So this chapter is like a whole story in one sitting. I know I said the last chapter had pretty much everything... well this is the sequel... amped up a few notches. So ENJOY!
Chapter 37: Just Go With It.
Joey and Lauren walked downstairs together the next morning, having broken another rule and showered together. Max and Tanya were in the kitchen and Joey's uncle passed him the Walford Gazette as Lauren began to get their breakfast.
"I think maybe it's time you started to look for somewhere to live, Joey." Max said.
"Dad!" Lauren said, turning to face her father.
"Your dad's right, baby." Joey said, staring at his uncle. "I was always going to move out sometime... you knew that." Lauren turned back to the side and continued making coffee and toast but Joey could see she was upset and tense.
"We're off to work." Tanya said, ushering her husband towards the door. "Can you pick up Oscar today, Lauren? I've got an appointment and your dad's got an auction to go to this afternoon."
"Okay." Lauren said, only partially listening to what her mum was saying.
Once they were alone Lauren leant on the side and gave up any pretence of being okay. Joey got to his feet and went to stand behind her, "Baby, we spoke about this..."
"I was hoping you would've changed your mind..." She turned to face him and looked up at him, "That I'd be able to persuade you to stay." That I'd be enough to make you stay... she silently added.
"It's not fair on your brother." He told her, lifting his hand to cup her face, "But if anything was going to convince me, it would be you, Lauren." He added, answering the words she'd been unable to voice.
"I don't want you to leave me..." she whispered, stepping into his arms and pressing her face into his shirt.
He kissed the top of her head, keeping his mouth pressed against her hair, "Then come with me..." he finally whispered. It was something he'd been thinking about for a few days. He wanted them to live together.
Lauren looked up at him in shock, "You want me to move in with you?" she asked, needing to check he wasn't having her on.
"Course I do. I can't think of anything better."
Lauren smiled widely, turning back to the side and continuing her previous tasks, "Then we'd better start looking then, hadn't we?" she said.
"So that's a yes?" he asked.
"No place I'd rather be." She said, echoing his words from the night before.
*JL*JL*
Lauren and Joey left number 5 a couple of hours later. They had arranged to look around two flats that were close to the square and one that was just near the community centre, practically opposite her parent's house. Lauren slipped her hand in Joey's as they walked towards the market, glancing up at his face to check he was okay with what she'd just done.
They walked through the market, knowing people were staring at them, noticing their relationship was different to how they'd seen them before. Some of them fell silent as the couple walked past, their conversations only resuming once the pair were a bit further down the street. Lauren looked at Joey and she could see he was watching her reaction, measuring how she was coping with the attention. "Kiss me..." she whispered.
"What?"
"You heard..." she said, smiling at him, "Show them, Joe." She added.
Joey stopped walking, tugging on Lauren's arm as she took another step. As she moved back towards him, his hands rose and cupped her face, placing his lips tenderly on hers in a kiss that made them both forget about the people surrounding them and just focus on each other. Joey rested his forehead against hers as they pulled apart, "Did that do the job?" he asked.
Lauren looked around and smiled when she saw several people with shocked expressions on their faces. "I think so..." she whispered in confirmation.
"Good... now we've got flats to look at." He said, taking her hand in his again and continuing down the road.
*JL*JL*
"I liked them all but the second one was my favourite," Lauren said as they sat in the Vic at lunchtime.
"I'll call the estate agent and tell him we're interested." Joey said, pulling out his mobile and making the call. Lauren sat watching him, trying to ascertain how the conversation was going from listening to Joey's responses. It was practically impossible because Joey wasn't exactly a conversationalist.
"You okay, sweetheart?" Her uncle said as he sat at the table beside her.
"Fine, Uncle Jack." She said with a smile, her eyes still watching Joey. "Joey's speaking to someone about a flat..." she added.
"He's moving?"
"We are..." she said, shifting her attention to her favourite uncle.
"You're moving in with him?" Lauren nodded, relaxing when he smiled at her, "I think that's great, darling."
"What do you think mum and dad will say?"
"There's not much they can say, is there? You're an adult..." he reminded her.
Lauren smiled, "You're right." She managed to look relieved with that realisation.
Joey ended the call and Lauren looked at him expectantly, "We got it, baby. We just need to pay two month's rent as deposit..." The smile that appeared with his initial words vanished at the mention of the deposit.
