to show him but I knew he’d see it anyway. I just needed to get this over with.

I pulled the hoodie, jumper, and t-shirt off and turned around so he could see my back. I knew there was a bruise there because it hurt whenever somebody hugged me too tight.

“And how did you get this one?” He asked dejectedly, tracing his finger around the large bruise on my back.

“I fell back into a hand dryer when I was in the girls’ toilets at laser tag,” I explained.

Jason’s eyes scanned my face. I could tell he didn’t know whether to believe me. I hadn’t really lied though. I just didn’t want him to dislike my brothers, they meant the world to me.

“Your skin’s too beautiful to be bruised like this,” he said sadly, pulling me sideways onto his lap and wrapping his arms around me. “It kills me to see you like this.”

“I’m okay, Jason, honestly,” I reassured him.

“If I’d known they’d done this, I would have gone ape shit on them earlier,” Jason sighed, running his hands through his poor abused hair.

“I know,” I sighed, pouting a little. “I just… it…” I didn’t know how to explain to Jason that it was fine. No matter what I said he didn’t seem to accept it. “They’re good brothers, Jason.”

“I have no doubt you think so, Jamie,” he said dryly. “And yes, in some aspects they are very good brothers.” He looked at me and held my hands in his. “But it’s never right to hit or hurt a woman, baby.”

“So it’s okay to hurt a man?” I countered.

“No, Jamie. I’m not saying that,” he said, looking frustrated but keeping his voice gentle. “That’s wrong too, but it’s definitely wrong to push someone around the way they do with you. Especially when they’re so much bigger and stronger.”

“I guess they do push me around a little,” I admitted. “But I think they’re getting better.” I thought back to what Ian had said earlier that morning about standing up for myself. He’d accepted my reasons for defying him and forgiven me without really punishing me.

“If you say so,” Jason sighed. “Jamie, will you promise me something?”

“What?” I asked, pretty sure I would say yes. I found it hard to say no to him.

“Can I come with you whenever you go home in future?” He asked, brushing a loose strand of hair out of my face gently.

“Jason… I…” I shifted awkwardly on his lap. “That’s not always up to me.”

“Well it should be,” he frowned, taking a deep breath. “If it
was
up to you, would you want me there?”

“Of course I would,” I smiled, trying to reassure him.

“Then let me worry about what your brothers say, okay?” He said gently, kissing my cheek gently.

“Why do you want to come, though?” I asked.

“I told you, it’s wrong to push somebody around who’s much smaller. I’m the same size as your brothers. They can push me around instead of you. Or rather, they can try,” he grinned cheekily and I couldn’t help but smile back. His tone was jovial but I knew what he was really saying was that he wanted to protect me from my own brothers.

“Okay,” I nodded in agreement. I wasn’t planning on going home any time soon. My brothers might not even kick up a fuss if Jason came with me. They’d been fine with him staying at ours over Christmas.

“I love you,” he grinned, apparently delighted that I’d agreed.

“I love you too,” I giggled, standing up as he tried to unbutton my jeans to make his job easier.

“I was enjoying being the non-naked one for once,” I pouted.

“You don’t like being naked with me?” He frowned.

“No, no. I
love
being naked with you,” I reassured him with a devious smile. “But if one of us is naked then it’s usually me.”

“That’s because you’re much more fun to look at,” he grinned, unclasping my bra.

“I beg to differ,” I giggled, tracing his abs with my finger and following his tattoo. “I love your tattoo.”

“You do?” He looked up at me curiously.

“I do,” I nodded with a smile.

“Why?” He asked, cocking his head at me. He looked uncomfortable, almost a little worried.

“Because it’s a heart,” I grinned, tracing the anatomically correct heart with my finger. It looked like it had been taken straight from an old-fashioned medical textbook, it even had lines leading to various points with letters at the end of each line.

“But it’s not a soppy, romanticised heart,” he frowned.

“No,” I wrinkled my nose. “That would be cheesy.”

“I’m glad you think so,” he laughed, his eyes still uncertain.

