by Annie Dyer
"You'll know when the time is right. I asked Marie when we were in an elevator. I pressed the emergency stop button so she couldn't run away. Got a massive fine for it, but it worked," he said, toying with his wedding ring. "Be warned, they were grilling Vanessa about you earlier so one of your sisters will no doubt be informing you of Vanessa's intentions at some point tonight."
I groaned. "I should never have brought her. They'll scare her off."
"If they did, she wouldn't be right for you. You know that." He stood up, glass now empty. "I'd better go find my wife and see if she can still stand."
"Dad," I said, stretching my legs, "she can drink you under the table."
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Chapter Nineteen
Vanessa
I was merry. I could stand up by myself. I could walk in a relatively straight line and I sounded coherent. All of this was more than I could say for Claire who had passed out on a sofa in a small snug just off the kitchen. I was also sober enough to have noticed Killian putting a blanket over her and loosening her hair so she would be more comfortable, but I wasn't sharing that information with anyone, especially Claire who would probably hire a hit man if she ever found out.
"So, Van," Payton said, seeming as sober as her mother even though both had consumed enough alcohol to put me in the emergency room. "Jackson. What are your intentions towards my brother?"
"We've discussed this Payton," I warned, sipping the glass of water I was disguising as vodka.
"No," Payton shook her head. "We asked questions and you deflected them. That's not a discussion."
Marie emptied another bottle of prosecco into her glass. "He's completely besotted by you," she said. "Are you going to move in with him?"
"I've only just moved out from living with someone else." I paused, realizing. "Actually, I moved out from Richard's over a year ago. He's just bought me out of the apartment we shared so I need to look for my own place again."
"Why?" Payton said, tipping her head to one side, which seemed to be her trademark. "You're at Jackson's all the time. It's an amazing house, but it needs redecorating so it doesn't look like a show home and it's huge. If you buy somewhere, you'll still end up at Jackson's so you're just going to waste money on surveys and fees. Unless you buy somewhere and rent it out straight away. That could be a good move. Or buy a fixer-upper and get Ava to flip it for you."
I sat down, glad I hadn't had too much to drink. "We haven't discussed living together. It's only been a few weeks and I don't think Jackson's thought about it... And you're his step-mum and sister. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this conversation." That was definitely the alcohol talking: if I'd have been sober I would have been a lot politer.
Marie sipped at her drink. "Nothing wrong with being open and honest. Yes, we're going to look out for him but we also know what a complete dick he can be, how he leaves all his washing until he has absolutely nothing left to wear, is anal retentive with the cleanliness of kitchens, is hateful in the mornings... what?"
I cursed my expression. "He's not that bad in the mornings," I said, and hoped they wouldn't probe any further.
Payton gave me the same shit-eating grin that Max had mastered. "He's much better in the mornings when you've stayed over so I assume that morning sex agrees with him?"
"Not going there." She was right. Mornings had become our time, either to wake the other up or in the shower or both. We didn't speak, except for the odd couple of words and a few moans.
Payton shrugged. "Fair enough. That's enough information. But for the sake of the rest of us, you should live together because you make him a much nicer person. And you're there all the time too."
She had a point, one I'd been avoiding thinking about. "He mentioned changing one of the bedrooms into an office earlier so we had somewhere to work."
"By 'we', did he mean him or you?" Marie said. "What was the context of the suggestion?"
I stumbled, feeling like I was telling them Jackson's secrets, but I did want to talk about it and neither Sophie nor Simone were there. "I had been working in the kitchen and had paperwork everywhere, so he said about making an office upstairs."
They both stared at me as if I was completely missing the obvious, their faces almost identical.
"It's too soon," I said.
"Why?" Marie opened another bottle of prosecco and passed me a glass. "I was engaged to Ed after I'd known him for seven days. I came home with him to England after eleven. We got married six months later and it was only that long because we needed to arrange a biggish wedding."
Payton nibbled on a samosa. "We should get your wedding album out," she said. "There are photos of Jackson and Maxwell in there that would make Van hoot."
