In that, he was my role model.

"How did you...progress it? At the start I mean. Like, how did you know when it was the right time to take it to each new step? Living together, getting married, having kids...?"

He seemed to give that some thought and shrugged. "I didn't, actually never gave any of that a conscious, deep thought. It all just happened naturally, because it was meant to. I felt that, I think she did too and we just...let it be."

I nodded slowly. It didn't really give me the answers I needed. "Huh..." I muttered.

"Is something wrong between you and Jewls, bro?"

"No..." I said, "No, it's not that. It's just...I love her, ya know."

He smiled at that. "Yeah, it's pretty obvious, brother. She loves you back, that's obvious too."

"Yeah, I know. She stays over a lot, as you know. But she won't give that d.a.m.n flat up and just move in. How do I get her to do that?"

"Ask her." he said, as though it were that simple. "Just ask her, brother."

"I have, she skirts around it but never gives me a straight answer. I told her for all the time she spends at ours, she should just move in, but she kinda laughs me off, and then changes the subject."

Eli raised his eyebrows. "That's your idea of asking her? Micah, do you know anything about women? They think different to us; they think a lot more than we do. If you want her to move in, you have to ask her properly. And show her why you want her to move in. Spell it out. Ask her, straight out, would she like to live with you, and tell her why you want her to. I'm sure she wants to really, she's just...scared maybe. It's a big step."

"That's just it," I said, "It doesn't feel like a big step. It feels like a normal, natural, easy progression." I hesitated before answering. "I want what you have, Eli. I want the whole package."

He grinned at that. "Wow. This uh...this is for life then? Forever."

Without hesitation, I nodded. "Yes it is. I'm not...I'm not a kid anymore, Eli. I'm twenty six. Marco might be happy still playing the field but me...I've always been looking for more than that. I knew the minute I first laid eyes on her she was the one. And it's going great but I want to move it on a bit. I wish she wasn't so...cautious. I still don't think she has any true idea just how much she means to me."

Eli sat back in his seat and thought for a while. I just waited. The wisdom that came from my older brothers was something I valued more than I could ever explain.

Nic was the strongest person I knew, he was cool, calm and in control always, and was also just about the smartest guy I knew. We all knew what he had done for us over the years, and we all appreciated it. In essence, he had given up his own life to look after us, and without him we almost certainly would have been separated as kids and carted off to various children's homes. Without him, we would have become a bunch of statistics. He saved our family.

Eli was different but no more special. Eli was tougher than the rest of us put together. He was less of a words person and more a doer. If we ever had any problems at school, Nic would be the one talking to the teachers about it, Eli would be the one cracking the heads of bullies and making sure no one ever touched us. Having an older brother as cool as Eli was my saviour in the school years.

Of us all I would say Eli was the most traumatised by the death of our mamma. He probably thinks I don't remember those early days, months and years after she died and my papa left, but I do. I remember how he struggled with school; his arguments with Nic, listening to him trash his room and then sit in the middle of the wreckage crying his heart out. He might have seemed like the least expressive brother, because he didn't talk much, but actually I thought he was the most impa.s.sioned of us all. He was all for action and for showing over saying. And that was what I felt was needed now with Jewls, more than anything else. Action over words.

"You know what, Micah? Your problem is, you think too much. Don't think about it, Micah. Show her. When you go away on this weekend, leave her in no doubt as to how serious you are about her. Make her see, however you have to. And when you get back, just tell her straight...if you're gonna unpack that case lady; I want you to unpack it at my place. Make s.p.a.ce for her stuff in your room. Make the house feel like her home as much as it is yours, we can all help with that. And trust that it will happen when it's meant to, everything does. I'll give you an example. Might seem irrelevant but bear with me, okay?"

I nodded, curious. "I'm listening."

He pulled his long black hair out from its hair tie, ran his hands through it and scooped it all back up into a bun again, securing it with the tie.

