He glances up at me and smiles as if he’d known I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His fingers dance across the couch toward me, and I meet him halfway, lacing them between mine. We communicate without speaking, his focus on his boss and me at the same time. His touch causes every nerve ending in my body to come alive, responsive in ways I never thought possible.
With a sexy-as-fuck glaze in his eyes, he reaches up to run his fingers through my hair, the thick muscles in his arms flexing. I wish he’d get off the damn phone so I can kiss him. My mouth opens in response to him, hopefully relaying that he has the go-ahead once he hangs up. His conversation only lasts about five minutes. But it feels so much longer as he twirls my hair with a wicked grin.
“Sorry about that,” Jamie says, setting the phone on the table with a thud. “My boss works more than he sleeps, and he’s more anxious than me about hitting the delivery date.”
As his hand moves from my hair to my shoulder, the warmth from his body leeches into mine, causing my insides to heat, spreading like wildfire. I should say something. But I can’t speak when Jamie locks onto me. He has me right where I want him to be. Leaning forward, Jamie slides his hand down my arm, causing tiny bumps to dot my skin. My nipples harden from his close proximity, ready and waiting for him to make the first move.
If Jamie was an athlete and I had allowed him to get this far, we would’ve already had our tongues shoved down each other’s throats. The smart, nerdy types are more apprehensive, just like Jamie. I can see it in his eyes and in the way he takes his time.
Before I can say another word, he presses his lips to mine, sucking on my bottom lip for a second before his tongue slips inside my mouth, tangling with mine. Our kisses are sweet and passionate but also rough and hungry. My head spins from the passion behind each kiss, unable to get enough because Jamie is an amazing kisser.
After a few minutes of exploring each other’s mouths, my panties are dripping wet. Afraid my juices might slide down my thigh any moment, I close my legs. Luckily, Jamie has made his way to my neck, too busy to notice my reaction. He plants soft kisses along my collarbone, sliding my shirt down just enough to kiss my shoulder. Sucking in shallow breaths, I do my best to keep myself under control.
I want to rip his clothes off and force him to have his way with me. But I won’t. With the connection we share, I can’t risk ruining what we might have for a one-night stand. If I’m right about Jamie, he also has the same restraint. A guy like him would never see me as anything more than a booty call. Could he? I don’t want to take a chance. One night of pleasure is not worth the risk.
“Jamie,” I moan, choking out his name. “We should take a break before we do something we will regret.”
He peeks up at me for a second, before lifting his head so I can look into his eyes. “I wouldn’t regret anything with you.” His smile lights up his entire face, having a mirroring effect on me. “But I understand if you want to take things slow.”
“I’m not saying we need to go steady or anything like we’re in high school,” I say, joking, “but it would be nice if we at least had a date first.”
“I already tried that once before. You turned me down, remember?” I nod, a beat passing between us before he continues. “How come you said no when I asked you out?”
“Because of Coach. Seeing you with her had freaked me out. I just assumed that by association you played a sport or were part of that world.”
He chuckles to himself and points his finger at his chest. “Me? You thought I was an athlete. Nope, not even close.”
“Well, I know that now, but I had no idea back then.”
“I’m far from athlete material. I eat a cheesesteak at least twice a week and drink craft beers on the weekends. I could never hang with those guys with their training schedules and healthy eating. Hell, I could never even keep up with Charlie. She was always on some kind of diet or had a meal plan from her trainer, which forced me to suck it up and do it with her.”
“Coach actually forced you to follow her meal plans?”
“Let’s just say that she’d wear me down until I caved. Half the time, I would have to learn how to make whatever strange concoction she had to drink or eat that week. And the exercise…some of those workouts are painful.”
“Working out isn’t so bad,” I mutter.
“No, but I prefer the kind that works out my fingers if you catch my drift.”
I laugh, because at first, my mind drifts to a dirty place, wishing he would show me those skills until I realize he meant playing video games. “Very funny, Jameson. You know I really like that you’re different from the norm. It’s nice to finally meet someone who doesn’t play a sport or fanboy over my father. You have no idea what that’s like to meet someone you like and find out they’d only wanted to get close to me to meet their favorite player. It really sucks.”
“Aw, shucks,” he says, laughing and clearly saying it to make fun of me. “You mean I can’t meet your dad. That was part of my master plan.”
I smack him in the arm. “Shut it, Jameson, or I will have to shut it for you. Don’t be a smart ass.”
Pulling me into his arms, Jamie kisses my hair. “I thought that was what you liked about me.”
“No, I’m just using you for your nerd super powers. You have this young Robert Downey, Jr. thing going on, and I keep picturing you as Tony Stark.”
“I don’t know if I should be turned on that you know Iron Man’s real name, or offended that you’re only using me for my brain.”
“I’d like to use you for a lot more than your brain,” I say with laughter in my voice.
“Good, because I have plans for you this week. You’re having dinner with me.”
Once he releases his grip on me, I sit back enough that we are face-to-face. “Oh, am I now? Is that an order?”
“This time, I’m not taking no for an answer. I’m not letting you walk out the door until you agree to have dinner with me.”