Page 19 of The Hooker

“You’d leave me as soon as you come?”

“I’d try not to.” A high-pitched noise escapes me when he gets the angle just right. “But I can tell this is gonna be good—” which, quite frankly, is a surprise from humping each other like we’re in high school, but something about Jamie gets me halfway there just by kissing him “—and I don’t want to leave you hanging.”

He pants in my ear, “If you’re nearly there, don’t worry. I’ll be there in five seconds.” His sentence ends in a drawn-out moan that sends shivers through me. I turn my head to meet his lips, stubble scrapes my cheeks and he thrusts once, twice, and rips his lips from mine to groan into my skin.

I slip my hand between us to press my clit hard over the seam of my leggings and throw my head back as my mouth falls open and my body shakes.

I sigh in contentment and tilt my head slightly to press a small kiss on Jamie’s lips. He shifts to my side but throws a leg over mine. My forehead rests against his and my eyes fall closed. My breathing evens out and sleep is within my grasp while I’m wrapped around Jamie, but then he speaks.

“Clean up first, then sleep.”

I don’t even have the energy to shake my head, just stay in the same position. Who cares about clean up when you’re this cosy and have a rugby player wrapped around you? When you haveJamiewrapped around you.

“Come on, darling.” Hands slip under my body and hoist me in the air. I blink my sleepy eyes open and meet Jamie’s amused gaze. He kisses my forehead and says, “Clean up will be quick, and then we’ll be back in bed. Together.”

“Okay,” I mumble, “but only because you’re staying. Right?” I can’t be bothered worrying about our jobs, or that he’s my friend, when I’m this warm and want to fall asleep in his arms. There will be time to figure it out later.

“Of course I’m staying.”

We sort ourselves out quickly. New underwear for me and Jamie slips into his pants, sans briefs, and lifts me in his arms again and places me on the bed. He climbs in beside me and wraps his arms around me, holding me close. One of his hands rests on my stomach and it rises each time I breathe. It’s strangely comforting, and I drift off to sleep with Jamie at my back.

When I wake again, it’s because sunlight has entered the room, and I stretch in bed with a yawn. My limbs don’t encounter anyone else in the bed, which means Jamie has left. I turn my head to double-check, and all I see is the indent on the pillow. The sheets are still warm, so he left recently. My eyes snag on the glowing clock, and I shove the sheets away.

Shit. That’s why he left. Everyone needs to be at breakfast in twenty minutes before we start preparing for the game tonight.

I hop in the shower and am scrubbing my hair with the provided shampoo when what happened last night hits me.

A player stayed in my room.

Igot offwith the hooker for our national rugby team.

And I’m his physio.

Shit, shit, shit.

I’m extremely lucky it was my turn without a roommate. There’s an uneven amount of staff on the medic team, so we rotate who gets a room to themselves for away games.

I tense and stare at the beige tiles. But Jamie has a roommate. I don’t know who it is for this stretch of games, but please, god, let it be someone who doesn’t gossip.

“Ow, fuck.” I slap a hand over my eye that now has shampoo in it, burning the warm, happy feelings away. I flush my eye with water and finish showering.

But it wasn’t just any player. It was Jamie. Jamie, my friend, who’s always there for me and makes me smile.

Jamie, who I want to be with.

I sit on the bed heavily and run my hands through my tangled wet hair.

I want to be with him. I want to carpool with him forever. Want to live together in his villa and meet his family and adopt another dog so Westley isn’t lonely.

My heart beats so fast I feel faint and the room’s walls shift in my vision.

Right.

I think I’m in love with him.

I laugh into the silent room and scrub a hand over my mouth. I’min lovewith Jamie.

The code of conduct just went out the window.

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