Page 77 of Balancing Act (Soulmate #1)

Jamie was exactly where Beth had left her—curled up beneath the covers, her hair a dark tangle against the pillow, one arm sprawled out across Beth’s side of the bed as if reaching for her in her sleep.

She smiled to herself as she slipped back into bed, carefully easing beneath the covers. As soon as she settled in, Jamie instinctively turned toward her, her body pressing into Beth’s warmth like a magnet.

“Mmm,” Jamie hummed sleepily, her voice muffled against Beth’s shoulder. “You’re back.”

Beth smiled, pressing a soft kiss to Jamie’s forehead. “I’m back.”

Jamie made a contented noise in response, her arm lazily draping over Beth’s waist. Beth ran her fingers through Jamie’s messy hair, her touch slow and soothing. Within minutes, Jamie’s breathing evened out again, and before Beth knew it, she, too, was drifting.

They slept like that for a few more hours, wrapped up in each other, the world outside held at bay. Beth stirred to the feeling of warm lips pressing lazy kisses along her shoulder, trailing up the curve of her neck. A slow, sleepy smile pulled at her lips.

“Jamie,” she murmured, as she shifted slightly, instinctively leaning into the touch.

Jamie hummed, her lips ghosting over Beth’s pulse before she nipped at her earlobe. “Morning... again.”

Beth shivered, tilting her head to the side to give Jamie better access. “You seem awake now.”

Jamie’s only response was a deep laugh, low and teasing, followed by the slow, deliberate press of her thigh between Beth’s.

Beth let out a soft hum, the last remnants of sleep fading as Jamie’s hand found her waist, fingers splaying over bare skin.

She turned in Jamie’s arms and their lips found each other easily, bodies melting together. Jamie kissed her slowly, deeply, like they had all the time in the world.

She sighed against her mouth, hands slipping up Jamie’s back, pulling her closer.

Jamie smirked, rolling their bodies until Beth was beneath her, pulling back enough to meet eyes, dark with heady want.

“Morning’s not over yet,” Jamie murmured, her voice husky.

Beth laughed quietly, running her fingers through Jamie’s hair. “No,” she agreed, breathless. “It’s not.”

And then Jamie kissed her again, stealing the words right from her lips.

Jamie’s lips were everywhere—soft and insistent, trailing down her body like she had all the time in the world. Every kiss, every slow drag of Jamie’s mouth, sent heat curling low in Beth’s stomach, unraveling her piece by piece.

She arched instinctively, trying to gain some control, but Jamie laughed, low and knowing, and pressed her back down with steady hands.

“You take care of everyone around you,” Jamie purred. “Let me take care of you.”

“I—” she tried to protest feebly.

Jamie cut her off with a kiss so deep and dizzying Beth forgot where she was for a moment as the feeling of Jamie’s fingers tightening around her wrists, pinning them gently against the sheets, took over. She could have fought it—Jamie wasn’t holding her that hard—but she didn’t want to.

God, she didn’t want to at all.

“Jamie.” Her voice broke apart as Jamie kissed a slow path down her throat, her collarbone, lower and lower.

She could feel Jamie smirking against her skin as she muttered encouragements. “That’s it, let go.”

And so she did.

She surrendered to the press of Jamie’s mouth, the heat of her skin, the way Jamie knew exactly what she needed before she even had to ask. Jamie’s hands slid lower, teasing and confident, coaxing her to the edge with agonizing precision.

A high-pitched gasp left her when Jamie’s fingers hit a particularly sensitive spot, her back arching, her body pressing into Jamie’s, chasing every sensation, every spark Jamie pulled from her with nothing but her mouth, her hands, her voice.

She grabbed fistfuls of sheets as Jamie’s name fell from her lips, wrecked and wanting, over and over.

And when Jamie finally took her the way she had been promising with every teasing touch—Beth swore she saw every color known to humankind all at once.

Jamie held her through it, whispering soft, filthy things against her skin as she shattered beneath her, until she was nothing but boneless limbs and the slow, lazy aftershocks of pleasure curled through her.

She tried to gather herself, breath shaky still from her orgasm, but Jamie had other plans as she kissed her way back up Beth’s body, smirk lazy, fingers still skimming sensitive skin, making Beth shudder. “Told you morning wasn’t over yet,” she teased.

Jamie’s grin was full of pride at a job well done as she finally released Beth’s wrists, threading their fingers together instead.

She squeezed Jamie’s hand, still trying to steady her breathing.

“I love you,” Jamie said between soft kisses, making her heart clench in the best way.

She cupped Jamie’s cheek, pulling her down into a deep and slow kiss, a thank-you without words.

“I love you so much,” she murmured against Jamie’s lips, feeling her smile form.

“Good.” Jamie’s fingers ghosted down her stomach, that wicked gleam back in her eyes that told her Jamie knew exactly what she was doing to her. “Now, let’s see how many times I can make you say my name before breakfast.”

Beth moaned, half exasperated, half already wrecked at the thought of what Jamie had planned for her.

Jamie grinned at the noises she made as she made good on her promise.

Beth groaned, stretching out beneath the covers as Jamie pressed a final lazy kiss to her shoulder. Their bodies were tangled together, basking in their afterglow. Jamie hummed with satisfaction as Beth laughed, running a hand through her hair before finally pushing herself upright.

“If I don’t get up now, I never will,” she muttered.

Her limbs were heavy, her body delightfully sore, and Jamie looked entirely too pleased with herself. She swatted at her on the way to the bathroom, mumbling how she needed to shower alone just to physically recover before date day officially began, but Jamie laughed, utterly unrepentant.

