JASPER

***

I've decided I like England. And I like it because it is fucking amazing seeing Libby in her natural surroundings.

Her routine is the same as what it was, kind of, back in Wilmington in that she gets up early. But for some reason I found myself not minding this time. There's something about this place that calms me, and I know Libby has something to do with it, but I also feel like it's sort of like a fresh start. I feel like this is my main chance to get my act together, particularly as her parents are here, and I need to impress them big time.

***

The last two days have been testy though, to say the least. We, or rather Libby, got in trouble for our disappearing act when I got there on Christmas - being rude to her guests - and Nick had to grab my arm to physically hold me back when her dad started shouting at her. It wasn't her fault, and if it's anyone's fault, it's mine. Her dad was saying it was irresponsible and rude, and that he doesn't know what's happened to her. And that fucking pissed me off. What fuck does that even mean? Nothing has happened to her. She's still the same beautiful, headstrong and admirable woman, and anyone would be lucky to have her in their lives. I'm certainly fucking glad she's in mine, and I wouldn't change anything about her. Not one bit.

She was really quiet for the rest of the evening, but I did notice she drank a lot of champagne. After a few hours, she started getting giggly and I know what that means. Drunk. Drunk as a fucking skunk.

When she reached for another bottle I managed to stop her, and pulled her to the kitchen instead. I sat her up on the counter and found a glass for water and immediately gave it to her. I stood in front of her, in between her legs, to make sure she couldn't move and we didn't move back to the group until she'd finished three pint glasses of water. When we came back to the group, I stuck to her side and I think her mum was grateful I was looking after her.

I didn't leave her side for the whole evening, but that still didn't stop me from getting grilled. Rob, who was the only one who seemed to like me, other than Nick and Lois. He was asking me about my truck, which was okay. But he was asking me hard questions, when all I knew about it was that it's fucking expensive to fix. Her mum asked me why I hadn't brushed my hair, and her dad grilled me about what I wanted to do when I graduated college. He also kept reminding me that Libby and I would be parting ways in six months and I had to grip Libby's hand tight to stop myself punching him in the nose.

But about four hours later, the party tails off, and soon it was just us younger ones downstairs. Lois and Libby's parents have either gone home or off up to bed.

"Shit! I need to walk Juggy!" Libby suddenly says, jumping up and kneeing me in the balls as she climbs off the back of the sofa. I hate how clumsy she is when she's drunk. She doesn't think about things, and that wasn't the first time she'd nutted me in the balls.

"Fuck's sake!" I shout, leaning forward in pain.

"Ah sorry!" She comes back and crouches in front of me.

"Christ. I think you've fucking broken them."

Rob and Nick laugh as I lean forward, gripping my balls, which are now throbbing and singing in pain.

"Who's Jughead anyway?" I groan, leaning back and letting out a breath. Fuck, she really got them that time.

Just as I say it, a massive bark comes from the kitchen and I turn around. We'd been in the kitchen earlier and I hadn't seen a dog in there.

"Jughead's my dog," Libby laughs as she stands and heads back to the kitchen. She seems to have sobered up a bit more now, which is good. "We have to keep him in the utility when Amanda's around because she's terrified of dogs."

A few seconds later I have a fucking huge German Shepherd looking to get up onto my lap. He's absolutely beautiful, and he's got the softest brown eyes I've ever seen. He stands on his hind legs, leaning his front paws heavily on my knees, and he looks at me, panting. I stroke him and he closes his eyes slightly in happiness, or whatever, and before I can stop him he jumps up and sits on my lap, much to Rob and Libby's amusement.

"Not really a fucking lap dog are you buddy," I chuckle, getting a face full of fur, but I don't move to push him off. I stroke behind his soft brown ears instead.

"He likes you. And he doesn't like anybody other than us," Rob notes. "But you should know that he sleeps in her room, so make sure you're prepared for a surprise attack of dog breath in the morning."

My face lights up. I've always wanted a dog. Ever since I knew what a dog even was. But Mum is allergic, so I can't get one until I get my own place. If Libby and I make it past college we are so fucking getting one. And definitely one like Jughead. He's beautiful.

"I don't mind that. Why didn't you tell me you had a dog?" I ask, nudging her now that she was sat next to me again. Jughead is wagging his tail and hitting her with it as it bats up and down but she doesn't seem to mind.

She shrugs. "I don't know. It just didn't come up I suppose."

