“Every night Faith isn’t at the station, she’s over at Mick’s place or he’s over at hers,” he says. “They’ve been joined at the hip for over a month, and he was at family meal every night this week. He’s even talking about becoming a firefighter for Christ’s sake.”
I shrug. “So? I would assume you’d find that an admirable vocation.”
“It’s not about that,” he says, cursing beneath his breath. “It’s about this shit going way too fast with them. Faith’s just a kid and Mick’s only her second serious boyfriend. He’s taking advantage.”
“Oh, please. He’s only six months older than she is,” I say around a bite of croissant, determined not to let him ruin my breakfast. “And they’re both over twenty-one. They’re in love, Jamison. Leave them alone.”
“They’re in lust,” he counters. “Faith’s too innocent to know the difference, but I see the way Mick looks at her. She’s going to get hurt, and you know it.”
“I know nothing of the sort.” I roll my eyes. “They’re sweet together. I’ve never seen Mick so happy, and Faith is glowing.”
“Fuck.” Jamison’s frown deepens. “You don’t think she’s pregnant, do you?”
“No!” I laugh. “No, I think you’re a crazy person! She’s happy. So quit meddling in her business and tend to your own love life.”
He exhales a ragged sigh, but he seems to relax a little. At least some of the vibration goes out of him. “What love life? Every good-looking woman in this town is taken.” He reaches for the uneaten half of my croissant and I slap his fingers away. “Ow! I’m hungry, Mad.”
“Then ask for something, you mess. Don’t just take whatever you want.”
“But I like taking what I want,” he says in a voice that is somehow both petulant and a little sexy.
I shake my head as I push the remains of my breakfast across the table with a sigh. “You never change, do you?”
He glances up as he takes a bite, his hazel eyes looking green in the morning light through the window. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. You expect so much from everyone else, but when it comes to Jamison, what you want is all that matters.”
He grunts and continues to eat my treat. “That’s not true.”
“It’s completely true, and you know it,” I say, not in the mood to let him off easy. “When was the last time you thought about some poor girl’s feelings before you lured her into your smolder web?”
He arches a dubious brow. “My smolder web?”
“Yes, your smolder web.” I cross my arms, refusing to back down. “You’re like a big sexy spider, luring women in and then sucking all their life force out before you cast them aside.”
“You think I’m sexy, huh?” He smirks around his last bite, this conversation obviously another big joke to him.
“See, that’s exactly what I mean.” I point at his big dumb smug head. “When you were talking about Mick needing to behave himself, you were all business. But when it comes to you, it’s just fun and games. But I can bet it’s not fun for the women who fall for you and end up getting hurt.”
He reaches for my coffee—once again without bothering to ask—and takes a swig. “Give me a break, Maddie. I’m a grown-up and so are the women I date. They can take care of themselves. I’m only worried about Faith because she’s inexperienced and she’s like a little sister to me. I’d be doing the same thing if you started shacking up with some guy right after you started dating.”
My brows shoot up with a laugh. “You can’t be serious.”
“Of course, I’m serious.”
“I’m almost thirty years old, Jamison,” I say. “I expect my daddy to keep his nose out of my business, let alone a man a year older than I am.”
He lifts a hand. “Calm down, Mad, I didn’t mean—”
“And for your information, I’ve shacked up with lots of guys right after I started dating them.” I rise to my feet, snatching my mug before he can get his hands on it again. “Before Serge and I got engaged, I slept my way through half the pretty boys in Paris. I spent weeks shacking up in their lofts and moldy basement apartments and falling in and out of love, and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
“Good for you,” he says. “I’m glad to hear you had the chance to sleep with a guy who wasn’t gay. Even if he was French.”
My jaws drops though I don’t really know why I’m surprised.
He’s never pulled any punches when it came to teasing me, and he obviously doesn’t intend to start now.
Still, that hurt.
It really did, enough to make my voice shake as I say, “Leave.”
“Kidding, Mad,” he says. “I was kidding.”
“Go.” I point a finger at the door. “Now.”