"Let me..." Jack said, pulling out a chequebook and opening it, "How much do you need?"
"That's not necessary, Uncle Jack." Joey said.
"I insist... you just give it me back at the end of the lease." Jack stared at his nephew determinedly, "Please Joey... let me do this for you both. I want to."
"Okay... it's £1250." Joey said. He turned his attention to Lauren again, closing his eyes briefly when he saw her biting her lip. "If we get them the deposit and some references tomorrow, we can move in at the weekend." He told her.
"Really?" she said.
"Yes, baby." He leant over the table and kissed her softly, both ignoring the slight hush that fell over the pub as their lips met.
"I'm sure Sharon can give you a reference, Joey. Why don't I get a round of drinks to celebrate? Beer, Joey?" Jack asked.
"Please." Joey said as he pulled away from Lauren.
"What about you, darling?"
"Just a lemonade please, Uncle Jack." Lauren said with a smile. He walked over to the bar and was served by Kat. "We're really going to do it, Joe..." she said excitedly.
"We sure are, baby." He said, moving his stool closer to her. "I can't wait to get you all to myself." He whispered in her ear. Her face flushed red and she rested her head on his shoulder. Joey kissed her forehead softly, unable to hide the smile on his face.
*JL*JL*
The couple were sitting with their uncle and both their sisters a couple of hours later. Jack had just gone to the gents when the door to the pub slammed open and Derek strode in. He paused slightly as he saw Joey and Lauren sitting close to each other, Lauren whispering in Joey's ear, making his son laugh. He walked quickly over to the table and yanked his niece out of her seat and away from the table.
"Get off me, Uncle Derek..." she cried out.
"Oh, you have remembered I'm your uncle then?" he snapped at her.
"Derek, let her go..." Joey said, rising from his seat and moving towards them but stopping when he saw his father grab Lauren tighter.
"It's time someone taught you some respect, little girl." Derek sneered at Lauren, ignoring his son completely. Lauren started to shake, scared of what her uncle was about to do. "It's time someone reminded you of what family is supposed to mean."
"DEREK!" The voice rang through the pub, signalling the return of Derek's youngest brother and he didn't take kindly to him mistreating his favourite niece. "Let go of Lauren..." Jack said, his voice much quieter now but his tone no less threatening than it had been before. "NOW!" His last word was louder and sharper.
"Why should I, eh? Don't you see what she's doing to this family? Sleeping with MY son? Her own cousin?!" Silence fell over the pub as all occupants stopped to stare at the drama unfolding. The eldest Branning's words confirmed each resident's suspicions regarding the nature of Joey and Lauren's relationship and brought about a slight murmur throughout the room.
"She fell in love, Derek. They both did. Where's the harm in that, eh? The family have accepted their relationship so you need to as well." Jack said.
"The family doesn't have any right to do that... as patriarch of this family, my word is final." Derek spluttered. "And I forbid it..."
That was enough as far as Joey was concerned. He didn't need to hear anymore. What he needed was to get Lauren out of this situation. "Your word means nothing, Derek." Joey said, stepping forward into his father's face. "Nobody cares what you think... about anything."
Derek stared at his son, his face looking like thunder and his grip on Lauren's arms growing just a little tighter. "What are you going to do, Joseph? Hit me again, like you did when you first got here?"
"If I have to..." Joey replied harshly.
"I'd like to see you try..." Derek muttered.
It was all the invitation Joey needed and he swung his right hand towards the man who he didn't see as his father. His hand curled into a fist as it moved through the air and smashed into the left cheek of his face. He hit him with such force that Derek staggered back, releasing his hold on Lauren who was then swept into Joey's arms so he could hug her, his hand brushing up and down her back as he ensured she was okay.
He was still comforting Lauren a minute or so later so he never saw the retaliation from Derek that was heading his way but Lauren did and she cried out his name to warn him. "JOEY!" Unfortunately it was too late to stop it from hitting its target and Joey's head was hit with great force, a surprising amount of strength displayed by the shorter man.
Jack and Alfie yanked Derek away from his son, his arms flailing as he tried to hit him again. He was soon being propelled out of the pub and onto the street, "Stay away from them, Derek, right?" Jack growled. "I won't have you hurting them both..." He warned him.
*JL*JL*
"Are you okay, Joe?" Lauren asked, easing Joey down onto a chair and checking his face gently, inspecting him for any damage. "You're bleeding, Joe..." she murmured, her finger brushing down his temple. She pulled a tissue from her jacket pocket and began to mop at the blood.