She'd shown me pictures of the family and I suppose I had seen a dog in a couple of them, but as she'd been a bit younger I figured the dog had died or something.

"Anyway, I should take him out. You want to come?" She asks as she stands again and walks to the door.

Jughead's head goes up but he doesn't move.

I nod and she calls Jughead over. He obediently jumps off me and I stand, brushing the dog hair off me and I'm relieved to find my balls have somewhat recovered from her kicking them.

She gets her shoes on as I grab my jacket and we're out the door within minutes. She hasn't put him on a lead but he sticks close, only trotting ahead a few metres before checking we're still there.

"Why Jughead?" I ask, chuckling. "It's a fucking random name."

"It's not," she whines, laughing. "He's a character from my favourite tv show."

"Oh for fuck's sake. Only you would do that," I chuckle louder, smiling as I put my arm tightly around her shoulder and kiss her head. "I love you."

She grins up at me. "It's his markings. He's got an unusual white line across his shoulders and under his belly. And it looks like one of Jughead's jackets."

I have no idea what she's talking about but she flashes up her phone with pictures of a scrawny black-haired kid wearing a grey beanie and a black Levi's jacket, which is actually a similar style to mine. In fact, apart from the black hair and him being scrawnier than me, we look pretty similar.

"I can see why you like me if you like him," I nudge her.

"You don't look like him," she giggles, putting the phone next to my face. "Nah, Cole Sprouse isn't as sexy as you are. And that jacket looks way better on you." She bites her lip and I get a twitch in my pants.

I lean down to kiss her, cupping her cheek as I do so. She closes her eyes and sighs contentedly, pulling the edges of my jacket to keep me close. I'm about to kiss her harder but then I feel a wet nose touch my jeans.

I pull away and scratch Jughead's ears.

"That's him saying he's done his business and we can go home now," she giggles.

I snort, "We've barely walked anywhere!" I shake my head but follow Libby's lead as we walk back to the house.

"He's lazy." She giggles. "And it's cold."

She kisses me once more before we climb the steps, and get back in the house.

We pull off our jackets and shoes and go straight upstairs as I can see the lights are now all off downstairs. I don't even ask if she wants me in a different room because that's not going to fucking happen. I've been apart from her for too long and that's not happening again. Even for an hour.

Jughead runs up the stairs ahead of us and slips into Libby's room so I'm guessing Rob wasn't joking when he said he sleeps in there. He plops on the bed, which doesn't bother me, but she shoos him down to his bed in the corner.

We get into bed quite quickly, both quite tired after all the pleasantries from the afternoon. I pull her into me as I shuffle forward, tangling my feet together with hers, and pretty quickly we're both fast asleep.

***

Three days later I'm woken by a weird singing noise. It sounds like happy birthday but I think I must be dreaming. I close my eyes again and push closer to Libby, who turns over to snuggle into my chest.

But when the door opens and Jughead starts barking, before jumping up on Libby's bed, I realise I wasn't imagining.

Libby and I spring apart as her two brothers and her parents come in the room holding a fucking massive birthday cake. It's Libby's birthday? Well that's yet another thing we hadn't talked about. And I want to laugh. I'm fucking naked under this comforter and I'm just praying that they don't ask me to stand. Libby's cheeks are red and I'm thankful at least that she's thought to put her pyjamas back on. She vaguely told me to, but I was so tired I couldn't be arsed.

She bends forward and surreptitiously hands me the boxers she'd thrown on the floor last night and I get to work on subtly putting them on without anyone noticing.

When the happy birthday song finishes, they're on, and we all clap at her as Rob plonks down near her feet, holding the cake.

"Make a wish," her mum says and I have to refrain from rolling my eyes.

Libby looks embarrassed as she sees my shocked expression but she can't address it as Rob almost shoves the cake in her face. She dodges it just in time, getting cake on the comforter, but Jughead quickly hoovers that up.

She blows the candles out, and then a present appears out of the gap between me and her mum. It's a small square box, and Libby seems to be shocked that she's receiving anything. She takes it and shakes it, grinning as it makes a satisfying rattle.

When she opens it her squeal is so loud it makes me jump and cover my ears. She stands and thank fuck I'm now wearing boxers. The covers come straight up and her mum flinches as I quickly cover it up. Of course I have a fucking hard-on, it's the morning. My cheeks heat but no one else has seemed to notice, thank fuck.

I can't even see what it is that she's squealing so loudly at but she launches herself at the window and looks down at something so I can only assume it's a car.

