“I don’t know why she did, either,” I said to Sophie.
It wasn’t the first time I’d wondered about Brooklyn’s decision.
If I was with Jamie, really with Jamie, not a friend, not a coconspirator on a life-improvement quest, but with him like Brooklyn had been with him, I’d never look at another man.
“Do you think he dates?” Sophie said.
I was pretty sure he didn’t. At least, he’d never said anything about dates he’d had since Brooklyn. I knew he’d like to date. That was the whole point of everything we’d been doing.
I wished right then I could tell Sophie about me and Jamie. I wanted to share my confusion and fear, and the thrill I’d felt sleeping with him. Those were the kinds of things best friends shared.
“I expect he wants to move on,” I said to her instead.
“I’d date him,” she said.
My fork dropped from my hand.
“I mean,” she continued, “if he asked, and if there was a spark, if I could stop thinking of him as a brother.” She heaved a sigh. “Man, I wish I could stop thinking about him as a brother.”
Relief washed over me. At least I didn’t have to worry about Sophie.
I picked up my fork.
“Why do you suppose you feel that way?” I was curious. Especially since it turned out I didn’t think of Jamie as a brother at all.
“I’ve known him since I was four, I suppose. And he’s kind of always been there in the background, helping us build that playhouse, driving us to the movies, moving our stuff into the college dorms. You know, brother stuff.”
I also thought it was all-around great guy stuff. But I wasn’t about to start waxing poetic about him.
I caught his gaze across the table. But it only lasted for a split second. Rina was talking, and his attention went back to her.
“Does she seem like his type?” I asked Sophie.
“She’s pretty,” Sophie said.
“Brooklyn’s pretty, too.”
Both Rina and Brooklyn were ultrafeminine. I couldn’t help wondering how my athletic rock climbing and practical apartment renovation pursuits came across to him. Did he think of me as feminine, or maybe sturdy...sturdy and plain? It occurred to me that, when all was said and done, Tasha might not be all that far from Nat.
“He’s a great-looking guy. Great-looking guys date pretty women.”
I wanted to change the subject now. “Bryce is a good-looking guy,” I said in a low tone.
“Are you interested in Bryce?”
Sophie’s response took me aback. I hadn’t been thinking that at all. Bryce seemed nice. He seemed fine. He seemed, well, brotherly really when I thought about it. I had no romantic interest in Bryce whatsoever.
“That wasn’t what I meant,” I said.
“Well, you didn’t warm up to Ethan.”
“Are you saying I’m picky?”
Sophie grinned. “Very picky. But in a good way. You should be picky. You’re wonderful.”
I wished I felt wonderful. But this wasn’t a wonderful-feeling kind of evening.
Jamie laughed at something Rina said. On her other side, Ethan laughed, too.
“I’m going to the ladies’ room,” I said to Sophie.
I felt like I needed to stretch my legs and breathe for a minute.
“Do you want dessert?” Sophie asked. “Should I order you something if the waitress asks?”
“Sure,” I said. “Pick something decadent.”
I’d seen a few desserts go by, destined for other tables, and they looked fantastic. I wasn’t above consoling myself with sugar.
I left the table and retreated to the elegant quiet of the ladies’ room. In the powder area I took my time, washing my hands, combing my hair, taking my sweater off for a minute to see if I liked the look better in just the dress. It was different, but I wouldn’t say better. I should have gone with a more fitted dress, and maybe jazzier earrings. Strappy sandals wouldn’t have been the worst idea, either.
When I’d dressed, I’d thought we might be going house shopping for Jamie. I’d thought I might be walking a lot. I didn’t want to walk through houses in spike heels. But I could have done spike heels across a restaurant, easy.
When I decided I couldn’t put it off any longer, I left the powder room, coming into the hallway back to the dining room.
Jamie suddenly appeared.
He grasped my hand and pulled me against him, stepping back into a small alcove.
He kissed me there. It was a deep, long, tender kiss that had my entire body sighing with joy.
His arms went around me, and mine went around him. I molded myself to the breadth of his chest and his sturdy thighs.
He cradled my hair and tucked my face into the crook of his shoulder.
“This isn’t what I wanted,” he said.
I really hoped he didn’t mean the kiss.
He kept talking. “Nanami is a huge, huge account.”
“I got that.” I had.
There was nothing Jamie could have done to get out of this dinner. And he shouldn’t have done anything. He’d made huge strides for Sweet Tech and for O’Neil Nybecker. He’d done everything right.
I felt a little guilty for sulking.
He kissed me again, and I felt nothing but wonderful.
But then we heard voices and footsteps.
We broke apart. We weren’t alone in the hallway anymore.
I went one way, back to the table. And Jamie went the other toward the men’s room.
“You okay?” Sophie asked as I sat back down.
“Fine,” I said, assuming she was worried about how long I’d been gone.
