Page 64 of Steel

He’s so used to issuing orders that he finds it impossible to let anyone tell him what to do.

Jameson reluctantly climbs up, standing in front of me. I sense an internal battle waging in his eyes before he turns and sits with his back against the couch between my legs.

I place my hands on his solid shoulders, and he stiffens for a moment before relaxing as I knead my fingers into his thick muscles.

Steel—living up to his name.

“What are you doing?”

“Thanking you for everything you’ve done for me and my brother.” I rub my fingers over his shoulders, digging my thumbs into his shoulder blades as he relaxes into it. “I think a lot of people want things from you, but very few people actually thank you for it.”

“Here we are again...” Jameson chuckles. “You’re keeping me on my toes by being nice to me.”

I bite back a smile. “Against all odds.”

Jameson groans when my thumbs dig deeper, and my chest tightens at the sound.

“You keep doing that, and you can be nice all you want.”

I knead deeper just to get him to make that sound again.

His chin drops, and he sinks into the feel of my touch. I run my thumbs up the back of his neck, slowly feeling his muscles relax beneath my hands.

“You do so much for your men, and they probably don’t even notice. They expect a lot out of you because they know you’ll live up to those expectations.”

“And what are your expectations of me, Tempe?”

I rake my fingers up into his thick hair, dragging them slowly back down again, and appreciating how I have the power to make this man melt beneath my touch when he is an unmovable wall in any other situation.

“I don’t have expectations, Jameson. Life taught me better than that. I just want to make it through the day. And then the next day. And the next. And hopefully, through all of it, I’ll slowly build a better life for me and Austin.”

“All by yourself?”

“If that ends up being the case, then yes.” I rub his shoulders. “My life comes with baggage, and after what happened, there’s even more of it. I don’t expect anyone else to want to take that on with me.”

“What if someone wants to?”

I shrug. “I guess that’s on them.”

Jameson lifts his head, staring straight ahead. “And what if they’ve got even more than you?”

I pause, resting my hands on his back, feeling his body expand with every deep inhale.

“I honestly don’t know.” I sigh. “A few months ago, I might have said it didn’t matter. But that was before Austin became my responsibility. He deserves better than I had, and I’ll do everything to make that happen—sacrifice anything. Even having a relationship if it comes down to it.”

Jameson hums, and I glide my fingers over his shoulders.

“Feel any better?”

“Much.” He brushes his palm along my shin.

It’s a gentle graze at first. A friendly thank you for helping him release a little tension.

But when his hand doesn’t leave my bare skin, and he tightens his hold, I dig my thumbs into his shoulders, and static crackles between us.

“I’m not the only one taking care of everyone around me, Tempe. You do plenty of that too.”

“Yeah?” My voice shoots up slightly as his hand moves up my leg.

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