"That's something for the morning, honey," Marie said. "When Jackson's here and we can watch him get all grumpy and embarrassed."
"You moved countries after knowing a man for less than two weeks?" I said, still catching up. "Didn't it scare you?"
"It scared the fucking bejeezus out of me," Marie said. "But I wasn't going to let him go home without me and he had four kids and a life that he needed me to sort out. I never regretted it, even when he drives me mad and these lots were little shits. Bear in mind I had seven kids under the age of ten and a husband who was a workaholic and didn't know what to do with babies."
"How did you cope?"
Marie laughed. "I laughed a lot because there was no point in crying. I made them do chores to help in the house and I never, ever lied to any of them about how I was feeling or what needed to be done. I never had a conversation in my head." I understood what she meant. I'd spent too long with Richard, afraid I wasn't doing something right but never sure what right was. "Payton, there are more snacks in the cold room. Can you go and grab them and put them on the table? And tell Max he is not to open any more whiskey."
"He won't listen to me." Payton stood up, entirely sober. "He'll be nasty to me, Mamma. Like he always is."
Marie looked at her with a knowing expression. "If he had been nasty to you or Ava you'd have turned out less spoilt."
"You never believe me when I tell you how awful he was when I was little."
"Payton. Go."
She stropped off as if she was thirteen.
"She's a nightmare," Marie said. "I don't know how Max and Jackson didn't strangle her, or leave her with a pack of wolves. Some days, I wish they had."
"They adore her," I said, quite honestly. "Except at work, where being their sister doesn't count."
"As it shouldn't. Look, Vanessa, you're going to get quizzed by everybody this weekend about you and Jackson. He will too, because he doesn't bring women home to meet his family, even the couple of steady relationships he had in the past we never got to meet on a formal basis. It's up to you what you do and when, but my advice for what it's worth is that you're honest with him and ask him about things you're not sure of. That's how I brought him up," Marie said, refilling her glass.
"Have you done imparting your wisdom?" Ed said, having paused just within earshot. "Your advice might be a little old-fashioned nowadays, my love." He grabbed her waist with a big hand and lent over to kiss her cheek.
She smacked his hand. "Unlike you, I've stayed relevant. You're just a dinosaur."
I laughed, seeing the affection between the two and the easiness between them, nothing like Richard and I had been, or Richard's parents.
"What advice has she been giving you?" Jackson said, appearing behind me, his arm automatically pulling around my waist. I felt my body melt and my shoulders relaxed.
"To be honest and ask questions," I said, turning to him as Marie and Ed disappeared towards Maxwell who had opened another bottle of whiskey. Killian was standing next to him, drinking what looked like coffee.
"What do you want to ask?" he said. "Ask anything because Marie is right."
"Do you want me to move in with you?" I held on to his forearms as if trying to stop him from running.
"Yes," he said. "I do. Do
you want to live with me?"
"I think so. But it hasn't been long enough."
"What do I need to do so you're sure?" he said, walking us towards the stairs, out of earshot of everyone else.
"Just let me think about it. And then I'll need to discuss the what ifs and the practicalities, so just be patient with me then."
He nodded, moving my hair from my face. "My family haven't driven you too mad tonight?"
"No. Your step-mum can drink though. And she seems sober."
"She's Irish. And I think alcohol is a coping mechanism with us and Dad."
"Do you ever call her Mum?" I looked up at him. He had told me lots about Marie and some about Ed, but other than knowing his mother had died, I knew nothing about her.
"Sometimes. When I was upset when I was little or really happy, it would just slip out. Callum calls her Mum, but he was still a baby when she came to live with us. Claire does to her face but refers to her as Marie to me and Max and mum to the rest. I suppose it's interchangeable," he said. "She likes you."
"How do you know?"
"If she didn't you'd know. Shall we go to bed? No one will mind and I think I deserve a reward for keeping my hands off you all evening."
