The next time I fall in love it will be with you, Cerys.
He remembered the words he’d said to her, and the image of her spinning around on the stage, making him feel better, appeared in his mind. So lovely, and, God, he fucking loved her.
There was no falling to be done.
He’d already fucking fallen.
Matt cracked one eye open. “Why do you look like you just ate one of those slugs that make it under Nan’s back door?”
“I love Cerys.”
“No shit. But why does that make you look like you’re constipated?”
“Because I . . . fuck.” He rubbed his fist against his sternum.
Matt laughed. “Yeah. Love can make you do stupid things. I’m not exactly immune. You can distil it down to the bonds we build and who will be there for you, no matter how or why you fall. ‘Next Time I Fall.’ I like that as a title. Says what you meant, really. That the bonds we all have are so strong they can withstand any failure. And it’s human, to fail. We all do. I failed Iz. I failed her so fucking badly it hurts to think about it. But she forgave me. And I failed you. And you’ve forgiven me. And I failed Luke. He’s forgiven me . . . and you. So, yeah, next time I fall, I know you will all be there too.”
Jase lay back on the stage like his brother, mirroring his pose. “I saw a news article the other day that called us half-brothers. I didn’t like it. And it was funny, because I know we’ve fought and all that shit, but it got me all fucking wound up that someone outside of you and me tried to put a label on what our relationship is to each other.”
Matt sighed. “I never think about it, to be truthful. The labels and shit. Seems like you, me, and Nan is how it’s always been, right? Half-brothers is a line on a flowchart, not a relationship.”
“Ironically, I’ve been such a shit to you, that the line probably means something nicer than we’ve been.”
“Thank you for letting Iz go,” Matt said gruffly.
“I should never have tried to keep hold of her in the first place. Did I tell you she asked me if I was dying when I apologised?”
Matt coughed into his hand. “She thought you were what?”
“Yeah. Dying. Apparently, I had to be at the end of my natural born days for her to believe I was genuinely sorry.”
Matt began to laugh, a deep throaty chuckle, and Jase couldn’t help but follow.
An hour later, when Bexter came back into the studio, he found them lying in the exact same spot.
The page was blank, but the bones of the song was formed, and a weight heavier than he realised he carried had been lifted off Jase’s chest.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
“Babe. Turn your fucking alarm off.” The grumpy voice rumbled in her ear.
“Shit,” she muttered, reaching for her phone.
No sooner as she had turned it off, Jase’s arms ensnared her, pulling her back to the warmth and security of his chest, where she’d obviously spent the whole night.
Naked Jase was something to be admired. He also gave the best sleep hugs. Naked Jase and sleep hugs after wild sex, riding the high of over twelve hours of intense recording, was the absolute best thing. “We need to go.” Her words were mumbled against his chest.
“You’ve got your tits all up against me. We aren’t going anywhere.”
God, she loved his rough and gravelly morning voice. It vibrated through her chest. Exploring each other over the past couple of days had been nothing short of heavenly.
“Dad’s expecting you all back at the studio early so you can—”
“And I know you can feel Little Jase all ready to get up close and personal with you before we get out of this bed.”
Cerys laughed. “Stop calling him Little Jase.”
“Like I said, you don’t like the name, change it. In fact”—he took hold of her hand and led it between the two of them, placing it on his erection—“why don’t you have a good feel of him, see if he inspires you.”
Cerys leaned back so she could look at him as she stroked him. He opened one eye, looked at her, then closed it again. “Not my eyes that need a new name. Focus, Cerys.”
“We can’t be late. They’ll all know why.”
Jase finally opened his eyes. “I’m late every morning.”
“Yes. You are. But I’m usually the first one in.”
“Fucking keener,” he muttered as he placed the tips of his fingers between her legs. “Anyway, this morning I want to be the first one in here.”
Cerys gasped. “That’s such a terrible joke.”
“No joke. This is the first pussy Little Jase has wanted to stick around with in a really long time. He gets kind of anxious if he doesn’t get to say hello.”
“Fine,” she said, stroking him firmly, smiling as she heard him hiss in a breath. “But it will have to be a quick hello.”
Jase placed his lips gently on hers. “He’s the master of the fast fuck.”
“I don’t even know how I’m turned on right now. Fast fuck?”
“You said quick.” His finger slipped gently inside, and she opened her legs a little wider, her body sparking to life at his touch.
“Wet,” he groaned. “Just the way I love it.”
He reached over to the bedside table for the box of condoms she’d picked up when she’d done her grocery shop during the week and pulled one out.
“Here,” he said. “Put it on while I catch another couple of minutes’ sleep.”
“Are you serio—”
“Kidding, Cerys.” Jase chuckled. He looked down between them as he slid the condom over Little Jase. And dear God, she needed coffee because there was no way she was falling into the trap of calling his penis anything other than awe-inspiring. “Come here.” Jase rolled onto his back and lifted her across his lap. With his large hand, he pushed her hair back from her face. “Kiss me.”
Cerys leaned forward and did as he instructed. His arms wrapped around her, holding her firmly. His hands roamed her shoulders, threaded through her hair. She could kiss him forever.
He reached between them and guided himself into her, a steady push, stretching her, then easing back, until he was fully seated deep within her.
A moan caught in the back of her throat as his lips savaged hers.
Jase let out a groan. “Love being inside you,” he muttered as he began to move. Hands gripped her in place, as his hips thrust up into her.
Cerys lifted up, moving her hair from her face, not giving a shit if it looked like a family of magpies had taken up residence in it, or if her boobs bounced too much. Instead, she gave in to the look on Jase’s face that said he wanted her as much as she wanted him. She gave in to the sensations that grew inside her as he let go of one hip and brushed a hand across her breast.
When he pinched her nipple between his thumb and finger, she felt everything south of her belly button tighten in anticipation of release.
When the same thumb ran across her bottom lip, she bit it gently before sucking on it.
“Babe,” Jase groaned. “Fucking unexpected.”
Cerys guided his thumb to her clit, and he grinned. “Not getting what you need?” he asked.