"What? Don't be silly.” Mark waved his hand and stood to shake Alex’s hand. “We're just having a first- night dinner in the new place. It's mostly in your honor. Get your panties out of a wad and come sit down. This girl wouldn't turn away from you if you forced her to."
Alex ignored Mark’s hand. "Right. No thanks. Enjoy your special dinner and bottle of wine. I'm going to bed." He turned and walked out, leaving Jamie standing there with her mouth gaping open.
"Did that just really happen?" Anger boiled up the center of her stomach as she turned back to Mark. "He can't find time to have dinner with us, and then he gets pissed that we're eating together? How jacked up would it be if we weren't?"
"It's alright. I can see his point. Go up there and comfort him. Really." Mark nodded toward the door. "Just leave the dog with me."
"No. I'm eating with you. He can get over himself." She sat down and cut into a piece of the pasta as a flood of emotion filled her. Anger. Sadness. Frustration. What was going on between them? Things had seemed beyond perfect at Christmas. Alex couldn’t be jealous. He had said he was all over that. She had no idea what was going on.
"Jamie. Really. Go." Mark rubbed the top of her back softly. "I mean, eat and then go."
She glanced over at him and let his warm smile bring her back down. The situation did look a little off, but it wasn't at all. She and Mark were friends, and even though Alex wasn't normally the jealous type, his brother just seemed to bring something out in him.
"I'll eat and go, and yeah, Jake can stay with you for the night. Just make sure he comes back up to the house tomorrow morning. The heater is weird down here. It works most of the time, but sometimes it gets a little cool. Jake’s much too delicate for the cold." She ignored Mark’s raised eyebrows as he looked at the big fur-ball spread out by the fireplace. She ate a few more raviolis before downing her glass of wine and getting up. "Well, sorry it's not a better welcome, but welcome. I'm glad you're here."
Mark winked at her. "Me too. It's going to be great. Thank you for a fantastic first meal. Tell my brother I wish he could have joined us."
"I will." She grabbed her coat and waved just before walking out into the freezing cold. By the time she made it back up to the house, she was full-blown pissed again. Mark was sitting in the apartment alone, eating his dinner, wishing Alex had been part of the evening.
A growl left her as she slung the door open and let it slam behind her. He should know just how much of a jerk he was being. No one deserved the butt of his actions, and yet he didn't care who suffered them. Just as long as his precious company was fine, all was good.
She stopped at the door to his office and pressed her hand to the door frame as anger burned through her. He stood at his desk, his head bent and shoulders rounded. He was looking at something, but she didn't care.
"You're an asshole. You know that?"
He nodded and turned, his face sorrowful. The white stone she'd given him for Christmas was between his fingers. He rubbed it slowly and let his eyes lock with hers. "I know. I'm sorry. Seeing you with him—"
"No! You don't get to blow this off." She walked in and pointed at him. "You were a total ass to me at the office today. I know you were upset, but I only wanted to help. Then you blew up at me again and—"
"I know, Jamie. I'm sorry. I'm under a lot of—"
"Pressure,” she snapped, cutting him off again. “I get that, but stop using me as your punching bag." She moved close to him poked him in the chest. "The worst part is that your little brother is here, Alex. He's here and is trying to start a new life in your shadows. Do you think you could stop your rise to godhood for one damn minute and show him that you care? That's all I was doing tonight. I was showing him that—"
She didn't get another word out as he reached out and pulled her against him, locking her against his chest as his arms tightened and his lips pressed hard against hers.
Jamie fought him for a minute, but lost the battle as his tongue plunged deep into her mouth.
The taste of him rolled over her, and she groaned, sinking into him and letting her anger roll into passion, desire, need.
He moved back a little and brushed her hair from her face as he looked at her longingly. "I'm a dick. Forgive me one more time. I'm working on it. I'll take Mark out for breakfast tomorrow, okay?"
"Promise?" She nipped at his lips. "And no more being an asshole at work to me. Testy, fine. Upset, fine. Angry, not so much."
"Promise." He licked at her mouth. "Where's the puppy?"
"Down with your brother." She ran her fingers thought the soft chestnut hair at the side of his head. "I've missed you."
"Not as much as I've missed you." He brushed his nose by her jaw and pressed his teeth into the side of her neck before licking just in front of her ear. "Let's not waste what little bit of time we have together."
"Agreed." She moved back and tugged at the front of his pants. "But, for the record, I'm still mad at you."
"You should be. I'm glad you left." He followed her out of the office into the living room and through to the kitchen. "Did you really get you some new stuff on my credit card?"
"No. I came home and got dinner rolling with Mark. No more talking about anything but us." She got a glass of water as he moved up behind her. His strong hands moved up her waist and around to cup her breasts as he ground himself against the back of her.
"Agreed. I need you naked and trembling beneath me." He kissed the side of her neck. "Can I have that even though I don't deserve it?"
"Say please." She pressed her rear to him, rubbing it against him as he groaned softly.