JENNA AWOKE TO the sounds of hammering and creaking from downstairs. Above it all, the stentorian tones of Tabitha, directing the operation, were clearly audible.
She pushed her face into the pillow. They were dismantling the exhibition. She was happy to leave them to it, given the enormous raft of other problems that had crept into her sleep and infected her dreams.
Jason still slept sweetly, one arm hanging over the side of the bed, long eyelashes fluttering on his cheeks.
The thought of what the morning papers would bring, in terms of reportage of the event, caused a sinking sensation in the pit of Jenna’s stomach. She hoped beyond hope that some column space would be given to the subject of Jason himself, his great talent, his enormous potential.
If it was all about Deano, she would throw up.
She sat up in bed, suddenly needing to know the worst. She retrieved her tablet from the bedside and went to the local news site. It had a video online, of a press conference with Deano.
She watched it with the sound as low as she could get it without disappearing altogether.
‘Yeah,’ Deano was saying, blinking into the flashbulbs but not allowing them to wipe the wicked smile from his face. ‘An, if you will, rockumentary.’
There was laughter. It turned out that he was quoting Spinal Tap with very good reason. He explained that he had returned to Bledburn in order to make a documentary about his early years and inspirations.
‘Nothing to do with the fact that Jenna Diamond has moved back here?’ The question, from a front-row hack, was inevitable, but Jenna still sucked in an angry breath.
Of course it’s to do with that, you muppet, she replied in her head, only to hear the thought spoken aloud in Jason’s sleepy, sardonic tones.
‘Oh, Jason,’ she said, flustered, looking for the pause button.
‘Don’t turn it off,’ he said. ‘Know your enemy, eh? That line about the documentary is pure bullshit. He’s come here after you.’
Jenna nodded tensely, listening to the remainder of the conference.
‘It’ll be great to catch up with Jenna,’ was Deano’s reply. ‘But that’s not what I’m here for.’
Liar.
‘I’ve spent too long in a privileged bubble,’ he continued. ‘Of wealth and celebrity. I’ve forgotten where I came from, and I need the reminder.’ He grinned again. ‘A good kick in the ass. That’s what I’m here for.’
‘Did you hear that?’ said Jason excitedly. ‘Sounds like an invitation to me.’
‘Oh God, Jason, don’t.’ Jenna watched as the video ended and the ‘Play it again’ arrow filled the box.
‘Why not?’ he demanded. ‘It’d make a fucking boss birthday present.’
Jenna was confused. ‘It’s not Deano’s birthday.’
‘No, but it’s mine.’
‘What? When? Not today, surely?’
‘Yep. Today.’
Jenna slapped her palms down on the duvet.
‘Why didn’t you say anything, for God’s sake?’
Jason shrugged.
‘Dunno. Too much other stuff going on. Didn’t seem relevant.’
‘Relevant? Oh, Jay. Of course it is.’
He leant back against the headboard, his face troubled.
‘I’ve never bothered much with birthdays,’ he said, and there was a note of defiance in his voice.
Jenna, reading between the lines, deduced that he’d got used to nobody else bothering with them.
‘But I have,’ she said gently. ‘I love you and I want you to have a special day.’
He softened, taking her hand and unburdening.
‘Nobody’s felt that way about it before,’ he said. ‘I’ve never had a special day, like the other kids all did. Although, I tell a lie. I did have one – my twelfth. Mum was in hospital and I was in temporary foster care. They took me to Alton Towers. Fucking brilliant. Yeah, that was a good one, thinking back.’
Jenna laid her head on his shoulder.
‘How am I going to beat Alton Towers?’ she wondered, looking up at him.
He grinned back at her.
‘Tough gig, but I reckon you could do it,’ he said.
‘I reckon I could too. Give me till tonight. You’re going to have the best present ever.’
‘I’ve got it already,’ he said, flipping her without warning on to her back.
She squealed with delighted exhilaration, then remembered they weren’t alone in the house and tried to keep quiet. It wasn’t easy, though, with Jason all over her, laying hands and lips on every accessible inch of her body.
