This time, the waitress slipped away without a reward for her efforts.
Jamie sat deeper in the booth, his posture relaxed, and when Shannon looked up, his eyes were already on her.
Her finger slid into her mouth, nibbling at the edge of her nail again.
Biting her nails was a disgusting habit. It wasn’t something she did after shovelling shit all day, but right now, the intensity of his gaze had her so twisted up inside she couldn’t think straight.
A few seconds of silence passed before he spoke. “Would you be happy to learn the woman I was with yesterday is my father’s carer, not my girlfriend?”
Relief flipped over in her stomach, but she masked the pointless sensation with a playful quip. “Right. And I’m sure you two don’t have history?”
Shannon batted her eyelashes, tilting her head to the side in mock innocence.
He tapped the coaster under his whiskey glass.
“My dad and Rebecca have a solid relationship. I wouldn’t mess that up for anything.”
He lifted his glass and took a sip.
“Although... It's pretty rare for a woman to resist me. I have to be careful. I couldn’t break the poor girl’s heart, now could I?” His smirk returned, a playful glint in his eyes. “Wouldn’t be fair.”
Shannon raised an eyebrow, glancing toward the bar before leaning forward, meeting his gaze.
“Oh my God, do you hear that?” she whispered.
Jamie’s brows furrowed, and he leaned in closer. “Hear what?”
“The sound of your ego landing.” She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, trying, and failing, to stifle a giggle.
His lips twitched before he broke into laughter, the deep rumble making her pulse flutter.
Shannon couldn’t hold back her smile, captivated by the raw, masculine way he laughed.
It was impossible to ignore how at ease she was with him, even with all the tension crackling between them.
“Witty and sexy.” His smile softened as a thoughtseemed to occur to him. “Do you have a boyfriend, Shannon?”
The way he said her name, dragging out the first few letters and locking eyes with her, made her stomach flip.
“Nope,” she said, leaning back a bit. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
His elbows rested on the table, his fingers steepled under his chin as he shook his head.
“Not my thing. I like women; don’t get me wrong. I just don’t think I’m ready to settle down yet.”
Shannon laughed, though his words tugged at something in her chest.
“It’s called FOMO,” she said.
“Fear of missing out? Believe me, Shannon, I never miss out.” He chuckled under his breath, almost sinful. “I’m surprised you’re single.”
She shrugged, a confident smile forming on her lips. “I’m focused on my career. Guys are a hassle. I’m twenty-four, so there’s plenty of time for all that in the future.”
And she meant it. Shannon had no time for pointless dates or fluffy romance. Her focus was always on the next step in her life, always on the bigger picture.
Her phone buzzed on the table, and when she glanced down, a message from Niall lit up the screen.
Where the hell are you? Why aren’t you in the yard?