I laughed and followed him upstairs to our room. It was just after midnight and the people who weren't staying here had left already. Jackson had already said that Payton, Marie and Ava would be awake and talking to the wee small hours; his father would slip off to bed and Max, Seph and Killian would end up playing cards.
"Do you not want to stay up with them?" I said as I started to undo the top I'd worn.
"Not right now," he said. "I might wait until you've fallen asleep and then go and play poker."
I eyed him. "Who says I'm going to fall asleep? I'm not tired." His pulled me down to the bed and kissed me, slowly, almost chastely.
"Let me see if I can tire you out." Then the kiss changed into something more charged and demanding. He pulled off the rest of my clothes, smelling my underwear. "You've been wet with me?"
"Jackson," I laughed, feeling almost embarrassed. "I'm pretty much constantly wet with you, either because I'm turned on or because I've been turned on and you've come inside me."
His eyes were dark. "Is it wrong that I really like that. Shit, Van." He filled his mouth with my breast, his teeth biting at my nipple and I wondered what he was going to say although I had a good idea of what I hoped he was going to say.
Just after one o'clock, we were naked under the sheet, slightly out of breath, the room smelling of sex. I heard Max and Killian talking outside and Seph as he walked passed our room, singing to himself. "No cards?" I said, feeling Jackson's hands around me.
"I don't want to move," he said. "If you live with me I get to do this every night and wake up with you every morning." His hand slipped lower over my abdomen and I inhaled deeply as my body contracted, my pussy growing wet again. I knew exactly why. This man made me think of things and possibilities I'd never considered.
His breathing deepened as he fell asleep still holding me, the sheets pushed back so we wouldn't overheat. I stayed awake, listening to the sounds of his family as they plodded about the house, Marie's laughter, Claire's swearing as someone work her up and her protests as someone – I think it was Killian – carried her up to bed and Amelie's low mutters to Ed as they talked outside. At some point, sleep consumed me, but not before I'd decided to take a chance and move out of Sophie's into Jackson's. It was worth the chance of heartbreak.
***
When I woke, Jackson's half of the bed was empty and cool. Sunlight flooded through the curtains and lit up the room, a cool draft coming through the slightly open window. I heard voices outside, laughter, a shout of protest followed by more laughter. I got out of bed and pulled on one of Jackson's t-shirts and clean underwear, needing to search for coffee. My head was fine; although I had drunk enough to feel tipsy, it had been at the end of a long week and I had been tired and anxious about meeting Jackson's parents, so the alcohol had probably hit me more than it would normally. The lack of a hangover was no surprise.
Killian passed me when I hit the bottom of the stairs, wearing just a pair of pajama bottoms: clearly, formality wasn't expected on any level. "Morning," he said. "Sleep well?"
I nodded, trying not to look at his naked torso. He was bigger than Jackson; blonde and wide, a dense beard that made him look like a Viking. "Eventually. It looks like I was granted a lie in."
Killian grinned. "This lot can drink like navvies and still get up the following day as if they'd spent the night in a church. Except for Claire. Claire is currently hungover and blaming me."
"When did you see her? Is she up?" I was curious as to how he knew, given that Claire generally wanted to be as far away as possible from him.
"She's still in bed. I carried her up there and fell asleep on the sofa in her room. I've been sent to fetch coffee," he said. "Then I've been told I have to remove myself from her sight for the rest of the day as apparently, it's my fault she was drunk."
We'd ended up in the kitchen at the coffee machine that Max had sussed out, giving us the child-friendly instructions. I sipped an espresso before moving onto a latte, passing the time by talking to Killian when Jackson emerged, looking sweaty and warm.
He walked up behind me and grabbed me in a bear hug, purposely drenching me in his sweat and laughing hard. I hit his ass. "You're disgusting, "I said. "What've you been doing?"
"Legs day. Followed by a 10k run with Max. You just woke up?"
I nodded, needing the caffeine. "Just. What time were you up?"
"Max knocked on about seven-thirty. You sleep well? You were out cold when I left." He still had hold of me, still sweaty. I pulled myself away.
"I did once I managed to fall asleep. You need to go shower." I gave him a quick peck as Seph came in, yelling at us to get a room.