"I'm fine..." he told her, although in reality his head was throbbing pretty badly.
"No, you're not. I can see it in your eyes." She said. "Let's go home, Joe... I'm going to look after you." She told him.
"Really?" he asked and she didn't miss the slight smirk on his face at her promise.
"Yes, really... come on." She stepped back and held out her hand towards him.
"You guys okay?" Jack asked as he walked back over to them.
"Yeah, I'm going to take Joe home..." Lauren said.
"Well Derek's gone so you should be okay..." He hugged Lauren, "It's lovely to see you so happy, sweetheart," he whispered to her.
"Thanks Uncle Jack..." Joey and Lauren walked out of the pub, hand in hand, Jack following behind them. He stood near the entrance of the pub watching as they walked back to number 5, wanting to make sure Derek wasn't hanging around. Fortunately he seemed to have gone so they were soon letting themselves back into the house.
*JL*JL*
Lauren dragged Joey through to the kitchen once they were back at the house, "Sit down, Joe." He did as she said, seeing her open a cupboard and pull a box from the top shelf. She looked through the contents.
"What are you doing?"
"You've got a slight cut above your eyebrow... I just wanted to clean it up and I was looking to see if there was anything to put on it." She said softly.
"Really, baby. I'm fine." He said, not for the first time.
She turned to face him and was then in front of him, "Let me look after you, Joe. Please. The only reason you got hurt was because of me..." she whispered, biting her lip as she began to clean the blood from the side of his face.
"How do you figure that?" he asked softly.
"You were making sure I was okay and didn't see his punch coming."
"You think this is the first time he's hit me, baby?" he said softly.
She paused and looked at him, "It's not?" she whispered, heartbreak washing over her face at her question. She finished cleaning his face in silence and had soon put some steri-strip she found in the first aid box over the small cut.
While she's doing that Joey takes a deep breath, preparing himself for the Pandora's box he's about to open, "No, it's not. He hit my mum when I was young and a couple of times she wasn't around when he needed a punching bag. He hit me the day Alice was born... because mum was in hospital giving birth so she wasn't there for him to do it to."
"You can't have been very old..." she said softly, stunned by what he was telling her.
"Four..." he whispered. "The first time he hit me I think it was only about four months earlier when I was three. I knocked over a can of beer. We were at a friend of his. It was summer and everyone was in the garden. I tripped over my own feet and kicked over his drink. He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. Mum was at the hospital for an appointment I think, so he'd been forced to take me along with him and he hated the fact I was there, cramping his style. It's hard to play the big man when you've got a three year old boy toddling round after you."
Lauren hugged his head into her chest, kissing the top of his hair. She wasn't sure how she would've felt growing up in that kind of atmosphere. Her childhood hadn't been fantastic but it sounded like it was a lot better than Joey's had been. "How old were you when he left?" she asked him softly.
"For the first time, not long after she was born... Alice was only a few months old. He went to prison. After he left everything was so much better. He was released and came back for a few months when I was six... only until just after my seventh birthday. He screamed at me after my party was over, then he grabbed me and broke my left arm in two places and that was enough to convince mum that he had to go. I didn't see him again until I came to Walford."
"Does Alice know what he was like?"
"No... mum never told her."
"Not even when she first started talking about coming here?" Lauren asked.
"No... she tried to tell her then but Alice wouldn't listen. She said she didn't believe her... that Derek was a nice man."
"Babe..." Lauren whispered sadly. She could see the toll telling her had had on him and she wished there was some way she could make him feel better. Then she realised there was one way. She stepped away from him and held out her hand. She pulled him down the hallway and up the stairs, opening the door to her room and tugging him inside. She slammed the door shut and shoved him over towards the bed. Joey smiled when he saw her taking control. Her hands carefully began to undo the buttons of his shirt and he helped her pushed it down his arms. He tried to pull her into his arms but she pulled away, "Let me look after you, Joe. You always take care of me, now it's my turn to look after you for a change."
"Okay." He said, kissing her gently on the lips.
"Take off the rest of your clothes, Joe." She said softly before walking over to a cupboard and beginning to root through one of the drawers.
"What are you looking for?"
