Authors: Angela Verdenius
“So you know the difference between consensual and non-consensual. You respect it.”
“Yep.” No expression on his face.
She swallowed. “So…um…what you did last night. I…er…I liked it. Once I got over the…er…surprise.”
Eyes locked on hers, his head angled slightly to one side.
Unable to guess what he was thinking, she nervously took a mouthful of Milo more for something to do than because she really wanted it.
Suddenly, coming to some decision, Jason nodded slowly. His clasped hands dropped once more to rest between his spread thighs. The intensity in his eyes sharpened. “Izzy, I’m wanting a chance with you. Are you willing to take a chance on me?”
Her fingers tightened on the handle of the mug. Oh boy, here was a life-changing question. Was she? Not familiar with being in this position, she forced herself to think clearly, to push aside her attraction to him, to think about what he’d told her. Take a chance with a man who feared his own control. A man who cared enough to warn her. A man whom she knew from the previous night had more decency in him than he thought. A man whom she instinctively knew had a lot more depth to his soul than he himself realised.
A man who wanted her. A man to whom she was undeniably attracted in turn.
Izzy smiled shyly. “Yeah, I reckon I am.” Her smile faded. “But you have to be yourself with me. I can’t know you, Jason, unless you’re really yourself. I have to know.”
“I promise.”
Her insides turned a little mushy. “Okay, then.”
“My turn.” His eyes didn’t waver, bored intensely into hers as though seeing right down deep into her soul.
Surprised, her eyebrows shot upwards.
“Promise me if I get too rough for you, if I frighten you, if I do something you don’t like, you tell me.”
Okay, not completely unusual given his concerns. “Sure I will.”
“I mean it.” He watched her like a hawk. “If I’m to be myself around you, if I’m to trust in both you and me, promise you won’t be afraid to tell me.”
She nodded.
“Promise me.”
He needed to hear it so she placed the mug on the floor beside the armchair, leaned forward to look him right in the eyes. “I promise.”
The tension eased from him, his features relaxing, a slow smile curving his firm lips. Taking her hands in his, he said softly, “Hello, girlfriend.”
A delighted blush rising in her cheeks, she dimpled at him. “So it’s official, huh?”
“Oh yeah.” Leaning forward, closing the small distance separating them, he kissed her gently.
~*~
Placing the skirting board against the wall, Jason glanced at either end. Perfect fit, ready to attach. But first, he glanced up to where Rocky was watching him. As soon as Rocky realized he was busted, he bent his head over the wood he was measuring.
“Problem?” Jason queried.
“No problem.”
“Then why are you staring at me?”
Rocky sniffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“I’m feeling flattered that you’re staring at me.”
Marking off a measurement, Rocky shrugged. “You’re different today.” When Jason just looked at him, he added, “The other day I wanted to shove this tape measure up your arse. Today, not so much.”
“Good to know.” Pushing to his feet, Jason crossed to the building supplies piled on the floor near the far wall.
“Going to share?”
“No.”
Rocky watched him choose what he needed. “Whatever it was, it was good.”
Hell yeah. Jason smiled to himself. Better than good. Fan-bloody-tastic, in fact.
“Been noticing it myself.” Frankie walked through the door with a roll of electrical wiring. “Jason’s all light and sweet and has roses in his cute little cheeks.”
Returning to his previous position, Jason dropped to one knee. His relaxed disposition had to do with a certain curvy female with her own set of cute little cheeks, but damned if he was going to tell that to this pair of drongos.
Uncle Harris strode through the door, his sweeping gaze taking in Jason doing his job while Rocky and Frankie watched him. “What’s going on?”
Frankie didn’t take his attention from Jason. “Jason’s mood seems a little lighter today, but he won’t share.”
Jason didn’t bat an eyelid, nor did he care what anyone thought. Heart-to-hearts were something he only did on rare occasions, and only to a certain few. Besides, talking about Izzy to these two yobbos was wasted breath.
“Don’t I pay you to work, not gossip?” Uncle Harris gestured to the roll of electrical wire. “Talking isn’t going to get that wire up. We’re on a deadline, lads.”
Frankie hoisted the roll. “I can work and talk.”
“I’d rather you wire the house correctly. Having someone get electrocuted is not in the contract.” Uncle Harris switched his attention to Rocky but his worker didn’t have to be told twice, his head was already down, his pencil industriously marking lengths off the wood. With a satisfied nod, Jason’s uncle inspected the work already done, grunted approval and left the room.
