He pushes up from the couch. I miss the feel of his leg against mine. “The chili’s gotta be ready now.”
“Wow.”The word heaves out of me. I’m so full. I’m slumped into the couch, and I couldn’t stand up if you paid me. “That was amazing.”
Jamie’s cheeks turn rosy. I’m not sure if it’s from the praise for his cooking or my choice of words. Knowing him, probably both.
He gathers our bowls—which have been emptied and refilled multiple times—and carries them to the kitchen.
When I hear the sink running, I call to him, “You better not be doing the dishes.”
“Of course I am.”
I scoff. “Turn the water off and get back here. I’ll take care of them tomorrow.”
“But then?—”
I cut him off. “Damn it, Jamie, stop being so stupidly selfless and leave the dishes alone.”
His laugh is velvet smooth as he saunters back to the couch. “Fine, have it your way,” he says with a crooked smile. He sits back down where he was. His knee knocks against mine. “Getting about ready to kick me out?”
The hailstorm gave way to freezing rain, which isn’t forecast to stop any time soon. The streets are treacherous.
I pretend to hum thoughtfully. “Hm, if I made you walk home and you ended up slipping and breaking your neck, I might feel somewhat guilty for a couple weeks.”
“Wow, a couple?”
I tilt my head back and forth like I’m weighing my thoughts. “Well, a week and a half at least.”
“You know, it’s that extra half week of consideration that really warms my heart.”
“Then,” I whistle, pulling up my arm to jab my thumb over my shoulder, “you’re out of my mind forever.”
Jamie laughs. “Fair enough.”
“I think we’re stuck with each other tonight.”
“No complaints on my end.”
His eyes are a little too nice to look at right now, when he’s wearing a smile that reaches right to them. I pull away a bit and grab my remote. “Should we watch something?”
He perks up. “I know exactly what we should watch.”
“Yeah?”
“Your suggestion the other week.”
I quirk a brow. “Remind me?”
“X-Files.”
“Sure. I’ve never watched it.”
I find the streaming service it’s on, and we start the first episode. It’s pretty good. It hooks my attention fast, and I love the ‘90s vibes.
I also love the actor playing the main character.
A whistle of appreciation sighs out of me when there’s a scene of Mulder wearing a pair of slutty little glasses. I fan myself. “Sheesh.”
Jamie side-eyes me. “What?”