"Just something I got a while ago... I think it's time to show it to you." She said. She spun round to face him, her hands hidden behind her back. Carefully she walked towards the door, making sure he didn't see anything. "I'll be back in a few minutes... and I expect you to be ready and waiting for me, Joe."
*JL*JL*
Lauren was in the bathroom. She was nearly ready. She took a deep breath and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She exhaled slowly and shook herself. She could do this. Her phone beeped and she looked at it quickly. She smiled when she saw the reply from her sister. Great. They had the house to themselves for a while.
She walked back to her room and found Joey in her bed. His head turned to look at her when the door opened and Lauren quickly noticed the curtains were shut and the lamp on her desk was the only thing lighting the room. She went further into the room and she could almost feel the heat of his eyes as they ran over her body. "Do you like?" she asked.
"What's not to like, baby?" he whispered.
"So you only like it?" she asked with a smirk.
"Why don't you come and see how much I like it?" he said, a smirk that matched hers on his face.
Lauren walked back towards him, deliberately swaying her hips from side to side and seeing his eyes follow her every move. She moved the duvet down the bed, her eyes following its path, "Well, I guess that answers that question," she said as her eyes focused on the part of his body that was most definitely paying attention to what she was wearing. "Such a pretty specimen..." she whispered, her hand circling him and starting to stroke him. "So what do you plan on doing with that, Joe?"
"Isn't it more a case of what you plan to do?" he asked her softly. "I thought you were the one looking after me?"
"You're right..." She admitted. "I might need a hand taking this off though..." she told him, her hands gesturing at her body. Joey smiled widely and sat up, his hands brushing up her legs until they met the pale blue thong she was wearing. He slowly pulled it down her legs and she kicked it to one side. Lauren reached behind her and undid the sheer bra she had on which matched the thong. She let it drop to the floor and moved away from the bed so she stood before him naked. For at least two minutes they were both still, just staring at each other, the sexual tension increasing between them. Lauren took a small step closer to him, then another, finally reaching the side of the bed and moving to straddle his waist. She rested her hands on his chest as she lowered herself onto his length, moaning softly as he stretched her open. Lauren leant forward slightly and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you, Joseph Branning... even if your dad is a psycho and you had an even more miserable childhood than I did." She smiled at him, her face deepening in colour as she started saying her next words, "I love you enough to try and do the college thing for you and I want a baby with you... hell, I might even want to do that a couple of times, Joe." She bit her lip and he moaned softly, "I dreamt about it last night... I saw me pregnant with your child and I looked happy... happier than I am now and I didn't think that was possible." He smiled at her. His hips shifted beneath her and she moaned again. "The things you do to me, Joe."
"It's just the same for me, baby." He whispered, his hands brushing up her thighs and settling on her hips.
Lauren moved a little faster on him and leant back, writhing above him, striving for that moment of bliss that was beckoning. Joey watched, enthralled by the site of her, the passion on her face that took his breath away. Just when he had thought it couldn't get any better, it had. He was looking forward to the weekend when they would move in together and he would always have this time with her. It felt good to know they no longer had to hide how they felt, firstly from each other and now everyone knew so there was no need to hide it at all.
Lauren cried out his name, her fingernails digging slightly into his chest as she came, her body rising and falling faster as she tried to prolong it as long as she could. If he thought she looked magnificent before, that sight paled into insignificance to how she looked now. It was as if she had come alive and it pushed Joey to his own orgasm. She finally calmed and Joey pulled her so she was lying on his chest. His hands brushed up and down her back as his own breathing slowed. He loved this girl with every bone in his body.
*JL*JL*
Joey opened his eyes expecting to find Lauren lying next to him but the bed was empty and he sat up quickly, wondering where she could be. He found a note from her on her pillow and he opened it, his eyes scanning the words she'd written. A soft smile appeared on his face.
*JL*JL*
"LAUR!" greeted her as the door to the school opened and Oscar was running towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Oscar..." she whispered.
"Where's mummy?"
"She couldn't come and collect you today so I came to pick you up instead. Is that okay?" she asked him.
If his answer didn't tell her, the smile on his face would've more than clued her into how he felt, "YES!" Her brother slipped his hand into hers and they started walking back towards the square. "Can we get some sweets?"
"If you'll tell me what you did at school today and what homework you have?"
"I read my book in front of the class."
"You did?" she asked him, "How did that go?"
"I was scared..." he admitted, "Everyone was staring at me..." he whispered and Lauren squeezed his hand. "A couple of the words were hard and Mrs. Keane had to help me with them but it was okay."