The rest of the day passed as usual, dust and other debris filling the rooms as workers walked in and out, tradies doing their various tasks.
Lunchtime found Jason in his usual spot. Perched on the back of the ute’s open tailgate, he unwrapped the sandwiches he’d made that morning and took a bite, eating contentedly. Right at this moment, all was right with his world.
Coming up beside him, Luke removed his hat and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a corner of his shirt. “Might be autumn but its bloody hot working out in the sun.”
“Know about work, would you?”
“Too bloody right. Gardening is a hell of a lot more work than handyman, but then I wouldn’t say so out loud for fear of hurting your delicate feelings.” Grabbing Jason’s flask from the back of the tray, Luke helped himself to coffee.
“Feel free,” Jason said. “Just help yourself.”
“Mighty kind of you, mate. Mighty kind.” Replacing the hat on his head, Luke hoiked himself up beside Jason on the tailgate. “The foundation of that stone wall the owner wants is going to be a bitch to put in.”
Jason cocked an eyebrow inquiringly.
“Bloody huge tree roots running all the way along there.”
“Isn’t that what the dingo and backhoe and shit are for? To do the digging?”
“Yeah, but the owner wants all the trees nearby left intact. As in not one little root disturbed. Gonna have to disillusion him.” Taking the mobile from his shirt pocket, Luke scrolled through the numbers, hesitated with his thumb hovering just above it.
Jason watched him.
“After lunch,” Luke decided. “Thirty minutes isn’t going to matter.”
“You don’t want to talk to him?”
“Man’s a total dick. Still, he’s paying the bill so all I can do is inform him of the problem.”
“And if he doesn’t agree?”
“Then I invite him out for a little look-see and detailed explanation.”
“And if he still doesn’t agree?”
“I’ll punch him out. But that’s a last resort.”
Jason grinned.
“I’m partial to my pay and Dad isn’t partial to violence.”
“Yep.”
Steam from the hot coffee swirled out of the flask, Luke blew on it to cool it off while glancing sideways at Jason. “So, you’re a little ray of sunshine today.”
“What’d I do?”
“The other day you apparently had a bug up your arse. Today you look like you’ve been de-bugged.”
“Been talking to Aaron?”
“
Ooooh
.” Luke looked fully at him. “Aaron? You’ve been talking to big brother?”
Shit. Wrong thing to say. Jason shrugged, took a huge bite of sandwich so he didn’t have to answer.
“Mate, when you talk to Aaron that means its something big. What happened? And even more important, why didn’t you keep me in the loop?”
“Why should I keep you in the loop?”
“Dirty bastard.” Luke brushed off his arm fastidiously. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”
“You asked.”
“Have you learned nothing since coming to live with a civilized family?”
“You fart in the shower and then tell everyone within hearing distance how much it stinks. You call that civilized?”
“You were the only one in the house at the time.”
“It sounded like you ripped your daks.”
“I’d eaten Dad’s curry the night before. I was lucky that farting was all I did.”
“I really don’t need to hear anymore.”
“I came perilously close to shitting my pants every time we hit a bump in the road.”
“Really. Stop.” But Jason couldn’t stop from grinning.
“You can laugh but I was out on a date. Try explaining to your date why you can’t get onto the dance floor. Shitting your pants or farting up a storm is not romantic.”
Jason gave a snort of laughter.
“That’s gross,” Luke said. “I can see your lunch in your gob.”
“Your date nearly saw the curry on the back of your pants.” Highly entertained as usual by his cousin’s antics, Jason finished off one sandwich, picked up the other.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t have sex that night. I didn’t dare relax one muscle in my body. I never touched Dad’s curry the night before a date ever again.”
“I’ll take that into account.”
Luke leaped on that statement with an almost maniacal gleam in his eyes. “You’re going on a date?”
“Is that so hard to believe?”
“It’s been awhile since you dated. Who is it?”
“You’ll meet her.”
“Holy shit.” Luke’s eyes widened. “That sounds serious. I don’t think I’ve ever met one of your dates.”
No point beating about the bush. “You’ll see her Saturday.”
“Who - oh hells bells!
Mikki
?” Luke was horrified. “Not Mikki? Tell me it’s not Mikki!”
“It’s not Mikki.”
“Oh, that’s right, she’s not coming to the barbie anyway. Then…” Luke stopped, thought a second, and slowly a grin crossed his face. “Izzy?”
“Yep.”
“Izzy.” With a crow of delight, Luke punched Jason’s arm, almost making him drop the sandwich. “You dog! Izzy! Man, she’s a sweetheart.”