"Oh my god, thank you!" She cries, hugging her parents and her brothers in turn before rejoining me on the bed. "Thank you thank you thank youuuuu!"

She shows me the key and it's got a BMW keyring. I suppose it is her twenty first. I got my truck for my eighteenth and I'm keeping it until it dies. I love it.

"You going to take it for a spin?" I ask, nudging her with my elbow, my initial annoyance at her not telling me about her birthday gone. "What is it?" I ask Rob.

"1-series," he beams. "Work had a defunct one... had no idea what was wrong with it. So they said I could take it off their hands if I could fix it."

"What?! You've built this? You built this for me?" Libby asks, shocked, smacking her brother hard on the arm, probably due to excitement.

"I don't know what it's previous owners did to it, but it wasn't treated nicely. I've had to replace pretty much everything."

"Is it old?" She asks.

He shakes his head. "Nope. Less than a year."

"And they just gave it to you?"

He shrugs.

"Rob?" She asks. She doesn't believe it either. No one just gives away a free BMW, no matter how beat up it is.

"Fine. I worked labour free on it. But you're worth it, sis." He winks. "Plus, the engineering team were impressed I got it going, so I got a promotion and pay rise. So there's that."

"Holy shit!" The words are shockingly out of Libby's mouth, but I seem to be the only one looking at her with pride.

She hasn't seemed to notice as she widens her eyes at him, in pride and shock probably, but she goes round the bed to give him a massive hug. He returns the hug one-handed as he's holding the cake with the other.

"You're the best, bro."

After a few more minutes of chatter, they exit the room, and I'm left sitting there awkwardly looking at her.

"What?" She asks, her cheeks heating as she knows what I'm about to say.

"You could have told me it was your fucking birthday Lib. Oh my god," I laugh and scratch the back of my head. "How the fuck didn't I know that?"

"I hate my birthday." She says it plainly and looks down, picking at something on the cover.

"Why do you hate your birthday?" I shuffle closer to her, putting an arm around her waist.

She shrugs. "I'm not even sure. It's always forgotten whenever we're away, and none of my friends are ever available."

"Why?" I was under the impression she only cared about Lois anyway, and we were seeing her later.

"Well everyone's with their families. And I can't argue with that, can I?" She looks up and smiles at me just as Jughead jumps back up onto the bed. He sits, very helpfully, right between us so I can't see her.

"Lie down, Jug." She clicks and points down and he does it.

"I suppose not. But you're something to be celebrated. And I'm glad I know now..." I realise I looked shocked to start with, but hadn't told her my birthday. Maybe I shouldn't.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just hate making a big deal out of it. So don't you go and do anything," she points at me whilst scratching Jughead's ears.

I raise my hands in defence. "You know me. I'm not one for big gestures."

"I would have believed that four days ago and yet here you are making the biggest gesture of them all, coming here. Jasper I mean it, please don't make a fuss."

"I won't," I promise. I'll make an effort myself, go and get something for her, but I can tell she means what she's saying. And I know I'll be in trouble if I do make a fuss. She seems adamant.

I've noticed this about her. She fusses about other people, and then doesn't let people fuss over her. I'm surprised she even accepted the car, but after what Rob told us about making it himself, I'd say she feels obliged.

"Shower?" I ask, winking. "Birthday sex?" I egg her on when she doesn't respond.

"Jasper," she warns as I get out and come around the bed. Jughead is barking at me but I don't care. My hard on is on its way back, and I can't think of anything better than to give her birthday sex.

"Jasper, put me down!" She squeals as I carry her into her en-suite. She changes positions before we get into the shower, her legs wrapping around my waist, her arms resting on my shoulders.

As soon as the door's closed, I turn on the water and I turn in time for the freezing cold water to hit my back.

"Fuck," I flinch and jerk forwards and she laughs, squealing as she removes her pyjama top and throwing it to the floor just outside the shower. She's conceding to the only birthday present she'll allow me to give her, and fuck am I going to show her a good time.

As the water starts to warm up, I step back underneath it, sucking at her nipples as I hold her in my arms, driving her wild. Her legs tighten and loosen around me as she grinds herself against me, and soon I'm hard as a rod and ready to fucking burst. I can feel myself throbbing, but I try to ignore it as best I can. Today's about her and what she wants.

Instead, I slowly slide her body down me and lean down to pull her panties and shorts down, my nose close to the apex of her thighs. I then sit her against the ledge of the bath and she licks and bites her lip when she realises what I'm about to do.

