Jed... Jaded (Studs & Steel #10)

By Heather Mar-Gerrison

Jed has gone to live with his brother and sister-in-law, helping out with the family business. He meets and starts a relationship with Johnny, who turns out to be rather less of a prince and much more of a frog and who won't leave him alone long after the relationship has broken down.
Cole, Jed's brother is worried for his Jed's safety and calls his old friend, Ashton asking him for help...
Grayson gets a call from his old army buddy Ashton, asking him to help out his old friend by acting as a sort of bodyguard for the baby of the family who is being stalked by his ex... He has no idea what to expect - but what he doesn't expect to find is the most beautiful person he's ever laid eyes on...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Mar-Gerrison
• Release date: May 31, 2024
• ISBN: 9798215136768

Heather Mar-Gerrison

I love to write M/M romance and as a sucker for a HEA, you're guaranteed one in my books. #happyheatherafters

Book preview

Prologue

Three months ago…

Jed

And it’s not like I’m promiscuous or anything,

I said earnestly, I’m just outgoing and friendly.

My brother, Cole snorted and turned to the guy he’d been chatting to for far longer than he needed to in my humble opinion (but only because he was gorgeous with a capital G and I wanted to talk to him and have him smile at me the way he was smiling at my brother, which was a total waste of his time and effort, since Cole was as straight as a die and married to a woman). Did you hear that, Ash? He asked, making me raise my eyebrows that he actually knew the guy he’d been making what appeared to be small-talk at the bar for the last five minutes, and obviously startling him slightly at being invited to join in with his banter – or rather, his unnecessarily rude comment about his friend’s brother... He reckons he’s just outgoing and friendly? He shook his head and then, looking slightly disgusted, which was ruder still, he added for good measure, For fuck’s sake, he’s slept with half of the gay population of Cornwall!

Well, that was a gross exaggeration. I absolutely had not! I have not! I protested. Fuck! I didn’t want the gorgeous man at the bar to think I was a total slut!

Cole shook his head and chuckled, Well, maybe not but you sure get your quota in.

It was then that I got to hear the beautiful guy’s voice – and it really didn’t disappoint. Well, I’m no expert on the whole dating scene, he said softly, but if young Jed here is anything like the guys in camp, then I’m guessing it’ll be a fair number – but hell, he shrugged and shot me a grin that made my knees feel weak, you’re only young once.

I smile back at him gratefully, not least for already knowing my name. Cole shook his head, Fuck, man, he sighed, placing another beer down in front of him, I think the promiscuity gene just passed me by.

Ash chuckled and it was only then that it dawned on me who he was – it was Ashton Colby, Cole’s best friend from school, and if I’m not mistaken, who had finally realised he batted for our team but, according to my brother, had already met the man of his dreams…

I’d been far too young back in the day to have realised his utter yumminess, being eight years younger than my brother but hell, the guy had turned into the hottest man I’d ever had the pleasure to look at. It was a total shame that he was smiling at me in a way that could only be described as friendly interest of the brotherly kind. He did not find me sexually attractive in the least. I could tell – my gaydar was absolutely top-notch.

I grinned at my brother and shot a quick glance at Ash. He might be eight years older than me and completely disinterested, but hell, I could window shop, couldn’t I? You have the best wife in the whole world, I said to Cole, You’re all set – I’m still kissing frogs in the hope of finding my prince. Please, God. Let Ashton Colby change his mind and become my prince. Please!

Cole smiled and nodded, Yeah and you’ll find him one day. Just don’t get caught up with some loser.

Well, that was famous last words – I never meant to – and it wasn’t all that easy to spot, but it was exactly what happened. Johnny seemed to be totally wonderful when I first met him but he soon became the boyfriend from hell and then some…

3 months later…

"You have to get rid of that fucking loon, Jed. Cole warned me, He’s bad news, mate."

I looked into my brother’s worried face and I wanted to go and hide under my bed and never come out again. I knew he was bad news. I knew that far better than my wonderful big brother because I’d been hiding the worst of him from my family for weeks.

I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t like I hadn’t tried. "I’ve told him it’s over." I started, Repeatedly.

