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I was in a daze, a crazy, ridiculous daze. I shot through the flat, arriving at the door in a blink and swinging the door wide, to watch my dirty bad stranger coming up the staircase. He had a smile, a huge smile, and a huge fucking holdall. Oh my God.
“Jason? I thought you were...”
This time there was no fence between us. He dropped his bag to the floor, taking my face in his hands as I stared up at him. His hands were cold against my burning cheeks.
“Change of plan, Gemma,” he said with a glint in eyes that were dark and brooding. “I’m yours, dirty girl. If you want me, that is.”
“You’re staying?!” Butterflies cartwheeled in my stomach. My breath hitched.
He took my hands, squeezed them gently. “If you’ll have me. I know you’re not keen on the domestic shit.”
“What about the house? And April?”
“I signed the house over. And I don’t give a shit about April. She’s screwed me for long enough. I’m out.”
I couldn’t stop grinning. “You’re free? Really free?”
“Really. And it feels so good, Gemma. I feel good … lighter. No more burdens.”
“But the press? Imagine what they’ll do when this gets out.”
“I know what they’ll do, Gemma, and they’ll have my blessing.”
His eyes, so dark, so knowing; and that smile so confident, as if he was savouring a personal victory. “What do you mean, Jason? Don’t you care?”
“More than ever.” He stepped back to the landing and stared down into the dark yard, and when he shouted to the paparazzi and invited them up, my legs started shaking. He came back inside and pressed the buzzer to let them in.I made to back away but he held out a hand. “Don’t hide away, Gemma. I want the world to see.”
My heart was racing as footsteps ran up the stairs. He stepped back to my side, held my hand.
“Jason, what the …”
But it was too late for objections. Three grinning paps, wrapped in big coats and woolly hats, cameras poised. The one in the middle with hair as red as mine and a thick beard to match smiled right at me. “Miss Taylor, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Malcolm. You can call me Malc.”
Jason held up a hand. “Guys. I’ll make this quick. I’d like you to meet my girl, Gemma Taylor.”
“Your girl? What about your wife, Mr Redfern?” ginger Malc said.
His girl?Holy shit. I was shaking all over. Jason must have felt it because he let go of my hand and brought his arm around my shoulders, hugging me to him. “If she’ll have me, that is.”
“And your wife, Mr Redfern?” Malc pushed.
“We’ll be getting a divorce. She can have the house as compensation. All I want is Gemma Taylor. My beautiful girl.”
I could have fainted. The paps all gasped at once, raised their cameras, and the flashes went off like a disco. I was smiling, though. Definitely smiling.
“Thank you, Mr Redfern, and thank you, Gemma Taylor,” ginger Malc said after Jason held up a hand once more and the flashes stopped.
All three wished us luck before they galloped off into the night. In my mind I saw the papers reeling hot off the press. “Jesus, Jason, what the hell have you done?”
He pushed the door and it swung shut with a click. “Just told the truth,” he said, taking me in his arms.
A cough from the kitchen doorway made me jump. Tessa – Shit! I’d forgotten all about Tessa.
“Tessa, meet Jason – Jason this my good friend, Tessa.”
“No introductions necessary,” she said. “I watched your game the other week. My first one.” She cast her eyes to the holdall on the floor. “I guess you’re staying?”
Jason looked awkward, strangely self-conscious. “If that’s ok?”
