Page 111 of Next Time I Fall (Excess All Areas 2)

“Not as good as you, babe.”

“I just got off a long-haul flight. I need a shower. Badly.”

Jase took her two suitcases, one in each hand. “No. I love the smell of your skin in the morning. Gets Little Jase all excited, although he promised to be on his best behaviour at the airport and wait until he got back to the house to say hello.” He winked at her, and his dimples popped in his cheeks.

Cerys rolled her eyes.

She followed him through the airport, taking in the fit of his jeans and the confidence in his stride. Thanks to his size and presence, people had a tendency to move out of his way. Staying behind him allowed her to monitor their reaction. By the time they’d realised who he was, he was already past them.

He paid for the ticket to exit the car park then stopped in front of the car.

“It’s Matt’s. I borrowed it.” He placed the cases inside.

He took her flowers from her and placed them on the roof, before pulling her flush to him and pressing his lips to hers again. His hand dipped beneath the hem of her hoodie, beneath her T-shirt. His calloused fingers on her skin made her shiver.

She wrapped her hands around his neck, gripping his hair, holding him to her.

Jase backed her up against the car, his erection pressing against her stomach as her core tightened in anticipation of what usually followed. He kissed her again, taking away any sense of reason.

Except, they were in a parking lot.

And by the sound of excited chatter and a child squealing, they were not alone. She patted Jase on the shoulder. “I think you’d better take me home.”

He groaned and placed his nose against her neck, sniffing deeply. “Such a spoilsport, Cerys.” Pressing his hands on the roof, he pushed away from her, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Little Jase is very unhappy right now.” He reached between them to rearrange himself. “If he dies from loss of blood circulation on the drive home, it’s your fault.”

“I’m sure he’ll recover,” she said drolly. “But if he makes it home without complaining, I’ll be very nice to him later.”

His gaze held hers captive as he smiled. “I’m really fucking glad you’re here.”

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up outside the end-terraced house with a bright blue door.

“Welcome home.” Jase stepped out of the car and hurried around the back to retrieve her tote and cases. “Alex has gone to crash with Ben for the night, so we have the place to ourselves.”

Home.

It was something they hadn’t thoroughly discussed, beyond the idea that she was opening a studio in Manchester and would stay with him while she got organised.

“I’m so tired I might fall over,” Cerys said.

When he opened the door, she was met with the scent of lemon. And cinnamon. The house was spotlessly clean and sparse, apart from a comfortable-looking grey sofa, a TV way too large for the room, and a large shelving unit near the door, which contained an array of percussion instruments and keyboards.

“It doesn’t usually look like this, if I’m honest. I mentioned to Nan that I wanted to clean the place before you got here, and before I knew it, Nan and Auntie Pat were over here working me and Alex like they were in charge of a Gulag. I swear to God, I had no idea those curtains were actually beige until Auntie Pat sent them through a warm wash.”

Cerys began to laugh. “Remember the day we said goodbye and I started to tell you all about my laundry plans?”

Jase grinned. “No fucking clue why I’m rambling like an idiot. Nervous, I guess.”

“Why are you nervous?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He threaded a finger through one of her curls.

She shook her head.

“Being with you in Detroit was a slice of heaven. I want it to be the same here.”

Cerys let out a sigh and smiled. “Come here,” she said, throwing her arms around him. “I had similar thoughts on the plane. What if it’s not the same? What if he realises in the cold light of day that I’m not ...?”

Jase stepped back enough to look at her. “Not what?”

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