“Sorry to hear that.” Jamie plucked the kitten off the floor and held him out of Barbarossa’s reach. “I’m not going to pretend it’s the happiest news I’ve ever heard, though. You wanted me to be honest with you when we got serious? I’m being honest with you. It makes me uncomfortable. I’ll get over it, though. Probably.”
“Good.” Etta finished her drink and tossed her empty glass on the other side of the couch. “Because you’ll be seeing a lot of her in the coming months, and hopefully years. The goal is to keep this partnership going for a long time. You know. How my last one was supposed to go.”
Jamie didn’t want to think about it, and she didn’t appreciate Etta bringing it up. “As long as it means you being home more often, andless stressed.”
“Well, I will still be busy in the coming weeks. Merging businesses as large as ours is not a simple process.” Etta rested her elbow against the arm of the couch and glared at Jamie. “What do you want me to say? I didn’t expect this when I started looking for a new partner. She wasn’t even the only woman who approached me, but when I heard she was back in town, I took an interest. How could I not?”
“Indeed? How could you not?”
Etta ignored her. “She was the one who approached me first. I was just as surprised as you when she showed up at my office a few weeks ago. After I got over my shock, I was able to listen to what she was saying. She heard I was looking for a new partner to share the load and said we should talk about it. I wasn’t going to at first. Like you, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but I decided to humor her, partly because I was curious about how she’s doing now, I admit. If nothing else, I could do our world’s version of FaceSpace stalking.” Scoffing, Etta flung herself against the back of the couch and covered her face with both hands. Barbarossa meandered that way and hopped up on the couch next to her. When Etta did not pay attention to her, the cat sank with an unhappymerf. “She immediately went into why we should go into business together. I listened. I mulled it over for weeks, Jamie. Had a lot of other interviews during that time, but none of them clicked like Adele. Probably because we know each other so well.”
“Yes. So well.”
“Stop doing that. Nothing exists between us any longer. We have both moved on. I’m with you now. Adele is a part of my past, and now a part of my future… just in a different context.”
“Yes, yes, I read all about that prince from Monaco. Or Malta. Maldives?” Jamie shook her head before she made a bigger fool of herself. The kitten squirmed out of her arms and landed with a light plop on the floor. Barbarossa immediately began whining. “I’m not saying you’re going tocheat on me. Nor am I saying that she’s going to try to seduce you. I’m sure she is a brilliant woman who has earned every penny she has. I’m sure she will do wonders for your business, and I’m sure all of your investors and employees will love her because she’s stunning and charming.” Jamie sighed. “Except I can’t help that it makes me uncomfortable. I also can’t help that you sprung that on me. I think that’s what bugs me the most. You brought me in there, knowing how shocked I would be. No warning. Next time, give me some. I’d appreciate it.”
The kitten tore across the bedroom and thumped right into Barbarossa’s tail as it hung over the edge of the couch. The moment they met, Barbarossa reached down and swatted the top of the kitten’s head. What ensued was a giant monster cat nearly suffocating a skinny kitten with her big, burly body. Etta watched for as long as she could before cracking a smile.
“What?” Yes, it was cute, but Etta didn’t smile unless there was some ulterior thought going on in her head.
“Cat fight.”
“Ugh,” Jamie muttered, heading into the bathroom. She left the door open. “You will be the death of me.” More than likely. Statistically speaking.
Etta got up and followed her, standing in the doorway while cat carnage continued behind her and Jamie rubbed in lotion in front of the mirror. “Let’s talk about something else.” Etta sauntered into the bathroom, one arm looping around Jamie’s midsection while her mouth went on an excursion. “I’ve got some time off this Saturday night. I have a function earlier, but I want you to meet me downtown for dinner.”
“A real date, huh?”
“What are those other dates we go on, hm? Fake ones?”
“Just haven’t done something like that in a while.” Jamie shrugged. “Was starting to wonder if we were getting stale over here. Too settled.” She huffed, squeezing too much lotion from her bottle. “You’re getting boredwith me.”
Etta’s hands cupped the underside of her breasts. “How could Ieverget bored of this?”
Tingles flooded Jamie, but she refused to show how aroused she was getting. Nevertheless, her damned nipples betrayed her by hardening beneath her T-shirt. She met Etta’s flirtatious gaze in the mirror. “One thing I can say about you, Ms. Coleman… you’re loyal.”
“I’m a big fan of monogamy.”
“Serial monogamy.” Jamie turned in her arms. “At least when you wereschtoopingyour personal assistants, you could say you were monogamous. What a champ.”
Etta didn’t talk. She growled, lifting Jamie until her ass leaned comfortably against the sink.Is she going to do me right here?Probably. Wouldn’t be the first time.
“I have big plans for us.” Etta lightly kissed Jamie’s shoulder before diverting to the tip of her nose. “Things are about to get interesting. In great ways.”
“I can’t tell if you’re talking about the next five minutes or the faraway future.”
She kissed Jamie, a beautiful gesture that made her peak in more places than just her breasts. “Both. I can’t contain my excitement.” She took Jamie’s hand and kissed her fingertips. “We good now?”
“We’re good. Especially if you keep making your way down on your knees, Ms. Coleman.”
Etta leered at her, sinking as promised. Her hands brushed against Jamie’s thighs, knees, and calves as her girlfriend urged her legs open, lips meeting the same soft skin fingers recently touched. “Yes,ma’am.”
When Etta’s teeth snatched the seam of her shorts, Jamie gasped, her eyes widening and her head leaning back against the bathroom mirror. Oh, yeah. They were definitelygood.
Chapter 16
Jamie awoke Saturday morning at the manor in the hills, without Etta, even though it was early enough for her to still be in bed. Yet she had called Jamie late last night, apologizing that something had come up and she would spend the night at their penthouse. Jamie offered to come meet her, but Etta told her to stay home, and that she would see her for their date the next day.