"Are you joining me?" Jackson said quietly. "I can make sure you're all clean. Everywhere."
I shook my head. "We'll end up missing breakfast and possibly lunch as well. I'm going to sit outside with your mum and drink my latte, then have a shower."
He shifted closer to me again and inhaled deeply. "You still smell of me."
"You should probably get used to it," I said. "This is my new perfume, essence du Jackson. I may end up wearing it a lot."
His face lit up. "Does this mean you're moving in?" he kept his voice low but I knew Seph was listening for all he was worth.
"Yes," I said. "We still need to talk it through and look at the logistics. I might need a shoe cupboard."
"I'll build you ten," he kissed me again, still sweaty. "Come shower with me. I promise we'll be quick. We can talk details while we're getting ready. You mind if we tell my family? They'll figure something's happened."
"We'll tell them, not as a big thing, just as the day goes on," I said. "Let's play it down so we don't have to be the center of attention. A quick shower." I did need to shower and wash my hair, to try to look relatively presentable and make a reasonable impression.
"They may make a big deal of it though," he said, picking up the latte I'd made and carried it upstairs. "Any excuse for a celebration. God help us if we ever got married." I laughed and didn't allow myself to think.
Jackson stripped quickly and headed into the shower, he really was covered in sweat and on the verge of being revolting. I gave him five minutes and then joined him, making sure to soap myself down before he could start otherwise we'd have been distracted. I shaved my legs and he watched entranced, his cock hard. "I could do that for you."
"You could, but it'd never be finished. You'd get distracted by what's in between them and then the razor would slip and we'd end up in casualty," I said, my eyes kept glancing at his erection. I rinsed the razor and stood under the rain showerhead, wetting my hair.
"I'll wash it for you," he said, picking up my shampoo. He'd done this a few times already, the intimacy all most too much to bear. We were silent as his fingers threaded
through, massaging my scalp slowly. He didn't touch me anywhere else, he didn't need to. He pulled out a showerhead and rinsed the suds, then used the conditioner. "I love the smell of this," he said. "It reminds me of you." After he'd rinsed any remainders from my hair, his hands moved down to my breasts then between my legs, finding my clit. He dipped his fingers inside me, finding my wetness and using it to bring me to a quick orgasm.
"Can I be inside you?" he said, his cock pressed against my back, hard and throbbing. "I'm not sweaty anymore."
I laughed as he turned me around, lifting me against the shower wall. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he thrust into me, keeping his eyes locked on mine as he found his rhythm. "You're sure?" he said. "You're sure you'll live with me and I get to have you with me every morning and evening?"
"I'm sure. I'm scared, but I'm sure." I gripped onto his shoulders as his thrusts became deeper and harder, rocking my core and realigning my world. He came as I did, crying out my name. I clung to him afterward, aftershocks reverberating through me, his breathing short and erratic.
"We should get ready," he said. "Otherwise someone else will be knocking on the door, probably Marie. I've no doubt that Seph's already spread a load of gossip. By now you'll be pregnant with twins and we'll be moving to the country and shortlisting nannies."
I laughed, quickly rinsing then turning off the showers, wrapping my hair in a towel. "Let's start to talk as we get ready. Rent, for a start."
"No rent," he said. "Contribute half to bills. No arguments on that. I own the house outright and I won't take the money I don't need."
I didn't argue. I'd save the rent money for holidays or for rainy days. "Furniture."
"I'll let you take me shopping," he said. "I have no idea where to start which is why it still is like it was when the interior decorators finished it for my father's friend."
We negotiated as we dressed, it sounds like a business arrangement rather than a romantic entanglement but it soothed me. When I moved in with Richard he wasn't interested in the finer details such as bills or furnishings, leaving me to organize everything. It was only after the fact he would disagree, when it was too late to change anything and then he'd complain to his friends while I was there, making me feel small and embarrassed. I wanted to stop comparing my experiences with Richard but the sheer difference between them made me confident with the choices I was making now.