"When Ruby was a baby she was up and walking running, actually at ten months. You remember, yeah?"

I grinned. "I remember."

"Right. But George...he was fifteen months old, and still crawling. And Lisa was all...something's wrong, why isn't he walking yet. She fretted about it, a lot. But me...I wasn't worried. Because I knew sooner or later it would happen. Worrying about it wasn't going to change anything or speed it up. He couldn't be made to walk. But it was something sooner or later he would do. And sure enough, he got up one day and just did it. Same with his toilet training. Again, took him ages to do it, and again Lisa was fretting day and night about it and I didn't worry. Because I knew he would do it when he was good and ready. I mean...all kids do eventually. Otherwise the world would be full of adults still in nappies, crawling around and babbling baby language, right? Sometimes you have to work to make things happen, sure. The restaurant is proof of that. But most things...they happen all on their own, just at the right time. I got no doubt brother, that Jewls is the girl for you. And that you are the man for her. Any idiot can see it. But she's feisty and she's had control taken from her before so now, she likes to hang on to it as much as she can. Just because she can. You push, she'll push back and it won't work how you want it to. So just...let it be. You'll get there, I know that much. You just gotta be patient." He shrugged almost apologetically. "Have I made any sense whatsoever? Doesn't feel like I have."

"No, you have..." I said, letting his words sink it. "Yeah, thanks bro."

He shrugged as though it were nothing. "No worries. Just relax Micah, yeah? You only get one life, don't waste it stressing out. Take it from one who knows. Okay?"

"Okay..."

We both stood up and he squeezed my shoulder, smiling as I nodded. "Good lad. Now...let's get you home so I can get home to my bed. I'm f.u.c.kin' shattered, don't know about you."

The mere mention of the word 'bed' had me yawning. "h.e.l.l yeah..."

Micah "Edinburgh? Me and you for the weekend?"

I smirked. Why did she always treat everything I said and did as some b.l.o.o.d.y great surprise? I nodded slowly. "Yeah, me and you, a weekend in Edinburgh. Nice hotel, peace and quiet...we could do some shopping, eat out...stay in bed all day...whatever you want. Just me...you and our hotel room for a whole weekend."

"Sounds like heaven, Micah. Only...only..."

I narrowed my eyes. "Only what?"

She shrugged uncomfortably, shuffling in her seat. "Well...I'm not sure I can afford a holiday, however short. We're coming to the end of the main season at the park and I don't know if Mason is gonna keep me on, and if he doesn't I'm gonna need to find a new job quick to cover my rent or I'll lose my flat, and financially it's just...a bad time."

I smiled and took her hand. "It's all booked and paid for, won't cost you a penny. I think Mason will keep you on, but if not and you need a job for the winter months...you can work with me, at the restaurant."

She actually openly scoffed at that, and I couldn't decide if I were amused or offended. "Me? Working at Carousel?"

"Sure, why not." I shook my head. "Either way...you shouldn't be fretting about how much this costs, because it's paid for. About a job, cause I can get you one. And as for your accommodation...well there's a solution to that, too. Give the flat up and come live with me." She rolled her eyes at that and I pressed on. "Think about it. Any worry you have...I can fix 'em all."

"I don't need you to look after me, Micah."

"I know you don't." I said quickly. "Doesn't stop me wanting to. I'm your boyfriend, it's my job. You do know how much I love you, right?"

She blushed at that, as she always did. It was s.e.xy as h.e.l.l. "I know...and I love you too..."

"So...live with me. Work with me. Be with me, as much as possible. And if you refuse to agree to that yet, then...at least give me this weekend away. And promise me you'll think about the rest."

She narrowed her eyes, but I could already see she was wavering. "I don't know..."

I put my hands on her hips, and then my arms around her waist and without warning pulled her up flush against my body. The mere feeling of her up close to me like that had me instantly hard and I knew she would feel it, it was hard to miss.