"Well done, Oscar. I'm proud of you."
"Can you help me with my homework, Laur?"
"What is it?" she asked him.
"I've got some spellings to learn for a test on Friday and I need to learn my three times table." He looked up at his big sister and Lauren could see the small amount of fear in his eyes. Maths was a subject he really struggled with, he could sometimes get himself very confused when adding numbers together.
"Of course I can..." she said, smiling at him tenderly. "Let's stop at the Minute Mart and get some things to keep us going while we work on both those." The smile she was rewarded with was thanks enough.
*JL*JL*
Joey came downstairs soon after he woke for a second time, having had a shower first. He had heard Lauren and her brother return to the house as he was went into the bathroom and he knew what he would probably find when he found them both. What he saw when he got downstairs though made him smile. Lauren and Oscar were sitting at the dining room table and there were sweets lined up on the table in front of the young boy.
"So what is three times three, Oscar?" Lauren asked.
Oscar's eyes ran over the sweets in front of him before looking up at his sister, "Nine?" he answered hesitantly.
"Well done, Oscar." Lauren said. She reached to one side and pulled out a sweet from a bag, passing it to him, "I knew it was just a case of knowing how to motivate you..." she said. "Do you think you'll be able to remember what we've done today for tomorrow? Or do you want to do some more?" she asked.
"More..." he admitted. He looked down at the rows of wine gums lined up in little rows of three sweets, biting his lip as he tried to remember what Lauren had showed him.
"Daddy did this with me when I was your age, Oscar... did you know that?" she told him softly and Joey listened in interest, neither of them having spotted him yet.
Oscar shook his head, "Were you bad at sums too?" he asked.
"I was bad at everything, babe." She told him softly. "Apart from art..." she added, "but you don't want to end up like me, you want to be like Abi. She's the brains of the family, not me."
Joey stood in the doorway throughout this, watching the brother and sister interact with each other. He hated the way Lauren spoke about herself. He didn't understand why she couldn't see how good she was with her brother. What he had just seen her do with him had made his heart fill with pride. His attention turned back to them when he heard Oscar speak.
"I think you're really smart, Laur. You help me with my homework when I ask. It's easier when you explain it all to me," Oscar turned to his sister and held his arms out for a hug, "I love you, Laur..." he said softly as he wound his arms around her neck, "I think you're perfect the way you are."
"Thanks Oscar," Lauren said softly, her voice catching slightly as she spoke.
Joey walked into the room, clearing his throat gently and the brother and sister pulling apart, "Hi Joey!" Oscar said excitedly. "Laur's been showing me how to remember my three times table."
"Has she indeed?" Joey said, studying Lauren and seeing the embarrassment wash over her face. He stepped closer to them both, brushing his hand down Lauren's back tenderly. "What are five threes then, Oscar?"
Oscar turned back to the table and again stared at the sweets, "Is it fifteen?" he asked.
Joey smiled at his younger cousin, "Yes. Seems like Lauren's done an amazing job..." He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. Lauren pulled away from him, her eyes fixed on her brother. Joey realised what he'd just done and wanted to kick himself.
"Oscar..." Lauren started.
Oscar smiled at his sister, "I don't mind if Joey kisses you, Laur. He makes you happy." He picked up one of the sweets from the table in front of him and popped it in his mouth, "Sometimes I think there isn't enough kissing in this family. Everyone might be a bit happier if there was."
Lauren giggled at her brother's words and leant forward, placing a sloppy kiss on his mouth, "You're a very wise little boy, Oscar." She giggled. She pulled away from him and laughed much louder when she saw her brother wipe his mouth instinctively. "I thought you said there should be more kissing?" she said with a laugh.
"I meant for everyone else... kisses are for grown ups... not me."
"I'll remember that in the future, Oscar." Lauren said, smiling at Joey. "You'd better put those sweets back in the bag."
"Can't I eat them?" he asked hopefully.
"No, you can't. Firstly, you'll make yourself sick and secondly, mummy will be home soon and then it'll be teatime and we'll both be in trouble if you don't eat your dinner."
"Okay." Oscar said, putting the sweets back into the bag. "Thanks for helping me, Laur."
"You're welcome." She said. "After tea I can test you on your spellings that we looked at earlier if you'd like?" she said.