“You look flushed.”
I felt flushed. “It’s a bit hot in here. Plus the glass of wine. You know.”
She was still peering closely at my face.
“Did you order dessert?” I asked to change the subject.
“Raspberry chocolate mousse.”
“Sounds perfect.”
I watched Jamie sit back down.
The waiter put a beautifully decorated plate in front of me. But I knew the mousse wouldn’t be anywhere near as sweet as Jamie’s kiss.
* * *
I wished I could have left the restaurant with Jamie. But I had my car, and he had his. It made the most sense for me to drop off Sophie and Ethan. And Jamie was acting as host for Rina.
I told myself not to be jealous. Jamie’s kiss in the hallway had gone a long way to making me feel desirable. It was a fantastic kiss. It showed me how much I’d missed him.
If I wanted to worry about something, I should worry about that.
He wasn’t mine to miss, but my heart had started pretending he was.
I’d have to watch that. I’d have to watch it very closely. Maybe not Rina, but someday, likely someday soon, Jamie was going to meet Brooklyn’s replacement, and I was going to be collateral damage when that happened.
It was good that I’d come home alone.
Good, I told myself as I came to the top of the staircase in my building. So good. “Really frickin’ good,” I muttered.
Something moved in the shadows of the hall.
I froze.
“I hope I wasn’t too presumptuous,” Jamie said, stepping into view from my doorway.
My heart nearly thumped from my chest. “You scared me half to death.”
“Sorry,” he said.
My fear was turning to joy, but my feet stayed plastered to the floor.
He moved toward me. “I needed to see you. It was driving me crazy, you sitting there, us not being able to talk about anything.”
“It did feel like an awfully huge secret,” I said.
Concern flashed across his face. “It’s nobody’s business.”
&nbs
p; “I know.” I agreed with that. At least, conceptually, I agreed with that. But Sophie was a pretty close friend.
He framed my face with his hands. “We don’t owe anyone an explanation.”
“I know,” I said again.
His smile was tender. “Tasha doesn’t explain.”
I reached for my Tasha-ness. “Tasha does whatever she wants.”
He gave me a slow kiss that curled my toes.
He moved his lips half an inch from mine. “What does Tasha want to do?”
“You,” I said with bald honesty.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and put my pent-up desire into a kiss.
“Oh, yeah,” he whispered, wrapping me tight and propelling us to the door.
I fumbled for my key, struggling to slide it into the lock until Jamie’s hand closed over mine to steady it.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “Fine.”
“Nervous?”
The very last thing I felt was nervous—excited, energized, aroused. I felt all of those things.
“I’m not nervous,” I said.
“Good.”
The key slipped into the lock and the sound of the tumblers turning seemed to echo.
Jamie turned the knob and pushed the door open.
“I’m not nervous, either,” he said as he closed it behind us.
I couldn’t help but smile at that.
“What are you?” I asked.
“Happy.”
“Me, too.”
“I missed you,” he said.
“So did I.”
He smoothed back my hair and gazed into my eyes. “I missed this.”
He kissed me tenderly.
A sigh coursed all the way through me.
He pushed the sweater from my shoulders and tossed it on a chair.
I did the same with his suit jacket.
“But not just this,” he said between kisses. “I don’t want you to think—”
“That it’s all about sex?”
“It’s not.”
“I know. We’ve had sex exactly once.”
“Twice,” he said. “Did you forget?”
“I meant one night.”
We’d definitely made love twice that night. The second had taken a long time, a really, really long and wonderful time.
“Okay,” he said.
I pushed the buttons of his dress shirt through the holes, gradually revealing his bare chest.
He stood still and let me work.
I parted the two sides. I kissed his chest, tasting the salt of his skin.
He sucked in a breath.
“I really want to go slow this time,” he said.
“Me, too.” I pushed his shirt from his shoulders and let it drop to the floor.
“I’m not just saying that,” he said.
“Neither am I.”
I lifted the front of my dress and drew it over my head. I tossed it aside and stood in my bra and panties. They were a pretty set, translucent white lace with shiny silver details.
“Don’t move,” he said.
I stilled.
He took a step back, and his gaze traveled from my boots to my eyes.
“My work here is most definitely done,” he whispered.
Judging by the glow in his eyes, he didn’t mean the sex was over, so I smiled.
He moved in and smoothed back my hair. “You are hands down the first and only woman who men will point at from across the room.”
“If I’m dressed like this, they probably will.”
“If you’re dressed like anything.”
“I think your judgment is clouded right now.”
I was thrilled Jamie was so sexually attracted to me. I was absolutely attracted to him.
“Take off your pants,” I said to him.
“Demanding.”
“If you get to check me out, I want equal time.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
He kicked off his shoes and stripped out of his pants and socks. He was down to his black boxers.
I pretended to consider him for a moment.