She threw her arms up above her head and surrendered to him, offering everything he wanted for the taking. Her breasts became his feast while her legs wrapped around him. He ground against her, pushing his erection down into her mound. She was ready for him, whenever he wanted. Jason never had to work hard to get her juices flowing. She was a whore for him, a needy slut who couldn’t get enough of him. The thoughts flashed deliriously in her mind, turning her on all the more.
She was wetter than the rainforest before he’d even got her nipples into his mouth, feeling the steam rise from her sensitised skin. He only had to put a hand on her hip or breathe into her ear – hell, he only had to look at her in a certain way – and she was slippery-slick and begging.
‘Hot for it, eh?’ he murmured, splaying her lower lips with practised fingers, checking to see how welcome he was. Very welcome.
‘Mm,’ she said, mindlessly horny, pushing her pelvis up so that his fingers would slide into her wet heat.
‘D’you think you deserve it?’ He stroked her clitoris, too lightly for relief. It was maddening.
She gasped with frustration.
‘Yes … please …’
He shifted, leaving her breasts so his face was directly above hers.
‘Look at me. Tell me.’
She twisted her neck left and right, trying to summon the courage to do this unthinkable thing. Meanwhile, he continued his infuriating, frustrating motions below.
Unable to bear it any more, she opened her eyes wide, stared into his dark brown gaze and hissed, ‘Yes. Do it. Do it now.’
His mouth descended on hers in savage passion, tongue pushing hard to gain access. His fingers worked her clitoris with a sure, firm stroke.
She began to rotate her hips, encouraging him further, trying to direct him towards her depths. He took the hint, plunging two fingers inside her while his thumb continued to rub at her clit.
‘Is that what you want?’ he said, releasing her lips for a moment. ‘Yeah?’
She pushed herself down on his fingers, but they weren’t what she wanted. They were just the foretaste.
‘More,’ she muttered. ‘Please.’
‘More fingers?’
‘No.’ He knew he was teasing her. His smile was wide, in between snatched kisses all over her neck and face.
‘I want you inside me,’ she whispered.
He curled his fingers and twisted them this way and that.
‘I think I am inside you, babe.’
‘Not like that.’
‘Like what then?’
‘Damn you!’ she cried, and he took his fingers away and knelt up, frowning down at her with mock displeasure.
‘Are you sure about that?’ he said. ‘Not a very nice way to talk to the man who’s trying to get you off, is it?’
‘Oh.’ She moaned and writhed, digging her heels into the mattress. He had her well and truly pinned down, straddling her so that she couldn’t move her legs.
But she could see that he wasn’t going to be teasing her for long. Not judging by the thick, straight shaft pointing upwards from its nest of curls. She could use this to her advantage.
She reached out and wrapped a hand around it.
‘Oh.’ Jason quirked an eyebrow, smiling crookedly down. ‘Nice. I’ll accept that as an apology.’
She caressed and stroked, looking directly into his eyes, for only a few seconds.
That was all it took for him to grunt, throw her off, turn her on to her front and push himself into her.
She rested on her elbows, pushing her bottom up to accept him more easily. How deep he plunged, stretching her, setting off the pleasurable friction she craved.
He held her hips for the first few strokes, to make sure he got as far up her channel as he possibly could, then he let go with one hand and reached over for the bedside table.
She tried to watch out of the corner of her eye, wondering what he was after.
She soon worked it out, when she heard the uncapping of a lid.
‘Oh,’ she whimpered, tightening her rear muscles in a flutter of fear.
‘Don’t you remember, babe?’ he said quietly, spreading her cheeks. ‘We were going to do something last night?’
‘I know,’ she whispered. ‘But …’
‘But it’s my birthday. I won’t go the whole way now, but tonight … tonight’s the night.’
He ran his lubed finger up and down her parted furrow, moving closer, pushing ever so slightly harder with each sweep.
Jenna rocked slightly on her knees with each thrust, trying to keep her muscles relaxed. Perhaps if she paid attention only to what was in her pussy, she would be able to accept the invasion of her rear more easily.