Jason wasn’t going to argue that.
“Well, fancy that.” Taking a mouthful of coffee, Luke swallowed. “So the barbie is the first date, huh?”
Jason grunted.
Luke looked at him. “You’ve only known each other a short time. How the hell could you fit in a date already?”
Jason just shrugged. But man, he remembered it. The very next night he’d come home from work, seen her car parked in the driveway and taken out the bunch of flowers he’d bought from a servo, seeing as how the florist was shut, raced inside, showered and changed into clean clothes and gone over to her house. She’d greeted him with a shy smile and a sweet peck on the lips, which he’d deepened, leaving her flushed and him a little hot under the collar. Next thing he knew he was seated beside her on the sofa, both of them eating some delicious stew she’d made, Arnie flopped on his back in one of the armchairs, all of them watching a movie on TV. He hadn’t a clue what it was, but he was more than content to sit in the warmth with his girl by his side.
His girl by his side. That had a nice ring to it.
“You are one fast worker.” Luke shook his head admiringly.
The night had ended with some kissing, cuddling, a wave goodnight from Izzy and a boner for Jason. But yeah, it had been worth it.
“So,” Luke said. “Must be kind of weird, huh?”
Jason pulled himself away from his musings. “What?”
“Living beside your girlfriend.” At Jason’s blank look, he added, “What’s the protocol?”
“Protocol?”
‘Yeah, you know. Do you have to go over and kiss her hello every night? Is it okay to not go over every night? Kind of weird, right?”
“It wasn’t.” Jason sighed. “It is now.”
“Yeah, well, glad to help.” Luke fished out the mobile from his pocket, jumped down off the tailgate. ‘Gotta call a man about a root.” He paused. “Okay, that didn’t come out the way I meant it.”
“I’m still buggered by your ‘weird’ theory.’
“Buggered and root in the same sentence. I’d avoid it if I were you.” Luke walked off.
Protocol. Jason stared into the distance. Was there a protocol for living beside your girlfriend? “Bloody Luke.”
“I like your girlfriend.”
Jason looked to where Izzy was talking to Luke and Uncle Harris. She was waving her arms around while describing something she’d seen. Luke was joining in, flapping his own arms around like a demented chook. Uncle Harris just nodded patiently.
Aaron was sitting on a chair with his bare feet stuck up on the veranda rail, gazing peacefully out over the yard, just doing his Zen thing. Arnie was sitting on the veranda railing ogling him. Nothing, however, disturbed Aaron’s Zen.
“She seems really nice,” Lora added.
“She is.” Jason turned the steaks, the sizzle and delicious scent filling the air.
Lora laid chops on the other side of the hot plate. “Not sure about her cat.”
Jason grinned faintly. “He’s okay.” In fact, if it wasn’t for Arnie, he wasn’t so sure he and Izzy would have come as far as they had, they’d probably have remained neighbours on nodding terms and nothing more.
Actually, he had to admire the cat’s tenacity. He went full bore out enjoying life, not letting anything get between him and what he wanted. He was some kind of cat. Okay, Jason could admit he was fond of him.
Lora gave his arm a squeeze. “I’m glad you found someone nice.”
Jason nodded.
“Really glad. You deserve it, son.”
“Thanks, Mum.” He mightn’t say it, but he was glad his mother liked Izzy.
A voice hailed them all, Lora turning around with a big smile. “And thanks for letting me invite Jim for the barbie.”
“Yeah, no worries.” Jason watched his mother’s big, lumbering
boyfriend
walk across the lawn. Or what passed for a lawn. In his hands he carried two large boxes from the local dessert shop. His contribution to the BBQ.
At least he wasn’t a free-loader.
Then Jason had to watch his mother hurry across the lawn to greet Jim, and watch Jim - oh God, lean down and
kiss
his mother.
He gave an inward shudder. Creepy, just creepy. But he had to admit she looked so happy, and happiness was something she deserved.
“See Aunt Lora’s man has arrived.” Luke appeared beside him.
“Don’t you have something to do?”
“He must really like her. Did you see him kiss her?”
Jason grunted.
“Yep.” Luke rocked backwards and forwards in his thongs. “Planted a nice big wet one on your
mother
.”
“She’s happy,” Jason muttered.
“Who’s happy?” Izzy appeared on his other side.
“Oh yeah,” Luke said. “For Izzy you’ll smile.”
“You’re an arsehole, she’s not.”
