Page 57 of Always on My Mind

Jamie smiled at Tessa. “D’you think Niamh would mind having the flat to herself for a couple weeks?”

“No, why?”

“As I am concussed, I need someone around to help me with things like cooking and making sure I get plenty of rest. Are you up for it?”

Two weeks alone with Jamie? Tessa wasn’t turning that down for anything.

“You bet,” she said. “I’ve got a history with nursing, you know.”

Jamie smirked. “The uniforms are much sexier these days.”

“Uniform? Who says I’ll be wearing anything at all?”

Jamie laughed and sat back in her chair, her eyes landing on the book still between them on the table.

“Can you believe this book found its way back to us after more than a hundred years?” she said. “Mad, isn’t it?”

“Aye,” Tessa agreed. “But it did what it was supposed to, didn’t it? Neither of us forgot.”

“May we never forget again.”

Chapter 18

“Honey, I’m home!” Tessa called as she came through Jamie’s front door.

“In the kitchen!” Jamie replied.

Tessa walked in and set her work bag on the counter. Jamie sat at the kitchen table in front of her laptop. She was reclined in her chair, eyes fixed on the screen with her brow knit over them., thumbnail between her teeth. From the green glow on her face, Tessa knew she was watching game film. It would have been more annoying if she wasn’t sexy with her thighs spread out. It should have been illegal for her to look like such a ride in bike shorts and a sports bra, with only a zip-up hoodie over it.

“Film again?” she said.

“It’s all I can do since I can’t train,” Jamie said.

Tessa crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that what you’ve been doing all day?”

“No. I went for a slow jog and did some light weightlifting, all cleared by my doctor. I also did the laundry and the grocery shopping. Pasta sound good for dinner?”

“Come off it, Jamie, you know the answer to that.”

“One of these days you might say no,” Jamie said through a chuckle.

“Oh, aye, when hell freezes over, you mean.”

She strode over and claimed Jamie’s lips in a kiss. Jamie’s muffled surprise faded in her throat as she leaned into it, a soft moan escaping her instead. Tessa had almost forgotten what it was like to be with Jamie. Kissing in the rain in Liverpool had been hot, but restrained, since they both knew it couldn’t go further. Now, on Tessa’s first night as Jamie’s official guest, there was nothing to stop them from going there again.

Jamie drew back and held Tessa’s gaze. “Go get comfortable, love. We’ll have dinner and then. . . whatever we want.”

“I like the sound of that,” Tessa said with a smile.

She left, making sure there was an extra sway to her hips as she walked. She knew Jamie noticed when she heard a deep sigh. Jamie was a sucker for women in skirts. And Tessa had worn one that hugged her ass in a way she knew drove Jamie crazy. It did to Jamie what seeing Jamie in bike shorts did to Tessa.

She jogged up the stairs and made her way to Jamie’s bedroom. Jamie had stacked Tessa’s bags in a neat pile in the corner of the room. The oddest thing was that Tessa didn’t see any trace of Jamie in the room. The furniture was basic, the bedding was a neutral beige, everything had its place. There were no photographs in the entire room, not even on the walls. It was so bland, it might have been mistaken for a hotel room if she didn’t know she was in Jamie’s house.

But Jamie had been that way last time too. Despite being at Arsenal for years, she had never truly settled in her flat in that part of London. Tessa assumed it was the same when she lived in Manchester. Mainly because Jamie always said she preferred it that way. As a footballer, things could always change. Tessawondered if perhaps Stanmore was the club Jamie might finally call home.

She changed into joggers and a tank top, letting out a groan of relief at finally shedding her bra after wearing it all day. After donning some fuzzy socks, she made her way back to the kitchen. It did not surprise her to find Jamie once again watching film of herself.

Tessa cleared her throat and Jamie glanced up. She grinned.

---