Which was how Beth found herself standing under the warm spray of the shower, letting the steam work through the last remnants of exhaustion—and the very obvious evidence of Jamie’s handiwork.

She let herself linger momentarily, rolling out the tension in her shoulders. As much as she had resisted getting out of bed, she couldn’t deny that she was excited for whatever Jamie had planned for them today.

Loving Jamie had made Beth softer, but not in the way she had feared. It hadn’t dulled her edges or made her smaller—it had expanded her. Opened her. Jamie had shown her repeatedly that love didn’t have to mean sacrifice or losing herself. It could be easy and steady and passionate all at once.

She hadn’t seen any of this coming—not Jamie, not how they had built a life together, not how she wanted this life more than she had ever wanted anything.

When she stepped out of the shower, a neatly folded pair of workout leggings and one of her favorite sweatshirts were waiting for her on the counter.

Beth smirked, shaking her head as she pulled them on.

Jamie always acted like she wasn’t sentimental, but the way she knew which sweatshirt Beth would want to wear said otherwise.

Once dressed, Beth ran a towel through her damp hair and stepped into the bedroom—only to find it empty.

She frowned slightly, padding downstairs in search of her girlfriend.

When she reached the kitchen, she stopped in the doorway, feeling that familiar swell in her chest when the sight of Jamie standing by the counter, holding two to-go coffee cups and a brown paper bag, greeted her. Her smile stretching wide as soon as their eyes met.

Beth’s eyes flicked to the bag, already knowing what was inside. She crossed the kitchen and pulled it open to find her favorite breakfast sandwich—egg, turkey bacon, and avocado, all on an everything bagel.

“You,” she said, reaching for the sandwich, “are ridiculous.”

Jamie smirked as she handed her one of the coffees. “Ridiculously thoughtful?”

Beth took a sip. “I was going to say ridiculously predictable, but sure, let’s go with that.”

Jamie laughed, leaning back against the counter as Beth unwrapped her sandwich.

She took a bite and sighed happily. “Okay, I’ll admit, this is a pretty solid way to start date day.”

“Glad you approve.”

Beth eyed her thoughtfully, chewing before speaking “So, are you going to tell me what we’re doing today?”

Jamie smiled, grabbing her own coffee. “You’ll find out soon enough.” She leaned in and swiftly placed a kiss on Beth’s cheek before moving toward the door. “Come on, babe. Trust me.”

Beth followed, rolling her eyes. “I do trust you.”

Jamie turned and grinned. “Good.”

Whatever Jamie had planned, it was going to be good. And honestly? She was happy enough to be wherever Jamie was.

Twenty-five minutes later, Beth stared at the towering indoor rock wall before her, then at Jamie, who was grinning like she had done something diabolical. It was that same smile that had initially drawn her to Jamie months ago, at her last art show.

“You brought me rock climbing?” Beth asked, arching a brow. “On purpose?”

Tightening the strap of her harness, Jamie smirked. “Well, yeah. I thought it’d be fun.”

Tilting her head back to take in the multicolored holds, the sharp angles, and the absurdity of this wall’s height, Beth let out a slow breath. She reached out to touch one of the holds, the texture like fine sandpaper on her fingertips.

“Fun,” she echoed flatly. “I’m sure you’ve realized this by now, but I’m not exactly athletic.”

She caught the grin on Jamie’s face as she stepped in closer to tighten Beth’s harness for her.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take it slow. One hold at a time.

” She tugged on the strap around Beth’s waist, testing the fit before giving her a teasing smirk.

“And, if you’re really good at this, maybe we’ll get you a different kind of harness later,” Jamie said, in a low voice meant only for her.

Beth let out a flustered laugh, her cheeks going red as she rolled her eyes and swatted Jamie’s shoulder. “And here I thought maybe you had matured a little in the last few months.”

“What? You walked right into that one.” Jamie grinned.

Beth shook her head, fighting a smile as Jamie knelt to check the leg straps. “I can’t believe you roped me into this.”

“Hey, you’re the one who put the harness on. Technically, you roped yourself in.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “Why am I in love with you?” she groaned.

“Excellent question,” Jamie said, looping the belay rope through the carabiner. Then she softened, stood, and looked Beth square in the eye. “But really—climbing is about communication and trust. And I thought it would be a good thing for us to do together, you know, after everything.”

Beth held Jamie’s gaze, the humor in the moment fading slightly as it was replaced by a deeper understanding.

Jamie’s voice dropped, quieter now. “Trusting you, letting you in, has been the best thing I’ve ever done,” she admitted quietly. “I hope you trust me, too.”

“I do,” she said simply. Because it was the truth, she did trust Jamie—fully and completely.

“Good, because I’m going first. Don’t let me fall.”

Beth crossed her arms, watching uneasily as Jamie clipped herself in and tested the rope. “Got it—I’ll hold on and hope you don’t fall to your death?”

Jamie shot her a wink. “Exactly.”

Beth snorted, but as Jamie turned and reached for the first handhold, an unexpected tightening in her chest took over. It was one thing to say she trusted Jamie—it was another to feel it in her bones how much Jamie trusted her.

“Do exactly what I showed you,” Jamie continued, “and talk me through everything you’re doing. You’ve got this.” She leaned in and quickly kissed her cheek before taking her starting position. “On belay.”

“Belay on!” Beth called back to Jamie, letting her know she was ready. She planted her feet.

“Climbing.”

“Climb on.”

Jamie climbed, moving with ease, and Beth held the rope firmly, keeping her anchored and safe, exactly like she promised.