“You can’t walk and if you strain it worse, it’s only going to take that much longer to heal,” he said clutching me to his chest.
“This is embarrassing,” I grumbled knowing full well Jacks and Grayson were watching the ridiculous scene play out between us.
Jamieson walked me to the truck and lifted me up into the cab effortlessly. When he got in the other side, I thanked him for his help. He didn’t reply just smiled gently at me.
“How did it happen?” He asked quizzically.
“I was being stupid and not paying attention. I had just finished the course and was coming down my last set of three rails but I got distracted. I didn’t think about my landing. Leo went in one direction and I went in another.”
“What distracted you?” He asked.
His question caught me off guard. “Uh, what?”
“I asked what distracted you.” Shit what do I tell him?
“I was just thinking about stuff not about the ride.” I hoped that would appease him.
“It must have been pretty important to make you lose your focus that much,” he mused, cocking an eyebrow.
“I guess.”
“Do you think we should have your ankle looked at?” he asked.
“No I’ll be fine I just need to rest it.”
“Okay but if it’s not better by tomorrow morning I think you should be seen by a doctor.” he said sternly.
“Okay,” I agreed just so he would drop it.
We pulled up to the house. It was early afternoon and the guys were all at work. Jamieson and I were all alone and for some reason that sent a bolt of excitement through my veins.
“Don’t get out, let me help you,” he told me.
I complied and waited for him to come to my side of the truck. It was high and I knew I would need his help easing down onto my one good leg.
Jamieson however, had other plans. When he swung open the door, he gently placed his hands underneath my legs; lifting me easily against his chest. I tried again to protest but quickly gave up the fight knowing it would do no good.
Jamieson carried me into the house and up the stairs to my room. When we reached the top of the stairs, I thought he would put me down but he didn’t. He continued on into my large room and into the on-suite bathroom. He lightly set me on my feet but didn’t leave.
“I figured you would want to shower,” he said looking at my once white breaches and my pink polo shirt that was now covered in dirt.
“Yeah, I could use one,” I said studying myself in the mirror. Even my hair had chunks of dirt in it and I could see the outline of a faint bruise above my right eye. I was a hot mess.
Jamieson cleared his throat nervously. “Do you need help?”
I guess I could have completely scoffed at his suggestion but I knew it wasn’t coming from a place of lust, well not all of it. He was genuinely concerned for me.
“No I’ll be alright,” I replied.
“Okay, just yell if you need something.” He looked me in the eye once more before closing the door behind him.
I stripped down and turned the water on extra hot to soothe my aching muscles.
I slowly climbed down the stairs after my shower. I had thrown on my favorite University of Tennessee shirt and a pair of white Victoria Secret sleep shorts. I left my hair towel dried not wanting to take the time to blow dry it. I was hungry and needed to eat something so I could get a few Tylenol in my system to help with the swelling in my ankle.
When I reached the bottom floor I heard the T.V. on which was odd. I couldn’t imagine Jamieson still being here; surely he had gone back to work.
I had been wrong. He was in the kitchen dressed in his favorite sweatpants and white V-neck t-shirt. Jamieson Wellington made even casual clothes look sophisticated. I stood in the doorway admiring him for several seconds.
“What are you doing down here? I was just going to bring you some lunch,” he said not even looking up from his cooking.
“Smells good, what are you making?” I asked curiously.
“Grilled chicken Caesar wraps,” he announced confidently.
“Delicious.” I said slowly wondering over to take a seat in front of him at the bar.
“They’re almost ready.”
“Great,” I watched Jamieson meticulously rolled the wrap together.
When he was done, he handed me one and then put the other on a plate next to mine. He took a seat next to me and we quietly ate lunch together like it was the most normal thing in the world.
When I was finished, I attempted to hobble over toward the dishwasher with my plate but Jamieson stopped me taking it from my hands. “I’ll do that.”
“Thanks,” I said a bit sheepishly at my own inability to do simple things. I wandered slowly into the main living room that held the large flat screen T.V. and comfy gray couch. I threw myself down into the fluffiness. The television was already on CNBC. Jamieson must have been watching it while I was showering.
I heard the dishwasher start and then Jamieson emerged from the kitchen tossing himself down next to me on the couch.
“Don’t you have to go back to work?” I asked confused.
“Nope, I took the afternoon off,” he relaxed back with his hands behind his head. That was odd. The Jamieson I remembered worked insane hours. He would never just take time off in the middle of the day like this.
“You did?” I was still confused.
“I thought it was best I hang around and keep an eye on you,” he informed me, casually handing me the remote.
I furrowed my brow but didn’t respond. I took the remote and searched for some mindless afternoon talk show to preoccupy my brain. I quickly found Maury so I tossed the remote onto the edge of the couch.
“Really?” he asked giving me a questioning look.
“What?” I demanded.
“Maury Povich?” He feigned disgust.
“Hey it’s a good show. Don’t act like paternity test results aren’t entertaining.”
“I’m beginning to think your taste in crappy T.V. shows is a family trait,” he mused.
He was referring to the first time he had met my family and how they were all sucked-in to this horrible reality show when we walked in the door.
I scowled at him and then focused on the show. Maury was just about to reveal whether or not this guy who had allegedly gotten two sisters pregnant was the father of both the kids.
“What do you think the odds are that this guy is the dad of the brother cousins?” Jamieson asked.
“Hmm…tough one. The kids both have his nose but I don’t trust the younger sister, she seems like a liar. I think he isn’t the Dad,” I said seriously considering the options.
“You want to bet me?” he asked smiling slyly.
“Okay…what are we betting?” I asked curiously.
“If I win we go on a date.”
I was shocked at his suggestion. “Jamieson…I…I don’t know.”
“Nope you already agreed to it,” he said.
“Fine, what do I win if I’m right?” I asked a bit miffed I had been baited into such a bet.
“Whatever you want,”
“I don’t know what I want,” I thought out loud.
Jamieson said something under his breath but remained unwavering. “I’ll let you think about it.”
“Okay,” I agreed and focused back on the show for the big reveal.
Maury ripped open the envelope and read the results. The guy was the dad of the brother cousins. Fuck!
“Seriously?” I yelled at the T.V.
Jamieson chuckled next to me. I had walked right into that one and he knew it.
We watched television together for the next few hours. At some point I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up it was to Jamieson quietly carrying me up the stairs to my room. I remained still against his body not wanting him to know I was awake. I relished in his gentle touch. It brought back the memories of how things had been between us all those years ago, the deep craving I had for him.