She focused hard on the building of her pleasure, the full feeling, the friction. Jason’s slippery finger found its target and rotated slowly and shallowly, getting her used to its presence before taking more decisive action.
He was so considerate and thorough in this that, after a while, she was surprised to find that she wanted him to push down a bit harder.
She lifted her bottom in invitation.
He exhaled long and lustfully, then made his move.
She bit her lip and held in a squeak. There was still enough banging and crashing around downstairs to remind her that too much noise might be overheard.
Jason’s finger made a short, sharp push forwards, breaking through her defences. She felt herself close around it. God, it felt completely invasive; in a different league to any kind of intrusion into her pussy. Surely she could never get used to this feeling. It took her mind away from everything else and kept it focused right on her behind.
‘How’s that, babe?’ he asked, wiggling his finger a little bit inside her.
‘Oh God, it’s weird,’ she panted.
‘I’m going to keep it right here,’ he said. ‘Get used to it.’
He was as good as his word, keeping the finger still for another half a minute or so of solid thrusting into her pussy, then moving it in rhythm.
The double penetration was … well, she couldn’t describe it. There were too many words for it, and many of them conflicted. It was uncomfortable, exciting, degrading, mortifying – and it unlocked a part of her she had been craving to let out. The part of her that wanted to submit to Jason in every possible way.
This was how it could be done. By giving him this one part of her, by taking the shame and the soreness and the richness of surrender, she gave all of herself to him. Once that was done, there would be no going back. She would be his, and forever.
She grunted with the effort of trying to understand what was happening to her. Jason kept a steady hold on her shoulder with his free hand, slamming into her now, moving his finger faster and deeper.
Oh God, what kind of orgasm was this? It came from nowhere and shot out of her, lighting up parts of her she was sure had never been affected before. Her toes curled, her hair stood on end and the pleasure came from all over her, not just that one central point. It was a whole-body orgasm and it took possession of her like no other ever had.
She floated down from it like a feather dropped from a height, landing just as Jason reached his own throaty climax.
He lay down on top of her, pinning her to the bed.
‘I think tonight’s going to be a lot of fun,’ he said into her ear. ‘Don’t you?’
‘Oh God,’ was all she could say to that.
She was still seeing stars in the shower. It wasn’t until she was dressed, in a halter top and capris for the return of the sunshine, that she was able to claim her head fully back into her own possession.
Jason sat on the bed in jeans and white T-shirt, grinning.
‘I liked that suit you got me,’ he said. ‘But it’s nice to get back down to basics. I reckon I might sort out a bit more of that garden today. I could do with a good bit of slashing and burning. What about you?’
Jenna took a breath, considering. The exhibition had been exhausting on every level. Really, she could do with a day of rest, or some kind of mindless activity, like helping Jason with his manual work.
But there was too much going on. She would have to keep tabs on Deano, for one thing. And what about Jason’s mother, with her crazy revelations about his parentage? She ought to call her – maybe ask her if she wanted to come over for a celebration birthday meal. Then there was Kayley, possibly in danger from the newly freed Lawrence Harville.
Kayley first, she decided.
‘Calls to make,’ she said to Jason.
‘Makes a change,’ he replied, rolling his eyes. ‘I think they’ve finished clearing up down there. Shall we sort out some breakfast?’
At the kitchen table, having said goodbye to Tabitha, who assured them that early notices of the show were very good, they talked about offering Kayley a safe place for the time being. Jenna, if she was honest with herself, regretted the necessity of sharing her love nest with another person. What a difference it would make to her and Jason’s free-wheeling sex life. But their friend’s safety had to come first.
The two of them could always come later.
Jenna chewed up her last forkful of egg white omelette and picked up her phone.
‘Kayley, hi.’
‘Oh, hello, how are you? Wasn’t expecting to hear from you today. Thought you’d be taking a bit of time out.’
‘Well, perhaps just a day. But in the meantime, you ought to come and stay here for a while. I’m very worried that Lawrence might try to get to you.’
‘Oh, no, it’s OK. I’m not at home. I’m staying at my dad’s for a few days, till the coast’s clear.’
