Jameson (Face-Off 4)

Regan has been helping me test the game whenever she can get away from work. It’s the closest we’ve gotten to a date since we’d met at Tony Luke’s for lunch months back. Actually, it’s sad that our entire relationship is built upon juggling our hectic work schedules.

Focused on gluing beads to the strip of paper that goes on the bottles, Kennedy is not even paying attention to us. Rubbing her thigh under the table, the warmth of her body leeching into my skin, Regan peeks up at me and flashes a warning look.

“Behave yourself, Jamie,” she says, quietly.

“I always behave,” I whisper into her ear.

She shudders from my breath against her skin and tiny bumps dot her neck with each touch. Taking her ear in my mouth, her body trembles. “Jamie, stop it, or we’re going to have to leave.”

“I was counting on it,” I retort, still running my hand down her thigh. “I missed you. We need some alone time before I have to get back to work. Make up an excuse, tell them you need to go.”

She scrunches her nose, annoyed. “No, you can’t use me as an excuse to get out of your man-of-honor duties.”

Cupping the side of her face with my hand, I look into her eyes. “I have something I need you to take care of that’s a lot more important than beaded water bottles. Besides, Kennedy is almost done, and we won’t have anything to do after you’re finished.”

Regan sucks in a deep breath, glancing over at the girls. “Okay, but you had better come up with something good.”

“Just tell them your dad texted you and that you need to get back to the Wells Fargo Center. They’ll understand. And I’m your ride, so I have to leave.”

She shakes her head, smiling. “You have it all figured out, don’t you?”

I return her gesture and push a strand of hair behind her ear with my finger. “Always, babe.”

Just like that, Regan tells the girl

s that we need to leave, excusing us from our wedding duties. As I’d thought, Kennedy and Sydney understand the situation. I have about two hours before I need to get back to the office, despite it being a Saturday afternoon. I plan to use that time wisely.

Chapter 12

Regan

It’s hard to believe that after almost three months together this is the first time Jamie has been inside my apartment. We walk down the narrow hallway, painted off-white, with modern pictures hanging on the walls, and the scent of herbs floating through the halls. Unlike most apartment buildings in this neighborhood, my place is in perfect condition with hardwood floors and crown molding, on the higher-end side of this area. My dad just about had a stroke when I chose an apartment in South Philly, but we met in the middle and settled for Penn’s Landing.

“I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to come to your apartment when you live down the street from Charlie,” Jamie says with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Jamie pulls me against his chest, as he leans back against the wall in the elevator, on our way up to my floor.

“You’ve been so busy with work that I’m just happy to see you, no matter where we go,” I mutter.

“I feel bad,” he says, bending down to plant soft kisses on my neck that send a chill through me. “I wish things weren’t so hectic for me. I want to make it up to you, take you out on a proper date.”

“Our three month anniversary is coming up. You can take me to Luciano’s. I could use a good meal after all the cheesesteaks and pizzas we’ve eaten lately.”

“Now, I really feel like an asshole.” He nuzzles his face in the crook of my neck. “You deserve the royal treatment, baby. And I’m whining and dining you at my apartment on greasy food and stale beer. I’m so lucky to have you. Thanks for hanging in there with me through all this.”

“It hasn’t been easy,” I say, speaking from the heart. “But the time we spend together is more important to me than the time we miss. You know what they say, Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

“Well, I’m very fond of you.” I can tell he’s smiling by the way his mouth moves against my skin, which produces the same reaction from me.

I’m more than just fond of Jamie. He has my body and heart under his spell. Both of which are his.

Once the elevator doors open, he’s practically clawing at my clothes to get them off me.

“Jamie,” I say, my voice sounding like a giggle. “Wait until we get inside.”

We make a left down the long hallway and stop at the last door on the right. I fiddle with my keys, and Jamie takes them from my hand.

“I need to get you out of these clothes. Right this second.”