My masked kisser was sweet, almost reverent. Jamie is all tease and exploration. He knows exactly what he’s doing when he retreats and lets me chase him a little. He doesn’t overpower me. He uses his lips to massage mine, as his tongue brushes against mine over and over. It isn’t too much, it’s just right. Enough to make me want more as my entire body reacts to the sensation of our mouths fused together.
I feel my pulse quicken and my bra become tighter under his jersey. My nipples are straining against it, begging for Jamie’s touch.
When he pulls away, I almost groan with frustration. But I like the way he’s looking at me, silently checking if I’m ok.
Luke says that Jamie is a good man, someone he trusts with his life. When Kurt kissed me, it wasn’t only a little gross.
Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong yet, I sensed an undercurrent of danger; like a prey confronted by its predator. Jamie doesn’t give me this vibe. At least not right now. He scared me at the pier the night I arrived. But right now he’s looking at me like he cared. Maybe this is more dangerous than the explosive violence I saw him unleash against the men who groped me on Friday night. I know to watch out for violence.
I have no idea what to do with the look he’s giving me now.
The important thing is to remember that none of this is real. I shouldn’t be surprised that he kissed me. He did it because we have to sell our fake relationship to the entire campus. Jamie’s career and my chance at a fresh start both depend on how convincing we can be.
When Jamie pulls away from me, he doesn’t stop touching me. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and then traces the edge of my jaw with gentle fingers.
That’s when I realize that you could hear a pin drop in the previously noisy coffee shop.
Everyone has stopped talking, eating, drinking, and nursing their hangovers to look at us.
A pretty blonde in the tightest jeans I’ve ever seen rises from her chair a few tables away from ours and walks over to our table. She isn’t alone and I recognize her from last night’s party.
Two girls are with her. Connor’s ex, Fiona, and her friend Hillary.
“Hey Jamie,” the brunette smiles. I can’t remember her name. “Rebecca, right?”
“It’s Bex.” I bite out. I hate that name. Just my father, Kurt, and the people I lived with for the last few years called me that. To everyone who’s ever mattered to me, I’ve always been Bex. It was my mom’s pet name for me, and even Dad used it while Mom was alive. He started calling me Rebecca when he was left alone to raise me and Luke.
“Hey Carissa,” Jamie greets her, as his posture stiffens ever so slightly. “What’s up?”
Despite the obvious tension in his broad shoulders, Jamie’s voice is friendly and relaxed.
Carissa’s gaze bounces between me and Jamie. “Nothing much,” she laughs nervously. “That was quite a scene you guys offered everyone.”
Jamie’s hand slips away from my face, taking my hand on the table. He laces our fingers together. “Is that so?” he asks, the corners of his lips lifted in amusement. “I’ve seen worse PDA around campus. Can’t a guy kiss his girlfriend at brunch without everyone paying attention?”
Carissa’s eyes widen and her mouth pops open before she twists her lips with displeasure. Her voice, however, doesn’t give it away. “Girlfriend? I didn’t know you were dating someone. It sure didn’t seem that way on Saturday at the Gamma house party.”
I look at the girl and then at ‘my boyfriend.’ Is it possible that they hooked up recently? Maybe even on Saturday night?
“Yeah, well, it’s new.” Jamie says. “But I fell in love with Bex at first sight.”
“Oh.” Surprise is written all over Carissa’s face, her mouth gaping open. She assesses me openly. “I’ll be damned. I thought you didn’t do relationships.”
Jamie doesn’t even look at her. His blue eyes are intent on me. “I thought so too. It turns out I just hadn’t met the right woman.”
If I didn’t know that our relationship was one hundred percent fake, Jamie could convince me that he’s head over heels in love with me. I guess if for some reason his NHL career doesn’t pan out, he has a future as an actor.
“So are you and Bex exclusive?” she asks.
Again, my boyfriend’s voice is sure when he nods. “I have eyes just for her. She’s my person.”
Disappointment is written all over Carissa’s face. It might be odd, but I feel it too.
All I know about Jamie is that he’s impossibly handsome, charming and funny, and has a violent streak he keeps well hidden. He’s an amazing kisser, and he can be kind and thoughtful. I can only imagine how it would feel to really be his person. How I would feel if the way he’s looking at me—as if I was the only woman in the room—wasn’t just a ruse.
Carissa hesitates for one beat, her eyes settling on Jamie holding my hand on the table. He’s stroking the space between my thumb and my index finger with a slow, hypnotic rhythm.
“Ok. Congratulations, I guess.” She finally says. “Parties on campus won’t be the same with you off the market. Not to sound mean, but there will be a lot of women waiting for when this thing between you two finally fizzles out.”