“I like that it’s a real heart. I like that it’s a diagram of the thing that keeps you alive, keeps you here with me,” I smiled shyly. I knew I probably sounded like a silly schoolgirl but it really was how I felt and I rarely felt embarrassed about telling Jason how I felt.

“I like that you see it that way,” he smiled.

“How do you see it?” I asked, after another rare insight.

“It’s just a tattoo,” he shrugged noncommittally, his eyes not quite meeting mine.

“Jason-” I started, about to beg him to tell me but I stopped myself. He’d promised he’d try. I shouldn’t push him. “Do you think you’ll get more tattoos?” I asked to distract from what I’d been about to do.

“Maybe,” he said pensively. “Would you mind?”

“It’s your body,” I laughed.

“It’s yours too,” he grinned.

“It is,” I smiled happily. “I wouldn’t mind, no. I don’t think it’d be quite so sexy if you were completely covered though.”

“You think I’m sexy?” He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

“I don’t think that’s a secret,” I giggled. “You’re too sexy for your own good,” I pouted, remembering the way Shana had been all over him.

“Pot and kettle,” he scoffed.

“What?” I laughed.

“That’s like the pot calling the kettle black,” he explained.

“Oh,” I laughed. “No. It most definitely isn’t.”

I squealed as he tossed me onto the bed and slapped my bare behind.

“Learn. To. Take. A. Compliment,” he said, slapping my cheeks in between each word.

“Okay, okay,” I giggled, squirming away from him and turning onto my back to shield my stinging behind.

“Does it hurt?” He teased, watching me rub my sore bottom.

I gave him an exaggerated pout and nodded.

“Poor baby,” he mocked. “Come here and let Jason make it better.”

I nodded enthusiastically and let him flip me back over onto my front. He stroked both my cheeks gently before pressing gentle butterfly kisses over every inch of my behind.

“Your ass is so fucking perfect,” he murmured against my skin.

I felt his teeth bite into me and I squealed a little at the unexpected sting. He immediately soothed the same spot with gentle licks and kisses.

“I
really
like your ass,” he stressed.

I shook my head at him as best I could with my head resting against the mattress but he was too busy gently nipping me to notice.

“All fours, baby,” he said, gently lifting my hips to help me up.

I did as he asked, my muscles tensing in anticipation from the desire in his voice.

“Keep your hands where they are and keep your knees here,” he pushed my knees a little further apart so that I was spread wide open for him.

I groaned as he traced his finger up and down the length of my slit, spreading the moisture that had gathered.

“You’re so wet,” he groaned appreciatively. “Tell my why you’re so wet, baby.”

“Jason,” I complained, my cheeks already burning.

“Tell me, Jamie,” he urged. “Tell me why you’re so wet for me.”

“Because I…” I lost concentration as he began slowly fingering me. “Because I want you,” I admitted, blushing and letting my loose hair fall down over my face as I dipped my head towards the mattress.

“Good girl,” Jason breathed appreciatively, increasing the attention of his talented fingers as a reward.

It didn’t take long before he had me coming apart in his hands, my arms and legs almost giving way with the force of my orgasm.

“Jason,” I breathed as I came down from my orgasm and regained my breath a little.

“Jamie,” he grinned, still stroking me gently with his fingers.

“I want touch you,” I pleaded, desperate to have my hands on him but he’d told me not to move my arms and legs.

“I know, baby,” he grinned. “Patience.”

I pouted and made a little whiny noise. I heard him chuckle gently behind me, his fingers still spreading the moisture between my thighs.

I felt him grab onto my left cheek firmly, leaving me feeling even more exposed. I gasped slightly as Jason began spreading the hot wetness over my tight puckered hole.

“I want to fuck you here, Jamie,” he growled.

He wants to what?
My head whipped back so that I could look at him in complete shock. “Jason, I… I don’t-”

“Do you trust me, Jamie?” He asked cautiously.

“You know I do,” I said honestly. I trusted him but that didn’t mean I wanted him to do
that
. I didn’t understand how it could possibly be pleasurable. I guess maybe it’d be pleasurable for him though.
Why else would he want to do it?
If Jason got something out of it then maybe I shouldn’t complain.