"Could you?" he asked as he finished putting the sweets away. She nodded and Oscar clambered up from the table and kissed her on the cheek, running from the room and going upstairs.
"And you didn't think you were maternal?" Joey whispered in her ear as they sat on the couch a few minutes later.
"What do you mean?"
"You are so good with Oscar... I don't know why you think you'd be any different with a child of your own." He said softly. "Of ours..."
"Do you think so?" She asked, looking into his eyes.
"No doubt whatsoever." She smiled at his words and he pulled her a little closer.
*JL*JL*
"How did the flat hunting go, Joey?" Max asked as the family sat down for dinner.
"I found somewhere. I'm taking the deposit over tomorrow." Joey said, glancing at Lauren.
Lauren smiled at Joey softly, "We'll be moving in at the weekend..." she said softly, focusing back on her food.
"We?" Tanya said, stopping eating and looking at her eldest daughter.
"You aren't moving in together..." Max said.
Lauren put down her cutlery and pushed her plate away, her appetite disappearing at her father's words and his tone of voice. "We are, dad." She said softly.
"We won't let you."
"Dad, there's nothing you can do to stop me. I'm an adult."
"And how are you planning on paying the rent?" he asked.
"I'll be paying it. Lauren will be concentrating on her art work." Joey said.
"I'm going to get a part time job so I can contribute something." Lauren said firmly and she felt Joey's hand settle on the thigh and squeeze it gently. "I thought you were okay with me and Joey being together."
"We are, sweetheart." Her mum replied.
"Then why is this an issue for you both?" Lauren asked.
"Don't you think you're rushing it?"
"No, mum. We're serious about this. It feels right and we want to do this. I want to be with Joey and you're both just going to have to like it."
"Where is the flat?" Abi asked, trying to break the increasing tension between Lauren and her parents.
"It's just off Bridge Street," Joey said, smiling at Lauren's sister.
"Do you want some help moving your stuff, Lauren?" Abi asked. "I'm sure I can get Jay and Dexter to help too."
"Thanks Abs..." Lauren said softly, still staring at her parents. Despite the fact that everyone was still eating Lauren pushed back her chair and walked quickly out of the room, running up the stairs, ignoring Joey as he called her name.
*JL*JL*
Joey pushed opened the door to her room and found her folding her clothes and piling them on her bed. "You okay?" he asked softly. She nodded her head, continuing what she was doing, only the slightest of pauses after his question. Joey looked around the room and saw a suitcase on the top of her wardrobe. He walked over to it and pulled it down, taking it over to her bed and laying it next to the piled clothes. He opened it and started to put them into it for her. Lauren sat next to the case as he put the last of her piled clothes into it. "Talk to me, baby..." he said softly, moving to crouch in front of her.
"I thought they were okay with this."
"Don't let it bother you, babe." He whispered, moving so he was kneeling between her legs. "They just don't want to see you get hurt..."
"So they think you're going to hurt me?"
"Maybe." He admitted with a shrug.
"When are they going to trust us?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and putting her head on his chest.
"They'll get used to it. We just need to prove to them that we're serious about this. They haven't really seen us together, have they, eh?"
"I hate that they always doubt me..." she murmured.
"You just need to remember that I don't doubt you. I believe in you completely, baby."
"Thanks Joe." She moved her head slightly and kissed the side of his neck.
"You should've heard Abi after you came upstairs." He told her softly. "She really told your parents what for..." he said, the smile audible in his voice. "but the best bit was when Oscar said he was going to help us move."
"He did?" she whispered.
"Mmm... he said that if he did that he could move back into his room and mummy and daddy could be kissing again so they would be happy like me and you are." Lauren smiled gently, hearing Joey retell her brother's words. "Take strength from your brother and sister... and Uncle Jack and Alice. They all believe in our relationship, baby."
"I know."
Joey could feel her body relaxing, "You're tired... you should go to bed."
"I promised Oscar I would help him with his spellings..." she murmured.
"Abi is testing him." he reassured her.
She was silent for a couple of minutes before speaking to him, "Will you lie with me?" Lauren whispered.
"Your parents..."
"I just want you to hold me in your arms. I want to feel safe..."
"I'm happy to do whatever you want, baby." He breathed in her ear. He pulled away from her and got to his feet, closing the case and moving it to the side of the room. When he turned back to the bed he saw that Lauren was removing her clothes, stripping down until she was naked. She glanced at him and then climbed into the bed. Joey shut the door to the room and walked back to where she lay. He took off his jeans and shirt, slipping under the covers and pulling Lauren into his arms, "Is this okay?" he asked her softly. She shook her head and he froze.
