Pure Wicked (Wicked Lovers #9.5)(27)
Author: Shayla Black

Jamie laughed. “Yeah. I’m…taking a vacation right now. I haven’t had one in years.”

“And you travel a lot. What do you do?”

“No offense, but one reason I’m taking this vacation is so that I don’t have to talk or even think about work for a while. You understand, right?”

As someone self-employed, she understood the constant pressure, the stress of being unable to simply have a few days off. If someone had given her that golden opportunity, she probably wouldn’t want to talk about her job, either. Besides, unless she was going to move him into the “relationship” category, she didn’t need to know everything about him. “Sure. Totally understand.”

“Thanks. I want to use this time to be with you because I…like you. A lot. That probably sounds corny. It’s been rough lately but being with you is peaceful. Nice.” He shook his head. “I’m saying it wrong. I feel good when I’m with you.”

That insidious butterfly took up residence in her tummy again, but Bristol couldn’t seem to squash him. She felt a bit like the cute guy in school had told her that he wanted to “go” with her.

Wiping the smile off her face proved impossible. “You made me feel pretty good last night, too.”

He grinned. “We were damn hot together. But even hanging with you is great. We…click.”

“I should disagree. After all, we’re just hooking up.” But she felt a school-girly grin cross her face again. “But we do click. So if you’re going to stay, would you come with me to my mom’s house for dinner on Tuesday night?” She winced. “She told everyone you would be there.”

“And you don’t want to brave it alone?”

“Not really. Please…” She sounded as if she was wheedling because she was.

“Well, I don’t want to leave you alone with the wolves. Will Presleigh and Hayden be there?”

“Yep, along with half the town. I’d really appreciate it. As Jayla put it, if I come alone I’ll look like a ho-bag who’s not interested in keeping a man.” Bristol realized that made her sound as if she might be looking for some commitment. “And I’m not interested in hanging onto anyone after my shit with Hayden, but I’m really not eager to be the center of town gossip, either.”

A frown wrinkled Jamie’s brow before he bent and pressed a lingering kiss on her lips. Affection with a teasing hint of passion. One touch, and Jamie made her ache for more.

He eased back, staring down into her face. “I’ll go with you. Now eat. I’m going to grab a shower, if that’s cool.”

Bristol let out a sigh of relief. “Yeah, help yourself. And if you want to wash some clothes, I’ve got stackable units in the closet in the hallway.”

“I appreciate it.” Jamie nodded, heading for the bathroom.

She grabbed a coffee, devoured her meal, then found her shoes shoved half under the bed. Downstairs, she began flipping on lights, grabbing ingredients as she made her way from the stockroom toward the kitchen, not looking forward to the cleanup she’d neglected yesterday. It would tack on an extra hour to her day, but she’d obviously needed the sleep last night. Now it was time to pay for the indulgence.

But when she entered the kitchen, nothing but clean dishes and sparkling surfaces awaited her. Her jaw dropped. Someone had cleaned everything, set up her mixer again, put away her utensils, even mopped the usually sticky floor.

Someone? The only person who could have done that was Jamie.

Her heart stuttered then skipped. Bristol might wish she could find a way to not care about Jamie…but that wasn’t happening now. Why fight what was so damn obvious? She was falling for him.

Jamie looked after her and helped her out. She enjoyed his banter. The sex was so far beyond mere pleasure that she didn’t have the words to describe it. Their “click” was undeniable. She’d shared much less with Hayden and considered the idea that maybe he was “the one,” at least until he’d dumped her for her sister. But Jamie was so much…more.

Was it even possible for her to stop her feelings for him from growing?

Bristol pushed the question aside, at least for now. She glanced at her phone. She still had about forty-five minutes before she had to be back in the kitchen to ensure the dough for her cinnamon rolls rose properly before baking them for opening.

Shoving the phone back in her pocket, she charged up the stairs again and found Jamie coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his lean waist. Water droplets dotted his hard flesh, rolled in the ridges between his chest, and down his abdomen. A sting of need flared between her legs. She swallowed hard, then ran at him.