I chuckled. “If only I had some to give. No, I can’t help financially, but maybe…” I licked my lips, nervous. “Well, what if we lived together? You could save on rent and bills. Put it toward those startup costs.”
Jamie straightened, eyes wide, as he looked at me. “But you live with Corey.”
That wasn’t the answer I wanted. Wasn’t an answer at all. But I’d caught him by surprise. Caught myself by surprise,really. But as soon the words came out, I knew they were right.
I wanted Jamie with me. We slept together almost every night, anyway, going back and forth between our houses. Taking the dogs back and forth.
But of course Jamie would worry about Corey. He had a big heart like that.
“I only moved in with my brother because he couldn’t pay the rent. He’s got a good job now, and after the breakup with Rachel, I don’t think he’ll be flaking out on this one.”
“I guess not,” Jamie murmured.
He’d filled me in on the argument he’d witnessed, and I’d taken Corey out for a beer and a long chat to make sure he was doing okay. He was heartbroken over Rachel—they’d dated for over two years, practically a lifetime for a twenty-year-old—but it was the same kind of heartbreak I’d experienced with my ex. The kind where it sucked, and you were full of recriminations, but you also knew it was the best decision for you both.
“I’m not worried about Corey for the first time in years,” I went on. “He’s a little sad about Rachel, but he’s getting his life together. I want to do the same.”
“Get your life together?”
“Yeah, Jamie. My life with you. Please say yes, and let me take care of you.”
Jamie sat forward and put a hand to my cheek. “That’s sweet, but I can take care of myself. I know you’re used to being the reliable guy for Corey, but I don’t want you to replace him with me now that he’s outgrowing it.”
I frowned. “That’s not what I’m doing. I love you. I just want to show it.”
“And I love you.” He kissed me, then turned my wordsaround on me. “But what if I want to take care ofyou? Why do you get all the glory?”
I chuckled. “Okay, I’ll make you a deal. How about we take care of each other?”
Jamie moved toward me, spurring Bruno to jump to the floor with an annoyed grunt, and climbed into my lap. He wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a smile that made my heart take flight. “Now that’s a deal I could live with.”
My pulse raced. I felt like a man standing on the precipice of a steep cliff and only Jamie’s words could stop me from shattering on the rocks below.
“So you’ll move in with me?” I asked. “For good?”
“You can move in with me,” he countered, eyes sparkling. “But I have one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You move in because you want to, not so you can pay my bills. We’ll split them, like equal partners who take care of each other.”
My heart swelled, and I pulled him closer, relishing in his solid weight against me. “Whatever gets me in your bed every night.”
He laughed, voice throaty. “I think you meanourbed. And on that note…”
He climbed out of my lap and held out his hand. “Take me toourbed, Hank, and show me just how happy you are to be doing this.”
My blood rushed south. “Really? I thought you were tired.”
He shrugged, smile turning flirty. “I got a second wind. Not sure how long it’ll last…”
I jumped up, making him laugh, and threw him over myshoulder. He squealed as I jogged toward the bedroom, one hand held possessively over his ass.
“Hank!”
“What? I’m just trying to make sure you don’t tire out on the walk to the bedroom.”
I tossed him down onto the bed, watching him bounce. Jamie’s face was red from the blood rush of being held upside down—and not helped by the laughter twisting his features—but he’d never looked more beautiful to me.