Lauren turned so she was now facing him and moved so she was half-lying on him. "Better..." she murmured, her hand stroking his chest softly. She closed her eyes and let herself absorb the feelings lying like this made her feel. Joey's scent surrounded her and she realised she would never be able to sleep without being able to smell him now. His hot skin warmed her; it was like having a life-size hot water bottle and she loved it. The sound of his heart beating reverberated through his chest so she could hear it, a constant sound that soothed her more than she thought it would. His large hand brushed across her back and it felt like her whole body was tingling. She let her thoughts drift, everything she was feeling lulling her into a light doze. His hand shifted, brushing down her back and settling on her bum and she pressed her lips to his chest in a soft kiss. She inhaled sharply when his hand moved again and then his fingers were stroking up and down her opening and she was wide awake. "Joe..." she whimpered as one pushed into her, stroking in and out of her body.
"I know we can't do anything but I wanted to touch you..." he whispered. He pushed a second finger into her, watching her face to see if she wanted him to stop but she just stared at him, heat in her eyes. He stroked them in and out of her body and Lauren shifted slightly, grazing her foot up his leg as she stared into his eyes. "I want to taste you..." he breathed as his mouth lowered to meet hers.
"What about Abi?"
"She was going out with Jay after she'd finished with Oscar... to the cinema I think she said. She won't be back till late."
"Then do it..." she whispered. She stretched her neck up and kissed him softly, brushing her tongue against his before pulling away and rolling away from him. Joey rolled onto his side and stared at her for a few seconds. His hand reached up and pushed some strands of hair back from her face, tucking them behind her ear. He kissed her on the mouth, moving down her jaw and then her neck. He moved so he was lying on top of her as his lips caressed her chest, briefly pulling on a breast as he moved lower. Lauren moved slightly as he kissed the underside of a breast, his lips so gentle against her skin.
Joey glanced up at her face and saw the desire in her eyes. And he saw the love... the one thing that had been missing the first time he did this for her. He went back to kissing her, his mouth descending until he reached her clit. He sucked on it softly and felt her respond beneath him. She moaned and he lifted his mouth from her, "Shh, baby..." he breathed, kissing her just below her belly button.
"Joe..." she moaned, her hand drifting down and her fingers running through his hair, urging him back to his previous task.
Joey smiled and lowered his mouth back to her clit, his pull on her harder this time, her hand pressing his face against her body. He could tell she was close to coming so he pulled away from her and one glance at her face told him she was frustrated. "I want to taste you..." he repeated, moving lower and running his tongue up her opening. He could smell her arousal and it turned him on even more.
Lauren could hardly keep still as his tongue slipped into her body. She couldn't even remember why she used to hate it when guys had done this to her before. With Joey it was a magical experience and she knew this time would be no different. There were a lot of things that she had disliked before Joey. Before Joey. She could barely remember what it had been like with other guys before him. She didn't want to remember. Everything she had now was perfect and it was only going to get better. Moving in with him was something she was looking forward to. She couldn't imagine not spending as much time with him as she could. She had become distracted slightly from what he was doing but she was brought back to awareness as he pushed a finger into her and stroked over that exquisite spot that made her body quake. She came hard, her hips shifting as she tried to increase the pressure of his mouth on her. She felt his tongue brush over her, his hands were holding her hips now as his mouth worked her hard. After her peak faded his mouth climbed back up her body and she could feel his hard length through his boxers, brushing against her thigh and then her hip. His mouth stopped at her other breast and he sucked on it fiercely, her body starting to tingle all over again. "Joey... fuck me..." she gasped.
"We can't..." he said after lifting his head and staring at her.
"I don't care if they hear... I don't care that we're breaking another one of their precious rules. In a couple of days we'll be gone from here. I want you... I want you to come inside me, Joe."
He didn't need her to say anything else. He hadn't done since she said the first two words to him really. When all was said and done, he would do anything for her, whatever she wanted. Shoving his underwear down his legs he pushed into her quickly, hearing her gasp as her body accepted him in. He looked at her face and could see the slight pain in her eyes as she stretched around him. He wished he hadn't hurt her but he was doing what she wanted and when she lifted her head and kissed him softly it gave him some reassurance. "Are you sure about this, baby?" he whispered, "I don't want to hurt you."
