Page 105 of Their Greatest Strength

“So let them get complicated. Do you think things aren’t going to get that way regardless?”

Blakely lets her head fall back against the seat, groaning angrily. “I was supposed to make sure you weren’t dead and then steal your Xbox. That’s all.”

It’s impossible not to laugh. I palm her thigh, needing the contact. She focuses on where we touch and bites her inner cheek, a silent battle in her eyes.

“I’m grateful that it was more than that,” I murmur.

“You have no idea what you’re asking for right now.”

“No, I think I have a pretty good idea, wife. It’s you that doesn’t know what I’m asking.”

“Whatareyou asking, then?”

She brings her torn gaze to my face, and I palm the back of her neck, threading my fingers through her soft hair. It’s a firm, warm touch, something that I hope helps communicate how serious I am right now.

The air is thick with desire, both hers and mine. I’m greedy with my inhales, unafraid to drink it in.

“I want you, Blakely, even though I know it’s messy.”

“Very messy,” she whispers.

Sweeping my thumb along the thin skin behind her ear, I add, “The way I see it, we have two options. Either we continue to pretend, or we don’t. I’m not saying that this won’t end in disaster because it probably will, but I have feelings for you, and I’m already struggling to keep that from affecting our friendship.”

“You don’t care if we crash and burn? It won’t be pretty.”

“Ifby the end of the contract, we hate each other and everything we’ve built burns, then I’ll at least be grateful that I had the chance to have you for a brief time. It’s better than the alternative.”

“What exactly is the alternative, Jamie? Things are going fine right now.”

“Fine isn’t all that ideal for me, baby. If we continue to pretend that we’re not one breath from fucking each other blind half the time, we’re going to lose our minds. I only have a month and a half left with you, and I don’t want to spend that time tiptoeing around each other.”

“If this is an elaborate scheme to get in bed with me, Jamie, I swear?—”

I lean over the console, bringing our faces close as our eyes lock. “Tell me point-blank that you think that’s the kind of guy I am, Bandit. Tell me that you genuinely believe I’m telling you this to fuck you, and I’ll take us up to see Graham so we can call this off right now.”

She shudders, lips parting on a sigh before she whispers, “Don’t be so dramatic.”

“If you want dramatic, I can give you dramatic,” I warn, dropping my tone.

“You talk such a big game, but we both know that’s all it is.A game. You want to win, but I’m not a ball that you can catch.”

With a low laugh scraping up my throat, I drag my mouth across hers and playfully dig my teeth into her bottom lip. She blows a sigh into my mouth, and I tilt her head back just enough that I can make an example of how easily she bends for me despite her sharp words.

It might be possible for her to keep a straight face and play coy most of the time, but there’s no hiding the pink on her cheeks or the quickening of her pulse. Yeah, it could be simply physical for her, but my gut tells me a different story.

She might not be as in as I am, but I’ve got time to get her there.

With our breaths mingling and sparks alive beneath my skin, I lay it all out for her.

“If you’re a game, then I’ve already won. It’s not about the final score with you, Blakely. It never was. All I want is to keep learning about you while having permission to touch you like this without anyone around. There’s no pressure here. Just a timeline we have to follow. I’m open to riding out the weeks with no assumptions. Just have fun with me, baby. I promise I’ll make sure you enjoy yourself.”

“And if you fall in love with me? You’ll still let me go if that’s what I choose?”

The sting from her question is easily ignored by the blast of excitement that follows. It’s the closest she’s come to agreeing thus far, and that’s a win in my book.

“Will I want to? No. But if I don’t have another choice, then yes. What if you fall in love with me?”

“The only person I’m capable of loving is Nathan.”

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