Cole nodded grimly, looking, if possible, even more stressed out than he usually did. Yeah, but he doesn’t seem to have got the message, does he?

I sighed. It wasn’t my fault he was still turning up all of the time. I’d made it quite clear since the last time we’d had a bust up that it was the final time. He just seemed to have ramped up his obsession with me since…

Chapter 1 – Fresh meat…

Six months ago…

Jed

I’m bored with Bangles. Fisher flopped down on my bed and shot me one of his pleading looks. I pretty much knew all of his expressions now – we’d been friends for the last six months since I’d arrived in Cornwall. I’d come in the hope of finding something that was sadly lacking at home – men.

Being the only gay in the village, well, you know – I’m sure there were more but I wasn’t into any of them, it had occurred to me that I was never going to find Prince Charming sitting on my arse and waiting for him to come and find me on his white charger. I was actually going to have become proactive and go out there and find him.

And I didn’t really want meaningless hook-ups either, as much fun as they were; I secretly yearned for what Cole had – a life partner to grow old with, in love.

Cole had gone to university when I was still a young boy at junior school. He’d met the love of his life in his first few weeks at uni and had moved down to Cornwall to start a new life with her when they graduated. She was from Truro and he’d fallen in love with the South-West from the first time he’d visited Plymouth University campus.

Anyway, that aside, he and his lovely wife now ran a small business of their own – a bistro as it were – called Riva. It was a coffee shop, serving delicious coffee and cake by day and a Tapas bar in the evening, serving fabulous food and cocktails. It was, in a word, perfection and I loved it.

I’d begged my parents to let me go and work for him and they’d finally relented when I’d finished uni.

Being the baby of the family – and quite obviously gay from the beginning of time – I was somewhat babied by the entire clan and poor old Cole didn’t half feel the pressure of trying to be a sort-of surrogate parent on behalf of my rather over-protective parents who were, between you and me, on his case pretty much every other weekend.

Anyway, I digress. I’d met Fisher almost the moment I’d landed in Cornwall, and we’d been firm friends ever since. We’d spotted each other as soulmates but with zero sexual chemistry, in seconds.

Why? I asked, Bangles is banging, man! I grinned, pleased with my silly quip.

He rolled his eyes, Yeah, fine. It’s okay I guess – but there’s never any fresh meat.

I chuckled, I beg to differ. I argued, "since I am the fresh meat."

He pursed his lips, Well, yes. He agreed, I suppose you are, comparatively speaking – but look. He thrust his phone under my nose, I’ve got this new app – it’s brilliant.

It was my turn to roll my eyes, An app? I deadpanned, Really?

He nodded, his eyes shining, It’s fucking brilliant, mate. He said, Cock on tap – guaranteed.

I blinked, You mean…?

He nodded, "You can get laid any time you like."

Well, that was… tempting. It took me another five seconds to decide that I was downloading that app…

Chapter 2 – Johnny…

Jed

At first it was fine. Johnny was attentive and charming. Our first few dates were romantic and fun and when we finally took things to the next level, things in the bedroom were perfectly satisfactory.

It was after we’d declared ourselves exclusive that I began to notice the changes in him.

You don’t need all that shit on your face. He commented when I came through from the back to greet him for a night out.

I laughed it off with a flippant comment, "No, honey – you don’t need it but some of us have to work at looking as good as you."

Even though I’d complimented him, his scowl remained and it took a while for him to loosen up and start smiling and chatting again.

Things settled down for a while but it wasn’t all that long before he started to complain about my friends and going out without him – and then he started to criticise my family and I started to feel that he was trying to isolate me and turn me against everyone I loved.

Well, sorry pal, that wasn’t happening – not ever.

I think we need a break. It had taken me all of my nerve to say the words but now they were out there and there was no going back.

His jaw dropped slightly as he looked at me with a furrowed brow. Surely, he couldn’t actually be all that surprised? What?

I nodded, swallowing hard, I forced myself to finish what I’d started even though my palms were sweating and I felt like shitting myself. Relationships weren’t supposed to make you feel like this, I was sure. I’m not happy.

He stared at me, You’re not happy? he asked indignantly, like it was a slight on him, which I suppose it was. Not happy about what?

I blinked. Surely, he wasn’t about