Chapter Seven
brIELLE
I think we played at the batting cages for a good hour and a half. My arms felt like jelly since I wasn’t used to it.
“How come you brought me here tonight?”
“I don’t know. I just wanted you to see it. And outside of my few friends, I’ve never brought anyone here. This is my safe space. No one can tell me what to do or expect anything from me.”
“I appreciate you trusting me and bringing me here. I definitely want to come back sometime.”
I smiled wide. “You do?”
She nodded. “I do. You might not know, but I’m pretty active. I like to be doing something when I can.”
“Ah, yes.” I remembered she was a runner as well. “You ready to head home?”
“Sure.”
I watched as he texted someone, and ten minutes later, we were getting in the back of an SUV.
When we arrived at his apartment building, Jameson handed the driver a couple hundred dollars, then we exited the SUV.
“Is he gonna report back to your mom or anyone?”
“No. That’s what the cash was for.”
“Guess money can buy anything.”
“People love money, Brielle.”
That was true. We loaded into the elevator, and he pushed the button for the forty-second floor. When we got to his floor, he pushed in the key code to enter. Inside, he pushed the door shut and came up close to me as I kicked off my high heels. He closed the distance between us, and before I could think about what was happening, he brushed his lips with mine. Then, when I parted my lips, his tongue tangled with mine. It was bliss. Pure bliss.
I wanted to get lost in this moment. I did. But I stepped back. “We can’t. I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“Because I came to do my job. I don’t want to make this complicated if something goes awry.”
“We don’t have to make it more than it is, Bri.”
“I know…”
He interrupted me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He looked away like he felt embarrassed, but there was no reason to feel that way.
“It’s okay. You know what… I’m going to go take a shower, get into comfortable clothes, and come back out here.”
“I’m gonna do the same.”
I felt horrible for breaking the kiss, and now that it happened, I couldn’t stop thinking about how good it felt and the way his beard felt on my skin. Surely all I needed was a shower to cool off. Pulling all the pins out of my hair, I massaged my scalp and twisted it into a loose bun so I didn’t have to wash it.
I ran cool water over my body, washing the sweat away. Once I cooled down, I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel, then dried off and pulled on a tank top with pajama pants.
I really wish he hadn’t kissed me. I wanted to kiss him back. I did. But that just makes things more complicated.
My hair remained in a messy bun as I padded out to the kitchen. Jameson hadn’t come out yet.I reached for the champagne bottle, and poured it into two glasses. I pulled the stool out, took a seat at the bar, and opened my laptop to check my email.
I heard feet padding on the floor, Jameson appeared shirtless, rubbing his hair with a towel. Damn him. Now he was taunting me.
“I poured you some if you want it.” I closed my laptop.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“I forgot to ask, what was your mom inviting me to, tomorrow?”
“Oh, my mom has Sunday dinners about twice a month. She likes to pretend we’re a happy family. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go. I’m sorry she brought it up to you.”
“I don’t have plans.” I stumbled on my words. “I can go with you.”
“Honestly, it’s fine.”
“Don’t be a dick, Titan.”
“I’m not.”
“You are because for once, you didn’t get your way. Has anyone ever said no to you?”
He didn’t answer.
“I thought so.” I got off the stool and walked to where he was standing on the other side of the island. “I’m going to Sunday dinner with you, and you are gonna act like you are enjoying it, even though now you hate me.”
He closed his eyes for a brief moment. “I don’t hate you. It’s quite the opposite.”
“I’m going to bed.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
***
Two weeks have passed since the night Jameson kissed me. And every chance he got, he went out of his way to avoid me. I was sick of him acting like a child. Tonight, I needed some girl time, so I called the bestie.
“Please tell me you’ll go out with me tonight. I need girl time.”
“Yes. I’ll be ready in an hour.”
“Thank God. Meet at our normal spot?”
“I’ll be there.”
I was already showered, now I could get ready to go out. Sifting through the clothes I brought, I didn’t have much to work with, I settled for a pair of skinny jeans, a sparkly black tank top, and black strappy heels.
“I’m going out. Don’t wait up,” I told Jameson, without looking at him as I pulled the door open, I didn’t wait for a comment from him.
Oddly enough, Kali and my spot was a short walk and around a corner to Mee-Maws Brewery.
“Oh my god. It feels like I haven’t seen you in ages.” Kali said, immediately hugging me tight. “You were right about us needing girl time.”
“We definitely do. I’m tired of dealing with a child twenty-four-seven.”
We headed inside and grabbed a stool at the bar, then ordered beers.
“Things aren’t going well?”
I took a long drink. “They were until he kissed me.”
Kali almost spit her drink out. “What?”
“Yeah, two weeks ago, we had to attend a gala, then we went to a bar. When we got back to his place, he kissed me.”
She looked at me like I had two heads. “I’m not seeing a problem here. I know you are attracted to him. And he must be attracted to you.”
“Kali! I am. But I pulled away after a brief moment and told him we couldn’t. Now ever since, he’s been avoiding me every chance he gets. I go to work with him and go through the meetings and he barely says a word. He’s short with me when we do have to interact.”
“Well, he’s probably not used to rejection.”
“That’s exactly what I said. And I am highly attracted to him, but I don’t want things to get complicated.”
“Well, it isn’t like you’d be getting married. You could probably use some D.”
I lightly punched her arm. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am. When was the last time you got laid?”
I couldn’t answer her question.
“Exactly. Live a little. Have some fun.” I cocked a grin. “I hate you.”
“You hate that I’m right.”
“I do.”
“How much longer do you have with him?” she asked.
“Roughly two months.”
“There you go.”
“Another?” she asked after we finished our first beer.
“One more. Tell me what’s going on with you? How is wedding planning going?”
She was newly engaged, and I was so happy for her.
“Good, except my soon-to-be-mother-in-law keeps trying to change my cake order behind my back. I have to have a password with the bakery.”
“Are you serious? That is crazy.”
“She doesn’t like that she doesn’t have any control over the wedding. It’s getting to the point where Court and I might just elope.”
“No. Don’t let her get to you. Sounds like she needs to get a life.”
“She definitely does. And it doesn’t help that his sister goes right along with their mother.”
“Oh man, I’m sorry you are dealing with that. If you need help with anything, I’m here.”
“I know. I love you for that. Next time we go out, we can’t let too much time in between.”
“I know. You can call me, and I’ll call you. I’m always down for girl time.”
After drinking our second beer, I hailed a taxi because there was one place I wanted to go, and that was not back to Jameson’s place.
“Brews Bats, please. Pull around back.”
Roughly seven minutes later, the taxi pulled around back, I thanked him and headed inside through the back door.
Was I welcome here, probably not. They might not even let passed the door since I don’t have a membership. But the bartender looked like he recognized me from being here before and nodded.