"I want this, Joe. I want to feel it because then I remember that I'm alive and we're together."
"Baby...?" he said, shocked by what she was asking him to do.
"Joe... I trust you. I know you won't hurt me. Not really." She whispered. "I know that everything we do together is because we love each other." She stopped and stared at him, "I love you and I trust you." She told him, both emotions shining from his eyes.
"Okay..." he said. He pulled out of her and moved off the bed, fully removing his boxers. He held his hand out towards her, "Trust me..." he whispered as she paused. She smiled and took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. He turned her so she was facing towards the bed and she gasped softly as he pushed down onto it so her upper body was lying on the mattress as she knelt on the floor. "You still okay?" he asked, his voice close to her ear. She nodded, turning her head so she could see his face and smiling at him softly. His hands were on her hips against, tighter this time and she turned her face into the mattress as he thrust back into her body, her moans being muffled by it. He had never been like this with her before but she couldn't say she didn't like it. He pounded in and out of her body, each inward movement going deeper than the one before. Each time he withdrew from her he pulled almost all the way out before slamming back into her. This was exactly what she needed from him. Lauren could feel another orgasm building and she knew it was going to be a really strong one. "You still okay?" he said as he bent forward so his body was pressing against her back.
"Yes..." she whimpered, "So good..." she moaned.
He moved faster, kissing the centre of her back as he moved upright again. He nudged her knees further apart and she gasped as it changed the angle he was brushing in and out of her body slightly, each movement rubbing past her g-spot and ebbing through her body. Joey was on the verge of coming and using restraint he never thought he possessed he pulled from her completely. She whimpered and he could see she was trying to rub her legs together so she could reach her peak. He pulled her up from the bed, her whole body shaking as he did so. She looked at him, tears in her eyes as she wondered why he had stopped, "Trust me..." he whispered again and she nodded her head, relaxing slightly. He laid her back on the bed, this time face up and he lifted her feet off the floor, resting her legs on each of his shoulders. He slammed back into her and she moaned again. The sound much louder than either of them would've liked but they neither of them really cared; they were so wrapped up in what they were doing they didn't give fuck whether Lauren's parents heard what they were doing. Joey started to move again, his pace as fast as it had been earlier. He watched her face, seeing the desire shining from it. Her left hand grasped his right, their fingers lacing together and she squeezed his hand as her eyes fluttered closed. Both of them were so close now and it wouldn't be long until they came. "Are you nearly there, baby?"
"Mmm hmm..." she moaned, opening her eyes and gazing into his.
"Then come with me..." He whispered, "Just go with it, baby." He added, feeling her body clench around his length. She screamed his name, any thought of hiding what they were doing a dim distant thought as she reached her peak. Joey thrust into her one last time, his own release signalled by the loud moan of her name. He collapsed on top of her, both gasping for air as they tried to calm. Every now and again he would move his hips against her and they both would moan softly.
Lauren turned her head and kissed his temple, seeing the mark on his face made by his father once again. "I love you, Joey." She murmured.
*JL*JL*
Abi walked into her bedroom when she got home late that night and she wasn't surprised to find her sister and cousin in bed together. She was very relieved to find they were both clothed and there was nothing on view that she shouldn't be seeing. She could smell the faint scent of sex lingering in the room but she couldn't hold it against her sister. She was as frustrated with her parents as her sister was and she couldn't understand why they had to treat her so badly. They'd told her they accepted her relationship just a few days ago and yet their treatment of her earlier when she broke the news she was moving out of the house didn't seem to back that up. She grabbed her pyjamas and left the room for the bathroom so she could change.
Her parents were walking up the stairs as she came back out and she could see from their faces that they knew about Lauren and Joey being together. Abi crossed her arms and stared at them both, "Don't worry, they'll both be gone in a couple of days." She told them, "Of course, if you keep up like this, you may never see her again. If you keep pushing against their relationship she will leave. And if that happens, Oscar and I will be devastated because even if you don't, we love Lauren... so maybe you should bear that in mind and put your children's needs ahead of your own." She told them in a hushed whisper. "I'll see you both in the morning."
TBC
A/N: So Oscar, Derek, bolshy Abi, protective Jack and hot sex. What more could you ask for? Let me know what you thought...
COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... MY GIRL.
3 MORE TO GO!