"Come on...me and you...out for a nice meal, few drinks then back to the hotel room...put the do not disturb sign on the handle...call in room service. Lying in bed all day just me...you...and total privacy. What do you say?" I leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "You know you want to..."

She groaned at that and now she was definitely wavering. I began trailing kisses along her neck, from behind her ear down to her collarbone and back up again.

"Okay, okay..." she blurted, "I'll come to Edinburgh if you promise to stop doing that..."

I pulled back, sticking my bottom lip out. "I like doing that..."

She giggled and shook her head. "And I like it when you do that, but..." she gestured behind her at the queue forming. "We have customers, Romeo."

I grinned too and reluctantly pulled away from her, keeping a hold of her hand as we did the final safety checks on the ride. "We drive up on Friday."

"Drive?" she said, surprised. "Who's driving us?"

"I am." I said, nonchalantly.

She stopped suddenly. "You? But you can't drive."

"Yeah, I can. I just never got a car, never needed one. I'm borrowing one."

She stopped again, narrowing her eyes. "From who?"

I grinned, knowing what her reaction would be. "From Eli."

"Eli is lending us his car?!"

"Yes, he is..."

"The death car?"

I laughed at that, couldn't help it. "It's not a death car; Eli is just a crazy driver. Me? I take things easy. You should know by now that you're safe with me. So...we're definitely going, yes?"

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Okay, alright."

I winked and kissed her cheek. "Great. In the meantime are you gonna do any work today, or just ogle my b.u.m, huh?"

She narrowed her eyes at me menacingly and then rolled her eyes. "After you, Mr Machvaya, this is your show as ever."

I turned away from her, smiling, and to the queue, clapping my hands together as the opening bars of The Black Eyed Peas I Gotta Feeling blasted from the speakers, and I got to work doing what I did best.

Jewls Despite the teasing of the other Machvaya brothers Marco and Eli in particular I believe Micah when he says he never planned our trip as a dirty weekend. Because I know that at heart, he is a romantic, and he imagined the same things that I did when thinking about a weekend in Edinburgh. Evening strolls, a meal in a nice restaurant, breakfast in bed...but as it turned out, when we arrived, all he had undoubtedly planned just went completely out the window and I found it didn't matter one bit.

We were doomed to not see a single bit of cultural Scottish heritage the moment Micah innocently announced upon our arrival that he was going to grab a quick shower, and then not so innocently suggested that I might like to join him. A kiss under the cascading hot water, lead to him taking me up against the white tiles of the shower cubicle. It was fast, frantic and hot as h.e.l.l. Fast forward an hour and we were tucked up in bed, wrapped in each other's arms, exhausted and completely sated. We ordered room service, and stayed in bed, watching TV, our naked bodies tangled together. All thoughts of going out and sampling Edinburgh nightlife forgotten, we drifted off to sleep like that, not waking until gone ten on the Sat.u.r.day morning.

Micah I woke up in my favourite position. Flat on my back, with Jewls, my girlfriend, the absolute love of my life, lying on her side, her face nuzzled into my neck, her hand on my chest, her fingers lazily playing with my chest hair in her sleep. She didn't know it of course, but her other hand was planted firmly on my c.o.c.k, and I had a raging hard on as a result. That's all she had to do to get a response from me, just touch me. The knowledge that my body reacted to her in such a primal way confirmed to me what I already knew to be true for so many other reasons this lady was my soulmate.

She stirred a little and looked up at me with wide blue eyes.

"Good morning, handsome."

I grinned happily, man I was so d.a.m.ned happy. "Good morning, beautiful lady. Sleep well?"

She nodded. "Like a log. Haven't slept so well in ages. I could stay in this bed forever."

"Now that I like the sound of. But...Nic gave me the name of this great little cafe we could maybe get some breakfast. So do uh...do you wanna get dressed or uh...?"

She seemed to give that some thought and then slowly shook her head. "No...at least not yet."