“And?” he prompted.
“I’d point,” I said.
“Good to know.”
“Other women would point, too.”
“I think I need to flash a fancy car and a big credit card to guarantee their interest.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.”
I came close enough to trail my fingers down his chest. “You’ve got pecs and a six-pack.”
“Lots of guys have that.”
I came closer still, setting my hands on his shoulders. “And really broad shoulders with that confident stance.”
“I have been practicing.”
I touched his chin, moving it to one side and then the other.
“Why do I feel like livestock at an auction?”
“Strong, square chin,” I said. “You can’t buy that.”
“With the right plastic surgeon, you can.”
“Not like yours. And your eyes...” I felt myself falling into their depths.
“What about my eyes?”
“Best blue eyes ever. They show off your intelligence, and they glow when you smile or when you make a joke. Women like a sense of humor.”
I meant all of it. I meant everything I was saying, and the power of my emotions scared me.
“My lips?” he asked on a whisper.
I set aside my fear. “Kissable.”
“That’s exactly what I was going for.” He kissed me.
He pulled me close.
Our bodies meshed together, every bulge met with a corresponding hollow. We fit. We fit so perfectly.
His hands roamed my body, arousing every inch, igniting passion along every trail they took. He peeled off my bra and cupped my breasts, sending tiny shock waves through my core, making my limbs twitch in anticipation.
He stripped off my panties and then his boxers.
He lifted me to perch on the back of the sofa, easing between my thighs.
“Condom,” I said.
“Got it.”
I hugged him close, surrounded him, absorbed his kisses, took his caresses and gave back with my own.
Our bodies were slick as we moved together.
I was hot. His skin was hotter.
His scent surrounded me. His kisses enveloped me. His caresses made me gasp with pent-up desire and burning anticipation.
“Now,” I finally groaned, completely out of patience.
“Slow,” he said, but his hand kneaded hard on my lower back.
“Too slow.”
“Okay.” He shifted me. He moved. He eased inside.
I felt the world stop. Every molecule of me was focused on him.
He pressed deep, and I spiraled upward. Again and again and again, until I lost track of time and space.
I kissed him over and over. I clung to his shoulders, ran my hands down his back, pulled him against me and into me, climbing to the top and then finding more.
When I hit the edge and fell, I called out his name.
“Tasha,” he groaned. “Tasha, Tasha, Tasha.”
I was limp, and he carried me to my bed, flipping back the covers and climbing inside.
We made love again. Slower this time, more sweetly, less passionately, a soft and satisfying echo.
Later, when I felt Jamie move, I realized I’d fallen asleep in his arms.
I opened my eyes to see dawn barely filtering into the sky beyond the window.
His body was warm, wrapped around mine from behind. He put a featherlight kiss on the back of my neck.
“Again?” I muttered.
That would make three.
I shifted, settling to a more comfortable position.
“Maybe,” he said with a teasing lilt.
“Optimist.”
He was quiet for a moment, his breath caressing the hairline at the back of my neck.
I savored the feeling, clung to the moment. I wanted to stop time and never leave this place.
“You should come with me,” he said, his voice a low rumble.
My first thought was no. I didn’t want either of us to move, ever, not even an inch.
“Where are you going?” I asked after a minute.
He rose onto his elbow and rolled me so he could look at my face. “Los Angeles, remember?”
I did.
He’d been offered a job in O’Neil Nybecker’s head office. Their head office was in Los Angeles. I knew that. It just hadn’t been foremost in my mind.
Right now, I thought he’d meant breakfast. But he didn’t. Jamie was leaving Seattle.
“Come,” he said, an eager light in his eyes.
The single-word invitation swirled through my brain, hitting synapses, gathering data, analyzing and comparing to known information, seeking meaning.
I was afraid to hope. But my blooming heart colored my thoughts.
Was he saying...?
Could he possibly be suggesting...?
Did I dare hope he was asking for something more than friendship, something romantic? Was it possible that of all the adoring women in the world, Jamie might be interested in me?
My head was nodding before I thought it all through.
His grin went wide. “Great. We can carry right on with the house hunting.”
I hesitated. Wait. What?
“I want a wild and exciting Tasha-and-Jamie type house.”
A house? He wanted me to help him find real estate? Like any good friend would do? I would have laughed if it didn’t hurt so much.
“You up for that?” he asked.
“Sure,” I said, trying desperately to match his smile. Then I eased away from him.
His arm went quickly around my stomach. “Where are you going?”
“It’s almost morning.” Cuddling with my friend-with-benefits had suddenly lost its appeal.
“What time do you usually get up?”
“It takes me a while to shower,” I said.
He kissed me again.
I kissed him back, and it felt good. But it was a bittersweet good. Last night we’d reached the pinnacle, and there was nowhere to go but down.
The Dating Dare (Gambling Men Book 2) Page 17