‘Ah, good. Where does he live then?’
‘Other side of town, the new estate. Nobody knows me round here. I reckon I’m OK, as long as I keep my head down for a bit.’
‘Well, if you’re sure …’
‘Honestly, I’m safer here than there. After all, Lawrence got into your garden. I’d look into that, if I were you.’
‘Yes, that’s a good point. I will. Thanks, Kayley. Take the week off, eh? We’re going to mooch about for a bit, before getting stuck into planning the gala for the end of the month. I’ll need you for that, of course.’
‘Of course! Looking forward to it! Bye then.’
Jenna hung up, thinking about Lawrence Harville and his unexpected appearance in the garden wilderness.
‘We need to sort out the walls and fences,’ she said to Jason. ‘Urgent priority for today. Stop Harville waltzing in whenever he feels like spreading a bit of menace.’
‘How about machine gun emplacements?’ said Jason dryly. ‘I’m happy to man them myself.’
Jenna rubbed her foot against his calf under the table.
‘Much as I’d love to see him go down in a hail of bullets, I’m quite keen to keep you out of prison these days. So perhaps something a little more legal.’
‘I’ll get on to it.’
He picked up the last piece of toast from the rack and swaggered out of the patio doors, chewing on it as he went.
Jenna sat back, thinking about what she could give him for his birthday. What had she given Deano? Oh God, the list of senselessly extravagant gifts was longer than the Bledburn dole queue. A Hennessey Venom GT that he’d probably never driven. Pretty much everything stocked by Asprey for men. A cabin in the Colorado mountains. A place on the waiting list for a future NASA space mission.
But Jason wouldn’t want an expensive gift, she thought, sobering up from her flights of fancy. He already felt that he owed her enormous sums of money.
He would appreciate simplicity and thoughtfulness over huge gestures.
She was still trying to come up with details when her phone went off. There were only half a dozen people it could be on that number, all important, so she answered it without checking the screen.
‘Congratulations,’ said a smooth, familiar voice.
‘Deano. I’m still very cross with you. What do you want?’
‘Like I said, congratulations. Well done on your … friend’s exhibition. Lots of stuff in the papers today. Have you seen them?’
‘Not yet. I daresay your mug is all over the place instead of Jason’s?’
‘Well, maybe a bit.’
Jenna tutted.
‘Not fair, Deano. Why did you have to steal his thunder? Surely you aren’t jealous?’
‘Why “surely”? I can be jealous of somebody who’s got something I want, can’t I? That’s what jealousy is.’
‘What’s he got that you haven’t? Artistic talent?’
‘You.’
Jenna paused for breath, outraged at his presumption, trying to ignore the strange, half-forgotten thrill that went through her at how like his old self he sounded.
While she hadn’t had much time for Deano’s new self, his old self … Well, that was different.
‘You don’t want me,’ she said, urging herself to believe it. ‘You’re just playing dog in the manger.’
‘Yeah. Good title for a track. Might use it.’
‘Deano! I’m serious. I’ve moved on. No going back now.’
‘If you’re so sure about that, why are you in Bledburn? If that’s not going back, I don’t know what is.’
She sighed into the phone. He had a point. Even she wasn’t quite sure why she had come back – something to do with a sense of having lost part of herself, but nothing she could clearly articulate.
‘You’re thinking about the past, babe,’ he continued, his voice gentler, pursuing his moment of advantage. ‘Believe me, I understand that. I’ve been doing it a lot myself just lately. Have you been to the covered market yet?’
This wasn’t fair. She wasn’t going to get sucked into his manipulative nostalgia trip.
‘No and I’m not going to,’ she said. ‘Now, is there a point to this call, or can I get on? I’ve a very busy day ahead of me. It’s Jason’s birthday, you see, and I want to get him the best present possible.’
She ended the call, feeling a bit petty for rubbing Deano’s nose in her new relationship – but then, what did he expect?
‘Git,’ she muttered, then she pulled up her favourite shopping apps to search for gift inspiration. Deano was not going to get a second more of her attention today.