I love eating her out. She tastes so fucking amazing, and she's always fucking wet and ready. And today was no different. I slide a testing finger into her and she cries out, slapping her hand against the wall and bracing herself with her other hand on my shoulder as she throws her head back. I hook one of her legs over my shoulder and then once I've pumped my finger into her twice more, to tease her, I lean down and lick her. Fuck, she tastes exquisite, and as I push in my tongue, her legs tremble as I suck her, and she pants hard and loud, holding onto my hair harder, as she tries to hang on.

I keep going, deeper and faster, sucking at her clit, licking up and down, spurred on by her tugging my hair and her pleas for me to keep going or to stop, and soon she is beyond delirious with ecstasy. Her thighs push against my head but I keep going, until she can't hang on anymore. As she jerks with a satisfying sigh, she comes and I catch her as he legs buckle. She's trembling so much I'm worried she's passed out. But as I stand slightly, she takes hold of my dick and makes me grin wickedly, biting my lip as a hiss passes through my lips. She starts gliding her hand up and down me, but I have to hold on to the wall when she takes me in her mouth.

"Fuck, baby," I groan, mirroring her previous position. Her tongue is relentless as it swirls over my tip, looking at me with hooded eyes that almost make me come in her mouth. She cups my balls in her hand as she takes me in further, and soon I'm about ready to shoot down her fucking throat.

"Baby, I'm about to come." It comes out strangled as I warn her, but she thankfully hears me, stopping, licking once more up my dick before she stands slowly. Her cheeks are still rosey from her orgasm, but from the way she's rubbing herself, I know she wants - needs - to come again. And I know exactly how to do it.

As she pulls away from me, she licks her lips, and I gently pull her up and turn her around so she's in front of me.

"You ready baby?" I ask, my voice breathless and barely audible over the sound of the water.

She nods and braces her hands against the wall as I position myself and slide into her from behind with a sigh. We'd tried this way a couple of times, which she was uncomfortable with to start with. But as I slammed into her and she pushed back, it felt fucking fantastic. She pants again each time I pushed into her, changing my rhythm. I reach my hand around her and rub her clit as I press into her, grunting as I plant sloppy kisses on her neck. And soon her legs are trembling and stiffening again as she tightens around me. She comes loud and hard around me, and to be honest I'm not sure if she's dripping or if it's the shower dripping, but either way, my release isn't far behind.

I slowly pull out of her and turn her around, kissing her softly as she wounds her arms around my neck. She pushes herself flush to my chest, her wetness rubbing against my dick again, but from the trembling I can sense in her legs, I think if we did it again she'd probably pass out. Instead I step backwards so she can wet her hair. I then squirt some shampoo on my hands and lather it up and wash her hair, moving my fingers in soothing concentric circles. I pull her under once more to wash out the shampoo, and then she does the same for me. I drop my head down so she can reach, chuckling as she uses her fingernails to gently massage my scalp. She pulls my head under and as the water cascades around us, she kisses me.

It's a soft, gentle kiss, one that tells me she loves me without saying the words, but it's one of my favourite kisses. With those kisses, I feel cherished and warm. And it makes me feel completely whole again.

***

"I love you baby," I tell her when she's all dry and wrapped in a soft white towel. "Happy birthday."

I drop a soft kiss on her forehead, then her shoulder, and move away to get dressed. Her parents definitely know we've been fucking up here, but I don't care. It's her birthday, and the only thing she's allowing me to give her is me... so if they have a problem, they can fuck off.

"Can I at least take you to dinner?" I ask.

She shakes her head, "You always do that anyway."

"Exactly. So it'll be no different?" I shrug as I pull on my AC/DC top.

"It will be. I know you," she walks over and stands between my legs, playing with my drying hair.

"You really do hate celebrating your birthday, huh...?" I chuckle, leaning forward to kiss her stomach.

"I get a year older. Everybody does. It's all part of the adventure we call life," she says with a sigh. "Who cares?"

"How profound," I joke.

She giggles, sighing as she tries to tame my ever unruly mop of hair. "Fine. Dinner in Wilmington." She says it with warning; meaning she'll be inordinately pissed off if I do throw her one. I know she would be, so I chuckle but make a cross over my heart using her fingers, promising her.

"I promise." I stand and kiss her. "Now, let's get some food. I'm fucking starving after your birthday present." I grin wickedly at her and wink as I walk out the room and down to the awkward fest that is her kitchen.