“That’s so sweet.” Izzy dimpled up at him.
He smiled down at her. “I try.”
“Hey,” said Luke. “Want to come and meet Jason’s Mum’s boyfriend?” He managed to dodge the sharp elbow Jason aimed his way. “Mate, not cool.” He fluttered his eyelashes. “The love is in the air. Don’t you feel the love? It’s
everywhere
.”
Izzy laughed. “Who do you love, Luke?”
“Mikki,” Jason replied before Luke could answer.
Luke choked, coughed. Feeling way better, Jason grinned in satisfaction as he turned the chops.
Laughing, Izzy watched Luke try to get his breath back. “That was evil.”
“But it felt so good.” Jason continued flipping the chops.
Izzy inhaled deeply. “Mmmm, why does meat on a barbie always smell so much better than regular cooking?”
“No idea, it just does. Hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving.”
“Wait until you’ve tasted my fried onions.”
“You like cooking?” she asked with interest.
“Depends. I can cook a mean roast, fry a mean barbie, and mash a mean spud.”
“Wow. I do desserts really well.” She patted her belly. “As you can tell.”
Amused, Jason glanced at her belly.
All of a sudden a flush rose in her cheeks. “Um…not that I eat a lot of it.”
He was taken aback at her sudden awkwardness, her hand falling by her side. “Hey.” Shifting closer, he placed his hand on her back. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Iz. One minute you’re laughing, the next you’re not. What?”
“Really, it’s nothing.” She smiled brightly. Too brightly. “So, how much work did you get done on the house today?”
“Not as much work as it is to get you to be honest with me.”
She sighed. “Jason…”
“You want to know the real me, I want to know the real you.”
He thought she wasn’t going to tell him, but then she shrugged, folded her arms. “It’s stupid.”
“Let me be the judge of that.”
“I just didn’t want you to think that I’m the way I am because of what I eat.”
Jason looked down at her blankly. “Huh?”
“I’m not exactly Twiggy, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“Yeah. Still not registering.”
“I made a crack about eating desserts. I just…” Cheeks flaming, Izzy rolled her eyes. “I’m fat. I know it. You know it. I just didn’t want you to think I was serious about eating a lot of desserts.”
He stared at her. “Are you kidding me?”
“No.” She looked sideways at him. “Do I look like I’m kidding?”
Jason shook his head. “Izzy, you’re curvy. I like you just the way you are.”
“Aw, that’s sweet of you to say.”
“I mean it. Do you really think I’m that shallow that I’d only go for what society perceives is ideal? I did that, I’d be getting fake pecs inserted.”
That got a smile from her. “You have great pecs.”
“Not as great as Aaron’s. I’m lean. I have issues. I put my foot in my mouth. A lot.”
Turning fully, she smiled up at him. “You’re
so
sweet.”
“Sweet?” He snorted. “Nothing sweet about me. I just know what’s important. And you, baby, are important.” Then, not caring who saw, he leaned down to kiss her gently on the lips.
“Mmmm.”
Lifting his head, he winked down at her. “And I’ll show you later just how much I love your curves.”
“And you think you’re not perfect,” she whispered.
“No one’s perfect, Iz, but you come pretty damned close.”
Her blush this time was one of happiness, but before she could say anything Lora and Jim appeared beside Jason.
“Raincheck,” Izzy whispered.
“Raincheck,” he agreed. Straightening, he turned to face his mother and Jim, managed to put a smile on his dial as he shook the big, meaty hand Jim held out. “Glad you could make it.”
“Thanks for asking me.”
“I think Mum did that.” Jason felt Izzy give him a subtle nudge in the ankle. “You’re welcome.”
Jim looked down at Lora. “I know family is important to Lora, so it’s important to me.”
His mother smiled so widely it was a wonder she didn’t eat her own ears. Jason felt itchy between his shoulder blades, rolled his shoulders, and managed to smile at his mother. It was a wonder his face didn’t crack.
“Let’s get you a drink.” Lora started to lead Jim away. “What’ll it be?”
“I’m driving. Got anything non-alcoholic?”
Good planning. Jason placed the steaks into one of the big trays at the side of the BBQ. That sounded promising. The last thing his mother needed was to be with a violent or irresponsible drunk.
“About all Jason does have around here,” Luke drawled from where he now stood beside Uncle Harris.
“Good boy.” Jim nodded approvingly.
Over his shoulder, Jason cast the big man’s back a glare.
“Hey.” Izzy touched his arm. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” He swung his attention back to the steaks.
