himself yet. Four had been a breath of fresh air—for all of us.
Kicking my heels off, I face-planted on my bed. A second later, I was rolling over and snatching my phone from the nightstand. Before I could talk myself out of it, I stabbed his name and held my breath as the phone rang. I was surprised at my disappointment when the voicemail picked up and told myself that it was for the best. I was even grateful that he hadn’t answered because now I understood how bad an idea it was.
I’d no sooner thrown down my phone when it started ringing. Panic speared through my chest as I stared at it. The damage was already done. Unlike me, if I didn’t answer, Jamie wouldn’t simply shrug it off. He’d show up, whether I was alone or not, to taunt and torment me.
Why, oh why did I have to call? I’d let anger cloud my judgment, and now I was trapped in the fucking Jamie matrix.
Do I take the red pill or the blue pill?
Taking a deep breath, I snatched my phone just before the voicemail could pick up and stabbed the green button.
I stared at the screen, watching a sleepy-eyed Jamie blink. Because, of course, he had to take it a step further and video call. His mahogany hair was mussed, some of it falling over his eyes and the rest sticking out every which way. Somehow, he still made a beautiful sight—wrinkled face, dried drool, and all. Thankfully, he was the first to speak because I couldn’t find my voice.
“You rang?” His deep voice was even thicker with sleep.
“Of course not,” I lied.
Yawning, he sat up until he was lounging lazily against the wall where a headboard should have been. I could see the bottom of what looked like flags hanging on the wall above him. Even after he was settled, he didn’t speak. He simply watched me.
“What do you want, Jameson?”
“You. Come over.”
I barked out a laugh. “You can’t be serious.” Once again, he didn’t respond. He just stared at me until I began to squirm. “I’m sorry I woke you,” I whispered nervously, thinking that might be why he wasn’t his normally chatty self. Jamie wasn’t an early bird. In fact, he rarely woke before noon on the weekends.
“I thought you said you didn’t call me,” he shot back as he stood.
Discreetly, I checked his surroundings while he was distracted, wondering if it was his bed he was rising from and if he’d slept alone.
“Nothing to say?” he asked as he entered another room. I could see him much better once he flicked on a light. I saw a shower in the background and realized too late that he was in the bathroom. Jamie’s eyes were closed so he couldn’t see my reaction as he relieved himself.
When he was done, he shook himself, flushed the toilet, and propped the phone before washing his hands.
“Are you going to say something?” he asked as he splashed water on his face. He looked hungover, which meant he’d definitely been partying last night. Envy speared through me as I wondered what it would be like to have that freedom.
“Would there be a point?”
“Not if more lies come spilling out of that pretty mouth.”
A flush crept up my skin, warming my neck and cheeks, but luckily, Jamie was to occupied drying his face to see. By the time he’d tossed the towel away, I’d returned to normal. Mostly.
His gaze fell on the phone, and he licked his lips before looking away and grabbing something off camera. A few seconds later, I watched him lather his lower face with shaving cream.
“You know, you could save time and just pluck those baby hairs,” I teased, forgetting myself and what we’d become.
He paused, and I didn’t miss the surprise in Jamie’s eyes or the way his lips twitched. “Is that what you did to your mustache this morning? You missed a spot.”
My jaw fell before I covered my mouth, glaring at him over my hands. He didn’t miss a beat as he lifted the razor and started shaving away the shadow covering his jaw and chin. I was mesmerized more than I should have been watching him go through his morning routine. It felt intimate, and I couldn’t help wishing I could be there with him doing the honor.
Suddenly, I was thankful he was preoccupied. I was afraid of what he would see if he looked at me at that moment. It would