Page 98 of On a Deadline

Jamie’s laugh came easier now. Softer, real. The kind that used to show up without asking for permission. Erin hadn’t realized how much she’d missed that sound until it filled her apartment again.

“Feels weird being here,” Jamie said after a while. “In a good way, I think.”

Erin nodded. “Yeah. It doesn’t feel like before.”

“No,” Jamie said quietly. “But maybe that’s the point.”

The silence stretched, steady and full. Leo sighed between them. Erinlooked over, caught Jamie watching her, and didn’t look away this time.

“Can I—” Erin started, then stopped.

Jamie smiled faintly. “Yeah.”

Erin leaned in, brushing a strand of hair from Jamie’s face. When their lips met, the warmth hit her all at once, steady and deep. Jamie’s hands slid to her wrists, holding her there—not to stop her, but to anchor her.

The kiss was slow, deliberate, everything Erin hadn’t realized she’d been starving for.

When her tongue traced the edge of Jamie’s mouth, Jamie drew back just slightly, breath catching between them.

“What’s wrong?” Erin asked quietly.

Jamie shook her head. “Nothing. I just wanted to make sure this is what you want.”

Erin smiled, her voice low. “Of course it is, J. You should know by now, I don’t do things I don’t want to do.”

Jamie smiled and pressed their mouths together again. This time, Erin let her hands wander, tracing from Jamie’s face down the line of her neck, along her arms, until they settled at her waist. The brush of fur against her forearm made her pause, and she glanced down to find Leo still wedged loyally between them.

A soft laugh escaped her. She looked back at Jamie, who was already grinning.

“Should we maybe move this somewhere else?” Erin asked.

Jamie’s answer came with a small nod. “Yeah.”

Erin stood, but Jamie caught her hand before she could turn away, fingers slipping easily into hers.

“Come on,” Jamie said quietly.

In the low light of the bedroom, Erin closed the door behind them. The last time Jamie had been here, she’d been impatient, eager to touch, to take, to lose herself in the moment. This time, she didn’t want to rush.

Jamie stood near the edge of the bed, eyes soft in the dim light. Erin stepped closer, close enough to feel the warmth between them but not so close that it crowded her.

Jamie reached for her hand. “You don’t have to overthink it,” she said quietly. “I’m here.”

Erin let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “I know,” she said. “I just want to get it right this time.”

Jamie’s smile was small but sure. “You already are.”

Erin lifted a hand to her cheek, brushing her thumb along her jaw before leaning in. The kiss that followed was unhurried, soft and full of the kind of trust they’d fought hard to rebuild.

Jamie’s fingers toyed with the hem of Erin’s shirt, then slipped beneath it, her palms tracing the firm line of Erin’s stomach. Her touch was cool against the heat of Erin’s skin, and a quiet sound caught in Erin’s throat before she could swallow it back.

Jamie smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed, tugging Erin gently down with her. Erin carefully placed a knee on either side of Jamie’s hips before settling on her lap. She placed a hand against Jamie’s chest and pushed her softly back into the mattress.

Erin got lost in the way Jamie’s blonde curls spread against the dark bedding, the way her green eyes looked up at her.

“Erin?” Jamie asked softly.

Erin shook her head, bringing herself back to the present. “I’m here. Just memorizing how you look in my bed.”