“Do you really dislike Jim that much?”
“It’s not dislike.” He grabbed the bowl of sliced onions, tipped them onto the hot plate. A loud sizzle went upward while he used the tongs to spread the vegetable out to cook evenly. Becoming aware of the silence at his side, and very aware of Izzy’s gaze, he finally muttered, “Out with it, then.”
“Oh, I don’t want to push you,” she said brightly.
As if he didn’t know what she was doing. His eyes narrowed.
She started humming, reached out to snag a little bit of juicy, crispy fat off one of the steaks. Jason smacked her hand lightly with the tongs. Still humming, she popped the juicy tid-bit into her mouth and chewed happily.
“Later, Missy,” he growled.
“Oh my, so masterful.” Beguilingly, she leaned into him. “Going to share, Master?”
Unable to stay annoyed, even though she hadn’t been the cause of it, he frowned at her. “Don’t try and suck up to me now. You’ve done your dash.”
Smiling sweetly, she rubbed her cheek against his arm.
Shaking his head, Jason glanced up to see his Uncle watching him with approval. Okay, from his Uncle he could handle approval, but he sure as shit didn’t need it from his mother’s boyfriend. Though it would, he thought, switching his gaze to where Lora and Jim stood, make her happy.
The thought had his attention dropping back to the onions sizzling deliciously on the hot plate. Why couldn’t he just be happy for her? Why did he feel such animosity towards Jim?
“Your head’s going to explode in a minute,” Izzy commented.
He didn’t pretend not to know what she was referring to. “I’ll try to stop it from landing on the food.”
“Very considerate of you, honey, but I like your head where it is - on your shoulders and in one piece.”
He sighed.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me. We don’t have to share everything. It’s cool.” Soothingly, Izzy rubbed the small of his back. “Can I help in any other way?”
The sensation of that small palm on his back, the genuine concern on her face, warmed him. He looked down at her, her nearness calming, his tension seeping away enough to make him relax. “You’re helping by just being here.”
Those light green eyes crinkled at the corners in amusement. “Good to know.”
“You could call me master again, that’d make me feel really good.”
“You have to earn that.” And then she swatted him heartily on the bum.
Startled, he fumbled the tongs, nearly dropping them, managing to catch them just in time. He also couldn’t miss his cousins’ laughter, a tinge of red climbing into his cheeks. No way was he going to look, but he knew for certain that pair of bastards hadn’t missed her action or his reaction. Hell, he also couldn’t help the warmth that tingled down low when he saw the mischief in her sparkling eyes.
“Oops.” Izzy bit her lip. “Did I overstep a mark?”
“Overstep?” He quirked a brow at her. “Is that what you call that massive leap?”
“Massive leap?”
“You can look innocent as all hell, baby, but you are going to pay for that smack later.”
“Ooohh.” Daringly, she leaned forward to whisper, “Are you into punishment?”
Punishment? He nearly swallowed his tongue. Where did that come from?
She batted her eyelashes at him. “You want me to spank you later?”
“Spank - hells bells, Izzy, what are you into?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She purred.
Jason’s eyes narrowed again. Going by the glint in her eyes, she was enjoying herself way too much over his surprise. Time to teach this teasing little minx that he wasn’t that stupid or gullible.
Holding the tongs in front of her nose, he lowered his voice to a gravely tone. “Now you listen to me, little girl. If anyone is going to give punishment here it’ll be me, and the only one getting punished will be you.”
“Is that so, big boy?” she replied pertly.
“Yeah, little girl.”
“Don’t promise what you can’t give, big boy.”
“Oh, I never promise what I can’t give,” he shot back. “And
that’s
a promise, little girl.”
“All right you kids.” Uncle Harris stepped up beside Jason, making both Jason and Izzy jump, startled. Grabbing the tongs from his nephew’s hand, he gestured to the tray of meat. “While you two squabble like the kids you are, the chops are blistering and the onions are burning.”
His face might have been stern but Jason recognised the humour in his uncle’s tranquil eyes. Picking up the tray of steaks, he winked at Izzy. “She started it.”
“And I’m finishing it.” Uncle Harris piled the chops into the other tray and handed it to Izzy. “You two get to the table. We’re famished while you two feed other’s appetites. Now shoo.”
That had Izzy blushing, but she cast Jason a laughing look.
As they walked over to the long wooden table, Jason growled softly for her ears alone, “My family won’t be around forever.”
“Try not to get too upset about not having their back-up to save you,” Izzy replied cheerfully.