"Okay, so what uh...what..." I trailed off. Her eyes had never left mine, and there was real mischief in them. She bit her bottom lip and then without a word, sat up and lifted a leg over me, straddling me. I had a moment or two to marvel at the realisation of how far she had come since that first night where she had been so reluctant to let me see her completely naked, let alone to be so comfortable with touch. And here she was, sitting across my legs, her beautiful curves on display for me to gaze over and she no longer seemed ashamed, her expression was one of love, and l.u.s.t.

And then just as I was thinking that, she seemed to check herself and retreated ever so slightly back into her sh.e.l.l, that blush heating her face just a little again. I could tell she was agonising over something, something she wanted to say, or do, and decided to say nothing and wait for her to proceed if she was going to. Eventually she seemed to reach a decision and nodded, more to herself than to me.

"We can go out later if you like. But first...there's something I want to do. For you."

I smiled, curious and sat up the bed a little. "Oh...?"

She nodded shyly. "Yeah. I was thinking...that thing you did for me, the morning after your birthday? I'd like to uh...return the gift."

I frowned, confused and then the realisation hit me and my eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh...oh, wow...are you sure you want to?"

"You don't want me to?" she said, immediately looking concerned.

"It's not that, I do. Oh G.o.d, I do..." and f.u.c.k did I ever. "I just don't want you to think you have to. I didn't do it for you so you would do it for me."

"Would you believe me if I said I wanted to?"

"Yeah..." I said, involuntarily licking my lips. Just the very thought had me standing up like a d.a.m.n flagpole. "Have you ever...?"

"No," she said quickly and blushed a little, "but I want to just...try it. If you don't like it, or...or you have any uh...tips, you can talk to me, but yeah I want to do this for you. So...relax and let's just...try it."

And with that, she slid backwards down the bed and under the covers, until her face was level with my crotch.

"Okay Jewls, if you just...oh..." I didn't get another word out, all the air rushed from my lungs as G.o.d d.a.m.n if she didn't put my whole c.o.c.k in her mouth in one go, and then run her lips all the way up as she slid it back out of her mouth. Her breath was hot, her lips moist and it felt...amazing. Not so much as a splutter. She was deep-throating me with a skill few women possessed and she probably didn't have a clue what she was doing to me. She had me unmanned, overwhelmed, all my senses scattered across the floor like marbles.

"Oh G.o.d..." I managed to mutter on an exhale. "Holy f.u.c.k..."

I felt her tongue slide ever so slowly up my shaft, one hand finding my b.a.l.l.s, gently squeezing them as she licked me like a d.a.m.n ice cream, flicking her tongue across the tip. The sensation was maddening, borderline unbearable pleasure. I was torn between almost wanting her to stop and hoping to Christ she never stopped. One thing I did know, if she kept this up, I wasn't going to last long.

That hand on my b.a.l.l.s moved up, gripping the base of my engorged length, and she began a rhythmic pumping, her tongue constantly flicking the head.

"Arrrghhh...." I hissed, sucking in air like I was drowning. I was going out of my mind with l.u.s.t, arousal and sensation.

She popped her head up from the covers, a look of concern etched on her face. "Am I doing it wrong?"

I shook my head erratically. "f.u.c.k no, baby. Oh G.o.d, it feels so good..."

She grinned salaciously and disappeared back under, taking me in her mouth again, sucking a little harder, her hand firmly gripped around the base. I knew I was close, I could feel the familiar pulse steadily increasing as seemingly all the blood in my body rushed there, and when she grazed her teeth over the head I swear it was nearly my undoing.

I had a moment of clarity then, fleeting but insistent.

"Jewls, wait..." she looked up from the covers again expectantly, again looking worried she had somehow displeased me.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm gonna c.u.m, babe. I don't wanna c.u.m in your mouth."

"I don't mind..." she replied, and I'm sure she didn't, but I did. Not for her first time. I can't explain it, but it just didn't feel right.